Marco Merlo

Boeing (United States), Irvine University

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Marco Merlo is a pioneer in the field of neurorehabilitation robotics, with a focused expertise on developing innovative technologies to study and restore locomotion following spinal cord injury (SCI). His major contributions center on the creation of specialized robotic systems for rodent models, bridging the gap between engineering and neuroscience. Merlo’s seminal work, "A robotic device for studying rodent locomotion after spinal cord injury" (2005, 38 citations), introduced the "rat stepper"—a novel robotic platform designed to evaluate and train locomotor function in spinal-injured rodents. This paper is highly influential for its detailed device design and characterization of robotic performance, providing a foundational tool for researchers. Building on this, his earlier work, "Second generation robotic systems for studying rodent locomotion following spinal cord injury" (2002, 13 citations), outlined the evolution of these systems, incorporating key design principles from first-generation prototypes to enhance quantification and training of treadmill locomotion. Merlo’s achievements have significantly advanced the ability to precisely measure and rehabilitate motor function after SCI, offering a reproducible, automated approach that has inspired subsequent robotic therapies. His work remains a cornerstone for students and researchers exploring robotic-assisted neurorehabilitation.