ECE-based Team Receives Elsevier’s Biomimetic Intelligence and Robotics Best Paper Award
April 28, 2025
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Associate Professor Chaomin Luo, as well as his two Ph.D. students, Tingjun Lei and Timothy Sellers, are part of a team that was recognized with the Best Paper Award for the journal Biomimetic Intelligence and Robotics, which is published by Elsevier.
The article, “Graph-based robot optimal path planning with bio-inspired algorithms,” covers research that introduces a novel graph theory-based optimization framework that seamlessly integrates nature-inspired algorithms to solve one of the most critical challenges in robotics. It helps in achieving efficient, reliable and dynamically feasible navigation and mapping in complex and unstructured environments, and it is a breakthrough in autonomous navigation, mapping and motion control.
Dr. Chaomin Luo
The team’s project develops a revised Douglas-Peucker algorithm to intelligently approximate irregular objects with a Maklink graph representation to model the offroad environment, enabling autonomous systems particularly offroad vehicles to reach global optimization in autonomous navigation with significantly improved computational efficiency.
Luo said, “This research explores the innovation of advanced graph-based models including visibility graphs, Maklink diagrams, Delaunay triangulation and Voronoi diagrams into autonomous systems to enhance autonomous navigation, mapping and motion control optimization.”
In addition, the integration of a curvature-constrained smoothing algorithm ensures the safety and dynamic feasibility criteria, making them well-suited for real-world deployment. This advanced and forward-looking work not only enhances the performance of autonomous systems but also opens new directions for integrating graph-based optimization with artificial intelligence, machine learning and computational intelligence in the broader robotics research landscape.
Luo added, “By bridging these geometric frameworks with autonomy, the research opens new gates for innovative graph-based representations with machine learning, computational intelligence and AI-driven optimization techniques. This interdisciplinary approach lays the groundwork for a new generation of intelligent, efficient, and adaptable autonomous systems.”
Biomimetic Intelligence and Robotics, published by Elsevier, serves as a leading platform for the dissemination of cutting-edge research and impactful applications in the interdisciplinary domains of robotics, biomimetics and artificial intelligence. The journal aims to foster the exchange of innovative ideas and breakthroughs that drive progress in these converging fields by original, high-quality, peer-reviewed articles including both theoretical advancements and applied research as well as comprehensive reviews that highlight the integration of biomimetic principles with intelligent robotic systems. The team’s award-winning paper may be viewed online.
Luo’s research focuses primarily on the development and implementation of practically feasible, computationally efficient and theoretically solid bio-inspired AI and human-autonomy teaming (HAT) techniques for real-time motion control, robot vision, navigation and mapping of autonomous agents, with applications in precision agriculture, search and rescue and offroad autonomous vehicles. More about Luo may be found here.
As a graduate student at MSU, Lei received the ECE Best Graduate Researcher Award in 2023 and a Research Travel Award from Bagley College of Engineering in 2023. Two of his papers have been cover articles on Intelligence & Robotics Journal. He has won six oral and poster presentation awards at multiple conferences, received the Best Paper Award at the 2022 International Conference on Swarm Intelligence and the Best Paper Award at the ASEE (ECE Division) Conference 2024. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of North Dakota.
While a graduate student, Sellers has received the ECE Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award in 2021 and a Research Travel Award from Bagley College of Engineering in 2024. He has won three poster presentation awards at multiple conferences, and he won the Best Paper Award at the ASEE (ECE Division) Conference 2024. He also received the Bagley College of Engineering Student Hall of Fame award in 2024.
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Mississippi State University consists of 27 faculty members (including seven endowed professors), seven professional staff, and over 700 undergraduate and graduate students, with approximately 100 being at the Ph.D. level. With a research expenditure of over $14.24 million, the department houses the largest High Voltage Laboratory among North American universities.