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About

Hideaki Takanobu is a pioneering robotics researcher whose work spans humanoid robotics, human-robot interaction, dental rehabilitation engineering, and biomimetic systems. Based at Waseda University, he has been a central contributor to some of the most ambitious humanoid robot projects in Japan, including the landmark Hadaly-2 and WABIAN platforms, which helped establish Waseda as a world-leading institution in humanoid robotics research. Takanobu's most influential contributions lie in the development of emotionally expressive humanoid head robots, most notably the WE-4 and WE-4RII series. His work introduced sophisticated computational models of emotion — including mood vectors and second-order emotional equations within a three-dimensional mental space — enabling robots to communicate naturally and expressively with humans. These efforts have collectively attracted over 300 citations, reflecting their lasting influence on social robotics. Beyond humanoid systems, Takanobu made notable advances in dental robotics, developing parallel-mechanism robots for jaw rehabilitation and mastication simulation that quantify therapeutic outcomes with scientific rigor. His inventiveness further extended to biomimetic engineering, producing water strider robots with MEMS-fabricated hydrophobic legs. Across these diverse domains, his research consistently bridges mechanical innovation with human-centered application.