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About

Hiromu Kakuya is a pioneering researcher in human-robot collaboration, with a focus on mobile manipulation and cooperative robotics. His most influential work centers on the development of the MR Helper, a dual-arm mobile robot designed to handle objects in partnership with humans. Kakuya’s key contributions include a novel motion control algorithm that uses impedance control to specify the apparent impedance of a manipulated object relative to the world frame, enabling intuitive and safe human-robot interaction. He further advanced this system by integrating visual and force information, allowing the robot to seamlessly transition from cooperative handling to autonomous transportation. His seminal 2002 paper on the control algorithm for dual-arm mobile robots has garnered 21 citations, reflecting its foundational impact on the field. Kakuya’s research, published in venues like the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, has laid critical groundwork for assistive robotics, particularly in scenarios requiring close human-robot teamwork. His work remains a key reference for engineers designing robots that can physically collaborate with people in dynamic environments.