Nobutsuna Endo
Waseda University, The University of Osaka, Tokyo Denki University
Papers
37
Total Citations
602
H-Index
14
About
Nobutsuna Endo is a robotics researcher whose work centers on humanoid robot design, emotional expression systems, and human-robot interaction. He is best known for his pivotal contributions to the development of KOBIAN, a bipedal humanoid robot engineered to communicate emotions through both facial and full-body expressions — a landmark achievement in socially expressive robotics. His 2009 paper on whole-body emotion expressions for KOBIAN remains his most influential work, accumulating 99 citations, while his foundational 2008 design paper has garnered 68 citations, reflecting the sustained scholarly interest in his approach. Endo's research addresses a pressing societal need: creating robots capable of serving as companions and assistants in aging populations. His investigations extend beyond mechanical design to encompass cross-cultural dimensions of robotic expression, exploring how people from different cultural backgrounds perceive and interpret robot-generated facial expressions — an underexplored yet critical frontier in social robotics. He has also contributed to dynamic mental modeling systems that allow robots to respond emotionally to external stimuli in real time. Earlier work on adaptive foot systems for uneven terrain demonstrates his broader technical versatility. With over 400 cumulative citations, Endo's research represents a significant body of work shaping the future of emotionally intelligent, assistive humanoid robots.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Development of whole-body emotion expression humanoid robot48 citations · 2008
- 4Development of expressive robotic head for bipedal humanoid robot38 citations · 2012
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- 10New Foot System Adaptable to Convex and Concave Surface21 citations · 2007