Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Hirofumi Sakaeda is a leading researcher in rehabilitation robotics, with a focus on developing assistive technologies that restore hand and finger function for patients with motor impairments. His major contributions center on the design and control of exoskeleton and haptic interface systems that enable intuitive, patient-driven therapy. His most influential work, “Development of a Hand Motion Assist Robot for Rehabilitation Therapy by Patient Self-Motion Control” (2007), with 152 citations, introduced an 18-degree-of-freedom exoskeleton that allows an impaired hand to be driven by the patient’s healthy hand, promoting active participation in rehabilitation. Building on this, Sakaeda pioneered the use of multifingered haptic interfaces, such as the HIRO III robot, controlled by surface electromyogram (sEMG) signals, enabling precise, three-directional force feedback to all five fingertips. These systems, detailed in his 2010 and 2011 papers (with 11 and 16 citations, respectively), represent a significant advance in closed-loop, bio-signal-driven therapy. Sakaeda’s work bridges robotics, haptics, and neurorehabilitation, offering scalable solutions for personalized recovery. His research has profound implications for stroke and spinal cord injury patients, and his designs continue to influence modern assistive robotics.