Current prostheses are limited in their effectiveness across different terrains. Research has shown that walking across alternative terrains results in disproportionately slower self-selected walking speeds, higher energy expenditure, and higher perceived exertion in amputees. This project aims to develop, implement, and test control systems for animal subjects that function more effectively across terrains of varying stiffnesses.

I am a junior studying Electrical Engineering and Computer Science interested in applying those subjects to medicine. For the past two years, I’ve worked in the Biomechatronics Group at the MIT Media Lab, and I’ve really enjoyed learning about recent advances in prosthetics. I’m excited to continue this work as a Super-UROP and combine my interests in control theory and biology to explore the physiology of walking.