My current research deals with the kinematic synthesis of articulated bodies. I am interested in the use of Clifford algebras for the analysis and synthesis of systems with spatial motion. Specific applications include multi-fingered robotic hands and exoskeletons for rehabilitation and prosthetics.

News and Recent Results

  • Check out 2018-2019 research activity at the ISU Robotics Research Lab webpage.
  • Research project: ARPRI: Augmented Reality for Interaction with Industrial Robots (2019)

    Project in collaboration with House of Design. [Scott Hand]

    An AR system to identify industrial robots in the environment and interact with them.

    Interactive communication with ABB robots.

    See what is going on with this research at the RRL page.

  • Course on Advanced Kinematic Synthesis.

    Course material available at the ISU Robotics Research Lab webpage.

  • Research project: Design of Multi-fingered Robotic Grippers (2012-2017)

    Robotic hands are kinematic chains with a tree topology.[Scott Hand]

    Hand topologies can be enumerated and synthesized for simultaneous tasks of the fingertips.

    The method allows the design of complete arm-wrist-hand systems.

    See the results of this research at the project webpage.

  • Research project: ARWED: Virtual Reality for Upper-Limb motion (2014-2018)

    [Scott Hand]An immersive environment with hand motion detection.

    Upper-limb motion analysis and synthesis.

    Rehabilitation with motion reflection for mirror neuron system activation.

    Currently being tested at the Dept. of PT/OT.

    See the results of this research at the RRL webpage.

    “[VRArttreeks]”


    As an extension of this project, we are working on a virtual reality environment for mechanical designers.

    It combines hand motion tracking with the powerful ArtTreeKS software.

  • Link-based Design Optimization

    “[BennetSeveral performance properties of spatial mechanisms depend on the location of the links along the joints.

    This link-based method can optimize size, force transmission and obstacle avoidance among other properties.

    See details and resources in our RRL webpage.

    See also the work of Yimesker Yihun.


  • The Scott Hand

    [Scott Hand] The Scott Hand was designed by MS student Kurt Scott for prosthetic applications (Summer 2013).

    Currently being used for actuation and transmission testing.



  • Exact kinematic synthesis for workspaces

    [RPRP robot] For some articulated systems, it is possible to find the explicit formulation of the workspace by using a finite set of positions. The easiest case is that of a mechanism whose workspace forms a screw system.


    See some of the results at the RRL webpage .

  • Clifford Algebras in Kinematics

    Several Clifford algebras are very good tools for motion analysis and synthesis. [hand robot]

    See also the work of Federico Thomas at the Institut de Robotica i Informatica Industrial (IRI) in Barcelona, Spain.