Dorothy Orzel
Papers
8
Total Citations
529
H-Index
8
About
Dorothy Orzel is a robotics and biomedical engineer whose research sits at the intersection of wearable robotics, human movement science, and assistive technology. Her work centers on the design and optimization of soft exosuits and robotic gloves intended to restore or enhance mobility and hand function in individuals with neurological and musculoskeletal impairments, including stroke survivors, people with spinal cord injury, and those with knee osteoarthritis. Among her most significant contributions is the development of muscle-based assistance paradigms for soft exosuits, demonstrating that personalizing exosuit support based on real-time muscle dynamics outperforms generalized bioinspired strategies — work that has garnered 144 citations. Her lightweight, hinge-free knee exosuit (94 citations) and hip flexion optimization research (87 citations) have advanced the field's understanding of how minimal, targeted assistance can meaningfully reduce metabolic cost and support impaired gait. Orzel has also made notable strides in upper-limb rehabilitation, designing intuitive soft robotic gloves with integrated sensing that improve grasping function after spinal cord injury, earning over 130 combined citations across two key publications. Her translational focus is evident in community-based exosuit walking programs, bridging laboratory innovation with real-world clinical impact.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4Improving Grasp Function After Spinal Cord Injury With a Soft Robotic Glove78 citations · 2020
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8