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About

D. Stefanov is a robotics and rehabilitation engineering researcher whose work sits at the intersection of biomechanics, assistive technology, and human-robot interaction. Over more than two decades, Stefanov has made sustained contributions to the design and control of robotic systems intended to restore and enhance mobility in patients with physical disabilities. His most influential work, a 2011 paper on lower-limb rehabilitation trajectory planning (14 citations), introduced a musculoskeletal modeling approach that integrates muscle force analysis into robot-guided foot movement, advancing the precision of therapy delivery. Complementing this, his 2005 study on fail-safe rehabilitation components (9 citations) addressed patient safety through a biologically inspired reflex mechanism and a novel force sensor, reducing impact risks in clinical robotic systems. His early contributions to the KARES II rehabilitation robotic system (2002, 9 citations) demonstrated foundational work in assistive robot development. Stefanov has also pioneered accessible wheelchair control, proposing a headrest pressure-sensing interface (2011) enabling proportional head control for severely motor-impaired users. His later research extended biomechanical optimization to shoulder and knee rehabilitation using genetic algorithms and dual-manipulator configurations, reflecting a methodologically rigorous and clinically motivated research trajectory.