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prof.dr.ir. M. Sartori (Massimo)

Professor and Chair of Neuromechanical Engineering

About Me

I am a Professor and Chair of Neuromechanical Engineering at the University of Twente where I  direct the Neuromechanical Modelling & Engineering Lab

My research focuses on understanding how human movement emerges from the interplay between the nervous and the musculoskeletal systems. My goal is to translate such knowledge for the development of symbiotic assistive robots such as exoskeletons and bionic limbs. 

On these topics I have obtained blue-sky research funding including the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant, an ERC Consolidator Grant and an ERC Proof of Concept Grant. I have contributed to develop widely used open-source software (e.g., CEINMS, MyoSuite) and I have created patented technology with leading companies (e.g, OttoBock HealthCare).

I conducted my PhD (2009-2011) across the Universities of Padova (Italy), Western Australia (Australia) and Stanford (USA). I continued with a post-doc at the University of Göttingen (Germany, 2011) where I become Junior Research Group Leader in 2015. Since In April 2017 I joined the University of Twente as a tenure-track scientist where I am leading an expanding independent research group.

Throughout my career I received awards (e.g. OpenSim Outstanding Research), was guest editor in academic journals (e.g. IEEE TBME, Front Comput Neurosci), and was Workshop Chair at leading congresses (e.g. IEEE BioRob 2018) in the field.

I am currently chairing the IEEE RAS Technical Committee on BioRobotics. I am Associate Editor at the IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering: https://www.embs.org/tnsre/associate-editors/. Moreover, I am a member of leading scientific societies spanning across the fields of robotics and biomechanics including: IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, IEEE International Consortium on Rehabilitation Robotics, and European Society of Biomechanics.

More about me via the UT Featured Scientist page.

Keywords: model-based control; model-based myoelectric control; wearable robot; electromyography; neuromechanics; biomechanics; neuromusculoskeletal modelling; human movement.

 

Expertise

Engineering & Materials Science
Electromyography
Exoskeleton (Robotics)
Muscle
Patient Rehabilitation
Robotics
Medicine & Life Sciences
Electromyography
Joints
Muscles

Research

For detailed information about my research please visit my research group website

My goal is to establish a unique roadmap for discovering fundamental principles of movement at the interface between humans and machines. My research focuses on understanding the neuro-musculo-skeletal mechanisms underlying human movement and how these are altered by impairment. I apply neuro-mechanical modelling and electrophysiological signal processing, in a translational way, to develop real-time model-based control technologies for restoring natural motor function and for enhancing human health.

 

Software Highlights:

  • MyoSuite: An embodied AI platform that unifies neural and motor intelligence Vittorio Caggiano, Huawei Wang, Guillaume Durandau, Massimo Sartori, Vikash Kumar. Link to Website.

 

  • NeurIPS-MyoChallenge 2023: Learning Physiological Agility & Dexterity. Coming up too at this Website

 

  • NeurIPS-MyoChallenge 2022: Learning contact-rich manipulation using a musculoskeletal hand. Vittorio Caggiano, Huawei Wang, Guillaume Durandau, Seungmoon Song, Yuval Tassa, Massimo Sartori, Vikash Kumar. Link to Website. 

 

  • MyoSim: Fast and physiologically realistic MuJoCo models for musculoskeletal and exoskeletal studies. Huawei Wang*, Vittorio Caggiano*, Guillaume Durandau, Massimo Sartori, Vikash Kumar. Link to Website. 

 

  • CEINMS: A toolbox to investigate the influence of different neural control solutions on the prediction of muscle excitation and joint moments during dynamic motor tasks. Claudio Pizzolato, David G Lloyd, Massimo Sartori, Elena Ceseracciu, Thor F Besier, Benjamin J Fregly, Monica Reggiani. Link to Website. 

 

  • MOtoNMS: A MATLAB toolbox to process motion data for neuromusculoskeletal modeling and simulation. A Mantoan, C Pizzolato, M Sartori, Z Sawacha, C Cobelli, M Reggiani. Website

 

Check out how we interface humans with wearable robot:

Publications

Recent
Simonetti, D. (2024). Toward a wearable gait lab for the quantitative assessment of musculoskeletal function. [PhD Thesis - Research UT, graduation UT, University of Twente]. University of Twente. https://doi.org/10.3990/1.9789036558853
Sartori, M. (Author). (2023). MyoChallenge Podcast. Digital or Visual Products
Caggiano, V. , Durandau, G., Wang, H., Chiappa, A., Mathis, A., Tano, P., Patel, N., Pouget, A., Schumacher, P., Martius, G., Haeufle, D. F. B., Geng, Y., An, B., Zhong, Y., Ji, J., Chen, Y., Dong, H., Yang, Y., Siripurapu, R., ... Kumar, V. (2023). MyoChallenge 2022: Learning contact-rich manipulation using a musculoskeletal hand. Proceedings of Machine Learning Research, 220, 233-250.
Damonte, F. , Durandau, G., Gonzalez-Vargas, J. , Van Der Kooij, H. , & Sartori, M. (2023). Synergy-Driven Musculoskeletal Modeling to Estimate Muscle Excitations and Joint Moments at Different Walking Speeds in Individuals with Transtibial Amputation. In 2023 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, ICORR 2023 (IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR58425.2023.10304814
Simonetti, D., Hendriks, M., Herijgers , J., Cuerdo del Rio, C. , Koopman, H. F. J. M., Keijsers, N. , & Sartori, M. (2023). Automated spatial localization of ankle muscle sites and model-based estimation of joint torque post-stroke via a wearable sensorised leg garment. Journal of electromyography and kinesiology, 72, Article 102808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2023.102808
Cop, C. P., Jakubowski, K. L. , Schouten, A. C. , Koopman, H. F. J. M., Perreault, E. J. , & Sartori, M. (2023). Can EMG-driven musculoskeletal models estimate individual muscle displacements?. Abstract from 28th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics, ESB 2023, Maastricht, Netherlands.
Simonetti, D., Hendriks, M., Herijgers, J., Cuerdo del Rio, C. , Koopman, H. F. J. M., Keijsers, N. , & Sartori, M. (2023). A novel approach for quantitative musculoskeletal assessment in post-stroke rehabilitation. Abstract from 28th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics, ESB 2023, Maastricht, Netherlands.
Refai, M. I. M., Sridar, S., Govaerts, R., Chini, G., Varrecchia, T., Del Ferraro, S., Falcone, T., De Bock, S., Molinaro, V., Elprama, S. A., Jacobs, A., Ranavolo, A., De Pauw, K. , van der Kooij, H. , & Sartori, M. (2023). Does a Soft Actuated Back Exosuit Influence Multimodal Physiological Measurements and User Perception During an Industry Inspired Task? In 2023 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, ICORR 2023 (IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR58425.2023.10304777
Refai, M. I. , & Sartori, M. (2023). Real-time fatigue tracking using electromyography driven musculoskeletal models. Abstract from 28th Congress of the European Society of Biomechanics, ESB 2023, Maastricht, Netherlands.
Feola, E. , Refai, M. I., Costanzi, D. , Sartori, M., & Calanca, A. (2023). A Neuromechanical Model-Based Strategy to Estimate the Operator’s Payload in Industrial Lifting Tasks. IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering, 31, 4644-4652. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSRE.2023.3334993
Gogeascoechea, A., Ornelas-Kobayashi, R. , Yavuz, U. S. , & Sartori, M. (2023). Characterization of Motor Unit Firing and Twitch Properties for Decoding Musculoskeletal Force in the Human Ankle Joint In Vivo. IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering, 31, 4040-4050. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSRE.2023.3319959

UT Research Information System

Google Scholar Link

Projects

In 2016, 2018 and 2023 I was awarded a EU H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (MIMICS) and an ERC Starting Grant (INTERACT) and an ERC Consolidator Grant (ROBOREACTOR) respectively. In 2023 I obtained an ERC Proof of Concept Grant (SMARTSEMS). I am co-leading a EU H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network on Bionic Limb Control (SimBionics), an EU-EFRO project on smart sensing garments for stroke rehabilitation (GUTs), an EU H2020 Project of human-robot interaction for injury risk prevention (SOPHIA). I am involved in a NWO Perspectief project on wearable robotics. 

I previously led scientific activities on neuro-mechanical modelling and prosthetic/orthotic technologies on European and National projects including the ERC Advanced Grant DEMOVE (2011-2016), the FP7 EU Project H2R (2013-2016) and the BMBF Innovation Cluster INOPRO (2016-2020). I have served as Scientific Advisory Board member in the FP7 EU Project BioMot (2013-2016). 

Current Projects

Finished Projects

Media

YOUTUBE:

  • Subscribe to the YouTube channel of my lab to be up to date with our latest research in model-based-control, neuromechanics and wearable robotics. Just follow this link

PODCAST:

  • Listen to our podcast on AI-powered Digital Human Twins from this link.

ON DUTCH TV:

  • Watch the NPO2's Focus show on the Ukraine war and amputations featuring our work on bionic legs.

In the press

Tweets

Contact Details

Visiting Address

University of Twente
Faculty of Engineering Technology
Horst Complex (building no. 20), room W111
De Horst 2
7522LW  Enschede
The Netherlands

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Mailing Address

University of Twente
Faculty of Engineering Technology
Horst Complex  W111
P.O. Box 217
7500 AE Enschede
The Netherlands

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