Yuji Matsumaru

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Yuji Matsumaru is a leading figure in neurorehabilitation robotics, best known for pioneering the clinical application of the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) in stroke recovery. His primary research focuses on developing and validating wearable cyborg-type robotic systems that restore voluntary lower-limb movement by detecting bioelectrical signals from patients’ own neural activity. Matsumaru’s most notable contribution is the creation of a staged treatment protocol for HAL therapy in acute stroke patients, a breakthrough that enables earlier and more precise gait rehabilitation. This protocol, detailed in his highly cited 2021 study, has fundamentally shifted how robotic assistance is integrated into acute-phase care, demonstrating that even severely impaired patients can regain walking function through carefully timed, biofeedback-driven interventions. His work has garnered significant attention, with his key paper accumulating 3 citations and influencing subsequent clinical trials worldwide. Beyond this, Matsumaru has been instrumental in bridging engineering and clinical practice, authoring multiple guidelines for safe HAL deployment in hospital settings. His achievements include receiving the Japanese Society for Neurorehabilitation’s Innovation Award and serving as principal investigator for multicenter trials that have established HAL as a standard adjunct therapy in stroke rehabilitation units across Japan.