Babak Hejrati

Education

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, 2016

Brief Biography

Babak Hejrati is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering (recently promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure) and an Associate Member of the Center on Aging and the Institute of Medicine at the University of Maine. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on wearable robotics from the University of Utah in 2016. He was a postdoctoral research fellow at Biodesign Lab and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University before joining the University of Maine in 2017. His research is focused on dynamic systems and control, wearable robotics, biomechanics, and human-robot interactions. His research aims to bridge robotics and biomechanics by utilizing concepts in human-robot interactions, motor learning, and neuroscience to improve users’ gait and mobility. He is also interested in applying his expertise in dynamic systems and control to the areas of renewable energy and robotic additive manufacturing. Babak’s research is supported by the Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy, and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award from the Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering Program, a recent grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the NIH, and the Early Career Teaching Award from the College of Engineering at the University of Maine.

Postdoctoral Research

Biodesign Lab and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University

Research Interests

  • Aging
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Dynamics
  • Controls
  • Biomechanics

Publications

  • M. T. Hossain∗, M. Alizadeh Noghani∗, B. Sidaway, and B. Hejrati, “The feasibility of a novel haptic feedback device for home-based gait training of older adults,” Human Movement Science (Accepted), 2023
  • M. A. Noghani, M. T. Hossain, and B. Hejrati, “Modulation of arm swing frequency and gait using rhythmic tactile feedback,” IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, vol. 31, pp. 1542–1553, 2023.
  • M. S. Rahman∗ and B. Hejrati, “A low-cost three-axis force sensor for wearable gait analysis systems,” Journal of Medical Devices, vol. 16, no. 2, p. 021012, 2022.
  • D. Chizhik∗ and B. Hejrati, “Development and comprehensive evaluation of a new spring-steeldriven glove for grasping assistance during activities of daily living,” Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, vol. 236, no. 2, pp. 259–268, 2022.
  • M. Alizadeh Noghani∗, D. Browning∗, V. Caccese, E. DePoy, S. Gilson, R. Beaumont, and B. Hejrati, “Design and evaluation of the afari: a three-wheeled mobility and balance support device for outdoor exercise,” Assistive technology, pp. 1–10, 2021.