Katsuhiko Shirai
Papers
3
Total Citations
60
H-Index
2
About
Katsuhiko Shirai is a pioneering figure in human-robot interaction and robotic musicianship, best known for his foundational work on the WABOT-2, the world’s first musician robot. His research centers on integrating speech processing, non-verbal communication, and autonomous control to enable more natural, flexible dialogue between humans and machines. Shirai’s most cited paper, “The robot musician ‘WABOT-2’” (1987, 55 citations), introduced a robot capable of reading a musical score and playing a keyboard in real time—a landmark achievement in both robotics and artificial intelligence. He further advanced human-robot communication by exploring how non-verbal cues, such as gestures and tone, enhance interaction, as outlined in his 1998 work on non-verbal information. His earlier 1985 paper on a speech I/O system for WABOT-2 demonstrated a conversational framework that allowed the robot to interpret continuous speech and respond naturally, laying groundwork for modern voice-controlled assistants. Though his citation counts are modest by today’s standards, Shirai’s contributions were visionary, establishing key principles for socially interactive robots and inspiring generations of researchers in Japan and beyond.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1The robot musician ‘wabot-2’ (waseda robot-2)55 citations · 1987
- 2Use of non-verbal information in communication between human and robot3 citations · 1998
- 3