Yuu Yano

Kyoto University of Education, Gifu University of Medical Science

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About

Yuu Yano is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of humanoid robotics and clinical psychiatry, whose work explores how robots can serve as therapeutic companions for vulnerable populations. Yano’s research spans two transformative areas: child–robot interaction and robot-assisted mental healthcare. In a landmark 2005 study (27 citations), Yano demonstrated how the upper-torso humanoid Infanoid could engage both neurotypical and autistic children through gaze, pointing, and facial expressions, laying early groundwork for socially assistive robotics. More recently, Yano has focused on addressing critical gaps in psychiatric care. A 2020 study (16 citations) introduced communication robots designed to converse with individuals suffering from schizophrenia, targeting the chronic shortage of visiting nurses and medication support. This work was extended in a 2021 grounded theory analysis (5 citations) that developed design principles for medication-support robots, directly tackling the challenge of long-term adherence in schizophrenia treatment. By bridging engineering and clinical practice, Yano’s research offers tangible, scalable solutions for mental health support, demonstrating that robots can provide consistent, nonjudgmental interaction where human resources are limited.