Tomoyuki Nakao

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About

Tomoyuki Nakao is a robotics researcher focused on improving mobility and safety for elderly lower-limb amputees, particularly those with above-knee amputations. His key research areas include prosthetic knee joint design, fall prevention, and assistive robotics. Nakao’s major contributions center on developing novel robotic knee prostheses that actively prevent trips and falls—a critical need given the rising number of elderly amputees due to arteriosclerosis and diabetes. His most cited work, "Retractor-Type Robotic Knee Prosthesis to Prevent Fall" (2020, 7 citations), introduces a retractor mechanism that maintains knee flexion posture to enhance stability during walking. Another notable paper, "Robotic prosthesis that maintains flexion posture" (2019, 4 citations), addresses the high proportion of above-knee amputations in Japan (58.8%) by designing a prosthesis that reduces fall risk. His earlier "Multiple Linkage Type Robotic Prosthesis" (2018, 2 citations) explores multi-joint linkage systems for improved gait. While his citation counts are modest, Nakao’s work is pioneering in addressing a pressing clinical challenge: low prosthesis use among elderly amputees due to fear of falling. His research has direct implications for rehabilitation engineering and could significantly improve quality of life for an aging population.