Craig G. McDonald
Rice University, University of Pennsylvania, Interface (United States)
Papers
11
Total Citations
808
H-Index
9
About
Craig G. McDonald is a leading researcher in physical human-robot interaction, with a focus on developing robotic systems that can safely and intelligently work alongside people, particularly in healthcare and rehabilitation. His work centers on three key areas: shared control for human-robot collaboration, haptic perception and learning, and assistive robotics for individuals with neurological injuries. McDonald’s most influential contribution is his comprehensive review on intent detection and arbitration in shared control (372 citations), which has become a foundational reference for the field. He has also pioneered methods for robots to learn the meaning of haptic adjectives through physical interaction (145 and 107 citations), enabling more natural human-robot communication. His applied work includes developing myoelectric control interfaces for upper-limb rehabilitation after spinal cord injury (52 citations) and combining functional electrical stimulation with powered exoskeletons to restore elbow flexion. McDonald has advanced series elastic actuator control for safe, compliant interaction and created assessment tools like the SE-AssessWrist for quantifying wrist stiffness and range of motion. His research bridges fundamental robotics, machine learning, and clinical application, with over 800 total citations, making him a key figure in the future of assistive and collaborative robotics.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2Robotic learning of haptic adjectives through physical interaction145 citations · 2014
- 3Using robotic exploratory procedures to learn the meaning of haptic adjectives107 citations · 2013
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