Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Sachiko Matsumoto is a leading researcher in human-robot interaction (HRI), with a focus on deploying robots in safety-critical healthcare environments, particularly the emergency department (ED). Her work addresses the critical challenge of supporting overburdened healthcare workers (HCWs) who face interruptions as often as once every six minutes—a risk factor for medical errors. Matsumoto’s major contributions include pioneering frameworks for proximate human-robot teaming (pxHRT), where she explores how robots can coordinate fluently and trustworthily with humans in close physical proximity. Her 2023 paper, “Robot, Uninterrupted” (16 citations), argues that robots must be designed to mitigate, not exacerbate, the cognitive load on HCWs. She also developed “Iris,” a low-cost telemedicine robot (12 citations) that enhanced healthcare safety and equity during the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 66 citations across her most-cited works, Matsumoto’s research is foundational for creating socially intelligent, context-aware robots that can seamlessly integrate into high-stress clinical teams. Her work has been recognized for its practical impact, offering a roadmap for deploying robots that truly support human workers in the world’s most demanding environments.