2023
Professor Yasuhisa Hirata visits HCRMI labs!
Professor Hirata and PhD candidate Goro Aoki from the Department of Robotics, Tohoku University in Japan visited Waterloo campus on January 16.
The professor toured our labs, as well as Prof. James Tung's Neural and Rehabilitation Engineering Lab and Prof. Arash Arami's Arami Research Lab.
During his visit, Prof. Hirata also received an update from his PhD student Zonghao Dong, who joined us in November for four months.
We were privileged to have Prof Hirata give a talk on Cooperation of Assistive Robots to Improve Productivity in the Nursing Care Field.
2022
Bravo to our newest graduates!
Congratulations to the newly minted PhD Jonas Große Sundrup. Way to go!
Best wishes to Kareem Mostafa, who successfully defended his thesis and graduated with a MASc in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering.
Welcome Zonghao!
November 15, 2022
Zonghao Dong is a doctoral student in the Department of Robotics, Hirata Lab, Tohoku University in Japan. Zonghao will be joining our team for four months - November through March 2023.
While here, his research will focus on "the development of image processing or state estimation software for physical assistive devices that allow elderly persons a more independent life by improving their walking ability and their ability to standup."
Newest MASc Graduates
Congratulations to Anas Mahdi and Will Thibault for sucessfully defending their theses and graduating with a MASc in Mechanical and Mechatroncis Engineering.
For their MASc projects, Will focused on humanoid robotic manipulation benchmarking and bimanual manipulation workspace analysis, while Anas' focus was on developing SkyWalker, a novel lightweight robotics rollator.
Both will continue their studies with the HCRMI research team, in the PhD program.
International Symposium on Robotics Research 2022
September 25-30, 2022
ISRR promotes the development and dissemination of groundbreaking research and technological innovation in robotics useful to society. Professor Mombaur will present "From performance indicators in sports to improved motions of human-centred robots." Geneva, Switzerland
Welcome Jonas!
September 14, 2022
We are very excited to have Jonas Grosse-Sundrup join us from Heidelberg University for a one-year appointment as Research Associate.
Professor Mombaur and Christian Mele at NACOB in Ottawa
August 21-25, 2022
Professfor Katja Mombaur will present the keynote lecture on August 24th at the North American Congress on Biomechanics. NACOB is a joint meeting of the Canadian Society for Biomechanics and the American Society of Biomechanics.
MASc student Christian Mele presented 'Initial development and evaluation of a predictive geometry-based pressure map for interface surface evaluation in lower limb rehabilitation exoskeletons'.
Our grad students travel to Seoul, South Korea for BioRob 2022
August 21-24, 2022
Members of our research group travel to Seoul to present at the 9th IIEEE RAS/EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechanics:
Peter Q. Lee
"Simulating and Optimizing Nasopharyngeal Swab Insertion Paths for use in Robotics".
Anas Mahdi
"Maintaining Mobility in Older Age - Design and Initial Evaluation of the Robot SkyWalker for Walking Sit-To-Stand Assistance"
Sagar Rajendran
"Towards Humanoids Using Personal Transporters: Learning to Ride a Segway from Humans".
STEMpowered campers visit HCRMI labs
August 11, 18, 25
Our team was thrilled to participate in this summers UW Engineering Outreach STEMpowered camp program. We welcomed Black Youth from grades 4-12 to our robotics and motion capture labs for a two hour session of fun demonstrations and interactive activities.
Girls Robotics Camp
August 4, 2022
A group of Waterloo region female high school students from grades 9-12 toured the HCRMI robotics lab and participated in demos with REEM-C the humanoid robot AKA Seven!
World Congress of Biomechanics (WCB)
July 10-14, 2022
Professor Mombaur was invited to speak as part of the Injury, Rehabiliation, and Ergonomics track. She presented "Biomechanics of Assistive Devices" virtually.
Jonathan Lin, Human Motion Laboratory Manager presented in person and MASc student Christian Mele attended virtually. Taipei, Taiwan
Workshop honouring Jean-Paul Laumond
July 11, 2022
Professor Mombaur participated in the workshop hounouring Jean-Paul Laumond and presented "From optimality principles in human movement to motion intelligence in human-centred robots". College de France, Paris.
International Society of Posture and Gait Research (ISPGR)
July 3-7, 2022
MASc student Christian Mele poster presentation Preliminary Kinematic Evaluation of Custom versus Generic Human-Robot Coupling Interfaces on Lower-Limb Rehabilitation Exoskeletons at the ISPGR conference in Montreal.
Eurobench Summit - June 21-22, 2022 Madrid, Spain
On the Summits first day, Professor Katja Mombaur delivered the plenary talk Benchmarking Humanoid Robots in the Eurobench Project and Beyond.
MASc student Will Thibault also attended the summit and presented A Standardized Benchmark for Humanoid Whole-Body Manipulation and Loco-Manipulation.
Sagar Rajendran at Dynamic Walking 2022
June 13-16, 2022
Sagar presented Towards Humanoids Operating Transportation Devices Designed for Humans at the Dynamic Walking 2022, Intersections and Extrapolatons of Human, Animal and Robot Locomotion conference in Madison, Wisconsin.
Warm welcome
A warm welcome to Maximilian Jalea. Max will be joining us as an International Visiting Graduate Student, June through September 2022.
Katja Mombaur, plenary speaker at CSME 2022
June 5-8, 2022
Professor Katja Mombaur was a plenary speaker at the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering International Congress, hosted by the University of Alberta. She presented on "Human-Centred Robotics: Solving Mechanical Challenges for Societal Impact". Edmonton, Alberta
ICRA 2022 Workshop "Towards AI-embedded robots in 2050"
May 23-28, 2022
Professor Mombaur presented "Human-centred robots for improved mobility and well-being". Philadelphia, USA
Felicidades
Congradulations to Francisco and his family on the arrival of baby Matteo on May 22!
Hengstberger Symposium"International perspectives on aging & technology: combining forces from theory to implimentation"
May 16-17, 2022
Masters students Jan Lau and Anas Mahdi travelled to Heidelberg, Germany to present at the Hengstberger Symposium.
Jan Lau poster presentation - How can we make exoskeletons less intimidating for geriatric users?
Anas Mahdi poster presentation - Maintaining Mobility in Older Age - Design and Initial Evaluation of the Robot SkyWalker for Walking Sit-To-Stand Assistance.
Welcome
Joining us for the S22 term are co-ops Emily Mende and Eunice Poon, URA Neil Fernandes and student lab volunteer Christy Lee.
2021
CIMAT Seminar
November 2021
At this year's Centro de Investigacion en Matematicas (CIMAT) Seminar (Mathematics Research Centre), Professor Mombaur presented "Motion Intelligence for Human-Centred Robots". Virtual event.
New team members!
We are excited to have two new team members join our research group: Pranav Barot (Sept 2021) and Ilknur Umay (Nov 2021)
Professor Mombaur, Keynote speaker at KI2021 (44th German Conference on Artificial Intelligence)
Sept 27-Oct 1, 2021
Katja Mombaur keynote presentation "Motional Intelligence for Human-centred Robots". Virtual event.
Robotics Symposium
September 2021
Professor Mombaur presented "Embodied Intelligence for Human-Centred Robots at the Robotics Symposium, University of Twente. Virtual event.
Live virtual workshops - Humanoids 2020
July 19-21, 2021
Katja Mombaur, Marie Charbonneau and Francisco Andrade Chavez organized live virtual workshops, which included presentations and interactive sessions spread over two half days. The objective was to bring together the pHRI and sHRI communities, and generate discussions consolidating these two fields, for instance on the social and ethical implications of physical contact in HRI, as well as the use of non-verbal communications through gestures, robot design, appearance or control. Munich, Germany
IST TGCS 2021 - 18th International Symposium on Computer Simulation in Biomechanics
July 21-23, 2021
Professor Mombaur was a keynote speaker and presented "Model-based optimization for human motion analysis and improved assistive robotic technology". Virtual event
Waterloo International Workshop on Neural Engineering and Rehabilitation
July 2021
Katja Mombaur presented "Optimality principles in human movement and in human interactions with assistive and rehabilitation robots". Virtual event.
Canada Excellence Research Chair Summit
June 2021
Professor Mombaur presented "Human centred robots for societal challenges in Canada and worldwide" at the CERC Summit virtual event.
Waterloo AI Seminar Series
May 2021
Professor Mombaur presented "Embodied Intelligence for Human-Centred Robots" at the Waterloo AI virtual event.
Moonshot Symposium
March 2021
Professor Katja Mombaur was the invited international expert at Moonshot Symposium held virtually by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). The Professor presented "Endowing Human-Centred Robotics with Motion Intelligence".
Professor Mombaur, keynote speaker at Go CODE Girl 2021
February 27, 2021
Go CODE Girl provided an exciting opportunity for girls in grades 7-10 across Ontario to learn about the exciting world of coding and software development and discover opportunities in computing and engineering fields.
Lecture presented to the WeCord Winter School
February 2021
Professor Mombaur presented the lecture “SPEXOR - Modeling and optimizing human-robot interaction in spinal exoskeletons for low back pain prevention” to the WeCord Winter School. (Virtual)
Welcome
January 2021
We are excited to welcome our newsest members: Marie Charbonneau (Postdoc), Robert Wagner (Technician), Mennatallah Rihan (MASc student) and Kareem Mostafa (MASc student).
2020
Workshop presented by Prof. Mombour
November 2020
Professor Mombaur conducted a workshop on Robot-Aided Neuromechanics titled "Minimizing and estimating human lumbar torques with spinal exoskeletons" at the International Conference for Biomedical Robotics and Biomechantronics (BioRob.) (Virtual)
Training event for care staff
November 2020
“Roboter in der Pflege”, PIAF Robotik und künstliche Intelligenz in der Pflege, University Clinics Heidelberg. (Virtual)
Talk by Prof. Mombaur
November 2020
Professor Mombaur was a guest speaker at the Grand River Hospital's Professors Present Talk Series virtual event. She presented “How Can Intelligent Human-Centred Robots Transform Health Care in the Future? (Virtual)
Presentation by Prof. Mombaur
November 2020
At this year's NSERC Canadian Robotics Network virtual event, Professor Mombaur presented “Endowing Human-Centered Robots with Motion Intelligence”. (Virtual)
How to wear a robot?
October 2020
The Association of Canadian Ergonomists (ACE) invited Professor Mombaur to present “How to wear a robot – optimizing human-exoskeleton interactions“ at their ACE Virtual Summit 2020.
Seminar offered to the Waterloo Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
October 2020
“Understanding, improving and proving assistance to human movement with model-based optimization“, Kinesiology & Biomechanics, Seminar, Waterloo Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. (Virtual)
Welcome
August/September 2020
Professor Katja Mombaur and Branca da Costa are very excited to welcome new team members: Jonathan Lin, Jan Lau, Will Thibault, Francisco Andrade Chavez, Peter Lee, Sagar Rajendran, Jiwon Yang, Anas Mahdi, Christian Mele and Mahsa Parsapour.
Visit our Team page for more information including titles, research focus and contact details.