Akihiko Yamaguchi
Carnegie Mellon University, Tohoku University, Nara Institute of Science and Technology
Papers
22
Total Citations
734
H-Index
11
About
Akihiko Yamaguchi is a leading figure in robotic manipulation, renowned for pioneering vision-based tactile sensing and dexterous manipulation of deformable objects. His core research areas include tactile sensing, sensorimotor learning, and robot control for complex, real-world tasks. Yamaguchi’s most influential contribution is the development of **FingerVision**, an optical multimodal-sensing skin for robotic fingers that combines external vision with tactile feedback, enabling robots to "see" through their fingertips. This work, detailed in his highly cited 2016 paper (224 citations), allows robots to perceive contact forces and external scenes simultaneously, dramatically improving manipulation accuracy. His 2019 survey on tactile sensing (147 citations) has become a foundational reference, framing the challenge of turning tactile data into actionable visual-like information. Beyond sensing, Yamaguchi has made significant strides in robot pouring skills, using stereo vision to track liquid and particle flow (44 citations) and learning pouring policies from human demonstrations (36 citations). By integrating reinforcement learning with differential dynamic programming, he has advanced model-based planning for robots handling non-rigid materials. His work bridges the gap between rich sensory feedback and practical, low-cost robotic systems, making him a key innovator in enabling robots to perform everyday tasks with human-like dexterity.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2
- 3Implementing tactile behaviors using FingerVision112 citations · 2017
- 4
- 5Stereo vision of liquid and particle flow for robot pouring44 citations · 2016
- 6Pouring Skills with Planning and Learning Modeled from Human Demonstrations36 citations · 2015
- 7
- 8Learning pouring skills from demonstration and practice13 citations · 2014
- 9Inverse Kinematics Solver for Android Faces with Elastic Skin13 citations · 2012
- 10