Shunichi Kurumaya

About

Shunichi Kurumaya is a pioneering robotics researcher whose work spans soft robotics, biomimetic actuation, and underwater manipulation systems. He is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking contributions to deep-sea robotic exploration, having developed a glove-based teleoperable soft robotic arm enabling delicate interaction with fragile marine organisms — a study that has garnered 163 citations and fundamentally expanded what is possible in biological deep-sea research. Alongside collaborators, he also designed a modular soft robotic wrist for underwater manipulation (142 citations), establishing a versatile framework for precision control in extreme environments. A recurring theme throughout Kurumaya's research is his innovative use of thin McKibben pneumatic muscles. From musculoskeletal lower-limb robots (145 citations) that closely mimic human anatomy, to braided and rebraided muscle configurations that dramatically improve contraction ratios, he has systematically pushed the mechanical boundaries of soft actuator technology. His creative applications extend further to active textiles, lightweight hexapod robots inspired by Giacometti sculpture, and safe inflatable exoskeleton arms. More recently, his work has explored mantis shrimp-inspired cavitation mechanisms for instantaneous force generation. Across all these domains, Kurumaya's research reflects a consistent commitment to biologically inspired, compliant robotic systems with real-world impact.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   A Dexterous, Glove-Based Teleoperable Low-Power Soft Robotic Arm for Delicate Deep-Sea Biological Exploration

   163 citations · 2018
2. 2
   Musculoskeletal lower-limb robot driven by multifilament muscles

   145 citations · 2016
3. 3
   A Modular Soft Robotic Wrist for Underwater Manipulation

   142 citations · 2018
4. 4
   Active Textile Braided in Three Strands with Thin McKibben Muscle

   46 citations · 2019
5. 5
   Braiding Thin McKibben Muscles to Enhance Their Contracting Abilities

   43 citations · 2018
6. 6
   Long-Legged Hexapod Giacometti Robot Using Thin Soft McKibben Actuator

   40 citations · 2017
7. 7
   Recurrent Braiding of Thin McKibben Muscles to Overcome Their Limitation of Contraction

   31 citations · 2019
8. 8
   Exoskeleton inflatable robotic arm with thin McKibben muscle

   18 citations · 2018
9. 9
   Development of a Compact Pneumatic Valve Using Rotational Motion for a Pneumatically Driven Mobile Robot With Periodic Motion in a Pipe

   15 citations · 2021
10. 10
    Instantaneous Force Generation Mechanism Based on the Striking Motion of Mantis Shrimp—Design and Control Method of Cavitation by Simulation and Experiment

    7 citations · 2022

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links