Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Narimune Matsumura investigates the frontier of human-robot interaction, focusing on how social robots can seamlessly integrate into customer service roles as receptionists, guides, and exhibitors. His research centers on enabling robots to predict human decision-making and engage passersby without causing discomfort—a critical challenge for real-world deployment. In his most cited work (2018, 9 citations), Matsumura developed models for decision-making prediction in pedestrian-robot encounters, demonstrating how robots can anticipate human actions to foster smoother engagements. He further advanced this area through user-centered reinforcement learning (2019, 3 citations), creating algorithms that allow robots to attract attention while respecting personal space. Beyond interaction dynamics, Matsumura explores authoring tools for robot presentations (2019, 5 citations), helping presenters refine non-verbal behaviors like gesture and gaze. His recent work (2022, 2 citations) extends into telepresence technology, enabling remote workers to project physical presence through robotic avatars—a timely contribution for flexible work environments. Matsumura’s interdisciplinary approach, blending robotics, cognitive science, and human factors, has laid groundwork for socially aware autonomous systems that prioritize user comfort and natural interaction.