PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Steven M. LaValle

Also known as Steve LaValle

Steven LaValle is a robotics and AI researcher whose rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) helps robots search high-dimensional spaces for feasible paths. He earned an electrical and computer engineering doctorate at Illinois and held academic posts at Stanford, Iowa State and Illinois. His 2006 book Planning Algorithms brought together robotics, control theory, AI and algorithms; he became chief scientist at Oculus and served as a VR/AR/MR chief scientist at Huawei. He and James Kuffner received the IEEE ICRA Milestone Award for their RRT paper in 2019. He joined the University of Oulu in 2018 and is a professor there who leads Perception Engineering; his 2023 book Virtual Reality explored VR systems and human perception.

Works
296
Citations
30,921
h-index
54

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1990–1997

    Degrees and Stanford

    He earns bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in electrical and computer engineering at Illinois in 1990, 1993, and 1995. From 1995 to 1997, he works as a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at Stanford.

  2. 1998

    The RRT motion planner

    In June 1998, he introduces the rapidly exploring random tree (RRT), a simple algorithm that searches high-dimensional spaces for feasible paths in robot motion planning.

  3. 2001–2006

    Illinois professor and Planning Algorithms

    After serving as an assistant professor at Iowa State from 1997 to 2001, he joins Illinois's computer science faculty in 2001 and later becomes a full professor there through 2018. He and his students develop the Motion Strategy Library to support planning research, education, and industry. In 2006, he publishes Planning Algorithms, which unifies robotics, control theory, artificial intelligence, and algorithms.

  4. 2013–2017

    Oculus and Huawei roles

    In March 2013, he moves to Irvine to work full time for Oculus as its chief scientist. From 2016 to 2017, he serves as Vice President and Chief Scientist for VR/AR/MR at Huawei Technologies.

  5. August 2018

    Joining Oulu

    In August 2018, he moves from UIUC to the University of Oulu's UBICOMP as an invited full professor in computer science and helps establish Perception Engineering.

  6. 2019

    An ICRA Milestone Award

    In 2019, he and James Kuffner receive the IEEE ICRA Milestone Award for their RRT paper.

  7. 2023

    Virtual Reality at Cambridge

    In 2023, he publishes Virtual Reality, a Cambridge book about virtual reality systems and human perception.

  8. March 2026

    Professor and group leader

    In March 2026, he is Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Oulu. As of October 2026, he is a research group leader in Perception Engineering.

Sources and credits

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  1. Steven M. LaValle - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Steven M. LaValle lavalle.pl. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Steven M. LaValle | Coordinated Science Laboratory | Illinois csl.illinois.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Planning Algorithms cambridge.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Virtual Reality - LaValle lavalle.pl. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. HI Lights Seminar 4: The Extended Human Mind in Multi-Realities | University of Oulu oulu.fi. Checked 14 October 2026.
  7. Centre for Applied Computing | University of Oulu oulu.fi. Checked 14 October 2026.
  8. Steven M. LaValle lavalle.pl. Checked 14 October 2026.
  9. Virtual Reality cambridge.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  10. Steve LaValle’s new textbook covers fundamentals of virtual reality from humans to devices | University of Oulu oulu.fi. Checked 14 October 2026.
  11. Steven LaValle | University of Oulu oulu.fi. Checked 14 October 2026.
  12. Perception Engineering | University of Oulu oulu.fi. Checked 14 October 2026.