Human Fusions Institute

Congratulations Luis Mesias Flores on a successful Ph.D defense! Advisor Michael Fu reflected on how Luis first expressed interest in VR systems as an undergrad back in 2018, and is now the go-to for VR applications in the lab in 2025. Oh, and nice hat! 🥳 #virtualreality #research

PhD student Laura McGann's presentation sparked curiosity from a global audience at the IEEE Telepresence Conference in the Netherlands. Read more to find out why: bit.ly/48EFUp6

#telepresence #neurotechnology #humanrobotinteraction #humanfactors

This week we welcomed five local high schools to the lab for a series of live tech demos and presentations. Visitors had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with grad students and research faculty. Props to our lab members for designing exciting, accessible demos!
#biomedicalengineering #education

We welcome intern Gabriela García to HFI! She is spending the Fall 2025 semester with the SaPHaRI (Social and Physical Human-Robot Interaction) Lab at Case Western Reserve University.
Read more about García and her plans in the lab: humanfusions.org/meet-hfis-fa...

Case Western Reserve University researchers receive $9.9 million to test touch-enabled prosthetic hands Revolutionary technology could transform how amputees experience artificial limbs through restored sense of touch.

Human Fusions researcher Dr. Emily Graczyk was interviewed by WKYC Studios to discuss the $9.9 million Department of Defense funding awarded to Case Western Reserve University and the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center to study sensory-enabled upper limb prosthetics.
Watch here: bit.ly/3IBviN4

New clinical trial to test sensory prostheses for people with upper-limb loss | CWRU Newsroom | Case Western Reserve University $9.9 million grant awarded to Case Western Reserve University researchers for neuroprostheses that restore sense of touch

CWRU researchers, led by Emily Graczyk with Dustin Tyler, received a $9.9M grant to launch a clinical trial of sensory-enabled prosthetic hands. The iSens system restores touch, aiming to transform independence for people with limb loss. case.edu/news/new-cli...

#Neuroprosthetics #Haptics #CWRU

Graczyk Lab Hosts Local High School Student for the Summer – Human Fusions Institute A member of the engineering and chemistry clubs at Magnificat High School in Rocky River, Lily Kuhlman was drawn to the field of engineering because it combines her math and science skills with her creative side. She has spent the past five years volunteering with Youth Challenge, a program that helps youth with disabilities participate in adaptive sports. Many of the youth she worked with had prosthetic devices, so she decided to reach out to Assistant Professor Emily Graczyk’s lab about interning at the Human Fusions Institute, where she spent the summer.

This summer, Dr. Emily Graczyk’s lab welcomed intern Lily Kuhlman, a rising Magnificat senior. With a passion for math, science, and creativity, Lily explored the world of somatosensory neural engineering and human perception.
Read more: humanfusions.org/graczyk-lab-...

#BiomedicalEngineering

This summer, HFI welcomed four high school interns. From coding and sensors to circuit boards and biomedical applications, they explored engineering firsthand and contributed to projects advancing human-centered tech.
Read more: bit.ly/4ltccWJ
#STEMEducation

We’re thrilled to welcome engineer Mahanthesh Ramchandra to HFI! With expertise in haptics, robotics, and VR, he’s advancing bimanual robot systems to make human-robot interaction feel seamless and natural.
Read more: bit.ly/4mg594Z
#Haptics #HumanRobotInteraction

Our Summer 2025 Open House welcomed collaborators and community to explore HFI’s latest work. Faculty shared project updates, students presented posters, and 13 tech demos showcased advances in human interfaces, haptic sensing, robotics, virtual training, and more.
#HumanCenteredTech #STEMResearch

Congrats to Veronica Santos and team on a powerful #AIforGood 2025 demo! Live from Switzerland, they showed how haptics can help robots feel and connect. Thanks to UCLA, CSU, CWRU, Afference, XRtistry & all who made it happen! #Haptics #HumanRobotInteraction #NeuralInterface #HFI

The Bionic Breast Project has begun! HFI’s Emily Graczyk and UChicago’s Stacy Lindau led the first implant of a device that may restore touch & reduce pain after mastectomy. A milestone in sensory neuroprosthetics.
humanfusions.org/first-bionic...
#Neuroprosthetics #BreastCancerRecovery #HFI

Congratulations to Andrew Chen on an extraordinary undergraduate journey! His dedication was recognized with the Senior Award for Research Potential, celebrating his promise as a researcher. Read more: humanfusions.org/andrew-chen-...
#HumanFusions #SaPHaRI #CWRU

Noah Medrano's year has been marked by exceptional leadership, service, and research. His commitment to user-centered design and equity-driven research reflects a broader goal: to create technology that supports the mental health of vulnerable communities. humanfusions.org/noah-medrano...

From winning the Italian Book Prize to pursuing cutting-edge work in human-robot interaction, CWRU student Mauricio Negrón exemplifies how engineering and the humanities can come together to create real impact. Read more: humanfusions.org/mauricio-neg...
#HumanCenteredTech #HumanFusions

Take a look behind the scenes! The Human Fusions team came together on-camera to share their innovative approach to human-tech systems. Keep an eye out for the result. 🎥

Thank you Kayaan Media for capturing our story with creativity.

#HumanFusions #TechInnovation #NeuroTechnology #Research

We gathered to celebrate Igor Spetic, whose 12 years of commitment to research participation provided the foundation for the prosthetics program and the Human Fusions Institute.

This is just the beginning for advanced sensory technology and all its applications.

#Prosthetics #TechInnovation

Curious about VR or Robotics? You may be eligible for a paid study with @HumanFusions! Earn up to $50 while exploring a novel human-in-the-loop system. See if you’re eligible here: redcap.link/hfi-hitl-scr...
#ResearchStudy #TechInnovation
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Jonah Mudge, a member of Emily Graczyk's lab, is being celebrated for his success and leadership as a graduate TA at CWRU. The course instructor shared that "students appreciate [Mudge's] careful and methodical approach to problem solving.” Read the full story: humanfusions.org/jonah-mudge-...

The rise of robotics: CWRU projects helping shape our future From R2-D2 to Optimus Prime, Wall-E to The Iron Giant, robots have long captured our collective imaginations. In today’s world, their influence is far less limited to fictional settings; robotics are an essential driver behind next-generation products, medical innovations, educational advances and more. Established in 2010 by the U.S. House of Representatives, National Robotics Week highlights this growing importance and emphasizes the field’s ability to inspire technology education. Researchers across Case Western Reserve University—including at the cutting-edge Human Fusions Institute—demonstrate […]

Human Fusions researcher Alexis E. Block is featured in The Daily today. Her SaPHaRI Lab designs, builds, and programs robots for unique and exciting social and physical interactions with humans.

Read more about it in The Daily: thedaily.case.edu/the-rise-of-...

We're proud to celebrate Andrew Chen, recipient of an Ohio Space Grant Consortium Fellowship, which will support his continued work in the SaPHaRI (Social and Physical Human-Robot Interaction) Lab as he begins his masters thesis research.
Full story: bit.ly/3XRCb1g
#robotics #fellowship #HFI #AI

We're proud to announce that Sedona Cady has defended her Ph.D. thesis! Read more about her journey to restore function and sensation to individuals with upper limb loss here: humanfusions.org/sedona-cady-...

The SaPHaRI Lab had a strong presence at this year’s Human-Robot Interaction Conference. From first papers to global presentations, the team brought research, insight, and dedication.

Learn more: humanfusions.org/saphari-lab-members-presen...#HumanFusions #HRI2025 #SaPHaRI

The Human Fusions Institute is hiring a full-time Network Engineer to work on NeuroReality—a platform enabling real-time sensory communication between humans and machines.

Salary: $65,779–$83,210

More: bit.ly/4alBli8

#HumanFusions #EngineeringJob

Spartan Showcase: Noah Medrano Touring Case Western Reserve University’s campus as a prospective student, Noah Medrano could think of nothing but the future. Student organizations, co-ops, research opportunities, study abroad experiences—the endless possibilities intrigued Medrano and sold him on CWRU. He immersed himself in the university’s experiential opportunities from the get-go. He got a jumpstart on the college experience with the university’s Emerging Scholars Program, a summer bridge opportunity, and participated in Líderes Avanzando, a culturally aware program to help Latine students’ transition to […]

Meet Noah Medrano, featured in The Daily‘s Spartan Showcase! As an undergrad researcher in @HumanFusions’ SaPHaRI Lab, he leads the Affect-Sensing Wearables project, developing devices that detect and respond to emotions. #HumanFusions #SaPHaRILab

Read more: https://bit.ly/4hIDLKb

The Human Fusions Institute is hiring!
Join us as a Full Time Engineer at Case Western Reserve University. Help advance research in neural interfacing, wearable tech, and human-in-the-loop systems.
💼 Salary: $56,395–$71,340
🔗 Learn more and apply: humanfusions.org/careers

Welcome Zach Patterson as HFI’s new Mechanical Engineering faculty member! With experience from Carnegie Mellon and MIT, Zach will lead our Cybernetics and Physical Intelligence Lab.
Learn more: https://humanfusions.org/meet-zach-patterson-hfis-new-full-time-mechanical-engineering-faculty-member/