Papers
182
Total Citations
4,964
H-Index
30
About
Kazuo Kiguchi is a pioneering robotics engineer whose career has been defined by a singular mission: restoring and enhancing human movement through intelligent exoskeleton technology. Best known for his groundbreaking work in upper-limb robotic exoskeletons, Kiguchi has fundamentally advanced how these wearable systems interpret and respond to human intent. His most influential contribution lies in EMG-based control systems, which use electromyogram signals from muscles to drive exoskeleton motion in natural alignment with a user's intentions — a approach detailed in his landmark 2012 paper that has accumulated over 528 citations. His early neuro-fuzzy control framework (2004, 361 citations) demonstrated that combining neural networks with fuzzy logic could yield remarkably adaptive robotic assistance for elderly, disabled, and injured individuals. The SUEFUL-7, a sophisticated seven-degree-of-freedom exoskeleton, exemplifies his engineering ambition, capturing the full complexity of shoulder and arm movement. Alongside original device development, Kiguchi has shaped the broader field through widely read review articles on mechanical design and hardware systems, collectively cited hundreds of times. His body of work, spanning foundational robot manipulator control to cutting-edge rehabilitation robotics, represents one of the most cohesive and impactful careers in assistive technology research.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1An EMG-Based Control for an Upper-Limb Power-Assist Exoskeleton Robot528 citations · 2012
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- 3Neuro-Fuzzy Control of a Robotic Exoskeleton With EMG Signals361 citations · 2004
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- 5An exoskeletal robot for human shoulder joint motion assist191 citations · 2003
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- 9A brief review on upper extremity robotic exoskeleton systems126 citations · 2011
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