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About

Nobuo Sakai is a pioneering biomedical engineer and researcher whose work sits at the cutting edge of robotic endoscopy and minimally invasive surgical systems. His research focuses on the development of next-generation flexible endoscopic robotic platforms that enable complete remote control of gastrointestinal procedures — a significant departure from conventional techniques that still require manual scope manipulation. Sakai's most influential contribution is the Endoscopic Operation Robot (EOR) ver.3, published in 2015 and cited 50 times, which advanced the field by enabling full remote manipulation of the flexible endoscope itself, going beyond earlier systems like the Master and Slave Transluminal Endoscopic Robot (MASTER) that controlled only forceps. Building on this foundation, he led the development of the Endoscopic Therapeutic Robot System (ETRS) in 2019, achieving truly comprehensive remote procedural control. His 2018 study on haptic feedback further demonstrated that tactile sensation meaningfully improves operator performance in remote endoscopic manipulation — an insight critical to making robotic endoscopy clinically viable. With over 80 cumulative citations, Sakai's work is shaping the future of autonomous and teleoperated gastrointestinal medicine, offering profound implications for patient safety, procedural precision, and the globalization of expert endoscopic care.