W.S. McMath

About

W.S. McMath is a robotics and sensing researcher whose career has centered on developing intelligent perception systems for robotic platforms, with particular emphasis on tactile sensing, object recognition, and multi-sensor data fusion. His most influential work, "Active Tactile Perception of Object Surface Geometric Profiles" (1992, 32 citations), pioneered the use of a 16×16 tactile sensor array combined with a passive-compliant wrist to recover geometric surface profiles, establishing foundational methods for robotic touch. This line of inquiry extended into high-resolution tactile systems capable of perceiving three-dimensional objects larger than the sensor probe itself, as demonstrated in his 2002 work (30 citations) utilizing force-sensitive transducer technology. McMath also advanced visual object recognition through pseudo-random grid encoding techniques, enabling robust 3-D recognition and absolute position recovery. His research further explored the integration of vision and tactile sensing for enhanced manipulator intelligence, mobile robot navigation through teleoperator-aided sensor fusion, and the demanding requirements of space robotics applications. With a cumulative citation profile spanning over a decade of consistent contributions, McMath's work represents a meaningful body of research bridging sensor hardware development and intelligent robotic perception systems.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Active tactile perception of object surface geometric profiles

   32 citations · 1992
2. 2
   High sampling resolution tactile sensor for object recognition

   30 citations · 2002
3. 3
   Visual Object Recognition Using Pseudo-random Grid Encoding

   24 citations · 2005
4. 4
   Tactile sensor for geometric profile perception

   5 citations · 2002
5. 5
   Multi-sensor data fusion for mobile robot position recovery

   5 citations · 2002
6. 6
   Teleoperator-aided multi-sensor data fusion for mobile robot navigation

   4 citations · 2002
7. 7
   Tactile sensing for space robotics

   3 citations · 2003
8. 8
   Tactile sensor system for object recognition

   3 citations · 2002
9. 9
   Multi-sensor System For Mobile Robot Navigation

   2 citations · 2005
10. 10
    Three dimensional object recognition using integrated robotic vision and tactile sensing

    2 citations · 2002

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links