Research

Rehabilitation robots that can sense, adapt, and stay useful.

My research combines human sensing, robot control, and human-robot interaction to make rehabilitation systems more measurable, accessible, and responsive to individual motor behavior.

HRELab Publications HRELab Rehabilitation Research ORCID Works

Themes

From engagement signals to robot behavior.

Human sensing

Using electromyography, sonomyography, force/torque data, and motion capture to understand how people engage during therapy tasks.

Robot-mediated rehabilitation

Designing upper-limb systems and task interfaces that support healthy practice across six-dimensional interaction spaces.

Social and remote care

Studying robot-augmented telepresence and socially assistive systems for more accessible rehabilitation interactions.

Publications

Selected works

ORCID record

2026

Abstract RMASB

A Gradient-Descent-Based Null Space Planner for Dexterity Optimization during Upper-Limb Robot-Mediated Rehabilitation

Ajay Anand, Charlie Lambert, Jono Jenkens, Carson J. Wynn, Laura A. Hallock

Null-space planning work for maintaining dexterity during upper-limb robot-mediated rehabilitation.

HRELab

2026

Preprint arXiv

Characterizing Healthy & Post-Stroke Neuromotor Behavior During 6D Upper-Limb Isometric Gaming: Implications for Design of End-Effector Rehabilitation Robot Interfaces

Ajay Anand, Gabriel Parra, Chad A. Berghoff, Laura A. Hallock

Analysis of healthy and post-stroke neuromotor behavior during 6D isometric trajectory tracking with an end-effector rehabilitation robot.

Preprint HRELab DOI

2025

Conference paper ICORR

An Extensible Platform for Measurement and Modification of Muscle Engagement During Upper-Limb Robot-Facilitated Rehabilitation

Ajay Anand, Chad A. Berghoff, Carson J. Wynn, Evan Cole Falconer, Gabriel Parra, Jono Jenkens, Caleb J. Thomson, W. Caden Hamrick, Jacob A. George, Laura A. Hallock

OpenRobotRehab platform work for measuring muscle engagement during 6D upper-limb trajectory tracking tasks.

HRELab DOI Code

2025

Journal article IEEE TNSRE

Age, Motor Function, and Cognitive Function Influence Preferences for Telerehabilitation Mediated by a Social Robot Augmented With Telepresence

Michael J. Sobrepera, Anh T. Nguyen, Ajay Anand, Laura A. Prosser, Sally H. Evans, Michelle J. Johnson

Study of social robot augmented telepresence preferences across age, motor function, and cognitive function.

DOI PubMed

2025

Conference abstract ICORR

Toward a Muscle-Synergy-Based Model of Post-Stroke Pathology

Gabriel Parra, Chad A. Berghoff, Ajay Anand, Laura A. Hallock

Work toward granular neuromusculoskeletal models for post-stroke robot-mediated rehabilitation.

HRELab

2024

Conference paper BioRob

Exploring EEG Responses During Observation of Actions Performed by Human Actor and Humanoid Robot

Anh T. Nguyen, Ajay Anand, Michelle J. Johnson

EEG response study comparing observation of actions performed by a human actor and a humanoid robot.

DOI