Vignesh B.M. Gandudi

Texas A&M University, Mitchell Institute

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Vignesh B.M. Gandudi is a leading researcher in the field of robotics for disaster response and public health emergencies. His work focuses on the real-world deployment of ground and aerial robots during crises, with a particular emphasis on the COVID-19 pandemic. Gandudi’s major contribution lies in systematically documenting and analyzing the international use of robots during the pandemic, creating the R4ID dataset—a comprehensive record of 203 instances of robot use across 34 countries. His most-cited paper, "Applications of Robots for COVID-19 Response" (2020, 40 citations), reviews 262 reports to detail how 104 different robot models were actually deployed by stakeholders for tasks such as disinfection, delivery, and surveillance. This work, along with his subsequent analyses (25 and 9 citations), provides critical insights into the adoption patterns of robotic technologies during disasters, treating the pandemic as a natural experiment. Gandudi’s research is notable for bridging the gap between theoretical robotics and practical, life-saving applications, offering valuable lessons for future emergency response and disaster management.