Stephan Stansfield

Stephan Stansfield is a PhD candidate in mechanical engineering who conducts basic research to understand the neural control of movement and applied research to develop assistive devices. His MathWorks Fellowship will support work in two areas. The first is a study of human interactions with dynamically complex objects, combining human subject experiments with MATLAB-based simulations using an input-shaping control strategy. His results suggest that that the brain may greatly simplify representations of flexible object dynamics during manipulation and exploit mechanical impedance to deal with errors. Stephan’s second project involves the development of an assistive device for older adults to help them stand up and sit down with the goal of preserving independence and preventing falls. He has created a soft, wearable “exosuit” and is preparing for human subject studies to characterize device interactions with the body. During these experiments, he will gather motion capture, force plate, and EMG data to analyze and visualize with MATLAB. Stephan’s work has significant promise to deepen our understanding of neuromotor control and advance new assistive robotic devices that could improve health and quality of life.