K. Minakata

About

K. Minakata has established a distinguished research career at the intersection of robotics, rehabilitation engineering, and neuroscience, with a particular focus on developing innovative tools to understand and restore locomotor function following spinal cord injury (SCI). Perhaps best known for contributions to the "rat stepper" — a robotic device designed to evaluate and train locomotion in spinal-injured rodents — Minakata's work has provided the field with objective, quantitative methods for assessing motor recovery that complement traditional behavioral measures like the BBB scale. This foundational research, which has accumulated over 250 citations collectively, helped lay the groundwork for translating robotic locomotor training principles from animal models toward clinical applications. Minakata also extended this expertise into upper-limb rehabilitation, co-developing the CRAMER robot, a low-cost parallel device leveraging Wii-based technology to assist wrist and forearm rehabilitation — demonstrating a commitment to accessible, affordable solutions. Across these contributions, Minakata's work has meaningfully advanced the scientific community's understanding of how robotic systems can both reveal the mechanisms of locomotor recovery and actively facilitate rehabilitation, making it essential reading for students and researchers working in neurorehabilitation and assistive robotics.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Tools for understanding and optimizing robotic gait training

   147 citations · 2006
2. 2
   A low cost parallel robot and trajectory optimization method for wrist and forearm rehabilitation using the Wii

   55 citations · 2008
3. 3
   A robotic device for studying rodent locomotion after spinal cord injury

   38 citations · 2005
4. 4
   Robotic Gait Analysis of Bipedal Treadmill Stepping by Spinal Contused Rats: Characterization of Intrinsic Recovery and Comparison with BBB

   36 citations · 2006
5. 5
   A robotic stepper for retraining locomotion in spinal-injured rodents

   23 citations · 2002
6. 6
   Robot-assisted hindlimb extension increases the probability of swing initiation during treadmill walking by spinal cord contused rats

   13 citations · 2006
7. 7
   Comparison of virtual and physical treadmill environments for training stepping after spinal cord injury

   12 citations · 2003
8. 8
   Robotic assessment of locomotor recovery in spinal contused rats

   7 citations · 2005
9. 9
   Gait Activity Depends on Limb Extension and Phasing in Spinal Cord Contused Rodents: Implications for Robotic Gait Training and Assessment

   6 citations · 2005

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links