PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

David J Reinkensmeyer

David J Reinkensmeyer is a UC Irvine professor of biomedical engineering whose research connects robotics and sensors with movement rehabilitation after neurological injury. He earned electrical-engineering degrees at MIT and UC Berkeley, then joined UCI in 1997 to build a research program in movement training. His work includes robot-assisted stroke therapy, the T-WREX and MusicGlove devices, and an AI-powered system for choosing home rehabilitation tools. As of October 2026, he is a professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology and Biomedical Engineering and co-directs the NIDILRR COMET Robotic Rehabilitation Engineering Center.

Now at
University of California, Irvine and NIDILRR COMET Robotic Rehabilitation Engineering Center
Works
295
Citations
15,528
h-index
65
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 19 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1988–1993

    Electrical engineering degrees

    At MIT, he earns a B.S. in electrical engineering in 1988; at UC Berkeley, he earns an M.S. in electrical engineering in 1991 and a Ph.D. in 1993.

  2. 1990s

    Postdoctoral robotics and UCI faculty

    In 1997, he becomes an assistant professor at UC Irvine and establishes a program for robotic and sensor-based systems for movement training and assessment after neurological injury. His postdoctoral studies at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and Northwestern University Medical School include building one of the first robotic devices for stroke rehabilitation.

  3. 2010

    Robot-assisted stroke therapy

    In 2010, he receives a five-year, $1.5 million NIH grant to test robotic assistance for restoring fine motor skills after stroke. His team plans to adapt exoskeleton controls for a portable device for at-home hand exercises.

  4. 2019

    AIMBE College of Fellows

    In 2019, AIMBE elects him to its College of Fellows for contributions to rehabilitation robotics and neural engineering and for practical devices that aid patient recovery.

  5. 2023

    National Academy of Inventors Fellow

    In 2023, he is named a National Academy of Inventors Fellow.

  6. By 2023

    Arm and hand training devices

    By 2023, the T-WREX arm training exoskeleton he co-invents is commercialized as ArmeoSpring and is used in more than 1,500 rehabilitation facilities worldwide. He also co-invents MusicGlove, a finger-dexterity training device for people with stroke.

  7. 2025

    AI support for home rehabilitation

    In 2025, he coauthors a study on AI-assisted selection of engineered devices for home rehabilitation after stroke.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor and center co-director

    As of October 2026, he is a professor in UC Irvine's Anatomy and Neurobiology and Biomedical Engineering departments. He co-directs the NIDILRR COMET Robotic Rehabilitation Engineering Center.

Career

  1. Since 1997University of California, IrvineAssistant Professor
  2. NowNIDILRR COMET Robotic Rehabilitation Engineering CenterCo-director
  3. 2002–2005University of California, Berkeley
  4. 1999–2004Northwestern UniversityPostdoctoral researcher
  5. Rehabilitation Institute of ChicagoPostdoctoral researcher

Education

  1. 1993University of California, BerkeleyM.S., Ph.D.
  2. 1988Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyB.S.

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Most-cited works

  1. Review of control strategies for robotic movement training after neurologic injury2009 · Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation · 1,174 citations
  2. Optimizing Compliant, Model-Based Robotic Assistance to Promote Neurorehabilitation2008 · IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering · 507 citations
  3. Understanding and treating arm movement impairment after chronic brain injury: progress with the ARM guide2001 · 472 citations
  4. Robotics, Motor Learning, and Neurologic Recovery2004 · Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering · 415 citations
  5. Persistence of Motor Adaptation During Constrained, Multi-Joint, Arm Movements2000 · Journal of Neurophysiology · 403 citations

From OpenAlex, as of 19 October 2026.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of California, Irvine. Our estimates of where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led, from education records in cited biographies.
  2. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers rose from 2% to 32%Includes University of California, Irvine. We estimate where leading AI researchers worked when their most-cited papers appeared. The company share rose from 2% in 1975–1979 to 32% in 2020–2024.
  3. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes University of California, Irvine. Our estimates of combined and median h-index at AI organizations, using current affiliations and OpenAlex records.
  4. Stanford University trained or employed 20 of the 89 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of California, Irvine. Stanford University trained or employed 20 of the 89 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and employment links for major-prize and best-paper winners.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

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  1. David Reinkensmeyer faculty.uci.edu. Checked 19 October 2026.
  2. Post-stroke robotic rehab – UC Irvine News news.uci.edu. Checked 19 October 2026.
  3. David Reinkensmeyer, Ph.D. COF-4107 - AIMBE aimbe.org. Checked 19 October 2026.
  4. G.P. Li and David Reinkensmeyer Named 2023 National Academy of Inventors Fellows provost.uci.edu. Checked 19 October 2026.
  5. David Reinkensmeyer | UCI Profiles profiles.icts.uci.edu. Checked 19 October 2026.
  6. Fellows - NAI academyofinventors.org. Checked 19 October 2026.
  7. PM&R: Faculty | UC Irvine School of Medicine medschool.uci.edu. Checked 19 October 2026.