L. J. du Plessis
Papers
2
Total Citations
26
H-Index
2
About
L. J. du Plessis is a robotics researcher whose work centers on the kinematics and path planning of mechanical manipulators, with a particular focus on parallel mechanisms like the Stewart platform. His most influential contribution is a novel trajectory-planning methodology introduced in his 2003 paper, which has garnered 21 citations. This work presents an interpolation technique using overlapping cubic arcs and cubic splines, allowing users to analytically specify and optimize the path of a planar industrial robot’s end-effector along a general curve. Du Plessis also made foundational contributions to workspace analysis, developing a general numerical optimization technique to determine the reachable volumes of manipulators, especially for Stewart platforms. This approach, detailed in his 1999 paper, addresses the computational challenges of workspace determination for complex parallel mechanisms. While his citation counts are modest, his work provides practical tools for robotic path planning and workspace analysis, bridging theoretical kinematics with industrial application. Du Plessis’s research is particularly valuable for engineers and researchers working on precision motion control and the design of parallel robotic systems.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2An optimization approach to the determination of manipulator workspaces5 citations · 1999