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The Workshop
Invited Speakers
The workshop Lectures
Giulia Bodo - "Human-Exoskeleton Synergy: Overcoming Challenges and Unlocking Potential in Motion Assessment"
Giulia Bodo completed her academic journey with a focus on Biomedical and Mechatronic Engineering. Currently in her third year of a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, she conducts research at the Rehab Technologies Lab, Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa. Her work revolves around enhancing human-machine interaction and achieving rehabilitation outcomes for shoulder joints in orthopedic and neurological patients using innovative control strategies for upper limb exoskeletons. She is also involved into telemedicine projects, collaborating with research institutions and clinical partners to develop innovative solutions for e-health.
Cristina Piazza - "Analyzing Compensatory Movements with a Three-DOF Myoelectric Prosthetic Wrist"
Prof. Piazza received a B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering, a M.S. in Automation and Robotics Engineering and a PhD degree in Robotics (summa cum laude, 2019) from the University of Pisa (Italy). She subsequently moved to Chicago (USA) where she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University and the Regenstein Foundation Center for Bionic Medicine, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (former Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago). Since 2020, Prof. Piazza is tenure track assistant professor for Heathcare and Rehabilitation Robotics at the Technische Universität München (TUM).
The research activity of Professor Piazza focuses on the areas of rehabilitation and assistive robotics. Her main research interests include the study of human movement, the design of artificial devices based on soft robotics technologies, the development of innovative control algorithms to address different levels of amputation and their assessment for robotic and prosthetic applications. The ultimate goal is to build intelligent prostheses and promote a natural integration of bionic limbs. She has also experience in designing and conducting clinical trials with subjects with limb loss, in close collaboration with national and international clinical partners.
The research activity of Professor Piazza focuses on the areas of rehabilitation and assistive robotics. Her main research interests include the study of human movement, the design of artificial devices based on soft robotics technologies, the development of innovative control algorithms to address different levels of amputation and their assessment for robotic and prosthetic applications. The ultimate goal is to build intelligent prostheses and promote a natural integration of bionic limbs. She has also experience in designing and conducting clinical trials with subjects with limb loss, in close collaboration with national and international clinical partners.
Federico Tessari - "How do you maintain posture? The role of Brownian processes in human neuromotor control"
Federico Tessari is a senior postdoctoral associate in the Mechanical Engineering Department at MIT. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering through a dual program at the Italian Institute of Technology and Polytechnic School of Turin, Italy, in 2021. His research interests combine the design of user-centered rehabilitation robots with the investigation of the human neuromotor control system. While exploring the complexities of human motion, he aims to uncover the control mechanisms that humans adopt during their motor tasks and use them to design and control innovative robotic systems for mobility-impaired individuals. His research vision aims to change the way we think, design, and manufacture systems for mobility, with a particular emphasis on user-centered sustainable solutions. Federico received research presentation awards at the Polytechnic School of Turin for his studies on rehabilitative robots, as well as for his findings on human neuromotor control, during the Mechanical Engineering Research Exhibition at MIT. Over the past four years, his vision has driven three national contests on prosthetics and bionics involving students from engineering schools across Italy.
Thomas Seel - "The use of IMUs for the monitoring of human kinematics"
Prof. Seel's research is dedicated to the realization of autonomous and self-learning mechatronic systems in robotic, automotive and medical technology applications, including research into new methods for sensor fusion in kinematically coupled systems and the development of sensorimotor AI for compliant robotics, autonomous vehicles and learning neuroprostheses.
Prof. Seel received his doctorate from the Technical University of Berlin in 2016 and held the W3 professorship for Intelligent Sensorimotor Systems at the Department of Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg before his appointment at Leibniz Universität Hannover. He is very much looking forward to shaping excellent research and teaching together with an outstanding team and in close cooperation with established and new partners.
Prof. Seel received his doctorate from the Technical University of Berlin in 2016 and held the W3 professorship for Intelligent Sensorimotor Systems at the Department of Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg before his appointment at Leibniz Universität Hannover. He is very much looking forward to shaping excellent research and teaching together with an outstanding team and in close cooperation with established and new partners.
Shiwen Mao - "3D Human Pose Tracking with RFID"
Shiwen Mao is a Professor and Earle C. Williams Eminent Scholar, and Director of the Wireless Engineering Research and Education Center at Auburn University. Dr. Mao's research interest includes wireless networks, multimedia communications, smart health, and machine learning. He is the editor-in-chief of IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Communications and Networking. He received the IEEE ComSoc MMTC Outstanding Researcher Award in 2023, the 2023 SEC Faculty Achievement Award for Auburn, the IEEE ComSoc TC-CSR Distinguished Technical Achievement Award in 2019, the Auburn University Creative Research & Scholarship Award in 2018, the NSF CAREER Award in 2010, and several service awards from IEEE ComSoc. He is a co-recipient of the 2022 Best Journal Paper Award of IEEE ComSoc eHealth Technical Committee, the 2021 Best Paper Award of Elsevier/KeAi Digital Communications and Networks Journal, the 2021 IEEE Internet of Things Journal Best Paper Award, the 2021 IEEE Communications Society Outstanding Paper Award, the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society 2020 Jack Neubauer Memorial Award, the 2018 Best Journal Paper Award and the 2017 Best Conference Paper Award from IEEE ComSoc MMTC, the 2004 IEEE Communications Society Leonard G. Abraham Prize in the Field of Communications Systems, and 10 IEEE best conference paper/demo awards. He is an IEEE Fellow.
Andrea Bottin - "HDsEMG bracelets for movements classification"
Andrea BOTTIN graduated in Electronics Engineering at Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy, in May 1999. From 1999 since 2006 he worked at the Laboratory for Neuromuscular System Engineering (LISiN - Politecnico di Torino), specifically he was active in the design and engineering of innovative EMG sensors.
Since 2001, he was active in applied research European projects.
Since 2007 he is CEO of OT Bioelettronica company that developes HDsEMG biomedical equipment.
Since 2001, he was active in applied research European projects.
Since 2007 he is CEO of OT Bioelettronica company that developes HDsEMG biomedical equipment.
Erika Triviño-Tonato - "SELFEX: an XR hand movement training platform"
Mechatronics (BSc) and Biomedical (MSc) Engineer with more than 8 years of experience implementing human-centric solutions in manufacturing environments. She has participated in several national and European R&D funded projects studying the performance of exoskeletons in different sectors such as automotive, shipbuilding, logistics, fisheries, stone and agrifood. She has participated co-authoring contributions to conferences, papers, and patents.
Philipp Beckerle - "Monitoring human kine(ma)tics in wearable robotics: simple approaches for online measurements"
“© Matthias Pracht, FATHER&SUN”
Philipp Beckerle received his Dr.-Ing. in mechatronics from TU Darmstadt, Germany, in 2014 and his habilitation from TU Dortmund, Germany, in 2021. He is full professor and chair of Autonomous Systems and Mechatronics at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg (www.asm.tf.fau.de) and was visiting researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Arizona State University, and University of Siena. His research interest is in human-centered mechatronics and robotics and his work was honored with various awards.
Philipp Beckerle received his Dr.-Ing. in mechatronics from TU Darmstadt, Germany, in 2014 and his habilitation from TU Dortmund, Germany, in 2021. He is full professor and chair of Autonomous Systems and Mechatronics at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg (www.asm.tf.fau.de) and was visiting researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Arizona State University, and University of Siena. His research interest is in human-centered mechatronics and robotics and his work was honored with various awards.
Marta Gherardini - "The myokinetic interface: implantable magnets for tracking muscle displacement."
Marta Gherardini received her Bsc degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pisa in 2015. She was then enrolled in the Msc in Bionics Engineering, jointly offered by the University of Pisa and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, and ended her master studies with a six-month internship at the University College of London, working on medical image processing through Deep Learning techniques. She started her PhD in Biorobotics at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in 2018, during which she contributed to the ERC funded project MYKI, investigating innovative interfaces for the control of hand prostheses based on magnetic principles. As part of her PhD, she spent two months as visiting scientist at the Medical University of Vienna. After defending her PhD in July 2022, she continued her work as a Post-doctoral researcher and is now an Assistant Professor (RTD-A) at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna. Her research centers on developing implantable magnet-based interfaces for the control of assistive devices.
Marcel Betsch - "Modern Gait- and Posture Analysis using Surface Topography"
Prof. Marcel Betsch is an accomplished orthopedic surgeon who lead the department of orthopedic and trauma surgery at University Hospital Erlangen since 2022 and is a full for Professor of Orthopedics and Orthopedic Surgery at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg.
He previously held various positions as an orthopedic surgeon at University Hospital RWTH Aachen multiple positions (Head of Joint Replacement and Arthroscopy, Head of Clinical Research, Interim Section Head Shoulder and Elbow Surgery) at University Hospital.
During his studies, he served as a resident at Heinrich Heune University Hospital in Duesseldorf, Oregon Health and Science University, and University Hospital at RWTH Aachen
His expertise lies in joint surgery, particularly in shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle joint procedures. His research interests span tissue engineering, stem cell research, ultrasound techniques in orthopedics, 3D bioprinting, and gait analysis.
He previously held various positions as an orthopedic surgeon at University Hospital RWTH Aachen multiple positions (Head of Joint Replacement and Arthroscopy, Head of Clinical Research, Interim Section Head Shoulder and Elbow Surgery) at University Hospital.
During his studies, he served as a resident at Heinrich Heune University Hospital in Duesseldorf, Oregon Health and Science University, and University Hospital at RWTH Aachen
His expertise lies in joint surgery, particularly in shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle joint procedures. His research interests span tissue engineering, stem cell research, ultrasound techniques in orthopedics, 3D bioprinting, and gait analysis.
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