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About

Kevin Kochersberger is a robotics and autonomous systems researcher whose work sits at the intersection of unmanned vehicles, computer vision, and disaster response technology. He is perhaps best known for his pioneering contributions to post-disaster building assessment, most notably his development of image-based automated 3D crack detection systems for evaluating structural damage to concrete infrastructure — work that has garnered over 180 citations and represents a significant advance in keeping first responders out of harm's way. His research broadly spans autonomous aerial and ground vehicle collaboration, remote sensing, and intelligent navigation, with notable contributions to aerial terrain mapping systems that enable real-time ground robot path planning in complex environments. Kochersberger has also pushed the boundaries of robot navigation by incorporating imitation learning techniques as alternatives to traditional cost-based planning methods, enabling more adaptive traversal of challenging terrain including negative obstacles. His 2014 work on an autonomous helicopter platform capable of deploying interchangeable payloads — from radiation detectors to tethered robots — demonstrated remarkable versatility in disaster response applications. Collectively, his research portfolio reflects a sustained commitment to developing robotic systems that enhance human safety in dangerous and unpredictable environments.