Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

John Naglak’s research lies at the intersection of autonomous robotics, mission planning, and energy systems, with a focus on enabling persistent, self-sustaining operations for unmanned vehicles. His most cited work introduces a backseat controller for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) using ROS on a RaspberryPi, a low-cost, flexible architecture that accelerates the development and testing of novel control algorithms for missions requiring real-time onboard replanning. Naglak further advances AUV persistence through an integrated mission planning and adaptable docking system, demonstrating a proof-of-concept for autonomous underwater recharging and area coverage. Extending his expertise to terrestrial systems, he has designed a custom cable deployment system for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to support mobile microgrid formation, and developed optimization algorithms for recharging distributed loads via autonomous mobile energy assets. His work on near-field wireless power transfer via robotic feedback control addresses critical power challenges in planetary exploration. With over 30 citations across his portfolio, Naglak’s contributions are foundational to the development of resilient, multi-agent robotic systems capable of long-duration autonomy in remote and hazardous environments—from the ocean floor to the lunar surface.