Maria Athanassiu
Papers
1
Total Citations
146
H-Index
1
About
Maria Athanassiu is a leading figure in the field of wearable robotics and neurorehabilitation, with a primary focus on developing soft exosuits to restore mobility after neurological injury. Her most impactful work centers on engineering lightweight, portable systems that address specific gait deficits in stroke survivors. In her highly cited 2018 paper (146 citations), she introduced a novel soft exosuit designed to assist paretic ankle function—targeting both impaired plantarflexion for forward propulsion and dorsiflexion for ground clearance. This contribution is pivotal because it demonstrates that a non-rigid, textile-based wearable can deliver meaningful biomechanical assistance without the bulk of traditional exoskeletons, directly improving walking symmetry and energy efficiency in hemiparetic patients. Athanassiu’s research bridges mechanical design, human physiology, and clinical application, offering a practical path toward daily-use rehabilitation technologies. Her work has not only advanced the engineering of soft robotics but has also provided critical evidence for how targeted ankle assistance can restore natural gait patterns, making her a key innovator in the movement toward accessible, high-impact neurorehabilitation tools.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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