Dushyantha Jayatilake

About

Dushyantha Jayatilake is a pioneering researcher in assistive robotics, with a focused expertise in developing wearable technologies for facial paralysis rehabilitation. His major contribution is the invention of the "Robot Mask," a soft, wearable device that uses shape memory alloy (SMA)-based actuators to gently pull facial skin and recreate natural expressions like smiles. This work directly addresses the physical and psychological challenges faced by individuals with facial paralysis, aiming to restore both function and emotional communication. His most cited paper, "Robot Assisted Physiotherapy to Support Rehabilitation of Facial Paralysis" (2013, 29 citations), establishes the core methodology of using minimally obtrusive wires and transparent strips for skin manipulation. Building on this, his research has systematically analyzed facial morphology to ensure natural-looking movements, as seen in his 2008 work on smile recovery. Across a decade of publications, Jayatilake has refined actuator designs, introduced hybrid SMA systems for multi-expression generation, and integrated biorobotic control for responsive assistance. His cumulative work, with papers accumulating over 70 citations, represents a significant step toward non-invasive, robot-assisted physiotherapy, offering a compassionate and technologically innovative solution for restoring facial expressiveness and improving quality of life.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Robot Assisted Physiotherapy to Support Rehabilitation of Facial Paralysis

   29 citations · 2013
2. 2
   A soft actuator based expressive mask for facial paralyzed patients

   9 citations · 2008
3. 3
   A wearable Robot Mask to support rehabilitation of facial paralysis

   6 citations · 2012
4. 4
   An Analysis of Facial Morphology for the Robot Assisted Smile Recovery

   6 citations · 2008
5. 5
   Robot assisted facial expressions with segmented shape memory alloy actuators

   5 citations · 2011
6. 6
   Robot assisted facial expressions with segmented shape memory alloy actuators

   5 citations · 2011
7. 7
   A multiple SMA hybrid actuator to generate expressions on the face

   4 citations · 2010
8. 8
   Robot Assisted Smile Recovery

   3 citations · 2010
9. 9
   An assistive mask with biorobotic control to enhance facial expressiveness

   3 citations · 2009

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links