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About

Hitoshi Hasunuma is a pioneering robotics researcher whose work has fundamentally advanced the field of tele-operated humanoid robotics, particularly in the application of humanoid systems to hazardous industrial environments. His most celebrated contributions center on enabling humanoid robots to operate heavy construction machinery — including lift trucks and backhoes — as remote proxies for human operators, sparing workers from dangerous conditions. Hasunuma's landmark achievement, first demonstrated in 2003 and accumulating 78 citations, involved a tele-operated humanoid successfully driving a lift truck — a breakthrough that demonstrated the real-world viability of robotic proxy operation. He followed this with what is recognized as the world's first successful outdoor remote control of a humanoid robot driving a backhoe, even under adverse weather conditions — work that garnered over 40 citations and showcased remarkable engineering ingenuity. Across his research portfolio, he developed critical enabling technologies including whole-body motion control, workspace extension through step motion, and task autonomy systems for humanoid operators. With a cumulative citation count exceeding 220, Hasunuma's research has had lasting influence on teleoperation systems design, human-robot interaction, and the deployment of humanoid robots in practical, real-world industrial settings.