Kao-Pei-Chun

Pei-Chun Kao, P.T., Ph.D.

Associate Professor

College
Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences
Department
Physical Therapy and Kinesiology
Office
Health and Social Sciences Building - 389
Email
PeiChun_Kao@uml.edu
Links

Expertise

Biomechanics and neuromuscular control of human walking

Research Interests

Gait biomechanics; motor fatigue; cognitive-walking interference; exoskeleton adaptation

Education

  • Other: Postdoctoral Research training in Physical Therapy, University of Delaware - Newark, Delaware
    Supporting Area: Robotic exoskeletons, FES, and biomechanics: treating movement disorders
  • Ph D: Biomechanics, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Michigan
    Dissertation/Thesis Title: Principles of motor adaptation when walking with a powered exoskeleton
  • MS: Movement Science, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Michigan
    Dissertation/Thesis Title: Recumbent stepping frequency and neural coping between upper and lower limbs
  • BS: Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University - Taipei, Taiwan

Biosketch

Pei-Chun Kao's research interests are the identification of the general principles of biomechanics and motor control in human walking and the use of that information to develop effective rehabilitation interventions and alternatives. The areas she is specifically interested in are fall prevention and wearable devices for biofeedback and assistance.

Selected Awards and Honors

  • President's Poster Award (2011) - 35th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics
  • Kinesiology Teaching Assistantship (2009) - University of Michigan
  • Kinesiology Travel Award (2007) - University of Michigan
  • Rackham Graduate School Travel Award (2007), Scholarship/Research - University of Michigan
  • Kinesiology Summer Research Fellowship (2005), Scholarship/Research - University of Michigan

Selected Publications

  • Kao, P.C., Cornell DJ. Effects of induced physical fatigue on heart rate variability. Sensors. 25(17):5572, 2025.
  • Kao P.C., Lomasney C. Walking stability and kinematic variability following motor fatigue induced by incline treadmill walking. Sensors. 25(5):1489, 2025.
  • Kao P.C., Pierro MA, and Gonzalez DM. Performance during attention-demanding walking conditions in older adults. Gait & Posture. 109:70-7, 2024.
  • Kao P.C., Lomasney C, Gu Y, Clark JP, and Yanco HA. Effects of induced motor fatigue on walking mechanics and energetics. Journal of Biomechanics. 156:111688, 2023.
  • Kao P.C., Norton A, Wu YN, Ramsay JW, Gregorczyk KN, and Yanco HA. Characterizing human performance during soldier-relevant tasks with a knee-actuated exoskeleton. Journal of DoD Research and Engineering. 5(4):12-24, 2022.
  • Kao, P.C., Pierro, M.A. (2022). Motor adaptation to cognitive challenges and walking perturbations in healthy young adults. Gait and Posture,92 167-175.
  • Kao, P.C., Pierro, M.A., Wu, T., Gonzalez, D.M., Seeley, R. (2021). Association between functional physical capacity and cognitive performance under destabilizing walking conditions in older adults. Experimental Gerontology,155 111582.
  • Kao, P.C., Pierro, M.A. (2021). Dual-task treadmill walking at self-paced versus fixed speeds. Gait and Posture,89 92-101.

Selected Presentations

  • Ruggiero MJ, Lauretano ER, Holmes TC, Norton A, Seay JF, and Kao P.C.*. Evaluating mobility performance transfer with an ankle exoskeleton from trained to untrained military tasks. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA (2025).
  • Kao P.C., Wu YN, Allgood H, Orifice L, Ferrari C, and Yanco H. Forward reach-to-grasp movement performance with a powered elbow exoskeleton. 2024 IEEE EMBC (46th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society), Orlando, FL (2024).
  • Kao P.C., and Cornell DJ. Effects of induced physical fatigue on heart rate variability. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting, Boston, MA (2024).
  • Kao P.C., Ruggiero MJ, Lauretano ER, Holmes TC, Norton A, and Seay JF. Effects of an overground-based exoskeleton user training protocol on mobility performance for untrained tasks. 2023 NEACSM (the New England chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine) Annual Fall Conference, Springfield, MA (2023) (podium presentation).
  • Kao P.C., and Lomasney C. Walking stability and kinematic variability following physical fatigue induced by incline treadmill walking. American Society of Biomechanics Annual Meeting, Knoxville, TN (2023).
  • Kao P.C., Cring CH, Norton A, and Seay JF. Effects of overground-based versus treadmill-based exoskeleton training protocols on human-exoskeleton performance. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2023).
  • Kao P.C., Pierro MA, and Gonzalez DM. Performance during attention-demanding walking conditions in older adults with and without a fall history. American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting, San Diego, CA (2023) (podium presentation).
  • Kao P.C., Lomasney C, and Russell A. Effects of induced motor fatigue on walking mechanics and energetics. North American Congress on Biomechanics (NACOB) meeting, Ottawa (2022).

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

  • CHS: Medium: Collaborative Research: Fabric-embedded Dynamic Sensing for Adaptive Exoskeleton Assistance (Award#1955979) (2020), Grant - National Science Foundation (NSF)
    Gu, Y. (Co-Principal), Kao, P.C. (Co-Principal), Yanco, H. (Principal)
  • SLIMMER-3 (Soldier Lightweight Integrated Multifunctional Materials and Exoskeleton Research): Project EX-6: Characterizing Human Adaptation and Performance of Soldier-Relevant Tasks While Wearing Exoskeletons (2020), Grant - U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Soldier Center
    Kao, P.C. (Principal), Norton, A. (Co-Principal)
  • SLIMMER-2 (Soldier Lightweight Integrated Multifunctional Materials and Exoskeleton Research): Project EX-1 PH2: Enhancing Human Performance for Exoskeleton Applications (Phase 2) (2019), Grant - U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Soldier Center
    Gu, Y. (Co-Principal), Inalpolat, M. (Co-Principal), Kao, P.C. (Co-Principal), Norton, A. (Co-Principal), Wu, Y. (Co-Principal), Yanco, H. (Principal)
  • Development and Standardization of Exoskeleton Test Methods for Mobility on Variable Terrains (2020), Grant - ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials)
    Kao, P.C. (Principal), Norton, A. (Co-Principal)
  • SLIMMER (Soldier Lightweight Integrated Multifunctional Materials and Exoskeleton Research): Project EX-1: Characterizing Human Performance for Exoskeleton Applications (2018), Grant - U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center
    Gu, Y. (Co-Principal), Inalpolat, M. (Co-Principal), Kao, P.C. (Co-Principal), Norton, A. (Co-Principal), Wu, Y. (Co-Principal), Yanco, H. (Principal)
  • NE2R2VE Center: Designing Better Robot Systems for People (2016), Grant - UMASS President’s Office, Science and Technology (S&T) Initiatives
    Buchholz, B.O. (Co-Investigator), Kao, P.C. (Co-Investigator), Levkowitz, H. (Co-Investigator), Stevenson, H. (Co-Investigator), Wu, Y. (Co-Investigator), Yanco, H. (Principal)
  • Neurophysiological Effects of Exercise on Gait Rehabilitation following Stroke (2016), Grant - UMASS Lowell, office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Internal Seed Funding
    Kao, P.C. (Principal), Garelnabi, M.O. (Co-Principal)