Stefan May

About

Stefan May is a robotics and computer vision researcher whose work has profoundly shaped the fields of 3D mapping, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), and autonomous navigation. His research has consistently focused on harnessing novel sensing technologies — particularly time-of-flight (ToF) cameras and 3D laser scanners — to enable robots and autonomous vehicles to perceive and navigate complex environments with precision. May's most influential contributions include pioneering investigations into ToF cameras for mobile robotics, with his 2009 work on three-dimensional mapping accumulating over 120 citations, and his earlier 2006 study on camera parameter adaptation drawing more than 100. His GPU-accelerated nearest neighbor search for 3D registration (125 citations) demonstrated a forward-thinking approach to computational efficiency in point cloud processing. He also made significant advances in sensor calibration, specular reflection detection — addressing a subtle but critical source of SLAM error — and IMU-free mobile mapping systems suited to indoor environments. Collectively, May's portfolio spans fundamental sensor characterization, algorithmic innovation, and practical system deployment, reflecting a rare breadth across theory and application. With hundreds of citations across a decade of work, his contributions remain essential reading for researchers tackling real-world 3D perception and autonomous robotics challenges.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   GPU-Accelerated Nearest Neighbor Search for 3D Registration

   125 citations · 2009
2. 2
   Three‐dimensional mapping with time‐of‐flight cameras

   120 citations · 2009
3. 3
   3D time-of-flight cameras for mobile robotics

   105 citations · 2006
4. 4
   Calibration and registration for precise surface reconstruction with Time-Of-Flight cameras

   53 citations · 2008
5. 5
   A MAN-PORTABLE, IMU-FREE MOBILE MAPPING SYSTEM

   46 citations · 2015
6. 6
   Identification of transparent and specular reflective material in laser scans to discriminate affected measurements for faultless robotic SLAM

   38 citations · 2016
7. 7
   A 3D laser scanner system for autonomous vehicle navigation

   32 citations · 2009
8. 8
   Multi-Robot Localization and Mapping Based on Signed Distance Functions

   26 citations · 2016
9. 9
   Detection of Specular Reflections in Range Measurements for Faultless Robotic SLAM

   22 citations · 2015
10. 10
    The Accuracy of 6D SLAM using the AIS 3D Laser Scanner

    18 citations · 2006

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links