Papers
20
Total Citations
564
H-Index
11
About
James Sulzer is a leading researcher in rehabilitation robotics and neuromotor control, with a focus on restoring mobility after neurological injury. His work centers on understanding and treating gait impairments, particularly stiff-knee gait (SKG) in stroke survivors. Sulzer’s major contributions include the development of the MARIONET actuator—a novel, cable-driven series elastic actuator that enables compliant, backdrivable joint torque delivery—and the design of a highly backdrivable, lightweight knee actuator for investigating gait in stroke. His research has revealed critical insights, such as the coupling between preswing knee flexion assistance and hip abduction in SKG, and has challenged conventional wisdom by demonstrating that hip circumduction is not a compensatory mechanism for reduced knee flexion. With over 500 citations across his most-cited works, Sulzer’s impact is evident. Notably, his 2009 paper on the knee actuator has garnered 127 citations, and his 2010 study on preswing assistance has 103 citations. He has also developed affordable, home-based rehabilitation devices for upper extremity recovery and single-degree-of-freedom gait trainers for neurological injury. Sulzer’s work bridges engineering and clinical neuroscience, advancing both robotic design and our understanding of post-stroke gait mechanics.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 6Assessment of Upper-Extremity Joint Angles Using Harmony Exoskeleton34 citations · 2021
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- 10Kinematic comparison of single degree-of-freedom robotic gait trainers22 citations · 2021