Mizuki Nagano

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About

Mizuki Nagano is a pioneering researcher in the field of human-robot interaction, with a distinctive focus on bio-inspired social robotics and affective touch. Her most notable contribution is the development of "Licker," a flexible tongue robot introduced in her 2019 paper, which is designed to mimic human tongue motions to foster cross-species social bonding through licking. By analyzing human tongue movements and distilling them into four basic motions, Nagano created a novel platform that explores how unconventional forms of physical interaction—such as licking—can enhance emotional connections between humans and robots. Though her work has garnered 3 citations, its conceptual boldness has sparked interest in expanding the boundaries of social robotics beyond traditional gestures. Nagano’s research challenges assumptions about human-robot intimacy and opens new avenues for therapeutic and companionship applications. Her innovative approach to designing robots that replicate subtle, intimate behaviors marks her as a creative thinker in the robotics community, pushing the field toward more nuanced and emotionally resonant interactions.