Hiroshi Ishiguro

Hiroshi Ishiguro, a pioneering Japanese robotics scientist and professor at Osaka University, has been named one of the recipients of the 2015 Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award. Renowned for his groundbreaking work in humanoid robotics and artificial intelligence, Ishiguro has created remarkably lifelike robots, including Geminoid—an exact replica of himself—and Erica, known for her advanced human interaction capabilities. His research explores the nature of human consciousness by developing robots capable of realistic communication, with the goal of integrating them into everyday life and key sectors such as healthcare and education. His contributions have been instrumental in shaping the future of social robotics. A prolific researcher, Ishiguro has authored over 300 scientific papers, focusing on interactive robotics, android science, distributed sensor systems, and verification technologies. His work has been published in top-tier journals and presented at leading global conferences. Beyond academia, his human-mimicking robots have garnered widespread media attention. Among his many honors, Ishiguro has won the RoboCup award four times for his innovative robots, along with numerous other international accolades.