Papers
49
Total Citations
2,145
H-Index
20
About
Frank Hoffmann is a prominent robotics and computational intelligence researcher whose work spans autonomous mobile robot navigation, trajectory optimization, elastic joint modeling, and evolutionary computation. He is perhaps best known for pioneering the **Timed Elastic Band (TEB)** framework, a landmark contribution to real-time robot motion planning. Introduced in his 2012 paper (250 citations) and refined in subsequent work, TEB optimizes robot trajectories by dynamically modifying initial global plans while respecting kinodynamic constraints and obstacle avoidance requirements. His 2016 paper on trajectory planning across distinctive topologies has garnered 309 citations, reflecting the broad adoption of these methods in the robotics community. Beyond navigation, Hoffmann made significant contributions to elastic joint modeling, presenting a sophisticated hysteresis and backlash framework for robotic manipulators (172 citations). His earlier work applied evolutionary algorithms to fuzzy control system design, establishing him as a versatile researcher bridging classical AI and modern robotics. His 2001 geometric study of the Polygon Exploration Problem further demonstrated his theoretical depth. With multiple papers exceeding 100 citations and total citations surpassing 1,600, Hoffmann's research has meaningfully shaped both the theoretical foundations and practical implementations of autonomous robot motion planning and intelligent control systems.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Integrated online trajectory planning and optimization in distinctive topologies309 citations · 2016
- 2Trajectory modification considering dynamic constraints of autonomous robots250 citations · 2012
- 3Efficient trajectory optimization using a sparse model194 citations · 2013
- 4Modeling and Identification of Elastic Robot Joints With Hysteresis and Backlash172 citations · 2009
- 5Kinodynamic trajectory optimization and control for car-like robots166 citations · 2017
- 6Evolutionary algorithms for fuzzy control system design135 citations · 2001
- 7The Polygon Exploration Problem117 citations · 2001
- 8Evolutionary design of a fuzzy knowledge base for a mobile robot100 citations · 1997
- 9Planning of multiple robot trajectories in distinctive topologies87 citations · 2015
- 10Online trajectory prediction and planning for social robot navigation61 citations · 2017