Biography

Dr. Lafe earned a PhD in motor behavior from the University of Georgia in 2019. His doctoral work focused on variability in motor output and its linkage to the stability of newly acquired movement patterns. Current research involves understanding changes in motor output that result from neuromodulation.

Biography

Doug Weber is the Afzaal Akhtar and Sarah Bhutta Endowed Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Neuroscience. Dr. Weber received a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from Arizona State University and completed post-doctoral training in the Centre for Neuroscience at the University of Alberta.  Dr. Weber is broadly interested in understanding the role of sensory feedback in supporting and regulating a wide range of perceptual, motor, cognitive, and autonomic functions. His research combines fundamental neuroscience and engineering research to understand physiological mechanisms underlying sensory perception, feedback control of movement, and neuroplasticity in sensorimotor systems. Knowledge gained from these studies is being applied to invent new technologies and therapies for enhancing sensory and motor functions after stroke, spinal cord injury, or limb loss. These principles are also being applied to develop wearable devices for enhancing sensory, motor, and cognitive functions in healthy humans. He is committed to transitioning outputs of his academic research into practical technologies that support real-world applications, and he works actively with industrial partners to bridge the gap from bench to market.

Biography

Deepan Kamaraj MD PhD serves as a Subject Matter Expert at UPMC Enterprises, the innovation and commercialization division of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He received his M.B.B.S (equivalent to MD in the United States) from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, India (2006), Master's in Science (2014) and PhD (2020) in Rehabilitation Science & Technology from the University of Pittsburgh.
   
As a part of a cross-functional team of designers, engineers, researchers, and technologists at UPMC Enterprises, Deepan works on projects focused on the development of novel future-ready digital healthcare solutions to deliver rehabilitation services remotely.

Biography

Yetsa A. Tuakli-Wosornu MD, MPH is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician specializing in sports and spine care, a disability rights advocate, and an elite athlete who represented Ghana in the women's long jump until 2016. As a physician-scientist, she works with numerous global sport and rehabilitation organizations and is the founding director of the Sports Equity Lab, a research group delivering athlete-centered content that tackles inequities in sport such as discrimination, social exclusion, disability stigma, harassment, abuse, and neglect, using translational bio-psychosocial science.

Primary appointment:
https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/yetsa_tuakli-wosornu/

Biography

Diane M. Collins PhD, OT is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and obtained her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences in 2004. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, in Galveston, TX, where she teaches OTD students about Management and Ethics, Research Methods, Mental Health Practice and Assistive Technology. She is also a full-time power wheelchair user who has experienced the best and worst that assistive technology has to offer.

Biography

Dr. Bell is a research assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Bioengineering serving as the Director of Biomechanics at the Ferguson Research Laboratory. His research interests focus on development of advanced human movement sensors and the application of robotic technology towards the assessment of joint function throughout the musculoskeletal system. Specifically, clinical and laboratory-based experimentation focuses on assessing the effects of joint injury, repair and rehabilitation to promote more effective clinical treatments and improved clinical outcomes. Novel experimental techniques including robotic testing system, virtual reality assisted motion tracking, and wireless joint function assessment are utilized to answer clinically relevant research questions. Recent projects have focused on improved compressive loading methodologies for cervical spine flexibility testing, development of a clinically motivated scoliosis testing platform, and validation of a wearable joint rehabilitation system.

Biography

Breelyn Styler, PhD is a VA Research Engineer working in assistive robotics and currently funded on a Rehabilitation R&D Career Development Award. Her research interests include developing modular assistive robotic software systems that empower users with disabilities. This includes planning and prediction techniques for collaborative assistive robotic systems to operate in uncertain environments with user driven control authority that can adjust software autonomy based on user's preferences. She is also interested in the development of intuitive assistive systems to support the caregiver as well as the user. Dr. Styler earned her degree in Computer Science (BS) from the University of Texas at Austin, and advanced (MS and PhD) degrees in Robotics from the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. She completed her Postdoctoral research at the Human Engineering Research Laboratory. Dr. Styler also has over 7 years of software industry experience.

Biography

Chloe received her B.A. in Psychology and French (dual major) from Grove City College, and her M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Seton Hall University. Her thesis investigated the role self-disclosure plays in creating feelings of friendship.
Her statistical interests include regression, path analysis, network models, Bayes' theorem, and natural language processing.
Chloe enjoys walking her dog, listening to podcasts and playing tabletop games.

Biography

Ahlad Neti is a current Graduate Student Researcher for the Human Engineering Research Laboratories, working under Dr. Alicia Koontz. He is working towards a Ph. D. in Bioengineering with a concentration in Biomechanics. Currently, Ahlad is evaluating an automated wheelchair transfer technique scoring tool, TransKinect, and analyzing the effects of in-wheel suspension systems on whole body vibrations from manual wheelchairs.

Ahlad graduated with an Honors Bachelors in Biomedical Engineering with distinction in June of 2020 from the University of Delaware. For his senior thesis, he developed a novel ankle foot orthotic for stroke patients using a human centered design guided engineering process that emphasized comfort, usability, and discreetness. Additionally, Ahlad has experience ideating, researching, prototyping, and testing medical devices, through which he has gained skills in the design and analysis of biomedical sensors, circuit design, wearable device development, orthotics, 3D printing, CAD, and textiles. Working with partners and sponsors including the Department of Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Perry Initiative, Ahlad has contributed to the development of several medical devices including: a lower-limb amputee shower assistive device, an educational outreach biomechanical test frame, wearable vitals monitor for first responders and firefighters, and seamless knit shrapnel resistant Kevlar body armor for military personnel.

Beyond his research and medical device experience, Ahlad has worked to develop his skills in teaching. During his undergraduate degree, he held the teaching assistant positions for Junior Design in his sophomore and senior years, Biomechanics in his junior year, and Design Studio in his senior year. Additionally, he worked as a tutor for the Office of Academic Enrichment throughout his undergraduate degree.