John Folkesson

John Folkesson is an Associate Professor at the Department of Robotics, Perception and Learning at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. His research focuses on mobile robotics, underwater autonomous vehicles (AUVs), and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), particularly addressing challenges in dynamic underwater environments. He leads the AUV group within the Swedish Maritime Robotics Centre (SMaRC2.0) and supervises multiple PhD projects, including those funded by Ocean Infinity and Vinnova. Folkesson has pioneered work on sonar-based SLAM, bathymetric mapping, and autonomous underwater navigation without human intervention. He teaches courses such as Probabilistic Graphical Models (DD2420) and Applied Estimation (EL2320). Recent projects include developing neural rendering techniques for sidescan SLAM and automatic launch systems for AUVs in collaboration with Purdue University and SAAB. His research emphasizes long-term autonomy, environmental ambiguity, and sensor data interpretation in unstructured underwater scenarios.

• Education: PhD in Robotics (2005, KTH Royal Institute of Technology)
• Recent Funding: 2024 projects include ALARS (Vinnova), WASP WARA-PS, and industrial collaborations.

Research Interests

Folkesson's work spans underwater robotics, SLAM algorithms, and sensor fusion. Key areas include:

• Underwater SLAM and sonar modeling
• Bathymetric reconstruction using neural networks
• Autonomous decision-making in AUV missions
• Real-time terrain modeling and localization

Articles Trends

Recent publications emphasize neural networks for SLAM optimization, sonar data processing, and autonomous underwater systems. Themes include real-time bathymetric mapping, sensor fusion in dynamic environments, and neural rendering techniques for improving navigation accuracy. Folkesson's work bridges theory and practice, with applications in marine robotics and industrial surveys.

Advising & Grants

• PhD supervision: AUV perception (2024), SLAM with Ocean Infinity, event-response AUV systems.
• Collaborations: Purdue University, SAAB, Ocean Infinity.
• Course responsibilities: Over 10 advanced robotics and engineering courses at KTH.

Labs & Teams

Lead of SMaRC2.0, KTH's official research center for maritime robotics. Active in developing AUV systems for long-duration missions, including ice-covered and deep-sea exploration.