UC Berkeley Engineer Homayoon Kazerooni Elected to the National Academy of Inventors
Kazerooni, a leading expert in robotics and human-machine systems, is known for creating medical exoskeletons that have allowed those who have been paralyzed to stand and walk.
UC Berkeley engineering professor Homayoon Kazerooni is among 170 inventors who have been named 2024 fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the organization announced today (Tuesday, Dec. 10).
Being named an NAI Fellow is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors.
“This year’s Class of NAI Fellows represents a truly impressive caliber of inventors,” said Paul Sanberg, president of the NAI, in a press release. “Each of these individuals are tackling real-world issues and creating solutions that propel us into the future. Through their work, they are making significant contributions to science, creating lasting societal impact and growing the economy.”
Kazerooni is a professor of mechanical engineering at Berkeley and also directs the Berkeley Robotics and Human Engineering Laboratory. He is a leading expert in robotics and human-machine systems, and since 2000 he has been perfecting robotic exoskeletons that can help people carry heavier loads for longer and even enable those who have been paralyzed to stand and walk. In 2011, one of these exoskeletons allowed Berkeley senior Austin Whitney, a paraplegic, to walk across the stage at graduation.
In addition to his teaching and research, Kazerooni is an entrepreneur and founder of Ekso Bionics, which supplies medical exoskeletons to rehabilitation centers worldwide, and suitX, a provider of industrial and medical exoskeletons that was acquired by Ottobock in late 2021.
Kazerooni will join 2,068 exceptional researchers and innovators named NAI Fellows since the program’s founding in 2012. Collectively, the fellows hold over 68,000 U.S. patents and 20,000 licensed technologies.
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