This institution was the first research and development center in Japan to specialize in prosthetic and orthotic equipment. Established in May 1969 by the Labor Welfare Corporation under the Ministry of Labor, this center was modeled after the United States Veterans Administration Prosthetics Center (VAPC).

Prosthetics in Japan during the late 1960s lagged far behind the United States and Germany, the leading countries in this field. The idea of a disabled person being rehabilitated so that they could return to work was just beginning to take root. In that situation, there came to be a demand for functionally superior artificial limbs adapted to the Japanese lifestyle. This institution was established in 1969 with the name of "Rosai Prosthetics Center," and technical staff specialized in this field began to develop a completely new type of prosthesis.

The first goal was to produce a prosthetic system adapted to the Japanese lifestyle. After ten years of research and development, a new artificial leg named the "LAPOC System" was put on the market in September 1978. This system was designed with consideration to indoor use, such as the need for walking without shoes and sitting cross-legged. Greatly appreciated because it did not have to be removed when entering the house, today more than 32,000 amputees have used the LAPOC System since it debuted 22 years ago.

With recent advances in rehabilitation medicine in Japan, engineering support is required not only for amputees but for a wide range of patients as well. In 1984, the institute's name was changed to Rosai Rehabilitation Engineering Center (RREC), symbolizing the transition in mission from the narrower field of prosthetics and orthotics, to the application of advanced technology in the broader field of rehabilitation engineering as a whole.

In 1991, in response to the increasing number of elderly amputees with circulatory disorders, research goals in prosthetics shifted toward the development of a special prosthetic system for senior citizens. This prosthetic system was designed to be simple in structure and light in weight, with safety considerations for the amputees who tend to have less stamina. After about two years, the LAPOC-SL prosthetic system was developed and put on the market. The Center also conducts follow-up surveys in order to ensure appropriate product improvement and refinement.

In recent years, based on the Labor Welfare Corporation's principle of "Worker Rehabilitation," a variety of activities has been performed with much success, including establishment of a database of patients with spinal cord injury, formation of a support system for the Rehabilitation Department, research on the utilization of the SOHO system, studies about the recovery of kinematic functions, and engineering support to quickly respond to the needs from Rosai hospitals all over Japan.