Y. Hirasawa

Papers

Total Citations

337

H-Index

About

Y. Hirasawa has made pioneering contributions to the field of human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on safety systems that enable physical coexistence between humans and robots. His most influential work centers on defining and implementing the concept of a "safeguarding space" — a mechanically bounded environment governed by human pain tolerance limits — which fundamentally shaped how researchers approach safe human-robot contact. His 1997 paper on this topic has accumulated 249 citations, establishing it as a landmark reference in the field and demonstrating the lasting influence of his safety-first design philosophy. Building on this foundation, Hirasawa extended his research into fail-safe contact systems, further refining protocols for human-oriented robot design (61 citations). His work also ventures into psychophysiology, proposing innovative experimental methods that use pupillary dilation as a measurable indicator of human fear responses to robot motion — a creative bridge between robotics engineering and human behavioral science. Together, these contributions reflect a remarkably human-centered approach to robotics research, addressing not only physical safety but also psychological comfort. Hirasawa's body of work remains essential reading for researchers and students working at the intersection of collaborative robotics, safety engineering, and human factors design.