Papers
3
Total Citations
54
H-Index
3
About
Donghan Koo is a leading researcher in rehabilitation robotics, with a focus on designing assistive devices that restore mobility for stroke patients and individuals with walking impairments. His work centers on two key areas: upper-limb exoskeletons for post-stroke rehabilitation and lower-limb weight-support systems for gait assistance. Koo’s most cited paper, "Shoulder mechanism design of an exoskeleton robot for stroke patient rehabilitation" (2011, 38 citations), addresses the critical role of shoulder girdle movement in daily activities, proposing a robotic mechanism that assists this complex, nonlinear motion during therapy. This contribution has influenced the ergonomic design of rehabilitation exoskeletons. Koo also developed the SoftGait system, a simple yet powerful weight-support device for walking and squatting (2015, 11 citations), which achieves high force fidelity during stance and low impedance during swing, enabling natural leg motion. His 2013 paper on SoftGait (5 citations) further demonstrates how pneumatically actuated, compliant robot legs can mimic the spring-like behavior of human gait, enhancing natural assistance. Through these innovations, Koo has advanced the practicality and effectiveness of robotic rehabilitation, bridging the gap between mechanical support and human biomechanics.
Research Focus
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