Prof. Dr. Ir. Herman van der Kooij is a leading academic in Biomechatronics and Rehabilitation Technology , affiliated with the University of Twente (0.8 FTE) and Delft University of Technology (0.2 FTE). He chairs the Biomechatronics group at UT and has made groundbreaking contributions to wearable robotics for medical and industrial applications. His research focuses on human balance control , neuromechanical modeling , and exoskeleton-assisted mobility . He develops technologies like the LOPES gait rehabilitation robot and the Mindwalker exoskeleton , combining experimental and computational approaches to advance wearable robotics. His work spans soft robotics , real-time EMG-driven control , and low-cost sensor integration . Van der Kooij has published over 170 peer-reviewed works and received prestigious Dutch VIDI and VICI grants . He leads national programs in Wearable Robotics and 4TU Soft Robotics , and serves as associate editor for IEEE journals. He founded two specialized labs: the Rehabilitation Robotics Laboratory (with Roessingh Research and Development) and the Virtual Reality Human Performance Lab , which integrates robotics, motion capture, and VR for testing. He emphasizes active learning in courses like Biorobotics and Biomechatronics , encouraging students to learn through hands-on projects and mistakes. His work also explores non-medical applications of exoskeletons, including industrial ergonomics and entertainment technology .



