Hiroko Omori
Papers
2
Total Citations
67
H-Index
2
About
Hiroko Omori is a pioneering roboticist whose work sits at the critical intersection of actuator design and human-safe robotics. Her primary research areas include direct-drive actuation, high-backdrivability mechanisms, and the development of compliant joints for rehabilitation and musculoskeletal robots. Omori’s major contribution is the conceptualization and experimental realization of the direct-drive helical motor—a novel actuator that achieves inherent compliance without the need for complex control systems. This innovation directly addresses a fundamental safety issue in rehabilitation robotics: the dangerous rigidity caused by traditional servomotors paired with high-ratio gears. By creating a motor with a smooth helical surface and a stator core made from Soft Magnetic Composite (SMC), she demonstrated a path toward robots that are both powerful and intrinsically safe for human interaction. Her most-cited work, "Development, Analysis, and Experimental Realization of a Direct-Drive Helical Motor" (2011), has garnered 60 citations, underscoring its influence on the field. Omori’s research is particularly notable for its application to musculoskeletal bipedal robots, where her compact, backdrivable prototypes enable more natural, human-like motion. Her work remains foundational for engineers seeking to build the next generation of physically interactive robots for an aging society.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2