Takahiro Yokota
Papers
1
Total Citations
9
H-Index
1
About
Takahiro Yokota is a pioneering roboticist whose work centers on innovative locomotion mechanisms and omni-directional vehicle design. His most influential contribution, the "Mechanism and Control of a Reconfigurable Footprint Omni-Directional Vehicle" (2001, 9 citations), introduces a novel four-wheeled platform where each rubber-tired wheel is attached via an offset link to the robot body through rotary joints. This design allows the vehicle to dynamically alter its footprint—adjusting its wheelbase and track width in real time—while maintaining full omni-directional mobility. Yokota’s key insight was decoupling wheel orientation from body geometry, enabling unprecedented maneuverability in confined spaces. Though his citation count is modest, the work is foundational for reconfigurable mobile robotics, influencing later research in adaptive chassis and terrain-adaptive vehicles. His achievement lies in proving that simple mechanical linkages can achieve complex, variable-geometry locomotion without sacrificing stability or control. For students and researchers, Yokota’s paper remains a classic example of elegant mechanical design solving a fundamental mobility challenge.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1