Richard Comley

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About

Richard Comley’s research sits at the intersection of robotics, virtual reality, and neurorehabilitation, with a focused mission to alleviate phantom limb pain in amputees. His major contribution is the development of a novel robotic sensorimotor system that combines immersive virtual reality with haptic feedback, designed to restore a patient’s sense of agency over a missing limb. This approach directly targets the neural mechanisms underlying phantom limb pain, offering a non-pharmacological, interactive therapy. His most cited work, a 2017 paper presenting three case studies from an ongoing clinical trial, has garnered 16 citations and demonstrates the system’s potential to reduce perceived pain through enhanced immersion. Earlier foundational work in 2014, with 8 citations, laid the groundwork by integrating robotic elements—such as force feedback and motion tracking—that had proven effective in stroke rehabilitation but were largely untested for phantom limb pain. Comley’s research is notable for translating established rehabilitation robotics into a novel, patient-centered application, bridging engineering and clinical neuroscience. His work represents a promising step toward accessible, technology-driven pain management for upper limb amputees.