What we've achieved

Publications and Impact

How we measure success

Success means changes in practice, not publication count

We measure success by whether our work leads to changes in clinical practice and technology adoption, not by publication count alone. Rigorous peer-reviewed research remains the foundation everything else is built on, and every study should help answer one of our four research questions.

Research values

Rigour over volume

Well-designed studies producing reliable, clinically meaningful findings.

Transparency

Publishing positive and negative results, sharing data and code where possible.

Relevance

Every study should inform technology development, clinical practice, or implementation decisions.

Accessibility

Making findings available and understandable to researchers, clinicians, patients, and industry.

Impact

Impact highlights

Rehabilitation technology used outside the laboratory

Where our work has reached homes, schools and the people who use it. Each highlight links to the published work behind it.

Rehabilitation robots in people's homes

hCAAR, a home-based computer-assisted arm rehabilitation robot, was used by stroke survivors in their own homes in a feasibility study. Its successor, MyPAM, continues that line of work, and our review sets out how home-based robots are best used.

hCAAR home feasibility study (2014) MyPAM modelling (2021) Making best use of home robots (2022)

Robotic therapy in schools for children with cerebral palsy

A two-player robotic arm rehabilitation system was deployed in primary schools, evaluated for feasibility, and then tested in a pilot multicentre randomised controlled trial.

School deployment (2012) Feasibility study (2014) Pilot randomised trial (2016)

Patients and children shaping the technology

Children, patients and clinicians have been involved from the concept stage onwards, using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework to capture user needs and feedback during development.

Involving children (2011) ICF at concept stage (2014) ICF in design and testing (2016)

Tools for testing rehabilitation robots

ALAN-Arm, a humanoid arm built to test robotic rehabilitation systems, and multi-domain dynamic models of low-cost rehabilitation robots let devices be evaluated and refined before they are used with patients.

ALAN-Arm (2017) Multi-domain robot model (2021)

Publications

Selected publications

2026

Conference Paper Keeping Older Adults in Control: A Human-Centred Conversational Health Coach for Movement at Home

Gallagher, JF (2026). IEEE CyberSciTech 2026.

2025

Thesis Learning to move - Evaluation of deep reinforcement algorithms of a human arm model to aid design of robotic prosthetic limbs.

Gallagher, J.F. (2025). MSc Artificial Intelligence thesis, University of Bath.

2023

Conference Paper The Use of Kinematic Features in Evaluating Upper Limb Motor Function Learning Progress Based on Machine Learning.

Dong, S., Gallagher, J., Jackson, A., & Levesley, M. (2023). 2023 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR58425.2023.10304807

Journal Article A Hand-Held Device Presenting Haptic Directional Cues for the Visually Impaired.

Dong, S., Gallagher, J., Jackson, A., & Levesley, M. (2023). Sensors, 23(20), 8415. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23208415

Thesis Development of the control system of a low-cost robot for upper limb home rehabilitation of stroke patients.

Metcalf, A. G. (2023). PhD thesis, University of Leeds. https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/32733/

Thesis Development of a novel hand-held haptic device integrating upper limb movement assessment and directional guidance.

Dong, S. (2023). PhD thesis, University of Leeds. https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/35128/

2022

Conference Paper Modelling and Design of Asymmetric Vibrations to Induce Bidirectional Force Sensation for Portable Rehabilitation Devices.

Dong, S., Gallagher, J., Jackson, A., & Levesley, M. (2022). 2022 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR55369.2022.9896538

Journal Article Making Best Use of Home-Based Rehabilitation Robots.

Gallagher, J. F., Sivan, M., & Levesley, M. (2022). Applied Sciences, 12(4), 1996. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12041996

2021

Journal Article Multi-Domain Dynamic Modelling of a Low-Cost Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robot.

Metcalf, A. G., Gallagher, J. F., Jackson, A. E., & Levesley, M. C. (2021). Robotics, 10(4), 134. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics10040134

2017

Conference Paper Robots testing robots: ALAN-Arm, a humanoid arm for the testing of robotic rehabilitation systems.

Brookes, J., Kuznecovs, M., Kanakis, M., Grigals, A., Narvidas, M., Gallagher, J., & Levesley, M. (2017). 2017 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), 676–681. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2017.8009326

Conference Paper Hybrid position and orientation tracking for a passive rehabilitation table-top robot.

Wojewoda, K. K., Culmer, P. R., Gallagher, J. F., Jackson, A. E., & Levesley, M. C. (2017). 2017 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), 702–707. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2017.8009330

2016

Journal Article Employing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework to capture user feedback in the design and testing stage of development of home-based arm rehabilitation technology.

Sivan, M., Gallagher, J., Holt, R., Weightman, A., O'Connor, R., & Levesley, M. (2016). Assistive Technology, 28(3), 175-182. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2016.1140689

Journal Article A pilot single-blind multicentre randomized controlled trial to evaluate the potential benefits of computer-assisted arm rehabilitation gaming technology on the arm function of children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Preston, N., Weightman, A., Gallagher, J., Levesley, M., Mon-Williams, M., Clarke, M., & O'Connor, R. J. (2016). Clinical Rehabilitation, 30(10), 1004–1015. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269215515604699

2015

Conference Paper Assessment of upper limb movement with an autonomous robotic device in a school environment for children with Cerebral Palsy.

Gallagher, J., Preston, N., Holt, R., Mon-Williams, M., Levesley, M., & Weightman, A. (2015). 2015 IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR), 770–774. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2015.7281295

2014

Journal Article Investigating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) Framework to Capture User Needs in the Concept Stage of Rehabilitation Technology Development.

Sivan, M., Gallagher, J., Holt, R., Weightman, A., Levesley, M., & Bhakta, B. (2014). Assistive Technology, 26(3), 164-173. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2014.903315

Journal Article Feasibility of school-based computer-assisted robotic gaming technology for upper limb rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy.

Preston, N., Weightman, A., Gallagher, J., Holt, R., Clarke, M., Mon-Williams, M., Levesley, M., & Bhakta, B. (2014). Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3109/17483107.2014.932020

Journal Article Home-based Computer Assisted Arm Rehabilitation (hCAAR) robotic device for upper limb exercise after stroke: results of a feasibility study in home setting.

Sivan, M., Gallagher, J., Makower, S., Keeling, D., Bhakta, B., O'Connor, R. J., & Levesley, M. (2014). Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 11(1), 163. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-11-163

Thesis Autonomous Robot-assisted Upper Limb Physiotherapy.

Gallagher, J. F. (2014). PhD thesis, University of Leeds, School of Mechanical Engineering.

2013

Journal Article A System in the Wild: Deploying a Two Player Arm Rehabilitation System for Children With Cerebral Palsy in a School Environment.

Holt, R., Weightman, A., Gallagher, J., Preston, N., Levesley, M., Mon-Williams, M., & Bhakta, B. (2013). Journal of Usability Studies, 8(4), 111–126.

2012

Conference Paper Deploying a Two-Player System for Arm Rehabilitation in Schools.

Holt, R. J., Weightman, A. P. H., Gallagher, J. F., Preston, N., Levesley, M. C., Mon-Williams, M., & Bhakta, B. (2012). In Designing Inclusive Systems (pp. 33–41). Springer London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2867-0_4

2011

Journal Article Involving children in the development of assistive technology devices.

Allsop, M., Gallagher, J., Holt, R., Bhakta, B., & Wilkie, R. (2011). Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 6(2), 148-156. https://doi.org/10.3109/17483107.2010.510178

2010

Conference Paper The Involvement of Primary Schools in the Design of Healthcare Technology for Children.

Allsop, M. J., Holt, R. J., Gallagher, J. F., Levesley, M. C., & Bhakta, B. (2010). In Designing Inclusive Interactions (pp. 209-218). Springer London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-166-0_20

2009

Conference Paper Developing a user interface for the iPAM stroke rehabilitation system.

Kemna, S., Culmer, P. R., Jackson, A. E., Makower, S., Gallagher, J. F., Holt, R., Cnossen, F., Cozens, J. A., Levesley, M. C., & Bhakta, B. B. (2009). 2009 IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, 879–884. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2009.5209507

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