1e
19
1
49
2
2
18
1b
1d
18
3b
60
1d
2 29
1d
25
Michelle Jillian Johnson, PhD
78
60
Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
28
c0
3
7b
Director , Rehabilitation Robotics Lab, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
cc
Faculty Member, General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science
b9
Faculty Member, Center for NeuroEngineering and Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science
e1
Director of Global Rehabilitation Robotics Lab (in Botswana), Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine.
dd
Research Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Research , Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
11
Department: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
4
1
23
1f
Graduate Group Affiliations
8
b
-
64
- Neuroscience e
1d
46
Contact information
60
4
3
3
1d
60
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
4b 1800 Lombard Street, 1st Floor, Office 9
Philadelphia, PA 19146
26
4b 1800 Lombard Street, 1st Floor, Office 9
Philadelphia, PA 19146
2e
Office: 215 893-2665
32 Fax: 215 893-2686
32 Lab: 215 893-2695
18
9d
12
32 Fax: 215 893-2686
32 Lab: 215 893-2695
18
18
Publications
23 a
3
2
29
23 a
Links
ac Search PubMed for articles
7e TEDxPhiladelphia Speaker Site
e1 Youtube Podcast Panel Presentation on Inclusive Robotics by Society, Robots and Us.
6e Old Rehabilitation Robotics Lab website
84 GRASP Lab, Rehabilitation Robotics Lab has Center Affiliation
8d MEAM Graduate Group Affliation
6d Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics: Home 34 Rehabilitation Robotics Lab is Affiliated
8b Current Rehabilitation Robotics Lab Website
a0 AAAS Talk Media 2022
7c Department of Bioengineering (Secondary Appointment)
98 Article on Talk
c
4
b
1f
ac Search PubMed for articles
7e TEDxPhiladelphia Speaker Site
e1 Youtube Podcast Panel Presentation on Inclusive Robotics by Society, Robots and Us.
6e Old Rehabilitation Robotics Lab website
84 GRASP Lab, Rehabilitation Robotics Lab has Center Affiliation
8d MEAM Graduate Group Affliation
6d Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics: Home 34 Rehabilitation Robotics Lab is Affiliated
8b Current Rehabilitation Robotics Lab Website
a0 AAAS Talk Media 2022
7c Department of Bioengineering (Secondary Appointment)
98 Article on Talk
c
13
Education:
21 7 BS 39 (Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics) c
54 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 1990.
21 7 MS 49 (Mechanical Engineering - Emphasis in Robot Mechanical System) c
52 University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA, 1994.
21 8 PhD 5d (Mechanical Engineering - Emphasis in Robotics, Design, Controls and Mechatronics) c
47 Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA, 2002.
c
3
3
3
3
8d
Permanent link21 7 BS 39 (Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics) c
54 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 1990.
21 7 MS 49 (Mechanical Engineering - Emphasis in Robot Mechanical System) c
52 University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA, 1994.
21 8 PhD 5d (Mechanical Engineering - Emphasis in Robotics, Design, Controls and Mechatronics) c
47 Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA, 2002.
c
2 29
21
1e
1d
24
76
8
259 I direct the Rehabilitation Robotics Lab. This is a new Lab within the Department of Physical, Medicine, and Rehabilitation in the Perelman School of Medicine. The Rehabilitation Robotics Lab mission is to use robotics,rehabilitation,and neuroscience techniques to translate research findings into the development of assistive and therapeutic rehabilitation robots capable of functioning in real-world rehabilitation environments. Our goal is to improve the quality of life and function on activities of daily living (ADLs) of our target population in supervised or under-supervised settings.
8
91 Keywords (in alphabetical order): Brain Plasticity, Design, Controls, Motor Control, Robotics, Rehabilitation, Stroke, Therapy, Upper Limb
e 29
27
Description of Research Expertise
25b My research is mainly in the area of robot-mediated rehabilitation. I am focused on the investigation and rehabilitation of dysfunction due to aging, neural disease, and neural injury. I am particularly interested in 1) exploring the relationships between brain plasticity and behavioral/motor control changes after robot-assisted interventions; 2)quantifying motor impairment and motor control of the upper limb in real world tasks such as drinking; and 3) defining the methods to maintain therapeutic effectiveness while administering local and remote, robot-mediated interventions.8
259 I direct the Rehabilitation Robotics Lab. This is a new Lab within the Department of Physical, Medicine, and Rehabilitation in the Perelman School of Medicine. The Rehabilitation Robotics Lab mission is to use robotics,rehabilitation,and neuroscience techniques to translate research findings into the development of assistive and therapeutic rehabilitation robots capable of functioning in real-world rehabilitation environments. Our goal is to improve the quality of life and function on activities of daily living (ADLs) of our target population in supervised or under-supervised settings.
8
91 Keywords (in alphabetical order): Brain Plasticity, Design, Controls, Motor Control, Robotics, Rehabilitation, Stroke, Therapy, Upper Limb
e 29
23
148 Azar RM, Zheng S, Charles JY, and Johnson MJ: Reliability of lesion masks derived from CT Scans when compared to MR Scans in acute stroke. 47th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC). IEEE, Jul 2025.
1cf Sobrepera MJ, Nguyen AT, Anand A, Prosser LA, Evans SH and Johnson MJ: Age, motor function, and cognitive function influence preferences for telerehabilitation mediated by a social robot augmented with telepresence. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Jul 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2025.3592020.
67 Segado M, Prosser LA, Duncan AF, Johnson MJ, Kording KP 14f : Assessing infant risk of cerebral palsy with video-based motion tracking. 4th Triennial Meeting of the International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability (IAACD) and the 37th Annual Meeting of the European Academy Of Childhood-onset Disability (EACD), June 24-28, Heidelberg, Germany Jun 2025.
1b1 Azar RM, Sobotka NS, Cacchione P, Mendonca RJ, Johnson MJ: Evaluating the relationship between motor and cognitive impairment and lesion size and location post-stroke using CT-Scans. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1467-1472, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063052.
19e Opong-Duah J, Mittal A, Waters E, Sayani F, Sall S, Shofer F, Johnson MJ: Robotic assessment of cognitive and motor Impairment in adults with sickle cell disease. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1793-1798, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063212.
64 Waters EL, Azar R, Opong-Duah J, Gaardsmoe S, Johnson A, 135 Mendonca RJ, Cacchione PZ, Johnson MJ: Towards an optimal model of post-stroke sensorimotor control. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1313-1319, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063066.
196 Davis ME, Sowande OF, Skorup J, Segado M, Shofer F, Prosser LA, Johnson MJ: Developing a methodology for quantifying infant interaction with a robotic toy. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1805-1810, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063143.
d5 Meng NY, Waters EL, Lin G, Gaardsmoe S, Johnson A, Hallock LA, Mendonca RJ, Cacchione PZ, and Johnson MJ: Analysis of induced muscle activations by an affordable, 10c reconfigurable robot for comprehensive post-stroke rehabilitation. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1361-1367, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063060.
d5 Nguyen AT, Zhang H, Tan T, Abrar M, Zhang Y and Johnson MJ: Integration of a gripper-equipped humanoid social robot for EEG-monitored action observation paradigms ca IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1699-1705, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11062928.
2c
7
1d
1f
Selected Publications
8c Waters EL, Johnson MJ: Can an optimal control model capture tracking kinematics? Insights bd from healthy and post-stroke robot interactions. 47th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC). IEEE, Jul 2025.148 Azar RM, Zheng S, Charles JY, and Johnson MJ: Reliability of lesion masks derived from CT Scans when compared to MR Scans in acute stroke. 47th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC). IEEE, Jul 2025.
1cf Sobrepera MJ, Nguyen AT, Anand A, Prosser LA, Evans SH and Johnson MJ: Age, motor function, and cognitive function influence preferences for telerehabilitation mediated by a social robot augmented with telepresence. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Jul 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2025.3592020.
67 Segado M, Prosser LA, Duncan AF, Johnson MJ, Kording KP 14f : Assessing infant risk of cerebral palsy with video-based motion tracking. 4th Triennial Meeting of the International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability (IAACD) and the 37th Annual Meeting of the European Academy Of Childhood-onset Disability (EACD), June 24-28, Heidelberg, Germany Jun 2025.
1b1 Azar RM, Sobotka NS, Cacchione P, Mendonca RJ, Johnson MJ: Evaluating the relationship between motor and cognitive impairment and lesion size and location post-stroke using CT-Scans. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1467-1472, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063052.
19e Opong-Duah J, Mittal A, Waters E, Sayani F, Sall S, Shofer F, Johnson MJ: Robotic assessment of cognitive and motor Impairment in adults with sickle cell disease. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1793-1798, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063212.
64 Waters EL, Azar R, Opong-Duah J, Gaardsmoe S, Johnson A, 135 Mendonca RJ, Cacchione PZ, Johnson MJ: Towards an optimal model of post-stroke sensorimotor control. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1313-1319, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063066.
196 Davis ME, Sowande OF, Skorup J, Segado M, Shofer F, Prosser LA, Johnson MJ: Developing a methodology for quantifying infant interaction with a robotic toy. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1805-1810, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063143.
d5 Meng NY, Waters EL, Lin G, Gaardsmoe S, Johnson A, Hallock LA, Mendonca RJ, Cacchione PZ, and Johnson MJ: Analysis of induced muscle activations by an affordable, 10c reconfigurable robot for comprehensive post-stroke rehabilitation. IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1361-1367, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11063060.
d5 Nguyen AT, Zhang H, Tan T, Abrar M, Zhang Y and Johnson MJ: Integration of a gripper-equipped humanoid social robot for EEG-monitored action observation paradigms ca IEEE International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), RehabWeek 2025, Chicago, IL, USA. IEEE, Page: 1699-1705, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1109/ICORR66766.2025.11062928.
2c