Koji Terada

About

Koji Terada is a robotics researcher whose work spans humanoid robot locomotion, mobile manipulation, and embodied cognition—fields at the intersection of mechanical engineering, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science. He is perhaps best known for his pivotal role in developing the Human Support Robot (HSR), a domestic mobile manipulator designed to assist aging populations, a platform that has garnered over 231 citations and become a benchmark system for international robotics competitions and real-world field tests. His research into falling motion control for humanoid robots addressed a critical safety challenge, producing elegant methods for selecting and generating shock-reducing "Ukemi" motions in real time—work that collectively attracted over 110 citations across multiple publications. Earlier in his career, Terada made foundational contributions to whole-body dynamic motion, particularly the complex "Roll-and-Rise" maneuver, exploring both its mechanical execution and its perceptual and cognitive dimensions. His studies on embodied cognition and theory of mind reflect a rare breadth, connecting physical robot design to deeper questions about how intelligence and self-awareness emerge through bodily interaction with the world. Across his career, Terada's research consistently bridges practical engineering solutions with fundamental scientific inquiry, making him an influential figure for students exploring the future of assistive and humanoid robotics.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Development of Human Support Robot as the research platform of a domestic mobile manipulator

   231 citations · 2019
2. 2
   Embodied basis of invariant features in execution and perception of whole-body dynamic actions—knacks and focuses of Roll-and-Rise motion

   79 citations · 2004
3. 3
   From Humanoid Embodiment to Theory of Mind

   66 citations · 2004
4. 4
   Falling motion control for humanoid robots while walking

   62 citations · 2007
5. 5
   Development of the Research Platform of a Domestic Mobile Manipulator Utilized for International Competition and Field Test

   52 citations · 2018
6. 6
   Real-time selection and generation of fall damage reduction actions for humanoid robots

   51 citations · 2008
7. 7
   Online gait planning with Dynamical 3D-Symmetrization method

   33 citations · 2007
8. 8
   Emergence and development of embodied cognition: a constructivist approach using robots

   30 citations · 2007
9. 9
   DYNAMIC ROLL-AND-RISE MOTION BY AN ADULT-SIZE HUMANOID ROBOT

   19 citations · 2004
10. 10
    Analysis and control of whole body dynamic humanoid motion - towards experiments on a roll-and-rise motion

    18 citations · 2004

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links