Waseda Institute for Advanced Study (WIAS)Waseda University

Name

FELICIANI, Claudio

Degree

Ph.D.

HP (URL)

https://sites.google.com/site/claudiofeliciani

Status

Associate Professor

Research Topic

Automating crowd control through the use of “nudges”: Merging animal wisdom with modern technology

Managing crowds is essential to ensure safety in crowded places and during public events. However, unlike machines, human crowds are difficult to control because individuals may not react in the same way to similar signals or stimuli, and imitation can occur, leading to outcomes that differ from what is expected. In my research, I aim to understand how crowds can be influenced to modify their collective behavior in predictable ways, improving both safety and comfort in densely populated environments. I study both human crowds and social animals in order to identify similarities and differences that may reveal key mechanisms underlying the complexity of collective motion and behavior. My work places particular emphasis on collecting field data and conducting experiments in real-world settings during actual events, with the goal of developing effective solutions in realistic contexts.

Education and Academic Employment

Education

Academic Employment

Fields of Research Interests

Collective behavior

Academic Publications

• Xiaolu Jia, Claudio Feliciani, Hisashi Murakami, Sakurako Tanida, Liang Chen, Hao Yue, Daichi Yanagisawa, and Katsuhiro Nishinari. “Inferring the structure of pedestrian flows at a transportation hub” Accident Analysis & Prevention 228 (2026): 108391
• Yuming Dong, Xiaolu Jia, Claudio Feliciani, Daichi Yanagisawa, and Katsuhiro Nishinari. “Boarding strategies of blended wing body passenger aircraft considering pedestrian overtaking behavior” Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications 683 (2026): 131212
• Hisashi Murakami, Takenori Tomaru, Yuta Nishiyama, Claudio Feliciani, and Takayuki Niizato. “Human swarming behavior: multiple ordered states and inherent noises” Artificial Life and Robotics (2025): 1-5
• Claudio Feliciani, Hisashi Murakami, Takenori Tomaru, Yuto Uesugi, Sakurako Tanida, Yuta Nishiyama, Xiaolu Jia, and Tamao Maeda. “How Swarm Size Affects Soldier Crab Swarming Behavior: Laboratory Experiments and Ecological Observations” Artificial Life and Robotics (2025): 1-8
• Yuta Nishiyama, Kyohei Sagawa, Hisashi Murakami, Claudio Feliciani, Davin Browner, and Andrew Adamatzky. “Simulate phototactic behavior and puddle-crossing behavior: preparation for assembly of soldier crabs’ swarm logical gates” Artificial Life and Robotics (2025): 1-6
• Shawna McKinley, Paul Geoerg, Milad Haghani, and Claudio Feliciani. “Mapping the impact of extreme weather on global events and mass gatherings: Trends and adaptive strategies” International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 127 (2025): 105628
• Juliane Adrian, (…), Claudio Feliciani, (…), and Iker Zuriguel. “Glossary for Research on Human Crowd Dynamics – 2nd Edition” Collective Dynamics 10 (2025)
• Sakurako Tanida, Hyerin Kim, Claudio Feliciani, Xiaolu Jia, Akira Takahashi, Tetsuya Aikoh, and Katsuhiro Nishinari. “Quantifying crowding perception at large events using beacons and surveys” Scientific Reports 15 (2025): 991
• Mohcine Chraibi, Claudio Feliciani, Milad Haghani, Xiaolu Jia, and Jian Ma. “Walk the Line: The role of gender and culture on the movement patterns of pedestrians based on a multicultural study” Safety Science 183 (2025): 106710
• Takenori Tomaru, Yuta Nishiyama, Claudio Feliciani, and Hisashi Murakami. “Robust spatial self-organization in crowds of asynchronous pedestrians” Journal of the Royal Society Interface 21.214 (2024): 20240112
• Claudio Feliciani, Sakurako Tanida, Xiaolu Jia, and Katsuhito Nishinari. “Influencing Pedestrian Route Choice Through Environmental Stimuli: A Long-Term Ecological Experiment” Journal of Disaster Research 19.2 (2024): 325-335
• Katsuhito Nishinari, Claudio Feliciani, Xiaolu Jia, and Sakurako Tanida. “Recent Developments in Crowd Management: Theory and Applications” Journal of Disaster Research 19.2 (2024): 239-247
• Sakurako Tanida, Claudio Feliciani, Xiaolu Jia, Hyerin Kim, Tetsuya Aikoh, and Katsuhito Nishinari. “Investigating the Congestion Levels on a Mesoscopic Scale During Outdoor Events” Journal of Disaster Research 19.2 (2024): 347-358
• Xiaolu Jia, Claudio Feliciani, Sakurako Tanida, Daichi Yanagisawa, and Katsuhito Nishinari. “Evaluating Pedestrian Congestion Based on Missing Sensing Data” Journal of Disaster Research 19.2 (2024): 336-346
• Hyerin Kim, Claudio Feliciani, Sakurako Tanida, Xiaolu Jia, Tetsuya Aikoh, Yasushi Shoji, and Katsuhiro Nishinari. “Investigating Visitors’ Perceptions and Behaviors in a Crowded Situation at a Large-Scale Exhibition” Journal of Disaster Research 19.2 (2024): 370-378
• Hisashi Murakami, Claudio Feliciani, and Katsuhiro Nishinari. “Adaptive Formation by Pedestrian Small Groups During Egresses” Journal of Disaster Research 19.2 (2024): 379-385
• Hiroki Kuroha, Karri Flinkman, Sae Kondo, Chikako Goto, Claudio Feliciani, and Hwajin Lim. “Impact of COVID-19 Countermeasures on South Korean Citizens’ Behavior and Psychological Changes: An Online Survey Between the First Waves of the Pandemic” Journal of Disaster Research 19.2 (2024): 386-395
• Karri Flinkman, Claudio Feliciani, Hwajin Lim, Hiroki Kuroha, Sae Kondo, Chikako Goto, and Hideki Koizumi . “Cross-Cultural Comparison of Mood Perception During Initial Pandemic Response” Journal of Disaster Research 19.2 (2024): 396-407
• Claudio Feliciani, Alessandro Corbetta, Milad Haghani, and Katsuhiro Nishinari. “How crowd accidents are reported in the news media: Lexical and sentiment analysis” Safety Science 172 (2024): 106423

Other Interests

Reading and Traveling

Affiliated Academic Organizations

Japanese Ethological Society
Japanese Society for Mathematical Biology
Association of Italian Researchers in Japan

Awards

IgNobel prize (2021)