Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Shoichi Hasegawa is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction, soft robotics, and intelligent perception systems. His work is defined by a unique dual focus: developing soft, emotionally engaging stuffed-toy robots and advancing the cognitive capabilities of assistive robots through multimodal AI. On the soft robotics front, Hasegawa has made foundational contributions to creating robots that feel good to touch, proposing flexible string actuation mechanisms and force control methods that allow these plush machines to express intentions and facilitate natural, asymmetric teleconferencing. His work on the "stuffed-toy robot" (2013, 10 citations) and "intention expression" (2014, 5 citations) has been highly influential in the field of social and therapeutic robotics. In parallel, Hasegawa drives innovation in robotic cognition, tackling the challenge of how robots understand and navigate human environments. His highly cited work on "Inferring Place-Object Relationships" (2023, 10 citations) integrates probabilistic logic with spatial concepts for rapid environment learning, while his research on exophora resolution (2023, 8 citations) and object instance retrieval (2024, 4 citations) enables robots to interpret ambiguous human instructions and locate specific items. With a portfolio spanning MEMS tactile sensors, underwater robot control, and mixed reality interfaces, Hasegawa’s research consistently bridges the gap between intuitive, human-friendly design and sophisticated machine intelligence, making him a key figure in the future of domestic and assistive robotics.