Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Kousaku Saotome is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of rehabilitation robotics and neuroimaging, whose work spans from wearable exoskeletons to MRI-powered surgical systems. His primary contributions lie in developing robotic interventions for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients, most notably through the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL)—a robot suit that enables intensive gait training. In a landmark 2017 study (37 citations), Saotome demonstrated that HAL-assisted therapy could restore independent walking in acute spinal cord infarction cases, offering hope where conventional rehabilitation alone falls short. He further advanced the field by using functional MRI (fMRI) to map brain activity during HAL use in a chronic C4 quadriplegia patient (2022, 9 citations), revealing neural plasticity mechanisms underlying recovery. Beyond rehabilitation, Saotome has innovated in MRI-compatible robotics, designing a wearable hand exoskeleton (2017) and pioneering MRI-powered systems for cryoablation and modular robotic control (2014–2015). His work uniquely bridges assistive technology and diagnostic imaging, with his MRI-powered actuator concept enabling precise, magnetically controlled interventions inside scanners. With over 50 total citations, Saotome’s research continues to shape how robotics and neuroimaging converge to restore function in paralyzed patients.