Yuki Kitamura

Nara Institute of Science and Technology

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Yuki Kitamura is a pioneering researcher in affective robotics, specializing in the development of robots capable of delivering emotionally resonant, gentle touch. Their work focuses on replicating the nuanced, pleasant stroke motions that are central to human caregiving and social bonding, addressing the critical shortage of human caregivers. Kitamura’s major contributions include the design of a human-imitation hand that generates gentle strokes on the human back, and they have conducted rigorous subjective and physiological evaluations—measuring both self-reported comfort and autonomic responses—to demonstrate that robotic touch can elicit emotional responses comparable to human touch. Their 2023 study, "Pleasant Stroke Touch on Human Back by a Human and a Robot" (7 citations), and two 2020 papers (each with 3 citations) collectively establish a foundational framework for affective touch robots. By showing that robots can mitigate stress and pain through gentle stroking, Kitamura’s work opens new avenues for supporting care work and enhancing human-robot interaction. Their research is a vital step toward integrating emotionally intelligent robots into healthcare and daily life.