Takahiro Hirano

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Takahiro Hirano is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction, with a specialized focus on the nuanced dynamics of touch communication. His work explores how social robots can use human-inspired communication cues—such as gaze behavior, eye contact, and speech timing—to make physical touch interactions feel more natural and acceptable. In his highly cited 2017 study (50 citations), Hirano demonstrated how subtle communication cues shape human impressions during robot-initiated touch, establishing a foundational framework for designing socially aware robotic touch. His 2016 work further examined how gaze behaviors can make haptic interactions appear more natural, while his 2020 study (7 citations) revealed that the height of a robot’s gaze and the timing of its speech relative to a touch are critical for making robot-initiated contact feel acceptable at close distances. By systematically dissecting the nonverbal signals that govern human-touch comfort, Hirano’s research provides essential design principles for social robots that must interact intimately with people in daily environments—from assistive care to collaborative settings. His contributions are pivotal for advancing robots that can communicate not just through words, but through the subtle, powerful language of touch.