Overview
Background
Dr. Alejandro Melendez-Calderon has an interdisciplinary background in robotics and biomedical engineering with extensive experience in human augmentation technologies used in medicine (robotics, wearable devices) and computational approaches to understand human neuromuscular control (unimpaired, stroke and SCI population). He has over 19 years of experience gained in academic, clinical and industrial environments.
He leads the NeuroEngineering, Rehabilitation and Medical Robotics Lab at UQ, and is currently a Senior Lecturer within the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering and the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (affiliate) at the University of Queensland (Australia; Jan 2020-present). He is also a Principal Research Fellow at the Jamieson Trauma Institute, Queensland Health (Australia, Jun 2022-present) where he leads the Rehabilitaiton and Outcomes theme.
Work experience | Clinical - He was previously a Senior Research Scientist and acting Head of Technology at the cereneo Advanced Rehabilitation Institute / cereneo Center for Neurology and Rehabilitation (Switzerland; 2017-2019), where he led and conducted research in the area of neuromechanics of movement deficits after stroke. He was also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Northwestern University (USA; 2014-2020) and a postdoctoral research fellow at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) (2012-2013), where he conducted research in cross-modal multisensory interactions and assessment of neuromuscular impairments. Medical industry - He led the areas of Robotic Hand Rehabilitation and Assessments, and work on adaptive control of robotic trainers (arm and legs) at Hocoma AG (Switzerland; 2014-2016), one of the world-leading manufacturers of robotic and wearable technologies for rehabilitation. Academic research - He was a Guest Researcher at ETH Zurich (Switzerland; 2016-2019), where he conducted research in biomechanics and motor control/learning. He received his PhD degree from Imperial College London (UK; 2007-2011) for research in robotics, rehabilitation and human motor control.
Interests | Dr. Melendez-Calderon has a scientific interest in understanding principled mechanisms of human behavior, in particular related to movement control/learning and physical interaction; his technical interests are in robotics and computational modeling for medical diagnostics, assistive applications & (bio)medical education.
Availability
- Dr Alejandro Melendez-Calderon is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Imperial College London
Research interests
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Neurorehabilitation engineering
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Human sensorimotor control & learning
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Medical robotics
Works
Search Professor Alejandro Melendez-Calderon’s works on UQ eSpace
2017
Conference Publication
Applying a soft-robotic glove as assistive device and training tool with games to support hand function after stroke: preliminary results on feasibility and potential clinical impact
Prange-Lasonder, Gerdienke B., Radder, Bob, Kottink, Anke I. R., Melendez-Calderon, Alejandro, Buurke, Jaap H. and Rietman, Johan S. (2017). Applying a soft-robotic glove as assistive device and training tool with games to support hand function after stroke: preliminary results on feasibility and potential clinical impact. International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), London, United Kingdom, 17-20 July 2017. Piscataway, NJ, United States: IEEE Computer Society. doi: 10.1109/ICORR.2017.8009444
2017
Conference Publication
User acceptance of a therapeutic system that enables hand training exercises in a motivating environment
Radder, B., Prange-Lasonder, G. B., Kottink, A. I.R., Gaasbeek, L., Holmberg, J., Melendez-Calderon, A., Buurke, J. H. and Rietman, J. S. (2017). User acceptance of a therapeutic system that enables hand training exercises in a motivating environment. 3rd International Conference on NeuroRehabilitation (ICNR2016), Segovia, Spain, 18-21 October 2016 . Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-46669-9_204
2017
Conference Publication
Movement therapy without moving - first results on isometric movement training for post-stroke rehabilitation of arm function
Melendez-Calderon, A., Rodrigues, E., Thielbar, K. and Patton, J. L. (2017). Movement therapy without moving - first results on isometric movement training for post-stroke rehabilitation of arm function. International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), London, United Kingdom, 17-20 July 2017. Piscataway, NJ, United States: IEEE Computer Society. doi: 10.1109/ICORR.2017.8009230
2016
Journal Article
On the assessment of coordination between upper extremities: Towards a common language between rehabilitation engineers, clinicians and neuroscientists
Shirota, Camila, Jansa, Jelka, Diaz, Javier, Balasubramanian, Sivakumar, Mazzoleni, Stefano, Borghese, N. Alberto and Melendez-Calderon, Alejandro (2016). On the assessment of coordination between upper extremities: Towards a common language between rehabilitation engineers, clinicians and neuroscientists. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 13 (1) 80, 80. doi: 10.1186/s12984-016-0186-x
2016
Journal Article
Robot-aided assessment of lower extremity functions: a review
Maggioni, Serena, Melendez-Calderon, Alejandro, Van Asseldonk, Edwin, Klamroth-Marganska, Verena, Lünenburger, Lars, Riener, Robert and Van Der Kooij, Herman (2016). Robot-aided assessment of lower extremity functions: a review. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 13 (1) 72. doi: 10.1186/s12984-016-0180-3
2016
Journal Article
Sensory agreement guides kinetic energy optimization of arm movements during object manipulation
Farshchiansadegh, Ali, Melendez-Calderon, Alejandro, Ranganathan, Rajiv, Murphey, Todd D. and Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A. (2016). Sensory agreement guides kinetic energy optimization of arm movements during object manipulation. PLoS Computational Biology, 12 (4) e1004861, e1004861. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004861
2016
Conference Publication
A bio-inspired robotic test bench for repeatable and safe testing of rehabilitation robots
Maggioni, S., Stucki, S., Lunenburger, L., Riener, R. and Melendez-Calderon, A. (2016). A bio-inspired robotic test bench for repeatable and safe testing of rehabilitation robots. 6th IEEE International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob 2016), Singapore, Singapore, 26-29 June 2016. IEEE Computer Society. doi: 10.1109/BIOROB.2016.7523741
2015
Journal Article
On the analysis of movement smoothness
Balasubramanian, Sivakumar, Melendez-Calderon, Alejandro, Roby-Brami, Agnes and Burdet, Etienne (2015). On the analysis of movement smoothness. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 12 (1) 112. doi: 10.1186/s12984-015-0090-9
2015
Journal Article
Interpersonal strategies for disturbance attenuation during a rhythmic joint motor action
Melendez-Calderon, A., Komisar, V. and Burdet, E. (2015). Interpersonal strategies for disturbance attenuation during a rhythmic joint motor action. Physiology and Behavior, 147, 348-358. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.04.046
2015
Conference Publication
Acquisition of motor skills in isometric conditions through synesthetic illusions of movement
Melendez-Calderon, Alejandro, Fisher, Moria, Tan, Michael, Burdet, Etienne and Patton, James L. (2015). Acquisition of motor skills in isometric conditions through synesthetic illusions of movement. 2015 IEEE World Haptics Conference (WHC), Evanston, IL, United States, 22-26 June 2015. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi: 10.1109/WHC.2015.7177749
2015
Conference Publication
Robot-aided assessment of walking function based on an adaptive algorithm
Maggioni, Serena, Lunenburger, Lars, Riener, Robert and Melendez-Calderon, Alejandro (2015). Robot-aided assessment of walking function based on an adaptive algorithm. 2015 IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), Singapore, Singapore, 11-14 August 2015. Piscataway, NJ, United States: IEEE Computer Society. doi: 10.1109/ICORR.2015.7281301
2014
Journal Article
Motor adaptation with passive machines: a first study on the effect of real and virtual stiffness
Tommasino, P., Melendez-Calderon, A., Burdet, E. and Campolo, D. (2014). Motor adaptation with passive machines: a first study on the effect of real and virtual stiffness. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 116 (2), 145-155. doi: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2013.12.019
2014
Conference Publication
Upper limb functional assessment of children with cerebral palsy using a sorting box
Quijano-Gonzalez, Y., Melendez-Calderon, A., Burdet, E., Chong-Quero, J. E., Villanueva-Ayala, D. and Pérez-Moreno, J. C. (2014). Upper limb functional assessment of children with cerebral palsy using a sorting box. 36th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC 2014), Chicago, IL, United States, 26-30 August 2014. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2014.6944087
2013
Journal Article
An fMRI compatible wrist robotic interface to study brain development in neonates
Allievi, A. G., Melendez-Calderon, A., Arichi, T., Edwards, A. D. and Burdet, E. (2013). An fMRI compatible wrist robotic interface to study brain development in neonates. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 41 (6), 1181-1192. doi: 10.1007/s10439-013-0782-x
2013
Conference Publication
Haptic perception of multi-joint hypertonia during simulated patient-therapist physical tele-interaction
Piovesan, D., Melendez-Calderon, A. and Mussa-Ivaldi, F. A. (2013). Haptic perception of multi-joint hypertonia during simulated patient-therapist physical tele-interaction. 35th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC 2013), Osaka, Japan, 3-7 July 2013. IEEE. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2013.6610457
2013
Conference Publication
Haptic recognition of dystonia and spasticity in simulated multi-joint hypertonia
Piovesan, D., Melendez-Calderon, A. and Mussa-Ivaldi, F. A. (2013). Haptic recognition of dystonia and spasticity in simulated multi-joint hypertonia. 2013 IEEE 13th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), Seattle, WA, United States, 24-26 June 2013. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi: 10.1109/ICORR.2013.6650449
2013
Conference Publication
Therapist recognition of impaired muscle groups in simulated multi-joint hypertonia
Melendez-Calderon, A., Piovesan, D. and Mussa-Ivaldi, F. A. (2013). Therapist recognition of impaired muscle groups in simulated multi-joint hypertonia. 2013 IEEE 13th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), Seattle, WA, United States, 24-26 June 2013. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi: 10.1109/ICORR.2013.6650425
2012
Journal Article
Development of BOLD signal hemodynamic responses in the human brain
Arichi, Tomoki, Fagiolo, Gianlorenzo, Varela, Marta, Melendez-Calderon, Alejandro, Allievi, Alessandro, Merchant, Nazakat, Tusor, Nora, Counsell, Serena J., Burdet, Etienne, Beckmann, Christian F. and Edwards, A. David (2012). Development of BOLD signal hemodynamic responses in the human brain. NeuroImage, 63 (2), 663-673. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.06.054
2012
Journal Article
A robust and sensitive metric for quantifying movement smoothness
Balasubramanian, Sivakumar, Melendez-Calderon, Alejandro and Burdet, Etienne (2012). A robust and sensitive metric for quantifying movement smoothness. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 59 (8) 6104119, 2126-2136. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2011.2179545
2011
Conference Publication
Hi5: A versatile dual-wrist device to study human-human interaction and bimanual control
Melendez-Calderon, A., Bagutti, L., Pedrono, B. and Burdet, E. (2011). Hi5: A versatile dual-wrist device to study human-human interaction and bimanual control. IEEE. doi: 10.1109/IROS.2011.6048068
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Alejandro Melendez-Calderon is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Neuroprosthesis for restoring grasping function using noninvasive electrical stimulation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Antonio Padilha Lanari Bo
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Doctor Philosophy
Upper-limb assessment of neuromuscular impariments using robotics and computer vision
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Sandy Brauer
Media
Enquiries
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