Mitsugu Sekimoto

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Mitsugu Sekimoto is a researcher whose work sits at the intersection of human-robot interaction, surgical robotics, and psychophysiological measurement. His research focuses on developing objective, biologically grounded methods for evaluating the psychological and physiological stress that humans experience when working alongside robotic systems — a critical concern as robots become increasingly integrated into high-stakes environments like surgical theaters. Sekimoto's most notable contribution is his pioneering methodology for measuring human stress responses during human-robot collaboration using salivary biomarkers, including cortisol, alpha-amylase, and total protein, combined with heart rate monitoring. His 2007 study on surgical assistant robots demonstrated that this approach could meaningfully quantify the stress surgeons endure when operating with robotic assistance, earning 13 citations and establishing a foundation for evidence-based evaluation of surgical robotic systems. Building on this, his 2009 work extended the methodology to broader human-robot interaction contexts, demonstrating its applicability across approximately 25-minute task durations. With a cumulative citation count modest but focused, Sekimoto's impact lies in bridging biomedical measurement science with robotics usability research, offering future designers and clinicians a rigorous framework for ensuring that robotic systems genuinely support, rather than burden, their human collaborators.