I am interested in advancing the science and technology of legged dynamic systems and in improving through this work the quality of life for people who depend on robotics technology to assist, replace or restore their physical capabilities. We pursue this goal in my group along three interconnected directions:
(1) We work on a unified theory of legged dynamic systems with a focus on speed, robustness and agility; and implement, demonstrate and evaluate this theory on bipedal robots of human scale.
(2) We use the knowledge gained in the previous direction to develop physiologically plausible computer models of the human neuromuscular system; propose and explore new theories about how humans control and learn locomotion; and evaluate model predictions against human behavior in experiments.
(3) We design and build new prototypes of powered prosthetic legs capable of high performance locomotion; transfer strategies that mimic human neuromuscular control to achieve human-like gait stability and dexterity; and evaluate the benefits of resulting prosthesis controllers in experiments with amputee users.
