Jonathan Gammell

Jonathan Gammell is an Assistant Professor at Queen's University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and a member of the Ingenuity Labs Research Institute. He holds an adjunct fellowship at the Oxford Robotics Institute (University of Oxford), where he previously taught. His expertise spans autonomous systems, robotics, and AI, with a focus on motion planning for diverse applications, including medical devices, self-driving cars, and aerial robotics. He leads the Estimation, Search, and Planning (ESP) group, which develops algorithms for autonomous systems.

Educations:

• BASc in Mechanical Engineering and Physics from the University of Waterloo
• MASc and PhD in Robotics from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies

Research Interests:

Dr. Gammell's work addresses fundamental motion planning challenges in robotics, emphasizing asymptotically optimal algorithms like BIT*, AIT*, and FCIT*. His research integrates robotics with medical applications (e.g., knee replacement implants) and autonomous systems (e.g., aerial mapping for emergency response). His algorithms are widely adopted in industry and academia, including collaborations with NASA JPL and Oxford orthopaedic surgeons.

Publications:

His recent work explores advanced motion planning frameworks (e.g., AORRTC, Osprey), multimotion visual odometry (MVO), and medical robotics applications. These contributions highlight his dual focus on theoretical algorithm development and practical, high-impact applications.

Awards:

• CIPPRS Award for Best Canadian PhD Thesis (Medical Imaging/Robotics)
• NASA Group Achievement Award (2021, 2022)
• IROS Best Paper Shortlist (2020)

Advising & Grants:

He advises on projects involving autonomous systems, medical robotics, and AI. His grants support collaborations with industry and academic partners, including NASA JPL and Oxford's robotics and medical teams. The ESP group's open-source tools (e.g., Planner Developer Tools) enable reproducible motion-planning research.

Labs/Teams:

He leads the ESP research group at Queen's University and collaborates with the Oxford Robotics Institute and Ingenuity Labs, focusing on cutting-edge robotics solutions for real-world challenges.