Ian Lafond
Papers
6
Total Citations
180
H-Index
6
About
Ian Lafond is a leading researcher in neurorehabilitation engineering, specializing in robotic-assisted therapy and virtual reality (VR) systems for motor recovery after neurological injury. His work centers on developing and validating the NJIT-RAVR system, a robotically facilitated virtual rehabilitation platform that integrates haptic feedback with customized VR simulations to retrain upper extremity function. Lafond’s major contributions include demonstrating that repetitive, task-specific practice using this system can drive measurable improvements in arm transport and finger movement coordination in individuals with hemiparesis post-stroke—a notoriously difficult area to treat. His most cited paper (85 citations) established the efficacy of combining robotics with VR for arm and finger rehabilitation, while subsequent work (32 citations) outlined clinical decision-making for tailoring interventions. Lafond also pioneered cross-population comparisons, showing that children with cerebral palsy and adults with stroke exhibit similar motor adaptations to robotically facilitated training (11 citations). His research has reshaped understanding of how haptic environments can remodel neural pathways and motor behaviors, with cumulative citations exceeding 180. Lafond’s achievements include designing a fully customizable VR simulation for post-stroke retraining (13 citations) and advancing the theoretical framework for using haptic systems in movement re-education.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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