Levi Hargrove

Levi Hargrove is an Associate Professor at Northwestern University with joint appointments in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Biomedical Engineering. He directs the Center for Bionic Medicine at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, leading translational research on neural-controlled prosthetics for upper and lower limbs.

Dr. Hargrove earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick. His research develops intuitive control systems for bionic limbs using electromyographic signals and pattern recognition algorithms.

Research Focus:

• Neural interfaces for prosthetic limb control
• Machine learning for biological signal processing
• Real-time adaptation of assistive devices
• Virtual reality training for prosthesis users

His publication portfolio spans prosthetic control (60%), rehabilitation robotics (25%), and labor economics in developing countries (15%). Recent work emphasizes AI-driven control systems, haptic feedback integration, and global accessibility of assistive technologies.

Major Honors:

• American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists Research Award (2018)
• Chicago Innovation Collaboration Award (2015)
• Military Health System Research Symposium Team Award (2015)

Dr. Hargrove co-founded Coapt LLC to commercialize pattern-recognition prosthetic technology. His lab manages $25M in research funding from DOD, NIH, and philanthropic sources, supporting clinical trials and technology transfer initiatives.