Masugi Furukawa
Papers
1
Total Citations
9
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Masugi Furukawa is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on designing social robots that elicit empathy and prosocial behavior from humans. Their most notable contribution is the development of **iBones** (2017), a social robot that distributes tissue packs to passers-by. The key innovation lies in iBones' deliberate "weak behaviors"—movements and actions that make the robot appear vulnerable or in need of assistance. This design insight, that a robot's apparent helplessness can actually increase human engagement and sympathy, has been highly influential, earning 9 citations and sparking further work in affective robotics. Dr. Furukawa's research sits at the intersection of robotics, social psychology, and human-centered design, exploring how subtle behavioral cues can transform a machine from a passive tool into an active social agent. By demonstrating that people are more willing to help a robot that seems to need help, their work challenges traditional assumptions about robot autonomy and opens new possibilities for service robots in public spaces. Dr. Furukawa's contributions are essential reading for anyone interested in the future of empathetic, socially intelligent machines.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1iBones9 citations · 2017