Hiroaki Kobayashi

About

Hiroaki Kobayashi has established himself as a leading figure in robotic manipulation, with pioneering contributions spanning tendon-driven mechanisms, robotic hand design, and tactile sensing. His research, which has accumulated over 700 citations across his most influential works, fundamentally advanced our understanding of how robots can grasp, manipulate, and interact with the physical world. Kobayashi's early landmark paper on articulated robot hand control (1985, 102 citations) laid theoretical groundwork for robotic grasping that researchers continue to build upon today. He subsequently became a defining voice in tendon-driven robotics, with his 1998 analysis of redundant tendon mechanisms (145 citations) becoming a cornerstone reference for joint stiffness control and tendon redundancy theory. His 2003 work on adaptive neural network control extended these principles to elastic tendon systems, while later contributions explored underactuated designs that balance mechanical simplicity with functional sophistication. Equally notable is Kobayashi's sustained development of optical three-axis tactile sensors capable of measuring both normal and shear forces — a critical capability for dexterous robotic fingers. Spanning multiple publications between 2005 and 2008, this work addressed real-world sensing challenges for multi-fingered hands. His career reflects a rare combination of theoretical rigor and practical innovation that continues to shape modern robotics research.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   On Tendon-Driven Robotic Mechanisms with Redundant Tendons

   145 citations · 1998
2. 2
   Adaptive neural network control of tendon-driven mechanisms with elastic tendons

   102 citations · 2003
3. 3
   Control and Geometrical Considerations for an Articulated Robot Hand

   102 citations · 1985
4. 4
   Design and control of underactuated tendon-driven mechanisms

   73 citations · 2009
5. 5
   Sensing Precision of an Optical Three-axis Tactile Sensor for a Robotic Finger

   55 citations · 2006
6. 6
   Sensing characteristics of an optical three-axis tactile sensor mounted on a multi-fingered robotic hand

   49 citations · 2005
7. 7
   Design and control of a three-fingered tendon-driven robotic hand with active and passive tendons

   48 citations · 2013
8. 8
   An Experimental Optical Three-axis Tactile Sensor Featured with Hemispherical Surface

   41 citations · 2008
9. 9
   A Study on Tendon Controlled Wrist Mechanism with Nonlinear Spring Tensioner.

   37 citations · 1993
10. 10
    A new impedance control concept for elastic joint robots

    33 citations · 2004

Key Collaborators

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