Karl Zelik

Andrés Martínez strode briskly on the treadmill, staring straight ahead and counting backwards by seven from 898, a trick to keep his brain from anticipating the literal stumbling block heading his way: a compact 35 pounds of steel specifically designed to make him fall. Special goggles kept him from looking down. Arrows on an eye-level... Read More

Developed by Vanderbilt mechanical engineers, the device is believed to be the first ankle exoskeleton that could be worn under clothes without restricting motion. It does not require additional components such as batteries or actuators carried on the back or waist. Read More

Working with an orthopedic specialist who advises the NFL Players Association, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Karl Zelik discovered that sensors only measuring the impact of the foot hitting pavement tell users little about the forces on bones that lead to stress fractures. Read More

A new energy harvesting system developed at Vanderbilt University can generate electrical current from the full range of human motions and is thin enough to embed in clothing. Read More

In the latest VUCast: See a rescue dog walk again, thanks to Vanderbilt engineering students; learn what we found when we followed climate researchers underground; and the Class of 2019 runs for the Commodores! Watch now. Read More

In his effort to develop better prosthetic limbs, Karl Zelik had to start with deciphering more clearly how muscles function in walking. His path not only led to a better way of quantifying human locomotion, but also to the discovery that muscles around the hip and in the foot are more important to walking than previously thought. Read More

Karl Zelik's Biomechanics and Assistive Technology laboratory is dedicated to locomotion—in particular, to understanding the mechanisms of human locomotion and using engineering to improve movement and mobility for people with impairments. Read More