Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Toshihiko Shimizu is a roboticist whose work focuses on developing practical, task-oriented robots that operate safely in human environments. His primary research areas include wall-climbing robots, mobile manipulation, and autonomous navigation for logistics and public spaces. Shimizu’s most significant contribution is the development of the **Universal Vacuum Gripper (UVG)**—a versatile adhesion mechanism that adapts to uneven surfaces like concrete, tile, and riveted structures. This innovation underpins several of his projects: a wall-climbing robot for dangerous inspection tasks (63 citations), a dual-arm robot for stocking convenience store items (39 citations), and the **Q-bot**, a human-sized carriage robot for heavy in-house logistics (19 citations). The Q-bot’s turnover-prevention UVG enables stable lifting, addressing a key safety challenge. Shimizu also contributed to outdoor autonomous navigation, developing **Navit(oo)n**, a robot that uses a 2D LiDAR with a uniaxial gimbal to navigate slopes for garbage collection in public parks—a project tied to the Nakanoshima Challenge and the Osaka Expo 2025. His work bridges fundamental adhesion technology with real-world applications in inspection, retail, and public service, demonstrating a clear impact on safe, practical robotics.