Undergraduate Research

Robot in Training

While completing his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Donnell Crear built a prototype two-degree-of-freedom, table-top robotic device to aid individuals with rehabilitation of motor coordination after injury, such as stroke patients suffering from upper arm paralysis.

“I saw it as an opportunity to actually apply something from class in real life,” said Crear, who worked alongside James Schmiedeler, assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

The device was included in a collaborative project with Dr. Sharon McDowell of Ohio State’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to assess the recovery of arm coordination in stroke patients.

His project is now part of a clinical study to aid patients in recovery following brain injury.

“I would like to find myself doing something that involves working directly with people for the majority of the time while making an impact in those individuals’ lives,” he said. “I think undergraduate research has shown me I can do anything I want in life with a little patience and perseverance.”