Papers
9
Total Citations
417
H-Index
6
About
Nathan D. Neckel is a biomedical engineer and rehabilitation scientist whose research sits at the intersection of robotic-assisted rehabilitation, neurological recovery, and biomechanical analysis. He is perhaps best known for his pioneering work with the Lokomat robotic gait orthosis, a widely-used system for treating patients recovering from stroke and spinal cord injury. His early investigations into limb alignment, kinematics, and joint torque patterns within the Lokomat — accumulating over 190 and 120 citations respectively — helped establish foundational knowledge about how robotic systems interact with the human musculoskeletal system and revealed important insights into the abnormal joint torque patterns stroke survivors exhibit even when guided through near-normal gait cycles. This work directly informed how clinicians select training parameters like walking speed and body-weight support. Later in his career, Neckel expanded his focus to preclinical animal models, developing novel spatiotemporal gait analysis methods and exploring how viscous force fields and skilled reach training influence locomotor recovery following cervical spinal cord injury in rats. His body of work reflects a sustained commitment to improving rehabilitative outcomes for individuals with neurological impairments through rigorous biomechanical inquiry and translational research.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Kinematic trajectories while walking within the Lokomat robotic gait-orthosis192 citations · 2008
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- 3Limb Alignment and Kinematics Inside a Lokomat Robotic Orthosis53 citations · 2006
- 4Inverse-Dynamics Based Assessment of Gait using a Robotic Orthosis22 citations · 2006
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