Takahiro Tanaka
Papers
10
Total Citations
92
H-Index
5
About
Takahiro Tanaka is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction and intelligent driving support systems, with a particular focus on improving road safety for elderly drivers. His work addresses the critical challenge of an aging society in Japan, where cars remain essential for mobility despite rising accident rates among older drivers. Tanaka’s most influential contribution is the development of the “Driver Agent” — an in-vehicle system that uses embodied conversational agents to encourage safe driving behavior. His 2017 paper on this topic has garnered 33 citations, establishing a foundation for subsequent studies on agent form, utterance strategies, and psychological acceptability. Tanaka has systematically explored how the design of driving support agents — from their physical embodiment to their social distance and naming — affects user acceptance and attachment. His 2018 work on agent form and acceptability (20 citations) and his 2021 study on social distance (11 citations) are key references in the field. Beyond driving, Tanaka has also pioneered the use of mixed reality and robot systems to encourage driving review and education, demonstrating the broader applicability of his human-centered approach to assistive technology.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Driver Agent for Encouraging Safe Driving Behavior for the Elderly33 citations · 2017
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- 9A Robot System Using Mixed Reality to Encourage Driving Review2 citations · 2019
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