Cara Welker: Mechanical Engineering Promotion Seminar

Title Development and Characterization of Assistive Devices to Augment Human Movement Abstract Developing assistive devices that can effectively interface with the human body requires an interdisciplinary understanding of device behavior, human biomechanics, and motor control. In this talk, I will provide an overview of my work modeling human movement in order to design novel devices and implement control strategies that can effectively interface with the user, with applications including more effective prosthetic legs, passive assistance to make running easier, and an exosuit to offload the lower back during pregnancy. While quantitative characterization of both human and device is essential to developing effective solutions to augment movement, incorporating end-user feedback is important for real-world implementation of these devices, and I will discuss partnerships developed with different communities towards this goal. Finally, I will discuss how principles used in assistive device design can be applied to engineering education to foster resilience and belonging in graduate students. Bio Welker's research focuses on developing effective assistive devices that assist those with movement impairments or augment everyday movement in the healthy population to reduce fatigue or injury. She uses an interdisciplinary approach combining expertise in…

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