Takanori Komatsu
Shinshu University, Meiji University, Future University Hakodate, Ōtani University, Hosei University
Papers
48
Total Citations
572
H-Index
12
About
Takanori Komatsu is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI) whose work bridges cognitive psychology, robot design, and social robotics. His research primarily explores how people perceive, interpret, and morally evaluate robotic agents — questions that have grown increasingly urgent as robots enter everyday human environments. Komatsu is perhaps best known for developing the concept of "Artificial Subtle Expressions" (ASEs), a methodology for communicating a robot's internal states through intuitive audio cues, enabling more natural human-robot communication. His highly cited 2011 work examining the gap between user expectations and perceptions of robotic agents revealed how mismatched mental models fundamentally shape human behavior toward robots — a finding with broad design implications. His investigations into how robot appearance influences attitude interpretation further demonstrated that users project stereotypical behavioral models onto agents based solely on visual cues. More recently, Komatsu has expanded into moral dimensions of HRI, exploring how people assign blame differently to robots versus humans in ethical dilemmas, and into social robotics for aging populations, contributing participatory design frameworks for combating elder loneliness. With over 350 cumulative citations and contributions spanning methodology, ethics, and accessibility, Komatsu's scholarship offers essential foundations for researchers designing robots that are both effective and socially responsible.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Artificial subtle expressions43 citations · 2010
- 3Blaming the Reluctant Robot41 citations · 2021
- 4
- 5WOZ experiments for understanding mutual adaptation31 citations · 2007
- 6
- 7Lessons Learned About Designing and Conducting Studies From HRI Experts24 citations · 2022
- 8
- 9
- 10People's judgments of humans and robots in a classic moral dilemma18 citations · 2024