Tomoya Imai

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Tomoya Imai is a robotics researcher whose work focuses on developing practical inspection robots for confined and hazardous environments. His key research areas include mobile robotics, sensor integration, and rescue robot adaptation for domestic applications. Imai’s major contribution is the design and implementation of an inspection robot for the under-floor spaces of houses, a challenging environment requiring compact, agile, and sensor-rich platforms. By adapting a crawler-type rescue robot, he integrated a pan-tilt-zoom camera, top-view camera, and SOKUIKI sensor to enable remote inspection and hazard detection in tight, dark spaces. His most-cited paper, "Development of inspection robot for under floor of house" (2009), has garnered 10 citations, reflecting its foundational role in specialized domestic robotics. Imai’s work bridges the gap between rescue robotics and everyday infrastructure maintenance, demonstrating how rugged, sensor-laden platforms can be repurposed for preventive building inspection. His achievements highlight the importance of robot miniaturization, multi-sensor fusion, and practical deployment in non-industrial settings, offering valuable insights for students and researchers interested in field robotics, human-robot interaction, and the application of mobile robots to real-world inspection challenges.