Papers
4
Total Citations
139
H-Index
4
About
Masami Akai’s research lies at the intersection of human motor control, neurorehabilitation, and assistive robotics, with a central focus on how sensory feedback—particularly load-related and movement-related afferent signals—modulates spinal and corticospinal excitability during walking. Her pioneering work, including a highly cited 2008 study on load-related modulation of cutaneous reflexes in the tibialis anterior muscle during passive walking, has clarified the distinct roles of load-sensitive versus movement-driven afferent input in shaping reflex modulation. This foundational insight has been extended through studies demonstrating facilitation of corticospinal excitability during robot-assisted passive stepping, and the effect of sensory inputs on the soleus H-reflex amplitude. With over 100 cumulative citations across her key papers, Akai’s contributions have directly informed the design of robotic gait trainers, notably her development of an underwater gait-training orthosis—a novel device combining pneumatic actuation with water-based therapy to achieve repetitive, physiological gait patterns. Her work is essential reading for researchers in neurorehabilitation and human locomotion, offering a rigorous, mechanistic understanding of how sensory feedback can be harnessed to improve movement recovery after neurological injury.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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