Will Durfee

Will Durfee, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Minnesota's Institute for Engineering in Medicine, specializes in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. His research bridges engineering and clinical applications, focusing on mobility solutions for individuals with spinal cord injuries and neuromuscular disorders.

• Research Interests: Biomedical Engineering, Exoskeleton Technology, Functional Electrical Stimulation, and Medical Device Innovation.
• Collaborations: Active in projects involving spinal cord injury rehabilitation, skin injury prevention in dementia patients, and thermal-fluid engineering models.
• Key Themes (2024): Recent publications emphasize exoskeleton development, respirator anthropometry, and medical device optimization, reflecting interdisciplinary work in biomechanics and healthcare technology.

Grants & Projects: Currently leading NSF-funded customer discovery for Arteriopulse and NIH-supported research on multi-sensing seat overlays for dementia patients. Past projects include muscle-powered exoskeleton studies for spinal cord injury (MN Office of Higher Education, 2018–2019) and collaborations with Abilitech Medical on upper limb exoskeletons.