Ava Lakmazaheri

Ava is a Ph.D. student in the Stanford Biomechatronics Lab, where she works on lower limb exoskeletons to improve mobility. Her research interests center around human-robot co-adaptation: how people learn to walk with exoskeletons, and how exoskeletons can best adapt to human behavior. A deep proponent of interdisciplinary work, she studies at the intersection of neuroscience, biomechanics, robotics, and controls while drawing on the principles of user-centered design, psychology, and disability studies. She is currently working to address barriers to mobility for older adults by designing assistance strategies that simultaneously reduce the metabolic cost of walking, increase walking speed, preserve balance, and prioritize user satisfaction. Prior to attending Stanford, Ava received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Olin College of Engineering.