Naoji Shiroma

About

Naoji Shiroma is a robotics researcher whose work spans motion planning, dynamic manipulation, teleoperation interfaces, and rescue robotics — a breadth that reflects both theoretical rigor and practical urgency. His early contributions tackled fundamental challenges in robot control, most notably his 2000 paper on collision-free trajectory planning for underactuated robots with passive joints, which has accumulated over 100 citations and remains a key reference in nonholonomic motion planning. His 2002 study on the "butterfly" juggling skill demonstrated how robotic systems could replicate complex dynamic manipulation tasks, blending biomechanics with control theory to impressive effect. Shiroma has also made significant contributions to human-robot interaction, particularly in teleoperation. His investigations into effective camera configurations and the innovative "Time Follower's Vision" mixed-reality interface — which presents operators with temporally offset imagery to improve situational awareness — reflect a sustained commitment to making robots accessible to non-expert users. These papers together have attracted over 125 citations. Perhaps most impactful socially is his body of work on rescue robotics. Through systems like FUMA and participation in RoboCup Rescue competitions, Shiroma helped advance wheeled rescue robots capable of navigating disaster environments, supporting survivors, and coordinating multi-robot teams — research with direct humanitarian implications. Across his career, his work has earned well over 480 citations, cementing his reputation as a versatile and consequential contributor to applied robotics.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Collision-Free Trajectory Planning for a 3-DoF Robot with a Passive Joint

   102 citations · 2000
2. 2
   The roles of shape and motion in dynamic manipulation: the butterfly example

   75 citations · 2002
3. 3
   Study on effective camera images for mobile robot teleoperation

   70 citations · 2005
4. 4
   Time Follower's Vision: a teleoperation interface with past images

   56 citations · 2005
5. 5
   FUMA: Environment information gathering wheeled rescue robot with one-DOF arm

   35 citations · 2005
6. 6
   Cooperative behavior of a wheeled inverted pendulum for object transportation

   34 citations · 2002
7. 7
   Cooperative task execution by a multiple robot team and its operators in search and rescue operations

   32 citations · 2005
8. 8
   Cooperative task excecution of a search and rescue mission by a multi-robot team

   30 citations · 2005
9. 9
   Development and Control of a High Maneuverability Wheeled Robot with Variable-Structure Functionality

   29 citations · 2006
10. 10
    Development of a high mobility wheeled rescue robot with a 1-DOF arm

    18 citations · 2008

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links