David Kelly

Education

B.S. University of Notre Dame (2018)

PhD University of Notre Dame (2025)

Research

My research interests lie at the intersection of biomechanics, robotics control, and healthcare. I am particularly invested in how the use of robotics and mechanical systems can enhance the lives of individuals with medical needs.

My current research focuses on the development of a control framework for powered lower-limb prostheses, particularly knee-ankle. This framework, named task-level control, uses low-order template models that have been optimized to desired CoM trajectories offline to determine a desired ground reaction forces (GRFs) profile. Online, progression through the gait cycle is tracked by using real-time kinematic information from a markerless motion capture suit. The GRFs are used as a feedforward torque command for the joint motors, while CoM kinematics are used for human-in-the-loop feedback.

This framework looks to encourage a more holistic approach to control of lower-limb prostheses by expanding the available information beyond sensors onboard the prosthesis itself. This expansion allows for explicit considerations to balance and stability of the human, which are crucial for confidence and safety while walking.

Experience

Undergraduate Research

• Worked with graduate student researchers from Tsinghua University and Honeywell representatives to develop quantification methods for the assembly of Electrohydraulic Servo Valves (EHSVs) in jet engines
• Helped develop several algorithmic methods to locate patterns in pressure data that could be used for automating the assembly
• Presented weekly updates to Honeywell representatives and consulted with leads at Honeywell at the end of the program on best course of action for future endeavors

Industry

• Worked as a Technical Solutions Engineer at Epic Systems for the MyChart/EpicCare Link team
• Acted as point person for 5 primary and 4 secondary customers in the U.S. and Canada for maintenance and configuration of MyChart instances
• Acted as point person for webinars for all Epic customers to attend to present functionality and features available in new releases of the software

Life

Outside of the lab, I like to keep myself busy with a lot of things depending on the time of year. I love to cook, whether it's grilling during the summer or homemade soups and bread during the colder months. I am very active throughout most of the year, playing pick-up and intramural basketball, sand volleyball, and golf. I am also a big fan of logic puzzles/quizzes.

Publications

• Kelly, D. J., & Wensing, P. M. (2022, July). Optimizing Template Models to Quantifiably Assess Center of Mass Kinematic Reconstruction. In 2022 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
• Kelly, D. J., Posh, R. R., & Wensing, P. M. (2024, May). Task-space control of a powered ankle prosthesis. In 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) (pp. 3262-3268). IEEE.
• Posh, R. R., Tittle, J. A., Kelly, D. J., Schmiedeler, J. P., & Wensing, P. M. (2024, May). Hybrid volitional control of a robotic transtibial prosthesis using a phase variable impedance controller. In 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) (pp. 4555-4561). IEEE.
• Kelly, D. J., & Wensing, P. M. (2024). Center of mass kinematic reconstruction during steady-state walking using optimized template models. Plos one, 19(11), e0313156.
• Kelly, D. J., & Wensing, P. M. (2025, May). The Impact of Phase Variable Accuracy on Continuous Controller Performance for Knee-Ankle Prostheses: A Case Study. In 2025 International Conference On Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR) (pp. 456-461). IEEE.
• Kelly, D. J., & Wensing, P. M. (2025). A Task-Space Control Framework for Powered Ankle Prostheses: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation. IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics.

For the most up to date list of publications, check out my Google Scholar!