Robert F. Kirsch, Ph.D.

Email: rfk3@case.edu

"Since I joined the FES Center in 1993, my primary research area has been the restoration of arm function in individuals with paralysis resulting from cervical spinal cord injury, primarily through the use of FNS. I have four main areas of interest:

1. Using a model of the shoulder adapted to reflect cervical spinal cord injuries to evaluate potential interventions and control strategies.

2. Determining the three dimensional stiffness properties of the arm.

3. Using EMG from voluntary muscles in C5-C6 level injury as control signal for shoulder/elbow prosthesis.

4. Restoring arm movements in individuals with high cervical spinal cord injury."

Professional Affiliations:

Associate Director of Research, Cleveland FES Center

Associate Director of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Biomedical Engineering, Depart. Of Veterans Affairs, Cleveland Louis Stokes Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Publications (select):

Kumar AN, Han YH, Kirsch RF, Dell'Osso LF, King WM, Leigh RJ: Tests of models for saccade-vergence interaction using novel stimulus conditions. Biol Cybern, 95(2):143-157, 2006.

Heilman BP, Audu ML, Kirsch RF, Triolo RJ: Selection of an optimal muscle set for a 16-channel standing neuroprosthesis using a human musculoskeletal model. J. Rehab. Research and Development, 43(2):273-286, 2006.

Amankwah K, Triolo RJ, Kirsch RF, Audu M: A model based study of passive joint properties on muscle effort during stance. J. Biomechanics, 39:2253-2263, 2006.

Perreault EJ, Kirsch RF, Crago PE. Voluntary control of static endpoint stiffness during force regulation tasks, J. Neurophysiology, 87:2808-16, 2002.

Research Programs:

User-based Control of FES-based Standing Neuroprosthesis, Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation, Research and Development Service

Restoration of Hand and Arm Function by Functional Neuromuscular Stimulation, National Institutes of Health

Controller Development for Upper Limb Movement

Contact Information:

Laura Polacek
216-778-3480
lkp3@case.edu

Claudette Brown
216-368-2960
ccb8@case.edu