Toshihiro Nishimura
Papers
23
Total Citations
262
H-Index
10
About
Toshihiro Nishimura is a robotics researcher whose work centers on the design and control of advanced robotic grippers and manipulation systems, with particular emphasis on soft robotics, underactuated mechanisms, and adaptive grasping strategies. His most influential contribution — a variable-grasping-mode underactuated soft gripper utilizing environmental contact (2017, 78 citations) — introduced an innovative design combining deformable fluid-filled rubber surfaces with internal microgrippers and ratchet mechanisms, enabling versatile object handling without complex actuation. This foundational work on "fluid fingertips" has extended into multiple directions, including pressure-monitoring strategies for grasping fragile objects, surface texture optimization for stable grasps under both dry and wet conditions, and microgripper-embedded fingertip systems that enhance positioning precision. Beyond soft robotics, Nishimura has made notable strides in mechanical ingenuity, developing grippers capable of infinite wrist-twisting, single-motor three-mode operation for confined spaces, and high-speed industrial grippers achieving over 1,300 mm/s grasping velocity. His pneumatic soft robotic hand with friction-reduction switching further demonstrates his ability to solve complex manipulation challenges through elegant mechanical design. With over 200 cumulative citations across a focused body of work, Nishimura's research offers meaningful contributions to both industrial automation and dexterous robotic manipulation.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 51-Degree-of-Freedom Robotic Gripper With Infinite Self-Twist Function14 citations · 2022
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- 9Lightweight High-Speed and High-Force Gripper for Assembly10 citations · 2023
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