Shinji Higashi

Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Shinji Higashi is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of geriatric healthcare and human-robot interaction, whose work focuses on the early detection of dementia through conversational analysis. His primary research area involves leveraging humanoid robots as diagnostic tools for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a precursor to dementia. Higashi’s major contribution lies in demonstrating that subtle changes in prosodic and acoustic features during natural conversations with robots can serve as non-invasive screening markers for cognitive decline. His most cited work, the 2022 exploratory pilot study published in a leading digital health journal (13 citations), established a foundational methodology for using humanoid robots to screen MCI, showing that robot-led conversations can elicit speech patterns indicative of early cognitive impairment. This builds on his earlier 2021 study (5 citations), which first proposed analyzing conversational data from human-robot interactions for MCI detection. Higashi’s innovative approach addresses a critical global challenge—the rising dementia epidemic—by offering a scalable, low-stress screening alternative to traditional neuropsychological exams. His work has significant implications for aging societies, potentially enabling earlier interventions and improved quality of life for elderly populations through accessible, robot-assisted cognitive assessments.