Edward Brown
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Edward Brown
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Education
BS, University of Pennsylvania; MS, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Bio
Dr. Edward E. Brown, Jr. received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering both from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Brown is an associate faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Microelectronic Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is also the director of the Biomechatronic Learning Laboratory. His area of research is in the field of Rehabilitation Robotics, which is the study of how robots can be used to assist individuals with physical disabilities. Specifically, Dr. Brown is interested in multi-modal human-robot interaction, interfacing, and integration (or HRI3) for rehabilitation applications. His research activities center on developing more intelligent orthotics and wearable robotic systems that utilize human physical and physiological information. The goal is to design systems that aid individuals with diseases and disabilities that specifically affect the skeletal musculature of their upper-limb extremities, and thus impair their dexterity and mobility during reaching and grasping motions. These diseases and disabilities include muscular atrophying diseases such as Muscular Dystrophy, Polio/Post Polio Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, and various Spinal Cord Injuries including Central Cord Syndrome.
Dr. Brown is also interested in engineering education and developing more effective teaching, research, and mentoring strategies to address the needs of an increasingly diverse student population with diverse learning styles. His goal is to make STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) related disciplines more accessible for all students regardless of background. His ultimate desire is to create a sustainable model for increasing the number of engineers graduating successfully from college and university engineering programs.
Selected Publications
1. Smith, A., and Brown, Jr., E. E., 'Myoelectric Control Techniques for a Rehabilitation Robot,” Applied Bionics and Biomechanics, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 21-37, 2011.
2. Nanda, P., Smith, A., Gebregiorgis, A., and Brown, Jr., E. E., 'Design and Development of an Upper Extremity Motion Capture System,' 2009 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (IEEE EMBC09), Minneapolis, MN, September 1-6, 2009
3. Smith, A., Nanda, P., and Brown Jr., E. E., 'Development of a Myoelectric Control System Based on a Time Delayed Neural Network,' 2009 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (IEEE EMBC09), Minneapolis, MN, September 1-6, 2009.
4. Brown, Jr., E. E., “The ST@R Project: An Initiative to Increase the Retention Rates of 1st and 2nd Year Underrepresented Students Enrolled in Electrical Engineering,” 2007 ASEE Annual Conference, Honolulu, HI, June 24-27, 2007.