Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Atsushi Sugahara is a leading roboticist whose research centers on intelligent grasping, bin-picking, and autonomous manipulation for logistics and service robotics. His major contributions lie in developing vision-guided robotic systems that can reliably handle textureless, planar-faced objects—a common challenge in warehouse automation. Sugahara pioneered the use of depth-image-based deep learning for grasp planning, enabling robots to pick small parcels without relying on complex feature extraction. His work on spatio-temporal bird’s-eye view images from multiple fish-eye cameras has significantly improved teleoperation safety for urban search and rescue robots by reducing blind spots. Sugahara has also advanced suction grasping by integrating grasp quality assessment with robot reachability, achieving robust picking of densely placed objects. His most cited paper (45 citations) on deep learning for bin-picking demonstrates the practical impact of his research. Additionally, he has designed innovative gripper systems that combine suction and pinching, and a four-fingered hand capable of handling diverse tableware shapes for service robots. His mobile picking robot, developed as an “alternative worker” for logistics, showcases his commitment to solving real-world labor shortages. With over 150 total citations, Sugahara’s work continues to shape the future of automated picking and manipulation.