Koji SHIBUYA
Papers
25
Total Citations
384
H-Index
10
About
Koji Shibuya’s research career is a fascinating journey across the boundaries of humanoid robotics, bio-inspired engineering, and human-robot interaction. He is best known for his pioneering work on the Waseda University humanoids Hadaly-2 and WABIAN, which laid foundational principles for human-symbiotic robots capable of safe, collaborative interaction with people. His highly cited 2002 paper on these platforms (110 citations) established design and control strategies that remain influential. Shibuya also made a distinctive mark with his violin-playing robot, a project that explored *kansei*—the Japanese concept of sensibility—to program expressive, human-like motion in robotic arms, blending engineering with aesthetics. His most innovative contributions, however, lie in bio-inspired underwater robotics. Drawing from the sperm whale’s spermaceti oil hypothesis, he developed a series of buoyancy control systems (2006–2013) that use phase-change materials and metal bellows for volume change, achieving over 50 combined citations. More recently, his theoretical model for friction-tunable soft fingers with active wrinkles (2019) opens new possibilities for adaptive grasping. Across these diverse domains, Shibuya’s work consistently demonstrates a rare ability to translate biological principles into practical robotic mechanisms, earning him a reputation as a creative and impactful engineer.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Humanoid Robots in Waseda University—Hadaly-2 and WABIAN110 citations · 2002
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9Water-Rescue Robot Vehicle with Variably Configured Segmented Wheels10 citations · 2006
- 10