Marcela Munera

Marcela Munera is an Associate Professor in Assistive Robotics at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). Her research focuses on robotic devices for rehabilitation, human-robot interaction, biomechanics, and movement analysis, with a particular emphasis on user-centered design approaches.

• Bioengineer, Universidad de Antioquia (Colombia)
• MSc in Mechanics and Materials, Ecole Nationale de Metz (France)
• PhD in Mechanics and Biomechanics, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne (France)

Key research areas include socially assistive robotics, rehabilitation robotics, and biomechanical modeling. She has led projects involving exoskeletons, smart walkers, and wearable sensors, often integrating participatory design and multimodal feedback mechanisms.

Her publications highlight interdisciplinary applications in neurological rehabilitation (e.g., stroke, Parkinson's disease), autism therapy, and occupational health. Recent work explores smart upper-limb exoskeletons for construction workers, stress classification via novel sensors, and adaptive control systems for mobility assistance.

• FEDER, Region Champagne Ardenne Doctoral Grant

Her doctoral research focused on industrial biomechanical assessments for sports performance and injury prevention, later expanding to human-centered rehabilitation robotics. She has collaborated on projects involving brain-computer interfaces, serious games, and cloud robotics frameworks like PoundCloud.