Yasuo Kawakami
Papers
13
Total Citations
110
H-Index
7
About
Yasuo Kawakami is a robotics researcher whose work sits at the intersection of biomechanics and humanoid robot locomotion, with a particular focus on replicating the dynamic movement capabilities of the human body in robotic systems. His research has made significant contributions to understanding and implementing human-inspired running, jumping, and hopping mechanics in humanoid robots. Kawakami has been especially influential in translating biological principles — such as the spring-loaded inverted pendulum model of human running, elastic joint characteristics mimicking muscle-tendon collaboration, and the role of pelvic rotation — into practical robotic designs and control strategies. His most cited work (2018, 22 citations) addresses angular momentum compensation in humanoid running through upper-body coordination, a challenge that mirrors how humans use their torsos and arms for rotational stability. Across multiple studies accumulating nearly 100 citations, he has systematically tackled joint mechanism design, ankle adaptability, arm-swing optimization during jumping, and flight-phase trunk control. Kawakami's research is particularly valuable for engineers and biomechanists seeking to develop more agile, energy-efficient humanoid robots capable of natural, human-like dynamic motion in real-world environments.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2Utilization of Human-Like Pelvic Rotation for Running Robot16 citations · 2015
- 3Joint Mechanism That Mimics Elastic Characteristics in Human Running12 citations · 2016
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- 9Running with lower-body robot that mimics joint stiffness of humans6 citations · 2015
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