Kayako Nakagawa

About

Kayako Nakagawa is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), whose work explores the subtle yet powerful role of physical and non-verbal communication in shaping human motivation and social bonds with robots. Her most influential contributions center on the "Midas touch" effect in robotics—demonstrating that a robot’s active touch can significantly encourage human effort, as shown in her highly cited 2016 paper (96 citations) and earlier 2011 work (87 citations). By using experimental paradigms like the ultimatum game, she revealed that robot touch can inhibit negative feelings and foster cooperation, while her studies on whispering behaviors and gaze at moments of mistake show how nuanced motions influence persuasion and social impression. Nakagawa also contributed to robot design, co-developing the desktop-sized “robovie-mR2” communication robot, which incorporates a “Kawaii” aesthetic to enhance user acceptance. Her motion modification method for controlling affective nuances (2009, 24 citations) further advanced how robots can express emotion through movement. With over 360 total citations, Nakagawa’s work has profound implications for education and healthcare, where robots can motivate patients and learners through gentle, intentional interaction.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Does A Robot’s Touch Encourage Human Effort?

   96 citations · 2016
2. 2
   Effect of robot's active touch on people's motivation

   87 citations · 2011
3. 3
   'Midas touch' in human-robot interaction

   57 citations · 2012
4. 4
   Effect of Robot’s Whispering Behavior on People’s Motivation

   43 citations · 2012
5. 5
   Motion modification method to control affective nuances for robots

   24 citations · 2009
6. 6
   A Desktop-Sized Communication Robot: “robovie-mR2”

   20 citations · 2016
7. 7
   Design of a gaze behavior at a small mistake moment for a robot

   19 citations · 2013
8. 8
   “Could i have a word?”: Effects of robot's whisper

   7 citations · 2010
9. 9
   Effect of Robot’s Play-Biting in Non-Verbal Communication

   7 citations · 2020

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links