Akitoshi Okino

About

Akitoshi Okino is a pioneering robotics engineer whose research sits at the compelling intersection of mechanical engineering, rehabilitation medicine, and dental therapy. Best known for his groundbreaking work on jaw training robotics, Okino has dedicated his career to developing intelligent robotic systems designed to assist patients suffering from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders — conditions that impair a patient's ability to open, close, or move their jaw laterally. His most influential contribution, the integrated dental robot system for mouth opening and closing training (2003, 50 citations), was revolutionary in establishing both patient and doctor models simultaneously — a dual-model framework that transformed how dental rehabilitation could be quantified and standardized. Building on this foundation, Okino developed a series of six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) parallel mechanism robots capable of guiding complex jaw movements, including lateral and intermaxillary traction therapies, with clinical validation backing their effectiveness. Particularly forward-thinking was his exploration of remote robotic therapy, successfully conducting jaw rehabilitation training between Tokyo and Yamanashi — 120 kilometers apart — demonstrating early proof-of-concept for telemedicine-based rehabilitation. His stiffness analysis of the WY-5 robot further underscored his commitment to engineering rigor. With over 125 cumulative citations, Okino's work remains a foundational reference for medical robotics researchers worldwide.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Integrated dental robot system for mouth opening and closing training

   50 citations · 2003
2. 2
   Jaw training robot and its clinical results

   21 citations · 2004
3. 3
   A clinical jaw movement training robot for lateral movement training

   13 citations · 2004
4. 4
   Development of a clinical jaw movement training robot for intermaxillary traction therapy

   12 citations · 2004
5. 5
   Human skull robot as a mechanical patient simulator for mouth opening and closing training

   9 citations · 2002
6. 6
   Jaw training robot that manipulates patient's jaw to sideway

   8 citations · 2003
7. 7
   Remote therapy with mouth opening and closing training robot between Tokyo and Yamanashi 120 km

   8 citations · 2002
8. 8
   Stiffness analysis for 6-DOF mouth training parallel robot WY-5

   4 citations · 2004

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links