Tomomichi Nakatsuka

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture

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About

Tomomichi Nakatsuka is a robotics researcher specializing in bio-inspired underwater systems and chemical source localization. Drawing inspiration from the behavior of crayfish, Nakatsuka has pioneered the development of robotic platforms capable of autonomously detecting and navigating toward chemical sources in challenging aquatic environments, particularly under stagnant flow conditions where conventional sensing approaches fail. His most notable contributions center on a series of crayfish-inspired robots that actively generate water currents to enhance chemical reception — mirroring the biological strategy crayfish employ by beating their maxilliped exopodites to draw chemicals toward their sensory organs. This elegant biomimetic solution addresses a fundamental limitation in underwater chemical sensing: in still water, chemical plumes remain tightly localized near their source, rendering passive detection nearly impossible even at close range. By integrating electrochemical sensor arrays with active flow generation, Nakatsuka demonstrated a practical pathway to robust chemical source localization in real-world aquatic conditions. His 2012 paper on the wheeled crayfish robot represents his most-cited work with 8 citations, reflecting growing interest in biomimetic underwater robotics. Nakatsuka's research offers meaningful implications for environmental monitoring, pollution tracking, and search-and-rescue operations in aquatic settings.