Mariana Ballesteros

About

Mariana Ballesteros is a leading researcher in rehabilitation robotics and assistive mechatronics, specializing in the development of intelligent orthotic and exoskeletal systems for human motor recovery. Her work uniquely integrates adaptive control theory, sliding mode control, and neural network-based electromyographic (EMG) signal classification to create responsive, wearable devices. Ballesteros has made pivotal contributions to upper and lower limb rehabilitation, including the design of a hybrid upper-limb orthosis controlled by an artificial neural network EMG classifier (19 citations) and an event-driven sliding mode controller for a lower limb exoskeleton (19 citations). She also pioneered an active neck orthosis using a parallel mini-robotic device for cervical disorder rehabilitation (17 citations) and developed the Biomech-Wrist, a 3-DOF exoskeleton for wrist training (2023). Her work extends to mobile manipulation, with adaptive control of a quadcopter-hanging manipulator (22 citations), and biomimetic robotics, including a gecko-inspired climbing robot (14 citations). With over 140 total citations across her top papers, Ballesteros’s research is distinguished by its practical, patient-centered approach, combining robust control theory with real-time biosignal processing to advance assistive technology for individuals with motor impairments.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Adaptive output control of a mobile manipulator hanging from a quadcopter unmanned vehicle

   22 citations · 2019
2. 2
   Event driven sliding mode control of a lower limb exoskeleton based on a continuous neural network electromyographic signal classifier

   19 citations · 2020
3. 3
   Control of a hybrid upper-limb orthosis device based on a data-driven artificial neural network classifier of electromyography signals

   19 citations · 2021
4. 4
   Active neck orthosis for musculoskeletal cervical disorders rehabilitation using a parallel mini-robotic device

   17 citations · 2022
5. 5
   Integrated wearable and self-carrying active upper limb orthosis

   17 citations · 2018
6. 6
   Output Second-order Sliding-mode Control for a Gecko Biomimetic Climbing Robot

   14 citations · 2019
7. 7
   Output feedback robust control for teleoperated manipulator robots with different workspace

   10 citations · 2022
8. 8
   Hybrid position/force output feedback second-order sliding mode control for a prototype of an active orthosis used in back-assisted mobilization

   10 citations · 2019
9. 9
   Adaptive Proportional Derivative Controller of Cooperative Manipulators

   8 citations · 2018
10. 10
    Development of the Biomech-Wrist: A 3-DOF Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation and Training of Human Wrist

    7 citations · 2023

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links