Timothy D. Barfoot

Timothy D. Barfoot (born 21 October 1973) is a Canadian roboticist and researcher. He is a Professor at the University of Toronto, an IEEE Fellow and Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering His research has influenced how robots navigate in challenging environments like space, underground mines and warehouses. In July 2026, he was appointed Director of the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies.

Research Barfoot leads the Autonomous Space Robotics Lab at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on localization, mapping, planning and control for robots operating in large-scale, unstructured environments using onboard sensing such as cameras, lidar and radar. His work addresses long-term autonomy and robustness in GPS-denied environments.

Barfoot serves as a co-investigator in the University of Toronto’s WinTOR research program, which focuses on developing technologies for all-weather autonomous driving.

Barfoot developed Visual Teach and Repeat (VT&R), a navigation system for mobile robots. VT&R enables robots to autonomously repeat previously taught paths using local submaps, supporting long-term navigation through multi-experience localization. The system has been packaged into Clearpath Robotics by Rockwell Automation platforms.

As part of a team led by MDA Space, Barfoot is developing technology for Canada’s proposed Lunar Utility Vehicle (LUV). Barfoot’s research focuses on autonomy algorithms that will enable the LUV to navigate on its own between cargo drop-off points.

Career Barfoot earned a B.A.Sc. in Engineering Science (Aerospace) from the University of Toronto in 1997 and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies in 2002. Barfoot is also a Distinguished Engineer at Oxa Autonomy (part time).

Select awards and honours

Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (2026) IEEE ICRA Best Conference Paper Award (2025) CRV Best Paper Award in Robotics (2025) Gordon N. Patterson Lecturer (2025) IEEE ICRA Best Student Paper Award (2021) IEEE Fellow (2020)