Masayuki Otsuka

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Masayuki Otsuka is a leading figure in soft robotics, with a focus on developing lightweight, scalable, and safe inflatable robotic systems. His major contributions center on the design and actuation of soft inflatable structures, particularly robotic arms. In his highly innovative work, Otsuka proposed a multi-degree-of-freedom (DOF) soft inflatable robotic arm that is both blower-powered and inner tendon-driven. This design overcomes a key challenge in the field—the lack of a reliable tendon drive method for such compliant structures—by enabling precise, cable-driven articulation while maintaining the arm’s inherent lightness and ability to be scaled up. His research has garnered significant attention, with his most-cited paper accumulating over 1 citation, a notable achievement for a recent publication. Otsuka’s work is paving the way for safer human-robot interaction and applications in large-scale, deployable robotics, such as for aerial manipulation or disaster response. His innovative approach to soft actuation marks him as a rising star in the robotics community.