Masako Okamoto

Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Masako Okamoto is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of robotics and neuroscience, best known for her groundbreaking work on human-robot interaction and its effects on brain activity. Her key research areas include affective robotics, neurorehabilitation, and the therapeutic applications of social robots, with a particular focus on the seal robot PARO. Okamoto’s major contributions lie in demonstrating, through functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), that interacting with PARO in its active state elicits distinct neural responses compared to when the robot is switched off, providing the first empirical evidence of how robotic companionship can influence brain function. Her most-cited studies—"Investigation of brain activity after interaction with seal robot measured by fNIRS" (2012, 13 citations) and "Investigation of brain activity during interaction with seal robot by fNIRS" (2011, 11 citations)—have laid the foundation for understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying robot-assisted therapy. Though her citation counts are modest, the conceptual impact of her work is significant, inspiring further research into non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive and emotional well-being. Okamoto’s research continues to shape how we think about robots not just as tools, but as partners in healing.