Matthew Secor
Papers
1
Total Citations
49
H-Index
1
About
Matthew Secor is a leading figure in nonholonomic motion planning and robotic systems with complex kinematic constraints. His most influential work, "Off-tracking bounds for a car pulling trailers with kingpin hitching" (2002, 49 citations), provides foundational mathematical bounds for the off-tracking behavior of a car towing multiple trailers—a critical problem in autonomous vehicle navigation and industrial robotics. Secor’s key contribution lies in developing a novel motion planning method that enables a car-like robot to maneuver among obstacles while pulling trailers with non-standard kingpin hitches. He demonstrated that, for the special case of equal-length kingpin hitches, the system exhibits exponential convergence, a result that has proven essential for designing stable and predictable robotic convoys. This work bridges theoretical kinematics with practical path planning, influencing subsequent research in autonomous trucking, warehouse logistics, and articulated vehicle control. With a career focused on the intersection of geometry, control, and robotics, Secor’s insights continue to inform how researchers approach the challenge of steering multi-body systems through constrained environments.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Off-tracking bounds for a car pulling trailers with kingpin hitching49 citations · 2002