About

Takao Maeda is a robotics researcher whose career spans several decades and encompasses a remarkably diverse range of contributions, from foundational work in teleoperation to cutting-edge planetary exploration robotics. He is perhaps best known for his pioneering research into neural network-based inverse kinematics, with his 2002 paper on modular architecture neural networks garnering 77 citations and his follow-up work in 2005 earning an additional 53. These studies addressed the fundamental challenge of computing inverse kinematics for robot arms characterized by multi-valued, discontinuous functions — a problem that had long frustrated the field. His early work on tele-existence master-slave systems in the early 1990s helped lay conceptual groundwork for modern teleoperation and immersive remote manipulation. Maeda also introduced the intriguing "Parasitic Humanoid," a wearable robot designed to model nonverbal human behavior through sensorimotor learning. In more recent years, his research has shifted toward planetary exploration, developing hopping rover systems and autonomous navigation strategies for small robots traversing natural terrains. Across these contributions, Maeda demonstrates a consistent commitment to bridging biological inspiration and practical robotic engineering.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

8
H-Index
14
Papers
275
Total Citations
20
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Inverse kinematics learning by modular architecture neural networks with performance prediction networks
77 citations · 2002
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2019 (3 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 30
🏛 Institutions: The University of Tokyo, NTT Basic Research Laboratories, The University of Osaka, Chuo University, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 14 days ago