Karl Zelik

Soldiers spend a lot of time wearing body armor. The added weight takes a toll on their shoulders and back, contributing to one of the most common injuries reported by U.S. Army soldiers: back overuse. Vanderbilt researchers have developed a two-pound wearable device that redistributes 90 percent of that weight to the wearer’s hips while standing, walking and sitting—and lets soldiers retain their full agility and freedom of movement. Associate Professor Karl Zelik, senior research engineer Chad Ice and Ph.D. graduate Paul Slaughter published the study. Read More

Five exceptional Vanderbilt faculty members have been named 2025 Master Innovators for their extraordinary contributions to translating research into commercial applications that have significant societal impact. The 2025 honorees represent diverse fields from infectious disease therapeutics to neuroscience drug discovery and biomedical engineering.  Read More

A new peer-reviewed study shows that a back-relieving exosuit can simultaneously increase lifting endurance and reduce injury risk. Read More

Paul Slaughter knew early on he wanted an engineering degree that would help amputees, even writing in a high school career essay about designing prosthetics to assist athletes. The mechanical engineering graduate student recently got that opportunity when he designed a prosthetic leg for Army veteran Kelly Elmlinger to compete in triathlons, including a World Triathlon Para Series event where Elmlinger used the leg to help come in first place. Read More

A back-relieving exosuit designed by HeroWear, a Nashville-based workforce wearable technology company, was co-founded by Karl Zelik, associate professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering and physical medicine and rehabilitation, and two alumni, is continuing to show its effectiveness with the Royal Australian Air Force ordering hundreds of additional suits and eyeing larger expansion. Read More

Vanderbilt University announced today the launch of its Institute of National Security, led by Paul M. Nakasone, former director of the National Security Agency, former commander of U.S. Cyber Command and retired four-star general. Read More

The group will build upon existing work to leverage Vanderbilt-driven research and innovation to support local community needs, attract entrepreneurial talent and venture investment, and expand our city and region’s innovation capacity. They also will examine infrastructure needs, including dedicated physical space, programs for collaboration and how to foster a culture of innovation.  Read More

Karl Zelik is using wearable technology to explore better patient recovery methods from shinbone fractures and the surgeries required to repair them. The research team, including Peter Volgyesi, has received $2.7 million from the National Institutes of Health. Read More

Karl Zelik, associate professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering and physical medicine and rehabilitation, is being recognized for his contributions to biomechanics with a Goel Award. The award recognizes accomplishments in translational biomechanics research, entrepreneurship and societal benefit. Read More

Karl Zelik, associate professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering and physical medicine and rehabilitation, is being recognized for his contributions to the field of biomechanics with a prestigious Goel Award from the American Society of Biomechanics. The award recognizes outstanding accomplishments in translational biomechanics research, entrepreneurship, and societal benefit. Zelik co-directs the Center for Rehabilitation... Read More

A university leadership committee has approved Discovery Vanderbilt investments into three faculty-initiated startups—HeroWear, IDBiologics and Virtuoso Surgical Inc.—as part of its mission from the offices of the chancellor and provost to boost innovation across the university. “These three initial investments will fuel discovery and accelerate the translation of our research into real-world benefits,” Chancellor Daniel... Read More

A university leadership committee has approved Discovery Vanderbilt investments into three faculty-initiated startups—HeroWear, IDBiologics and Virtuoso Surgical Inc.—as part of its mission from the offices of the chancellor and provost to boost innovation across the university. “These three initial investments will fuel discovery and accelerate the translation of our research into real-world benefits,” Chancellor Daniel... Read More

by Jenna Somers  Two Vanderbilt professors were awarded Pathfinder seed funding for a project that could benefit soldiers by optimizing their neurological performance through suggested behavior protocol and by improving aircraft design and equipment to reduce the effects of in-flight vibration and percussion.  The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory and the Civil-Military Innovation Institute... Read More

A study led by researchers from Vanderbilt University’s Center for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology reveals a breakthrough tool to assess the effect of exoskeletons on injury risk. The tool, called Exo-LiFFT, is an interactive calculator that will help companies looking for ways to overcome workforces struggling with musculoskeletal injuries, missed work, and accelerated retirement... Read More

The idea Karl Zelik (Vanderbilt University) Erik Lamers (Vanderbilt University) Karl E. Zelik, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and recent Ph.D. graduate Erik P. Lamers revealed a new exosuit designed to bring back relief to workers who have been under high strain throughout the pandemic, including last-mile delivery drivers and essential workers. The suit can... Read More

Research snapshot: Study shows promise to bring back strain-relieving wearable tech to last-mile delivery drivers, heavy-lifting jobs and other essential workers, including those strained during pandemic.  Est. reading time: 1.5 minutes Read More

(Anne Rayner/Vanderbilt) Nashville Business Journal recently released its 2021 “40 under 40” list of honorees, featuring six Vanderbilt alumni and two faculty members: Maya Bugg, EdD’18, president and CEO, Tennessee Charter School Center Christiane Buggs, MEd’14, board chair, The Metropolitan Nashville Board of Public Education and founding board member… Read More

A trans-institutional team of Vanderbilt engineering, data science and clinical researchers has developed a novel approach for monitoring bone stress in recreational and professional athletes, with the goal of anticipating and preventing injury. Using machine learning and biomechanical modeling techniques, the researchers built multisensory algorithms that combine data from lightweight, low-profile wearable sensors in shoes... Read More

An interdisciplinary team of researchers led by Karl Zelik explores how wearable sensor technology can monitor bone stress in runners, developing a new multi-sensor algorithm that could save runners from months of pain and recovery time. Read More

Five proposals from School of Engineering faculty have been selected by the Office of the Provost for 2019 Discovery Grants, which advance new ideas and cutting-edge scholarship in the university’s core disciplines. “Discovery Grants serve as a key internal funding vehicle for fostering research that has the potential to improve lives and address society’s complex problems—a vital part... Read More