Mihoko Otake
Mihoko Otake researches conversational assistive technology for older adults. She has also published as Mihoko Otake-Matsuura. Her work includes the 2021 PICMOR trial of robot-moderated photo-based conversation and studies of robot and voice-assistant facilitators. She coauthored a home-based robot trial published in 2024. It randomized 81 older adults and reported no significant cognitive benefit, alongside evidence of feasibility. Her team develops AI around the Coimagination method and evaluates effects on cognition.
Timeline
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2021
Photo-based robot conversations
Under the name Mihoko Otake-Matsuura, she coauthored a randomized controlled trial of PICMOR. The program used photo-integrated conversation moderated by robots. This puts a structured conversational method into a form that can be studied with older adults.
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2022
Studying forms of interaction
Her shared research compared older adults’ reactions to robot and voice-assistant facilitators of group conversation. Another study concerned pause detection in a dialogue system for daily health monitoring. These projects address the design of assistive conversation.
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2024
Questions to robots at home
Otake-Matsuura coauthored a trial in which 81 older adults had home dialogue sessions with robots. The 2024 report found no statistically significant cognitive benefit from asking the robots questions. It reported no dropouts at follow-up, which supported feasibility in this setting.
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As of October 2026
Assistive technology at RIKEN
Otake directs RIKEN’s Cognitive Behavioral Assistive Technology Team. The team develops conversational AI around the Coimagination method, which uses images in conversation. It evaluates the systems’ effects on human cognition and mental state.
Sources and credits
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