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About

Kei Sugihara’s research lies at the intersection of robotics, actuation systems, and intelligent control, with a particular focus on advancing the performance and versatility of robotic actuators. His major contributions center on the development of novel hydrostatic continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) for robotic systems, addressing the fundamental trade-off between high-speed and high-force actuation. Sugihara’s work on the “Continuously Variable Transmission by High-speed Path Switching of Linear Electro-hydrostatic Actuator” (2019, 4 citations) and the “Development of a Novel Hydrostatic Continuously Variable Transmission with Fast Path Switching” (2021, 2 citations) introduces innovative designs that enable robots to achieve both rapid movement and powerful force output—critical for applications in human-robot collaboration and rehabilitation. By enabling fast path switching in hydrostatic systems, his research paves the way for more adaptable and efficient robotic limbs. Earlier in his career, Sugihara also explored neural network-based control for mobile robots, as seen in his work on the Khepera robot (2001, 2 citations). Though his citation counts are modest, his contributions to actuator design represent a meaningful step toward more capable, human-friendly robots.