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About

Meiji University has established itself as a distinctive research institution at the intersection of robotics, intelligent systems, and human-robot interaction, with a research legacy spanning nearly four decades. The university's scholars have made foundational contributions to robotic manipulation, particularly through pioneering work on tendon-driven mechanisms. Their seminal 1998 study on redundant tendon systems, now cited over 145 times, remains a cornerstone reference for researchers designing robot hands with adjustable joint stiffness, while a rich body of follow-on work exploring underactuated and adaptive neural network control of tendon mechanisms has solidified Meiji's reputation as a world leader in this niche. Beyond manipulation, Meiji researchers have pushed boundaries in swarm robotics and multi-agent coordination, introducing self-organizing collective robots capable of morphogenesis against gravity and developing traffic-rule-based frameworks for safe mobile robot navigation. These contributions reflect a deep commitment to practical, scalable autonomy. More recently, the university has embraced vision-based autonomous navigation using semantic segmentation with monocular cameras, addressing real-world deployment constraints where lightweight sensing is paramount. What truly distinguishes Meiji is its breadth. The institution bridges hard engineering and humanistic inquiry, publishing influential work on the rubber hand illusion and motor-imagery neurofeedback, exploring the neurological underpinnings of embodiment and agency, and engaging critically with robot ethics and Japan's cultural relationship with robotics. This interdisciplinary character makes Meiji an especially vibrant environment for prospective students and collaborators seeking to connect technical robotics research with cognitive science, social robotics, and philosophy. With a consistently cited publication record and faculty working across hardware design, AI, and human factors, Meiji University offers a uniquely integrated perspective on what robots are and what they can become.