Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Marlena Klaic is a leading researcher in neurorehabilitation, specializing in the intersection of technology, robotics, and clinical practice to improve outcomes for patients with upper limb impairments, particularly after stroke. Her work focuses on three key areas: technology-assisted spasticity assessment, clinician adoption of rehabilitation robotics, and machine learning for evaluating rehabilitation progress. Klaic’s systematic review on technology-assisted spasticity assessment (34 citations) established a foundational framework for moving beyond subjective clinical scales toward objective, robot-assisted measurement. Her validation study of a post-stroke elbow spasticity assessment using an upper limb rehabilitation robot (6 citations) demonstrates practical, real-world application of this approach. Klaic has also made significant contributions to understanding technology adoption, using the extended technology acceptance model to explore clinician likelihood to use robotics (24 citations) and promoting best practices through user-centered design (13 citations). Her innovative work using machine learning to identify motion features for evaluating rehabilitation progress (28 citations) represents a critical step toward personalized, evidence-based rehabilitation. Klaic’s research bridges the gap between cutting-edge technology and clinical reality, directly addressing the low adoption rates of rehabilitation robotics while developing practical tools that can enhance therapy intensity and patient outcomes.