Pei-Chun Kao

Pei-Chun Kao is an Associate Professor at the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, serving as Scientific Lead in Robot-Assisted Movement Biomechanics at the NERVE Center and UMOVE Center Researcher. Her work bridges engineering and clinical rehabilitation through biomechanics research focused on human locomotion.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Biomechanics (2009) and M.S. in Movement Science (2003) from the University of Michigan, B.S. in Physical Therapy (2000) from National Taiwan University, and postdoctoral training at the University of Delaware (2014).

• Ph.D. Biomechanics, University of Michigan (2009)
• M.S. Movement Science, University of Michigan (2003)
• B.S. Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University (2000)

Dr. Kao's research centers on gait rehabilitation, biomechanics, and neuromuscular control of human walking, with specific expertise in assistive technology, cognitive-motor interference, and fall prevention. She develops wearable devices for biofeedback and rehabilitation interventions through rigorous analysis of motor adaptation principles. Her experimental approaches combine robotic exoskeletons, functional electrical stimulation (FES), and biomechanical modeling to address movement disorders across diverse populations.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a concentrated research trajectory in exoskeleton-human interaction dynamics (60% of articles), with significant focus on cognitive-motor interference during walking (25%) and military/occupational ergonomics (15%). Key trends include the development of adaptive control algorithms for rehabilitation robotics, quantification of fatigue effects on gait stability, and characterization of dual-task performance in aging populations.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• President's Poster Award (2011) - American Society of Biomechanics
• Multiple University of Michigan graduate fellowships (2005-2009)

Dr. Kao directs substantial research programs funded by NSF, U.S. Army, and ASTM International, with current projects including Fabric-embedded Dynamic Sensing for Adaptive Exoskeleton Assistance (NSF #1955979) and multiple SLIMMER exoskeleton initiatives for soldier performance enhancement. Her collaborative network spans engineering, military research, and clinical rehabilitation teams.

As Scientific Lead at the NERVE Center, she directs research on robot-assisted movement biomechanics, leveraging the center's advanced motion capture and virtual reality facilities to develop next-generation rehabilitation technologies with direct clinical applications.