World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Robotics and Autonomous Systems
H-index 32

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 155 46 57 17
Electronics and Electrical Engineering 177 83 103 20
Computer Science 205 111 140 26
Engineering and Technology 486 33 42 17

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 245
Documents by Best Scientists*: 270
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 8
SCIMAGO H-index: 148
SCIMAGO SJR: 1.168
Impact Factor: 5.2

Overview

Top Research Topics at Robotics and Autonomous Systems?

The topics of Artificial intelligence, Robot, Computer vision, Simulation and Mobile robot are the focal point of discussions in the journal. Artificial intelligence research presented in the journal encompasses a variety of subjects, including Machine learning and Task (project management). Robotics and Autonomous Systems explores topics in Robot which can be helpful for research in disciplines like Control theory, Trajectory and Human–computer interaction.

Computer vision research featured in Robotics and Autonomous Systems incorporates concerns from various other topics such as Robustness (computer science) and GRASP. Control system, Kinematics, Actuator, Position (vector) and Manipulator are some topics wherein Simulation research discussed in the journal have an impact. Robotics and Autonomous Systems focuses on Mobile robot as well as the interrelated topic of Motion planning.

  • Artificial intelligence (49.01%)
  • Robot (43.17%)
  • Computer vision (22.83%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • A survey of robot learning from demonstration (2332 citations)
  • A survey of socially interactive robots (2234 citations)
  • Negotiation Decision Functions for Autonomous Agents (1064 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Robotics and Autonomous Systems:

The journal articles mainly tackle studies in Artificial intelligence, Robot, Mobile robot, Simulation and Robotics. In addition to Artificial intelligence research, the most cited papers aim to explore topics under Machine learning, Human–computer interaction, Task (project management) and Computer vision. While Simulation is the key highlight in the journal publications, thet also covered some subjects on Control theory and Fuzzy logic.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Artificial intelligence
  • Operating system
  • Programming language

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The journal is organized to address concerns in the fields of Trajectory, Robot, Linear-quadratic regulator, Control theory and Tracking error. Robotics and Autonomous Systems focuses on Trajectory but the discussions also offer insight into other areas such as Mobile manipulator, Overshoot (signal), Cuckoo search, Metaheuristic and Backstepping. While Robot is the focus of the journal, it also provided insights into the studies of Natural rubber, Rotational speed, Tree (data structure), Energy (signal processing) and Ranging.

The journal explores issues in Linear-quadratic regulator which can be linked to other research areas like Unmanned ground vehicle, Model predictive control and Extended Kalman filter.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Multi-robot task allocation in disaster response: Addressing dynamic tasks with deadlines and robots with range and payload constraints (0 citations)
  • Backstepping control for a UAV-manipulator tuned by Cuckoo Search algorithm (0 citations)
  • Design, development and evaluation of latex harvesting robot based on flexible Toggle (0 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Aude Billard (23 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Robin R. Murphy (21 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Wolfram Burgard (20 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Emanuele Menegatti (17 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Yoshihiko Nakamura (15 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Carnegie Mellon University (66 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • University of Tokyo (59 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (59 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Gifu University (48 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (43 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2022 edition, 0.00% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 0.00% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 0.00% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 25.00% of all publications and 75.00% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Top Publications

  • A dual-mode soft gripper for food packaging

    Zhongkui Wang;Keung Or;Shinichi Hirai

    (2020)
    178 Citations
  • Deploying MAVs for autonomous navigation in dark underground mine environments

    Sina Sharif Mansouri;Christoforos Kanellakis;Dariusz Kominiak;George Nikolakopoulos

    (2020)
    88 Citations
  • A survey on the design and evolution of social robots - Past, present and future

    (2022)
    80 Citations
  • Active robot-assisted feeding with a general-purpose mobile manipulator: Design, evaluation, and lessons learned

    Daehyung Park;Yuuna Hoshi;Harshal P. Mahajan;Hokeun Kim

    (2020)
    77 Citations
  • A survey on human-aware robot navigation

    Ronja Möller;Antonino Furnari;Sebastiano Battiato;Aki Härmä

    (2021)
    76 Citations
  • Skill transfer learning for autonomous robots and human-robot cooperation: A survey

    Yueyue Liu;Zhijun Li;Huaping Liu;Zhen Kan

    (2020)
    75 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For those interested in broadening their expertise beyond traditional Computer Science, exploring related online degrees offers valuable opportunities. Affordable options in engineering online programs can provide a strong foundation in practical and theoretical aspects, catering to students seeking flexibility and cost-effective education.

Specialized fields like game design have also become increasingly accessible through digital platforms. Pursuing a game design online masters program allows students to combine creativity with technical skills, opening doors to careers in interactive media and entertainment industries.

In today’s digital landscape, cybersecurity remains a critical area of study. Cybersecurity online degrees equip learners with the knowledge to protect organizations from growing cyber threats, making graduates highly sought after in various sectors including finance, healthcare, and government.

Another rapidly evolving domain is data science. Enrolling in a data science master online program helps develop expertise in managing and analyzing vast datasets, preparing students for roles in analytics, artificial intelligence, and business intelligence.

Each of these specialized pathways complements core Computer Science knowledge, offering diverse career trajectories that adapt to evolving technology trends.

Explore more about engineering online programs, game design online masters, cybersecurity online degrees, and data science master online to find the best fit for your aspirations.

Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal

Recently Published Articles