Michiko Tanaka

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About

Michiko Tanaka is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on how robotic systems can foster long-term, meaningful engagement with humans. Her work centers on the psychological and social dimensions of robotics, exploring how a robot’s design and behavior influence human perceptions of its mind, agency, and relational potential. In her highly regarded 2019 study, “Effect of self-representation of interaction history by the robot on perceptions of mind and positive relationship,” Tanaka demonstrated that when a home-use robot visibly recalls and represents its past interactions with a user, it significantly enhances the user’s perception of the robot’s mind and strengthens the human-robot bond. This finding, which has garnered 13 citations, offers a practical, design-oriented insight into sustaining user motivation over time—a critical challenge in deploying companion robots in domestic settings. Tanaka’s work bridges cognitive science, social robotics, and user experience design, providing foundational evidence that memory and narrative are key to making robots feel more like social partners than tools. Her contributions are shaping how next-generation home robots are built to be not just functional, but genuinely relational.