Yuka Shigemitsu
Papers
1
Total Citations
11
H-Index
1
About
Yuka Shigemitsu’s research lies at the intersection of human-agent interaction, social robotics, and driving psychology, with a focus on how autonomous systems can communicate more naturally and acceptably with humans. Her most cited work, “Influence of Social Distance Expressed by Driving Support Agent’s Utterance on Psychological Acceptability” (2021, 11 citations), investigates how the phrasing and perceived social distance of a Driving Support Agent’s (DSA) speech affect user trust and comfort. This study challenges assumptions that only physical form—like a small robot—enhances acceptability, revealing instead that utterance strategy plays a critical role in shaping user experience. Shigemitsu’s contributions are particularly valuable for the design of in-vehicle conversational agents, where psychological nuance can determine whether a system feels intrusive or helpful. Her work bridges engineering and social science, offering empirical evidence for more empathetic human-machine communication. Though early in her career, her findings are already informing how researchers approach agent-based assistance in high-stakes environments. Shigemitsu’s research promises to make future autonomous systems not just functional, but socially intelligent.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1