Steps
James Schmiedeler, associate professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, builds and conducts research with biped robots. He’s quick to point out that physical therapy experience is conspicuously absent from his CV, but as an engineer, he sees parallels. “It’s not too hard as an engineer to look at the human body and think of it as a mechanical system, and if you include the nerves, an electromechanical system,” says Schmiedeler. “Both have ‘actuators’ - we use electric motors on the robots, humans have muscles that are far more efficient than anything we have access to. Both have joints, a rigid structure.”
Read the storyOther Videos
Ancient Art Inspires Engineers to Fuel-Saving Solution
An UNDERC Experience
Coda: Medieval music at the end of life
Compassionate Care
Dare to Dream
Engineering Dignity
Fighting for Better Cancer Detection
Fighting for the Human Heart
Fighting to Cure Food Allergies
Fighting to Explore the Moon
Fighting to Go Faster and Farther Than Ever Thought Possible
Fighting to Protect Our Country
Fighting to Protect the Brave
Fighting to Understand the Scientific Impact of Community
Gridiron Gadgets
Haiti: How salt can help fight a debilitating disease
Haiti: Notre Dame's Fight to End Lymphatic Filariasis
Haiti: Treating Lymphatic Philariasis
Learning to Fly: Bald eagles at ND-LEEF
Road to Discovery
Serendipity
Shelter and the Storm
Telescope installed in Jordan Hall of Science
Unearthing the Past
Students join archaeologists to discover clues from history
Unearthing the Secrets of a Star
Unmasked
Lab study shows which face coverings are effective
