Haruaki Fukuda

Papers

Total Citations

102

H-Index

About

Haruaki Fukuda is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction and social robotics, whose work explores the subtle psychological dynamics between humans and machines. His most influential contribution, the 2012 study "'Midas touch' in human-robot interaction" (57 citations), demonstrated that physical touch from a robot can significantly mitigate negative emotional responses, using the ultimatum game to reveal how tactile contact reduces feelings of unfairness toward robotic agents. This foundational research has shaped understanding of how robots can leverage social touch to build trust and cooperation. Fukuda further advanced the field with his 2010 work "Interaction with a Moving Object Affects One’s Perception of Its Animacy" (45 citations), which examined how dynamic interaction influences human judgments of whether an object is alive or mechanical. Together, these studies highlight Fukuda’s focus on the subtle cues—touch and motion—that govern human perceptions of robot agency and social presence. His work has implications for designing more empathetic and effective robotic companions, and remains widely cited in robotics, psychology, and human-computer interaction.