Papers
187
Total Citations
2,442
H-Index
25
About
Taro Nakamura is a pioneering robotics engineer whose work sits at the intersection of biomimicry, soft robotics, and exploratory systems. Drawing inspiration from biological organisms — most notably the earthworm — Nakamura has built a remarkable research portfolio centered on peristaltic locomotion, pneumatic artificial muscles, and bio-inspired robotic design. His most celebrated contributions include the development of peristaltic crawling robots that replicate earthworm movement for applications ranging from underground exploration (116 citations) to planetary excavation and narrow pipe inspection. These systems leverage the earthworm's elegant locomotion strategy — propagating contraction waves along segmented bodies — to navigate confined, complex environments where conventional robots struggle. Equally influential is Nakamura's work on pneumatic artificial muscles. His comparative studies between McKibben-type and straight-fiber-type artificial muscles (101 and 76 citations respectively) have meaningfully advanced the design of wearable assistive devices and rehabilitation robots that better mimic human musculature. With contributions spanning seafloor drilling robots (67 citations), infrastructure pipe inspection systems, and planetary subsurface explorers, Nakamura's research addresses critical real-world challenges across medicine, infrastructure, and space exploration. His cumulative citation record reflects sustained influence across two decades, cementing his status as a leading figure in bio-inspired robotics.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 4An underground explorer robot based on peristaltic crawling of earthworms68 citations · 2009
- 5Development of Underwater Drilling Robot Based on Earthworm Locomotion67 citations · 2019
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- 9Excavation Mechanism for a Planetary Underground Explorer Robot55 citations · 2010
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