Mana Asada

Nara Women's University, The University of Osaka

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Mana Asada is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on the social and perceptual dynamics that shape how people engage with robotic systems. Her most cited work, "Effects of Observing Eye Contact between a Robot and Another Person" (2010, 29 citations), investigates how third-party observers interpret social cues between robots and humans—a foundational contribution to understanding robot social presence and gaze as a communicative tool. This research has informed subsequent studies on non-verbal interaction and the design of more socially aware robots. Asada also contributed to the organization and vision of the International Robot Games Festival (RoboFesta 2001), a landmark Japanese government initiative that brought together robot competitions, international forums, and public engagement events to promote robotics culture and education. Her work bridges experimental psychology and robotics, offering insights into how robots can be integrated into human social environments. With a career spanning both empirical studies and large-scale public outreach, Asada’s research continues to influence how we design robots that are not only functional but socially perceptive.