James Schmiedeler
Professor of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering and Associate Dean for Faculty Advancement & Inclusion in the College of Engineering
Professor James Schmiedeler’s research is about helping people get back on their feet. Whether due to amputation, spinal cord injury, or stroke, losing the ability to walk is life-altering. Thanks to exciting breakthroughs in robotics, transformative tools like powered prostheses and exoskeletons help patients to recover the ability to walk after such injuries. Schmiedeler’s lab works to make robotic devices operate more in sync with the user’s natural intentions with an aim to bring back as much mobility and freedom as possible so that walking feels like walking again.
As an undergraduate at Notre Dame 30 years ago, Professor Schmiedeler’s faculty advisor introduced him to the world of robotics and the thrill of discovery through research. Ever since, he’s been driven to combine his passion for both in ways that have real impact on people’s lives.
“The simple joy of taking a walk—whether around the lakes or up the stadium stairs—is something many of us take for granted. For those who’ve experienced an amputation, spinal cord injury, or stroke, though, walking anywhere can be a persistent challenge. The College of Engineering is uniquely positioned to tackle problems like these because of our shared emphasis on cutting-edge research and commitment to upholding human dignity. This makes Notre Dame the best place to create bold, new engineering solutions that truly change lives.”
