About

Yusuke Sugahara is a robotics researcher whose work spans bipedal locomotion, human-robot interaction, and the intersection of robotics with legal frameworks. Best known for his pioneering contributions to biped walking robots, Sugahara played a central role in developing the WL-series locomotors at Waseda University, creating robots capable of carrying human passengers up and down stairs using parallel leg mechanisms and sophisticated compliance control — achievements that earned his papers over 60–79 citations each. His early designs, including battery-powered bipedal platforms with 6-DOF Stewart platform legs, laid crucial groundwork for practical, multi-purpose robotic locomotion systems. Sugahara later expanded into hybrid locomotion, proposing leg-wheeled robots that adapt intelligently to terrain conditions, and into biomimetic systems, designing the robotic rat WR-5 to study animal-robot behavioral interactions. His most-cited work (104 citations) examines the legal implications of humanoid robots within Japan's "Tokku" special zones, demonstrating a rare ability to bridge engineering and policy. With research encompassing motion planning for factory assistant robots and experimental stiffness evaluation methodologies, Sugahara's contributions reflect a broad, deeply practical vision for robotics in real-world human environments.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

18
H-Index
77
Papers
1,105
Total Citations
14
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Intersection of “Tokku” Special Zone, Robots, and the Law: A Case Study on Legal Impacts to Humanoid Robots
104 citations · 2015
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2006 (8 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 110
🏛 Institutions: Kokushikan University, Waseda University, Tohoku University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Robotics Research (United States), Institute of Science Tokyo

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 42 days ago