Papers
6
Total Citations
51
H-Index
4
About
Hiroshi Nittono is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of psychology, aesthetics, and human-robot interaction, with a specialization in the science of *kawaii* — the Japanese concept encompassing cuteness, adorableness, and affiliation. His work has systematically examined how the perception of kawaii shapes emotional responses and social dynamics, particularly in the context of robotics and design. Nittono's most influential contributions explore how physical and behavioral features of social robots — including head-tilting motions, hand gestures, and touching behaviors — evoke feelings of kawaii in human observers. His research has demonstrated that a robot's expressive movements can communicate affiliative emotions and shape how people perceive both the robot and the objects it interacts with, offering significant implications for robot design and human-robot communication. His 2023 study on numerical and relational effects on kawaii perception has already garnered 20 citations, reflecting strong scholarly interest in his framework. By grounding cross-cultural aesthetic experiences in rigorous experimental methodology, Nittono has helped elevate kawaii from a pop-culture phenomenon to a legitimate psychological construct. His body of work provides researchers and designers with actionable insights for creating more emotionally resonant and socially effective robotic agents.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Can a Robot's Touches Express the Feeling of Kawaii toward an Object?6 citations · 2020
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