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About

Hiroaki Seki is a robotics researcher whose work spans domestic service robotics, mobile robot navigation, and specialized robotic systems for infrastructure maintenance. He is best known for his pioneering contributions to the automated handling of deformable objects — particularly clothing — a notoriously challenging problem due to the unpredictable shapes fabrics assume. His most cited work, "Unfolding of Massive Laundry and Classification Types by Dual Manipulator" (2007, 101 citations), addresses the growing societal need for home-assist robots in aging populations, demonstrating how dual-arm robotic systems can classify and fold garments intelligently. Complementing this, Seki developed innovative gripper designs featuring roller fingertips and inchworm mechanisms, enabling robots to trace fabric edges and spread clothing reliably — foundational techniques that have influenced subsequent cloth manipulation research. His 2008 work on obstacle avoidance for nonholonomic mobile robots broadened his contributions to autonomous navigation. More recently, Seki has extended his expertise toward real-world infrastructure applications, developing assistive robotic arms for power line maintenance and compact sewerage inspection robots. Collectively, his research reflects a consistent drive to deploy practical robotic solutions where human labor is constrained by demographics, safety, or physical accessibility.