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Elliott J. Rouse

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Elliott J Rouse
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Mechanical engineer, roboticist and academic
AwardsNational Science Foundation CAREER Award (2019)
Henry Russel Award, University of Michigan (2024)
Academic background
EducationB.S. Mechanical Engineering
M.S. Biomedical Engineering
Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering
Alma materThe Ohio State University
Northwestern University
Academic work
InstitutionsUniversity of Michigan (UMich)
Websitehttp://www.elliottjrouse.com/

Elliott J Rouse is an American mechanical engineer, roboticist, and academic. He is an associate professor in the Departments of Robotics and Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Neurobionics Lab at the University of Michigan.[1]

Rouse's research interests encompass precision machine design, exoskeletons/robotic prostheses development, brushless motors, human locomotion dynamics, perception, psychophysics, neural control of movement, biomechanics, and human performance augmentation.[2] His work has been featured on platforms such as TED, Discovery Channel, CNN, National Public Radio, Wired Magazine UK, and Business Insider.[3][4] He holds multiple patents for wearable robotic systems[5] and has published in journals including Science Robotics, Nature Biomedical Engineering, IEEE Transactions on Mechatronics, and Nature. He is the recipient of the NSF CAREER Award,[6] Departmental Faculty Award,[7] and the Henry Russel Award.[8]

Education

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Rouse completed his undergraduate education at Ohio State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2007.[9] While pursuing his degree, he worked full-time in professional Le Mans autoracing at Intersport Racing.[10] He then pursued graduate studies at Northwestern University, obtaining a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering in 2009, followed by a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering in 2012.[11] After his doctorate, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the MIT Media Lab under Hugh Herr from 2012 to 2014.[12]

Career

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From 2014 to 2017, Rouse served as an assistant professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.[13] During this period, he consulted for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Research and Development team, contributing to biomechanics projects.[14] In 2017, he joined the University of Michigan as an assistant professor, later promoted to associate professor in 2022.[15] He co-founded the Department of Robotics at UMich, designing its undergraduate curriculum and courses.[16] In 2021–2022, he took leave to co-found the exoskeleton team at X (The Moonshot Factory) and served as a visiting faculty member.[17] He is a member of the IEEE EMBS Technical Committee on Bio-Robotics and has co-chaired IEEE conferences. [18]

Research

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Elliott J. Rouse directs the Neurobionics Lab at the University of Michigan, where his research focuses on wearable robotics, human biomechanics, and rehabilitation technologies. A central theme of his work is the study of system dynamics and its application to the design of robotic prostheses and exoskeletons. His group investigates how variations in leg joint stiffness during gait impact rehabilitation and assistive technologies, publishing foundational studies on ankle impedance in walking[19] and stroke recovery.[20]

Rouse pioneered variable-stiffness prostheses, including the VSPA Foot, a quasi-passive ankle-foot device that adjusts stiffness continuously during use.[21] His lab also developed compliant mechanisms and a novel rotational torsion spring noted for its energy density and compactness, advancing actuator design in robotics.[22]

A key focus of Rouse’s work is understanding user preferences and perceptions in assistive technologies. His group demonstrated that users can perceive metabolic changes while using exoskeletons,[23] and applied behavioral economics to evaluate the effectiveness of exoskeletons, earning the 2023 Editor’s Choice Award from Communications Engineering.[24]

Rouse leads the NSF-funded Open-Source Leg (OSL) project, an open-access platform for prosthetic research. The OSL is a modular, knee-ankle robotic leg designed for ease of manufacturing and control, with plans and software freely available online. The project addresses challenges in robotic leg control, a barrier to widespread adoption. Commercialized through Humotech, the OSL is used by approximately 20 global research groups.[25] Its first-generation design was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering,[26] and the project won Fast Company’s "Most Innovative" award in 2020.[27]

Awards and honors

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  • 2019 – NSF CAREER Award[6]
  • 2023 – University of Michigan Robotics Department Faculty Award[7]
  • 2024 – Henry Russel Award[8]

Selected articles

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  • Rouse, E. J., Hargrove, L. J., Perreault, E. J., & Kuiken, T. A. (2014). Estimation of human ankle impedance during the stance phase of walking. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 22(4), 870–878.
  • Mooney, L. M., Rouse, E. J., & Herr, H. M. (2014). Autonomous exoskeleton reduces metabolic cost of human walking during load carriage. Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 11, 1–11.
  • Shepherd, M. K., & Rouse, E. J. (2017). The VSPA foot: A quasi-passive ankle-foot prosthesis with continuously variable stiffness. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 25(12), 2375–2386.
  • Azocar, A. F., Mooney, L. M., Duval, J. F., Simon, A. M., Hargrove, L. J., & Rouse, E. J. (2020). Design and clinical implementation of an open-source bionic leg. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 4(10), 941–953.

References

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  1. ^ "Neurobionics Lab". 11 November 2019.
  2. ^ "Elliott Rouse - University of Michigan".
  3. ^ "TED Speaker Profile: Elliott Rouse". TED Conferences.
  4. ^ "An open-source bionic leg could democratize prosthetics". CNN. 12 May 2020.
  5. ^ US US10201334B2, Rouse EJ, "Variable-stiffness prosthesis control system", published 2019-02-12 
  6. ^ a b "Capecelatro and Rouse receive NSF CAREER Awards".
  7. ^ a b "Elliott Rouse earns Robotics Department Faculty Award". 19 June 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Henry Russel Award".
  9. ^ "Alumni Spotlight: Elliott Rouse". Ohio State University. 5 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Elliott J. Rouse". IEEE Xplore.
  11. ^ "Elliott Rouse Profile". Northwestern University.
  12. ^ "Bionic Knee Research". Elliott Rouse Personal Website.
  13. ^ "Neurobionics Lab". Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
  14. ^ "How a Robotics Expert Helped the Dodgers Innovate". Los Angeles Times. 15 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Elliott Rouse Faculty Profile". University of Michigan Robotics Department.
  16. ^ "History of Robotics at UMich". University of Michigan.
  17. ^ "X's Exoskeleton Initiative" (Press release). X (The Moonshot Factory). 2021.
  18. ^ "IEEE EMBS Technical Committee on Bio-Robotics". IEEE.
  19. ^ Rouse, E. J.; Hargrove, L. J.; Perreault, E. J.; Kuiken, T. A. (2014). "Estimation of Human Ankle Impedance During the Stance Phase of Walking". IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering. 22 (4): 870–878. doi:10.1109/TNSRE.2014.2307256. PMC 5823694. PMID 24760937.
  20. ^ Shorter, Amanda L.; Richardson, James K.; Finucane, Suzanne B.; Joshi, Varun; Gordon, Keith; Rouse, Elliott J. (2021). "Characterization and clinical implications of ankle impedance during walking in chronic stroke". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 16726. Bibcode:2021NatSR..1116726S. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-95737-6. PMC 8373915. PMID 34408174.
  21. ^ Shepherd, M. K.; Rouse, E. J. (2017). "The VSPA Foot: A Quasi-Passive Ankle-Foot Prosthesis With Continuously Variable Stiffness". IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering. 25 (12): 2375–2386. doi:10.1109/TNSRE.2017.2750113. PMID 28885156.
  22. ^ Bons, Zachary; Thomas, Gray C.; Mooney, Luke; Rouse, Elliott J. (2024). "An Energy-Dense Two-Part Torsion Spring Architecture and Design Tool". IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics. 29 (3): 2373–2384. doi:10.1109/TMECH.2023.3334957.
  23. ^ Medrano, Roberto Leo; Thomas, Gray Cortright; Rouse, Elliott J. (2022). "Can humans perceive the metabolic benefit provided by augmentative exoskeletons?". Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation. 19 (1): 26. doi:10.1186/s12984-022-01002-w. hdl:2027.42/173764. PMC 8881941. PMID 35219335.
  24. ^ Medrano, Roberto Leo; Thomas, Gray Cortright; Margolin, Drew; Rouse, Elliott J. (2023). "The economic value of augmentative exoskeletons and their assistance". Communications Engineering. 2 (1): 43. Bibcode:2023CmEng...2...43M. doi:10.1038/s44172-023-00091-2. PMC 10956004.
  25. ^ "Open Source Leg". 3 August 2020.
  26. ^ Azocar, Alejandro F.; Mooney, Luke M.; Duval, Jean-François; Simon, Ann M.; Hargrove, Levi J.; Rouse, Elliott J. (2020). "Design and clinical implementation of an open-source bionic leg". Nature Biomedical Engineering. 4 (10): 941–953. doi:10.1038/s41551-020-00619-3. PMC 7581510. PMID 33020601.
  27. ^ "The 10 most innovative robotics companies of 2020". Fast Company. 10 March 2020.
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