Masato Matsumura

Papers

Total Citations

191

H-Index

About

Masato Matsumura is a pioneering roboticist whose work centers on haptic interfaces and precision robotic manipulation. His most significant contribution is the development of the HIRO III, a five-fingered haptic interface robot designed to deliver high-precision, three-directional force feedback to all five human fingertips simultaneously. With a 15-degree-of-freedom hand and a 6-degree-of-freedom arm, HIRO III enables remarkably dexterous and intuitive interaction with virtual or remote environments. This landmark work, detailed in papers from 2009 and 2010, has garnered over 170 combined citations, underscoring its profound influence on the fields of teleoperation and virtual reality. Beyond haptics, Matsumura has advanced industrial automation through his work on screw-tightening robots. He developed a novel torque estimation method that uses motor current to calculate tightening force in real time, eliminating the need for external torque sensors. This innovation, presented in his 2002 paper, demonstrates his ability to solve practical manufacturing challenges with elegant, sensorless control strategies. Matsumura’s research elegantly bridges the gap between human dexterity and robotic precision, making him a key figure in creating more intuitive and capable robotic systems.