Kris Dorsey
Associate Professor,
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Associate Professor,
Physical Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences
Contact
- k.dorsey@northeastern.edu
- 360 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
Office
- 517 ISEC
Research Focus
Soft robotics, wearable devices, active and multifunctional materials, flexible electronics
About
Kris Dorsey is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences. Dr. Dorsey is also currently an MLK Visiting Associate Professor in the Media Lab at MIT, and previously was a President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Dorsey graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering and earned her Bachelors of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Olin College. Dr. Dorsey’s current research interests include the design and fabrication of reconfigurable soft sensors for soft robots and wearable medical devices. In 2019, Dr. Dorsey was awarded an NSF CAREER grant.
Education
- PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 2013
Honors & Awards
- Japan-America Frontiers of Engineering participant, 2023
- Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering Emerging Leader, 2022
- Emerging Leader Abie Award, 2022
- NSF CAREER Award, 2019
Professional Affiliations
- Senior Member, IEEE
- Member, National Society of Black Engineers
- Member, Materials Research Society
Research Overview
Soft robotics, wearable devices, active and multifunctional materials, flexible electronics
Programmable and Reconfigurable Soft Engineered Systems (PARSES)
PARSES (PI Kris Dorsey) is a multi-disciplinary group at Northeastern University in the departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering (College of Engineering) and Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences (PTMRS, Bouvé College of Health Sciences).
We work on challenges related to the design and engineering of soft robots and wearable devices. Some of the challenges we tackle in our work include:
- Reconfiguring and tuning soft structure performance
- Sensing the deformation of soft robots
- Enhancing selectivity in soft mechanical sensors
Research Centers and Institutes
Department Research Areas
Selected Publications
- K.A. Kim, F.S. Bagci, and K.L. Dorsey, “Design Considerations for Photovoltaic Energy Harvesting in Wearable Devices,” Sci. Rep., 12, 2022.
- K.L. Dorsey, H. Huang*, and Y. Wen*, “Origami-patterned capacitor with programmed strain sensitivity,” Multifunctional Materials, vol. 5, no. 2, 2022.
- K.L. Dorsey, “Electronics-free soft robot has a nice ring to it,” Sci. Robot. 7, eabg5812, 2022.
- K.L. Dorsey and N. Lazarus, “Lifetime of liquid metal wires for stretchable platforms,” Adv. Mat. Technol., no. 4, vol. 6, 2021.
- O.A. Araromi, M.A. Graule, K.L. Dorsey, S. Castellanos, J.R. Foster, W.H. Hsu, J.J. Vlassak, W.H. Hsu, A.E. Passy, J.J. Vlassak, J.C. Weaver, C.J. Walsh, R.J. Wood, “Ultra-sensitive and resilient compliant strain gauges for soft machines,” Nature, no. 587, pp. 219–224, 2020.
- K.L. Dorsey, M. Cao*, G.A. Slipher, and N. Lazarus, “Mechanical isolation and temperature compensation in soft elastomer components,” IEEE J. Sensors, vol. 18, no. 18, 2018.
- D.A. Rolfe, K.L. Dorsey, J.C. Cheng, and A.P. Pisano, “A surface acoustic resonator with template-patterned interdigitated fingers,” Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, vol. 248, 2016.
- K.L. Dorsey and A.P. Pisano, “Stability and Control of a Metal Oxide Gas Sensor Under Air Flow,” IEEE J. Sensors, vol. 16, no. 3, 2016.
- K.L. Dorsey, S.S. Bedair, and G.K. Fedder, “Gas chemical sensitivity of a CMOS MEMS cantilever functionalized by evaporative assembly,” J. Micromech. Microeng., vol. 24, no. 7, 2014
May 08, 2024
2024 URF Scholars Recipients
Several engineering students received 2024 URF Scholars Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. URF Scholars are students who are graduating this year and who have earned a PEAK Experiences Award, applied for a distinguished fellowship, or participated in graduate school advising.
Jan 11, 2024
Spring 2024 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
A record number of engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of the Spring 2024 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Jan 11, 2024
Spring 2024 AJC Merit Research Scholars
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of the Spring 2024 AJC Merit Research Scholars from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, which funds a co-op in the laboratory of a Northeastern University STEM faculty member.
Aug 11, 2023
Humans Are Soft. Robots Can Be, Too.
ECE Associate Professor Kris Dorsey is designing soft robots that are safer and more user-friendly than traditional robots that could assist with delicate situations without causing harm.
Apr 27, 2023
FY24 TIER 1 Research Development Award Recipients
Twelve COE faculty and affiliates were recipients of Northeastern’s FY24 TIER 1 Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grants provided by the Research Development department for 11 different projects.
Oct 27, 2022
Dorsey Named JMM Emerging Leader
Kris Dorsey, associate professor of ECE, has been awarded the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering Emerging Leader Award for 2022, in recognition of “Analysis of DefeXtiles: A 3D Printed Textile Towards Garments and Accessories.”
Oct 07, 2022
Fall 2022 PEAK Experiences Awardees for Undergrad Research
Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s Fall 2022 PEAK Experiences Awards from Northeastern’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.
Aug 07, 2022
2022 Abie Award Winner Kris Dorsey
Kris Dorsey, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, jointly appointed in physical therapy, movement and rehabilitation sciences, is a 2022 Emerging Leader Abie Award winner from AnitaB.org.
May 25, 2022
NSF CAREER Award to Develop New Class of Soft Deformation Sensors with Origami Patterns
ECE/Bouve Associate Professor Kris Dorsey was awarded a $500K NSF CAREER award for “Rigidity tuned elastomer origami tessellations for fast, reconfigurable, and soft mechanoreceptors.”
Oct 14, 2021
50 Women in Robotics You Need to Know About 2021
In honor of Ada Lovelace Day (international celebration of the achievements of women in STEM), ECE/Bouve Associate Professor Kris Dorsey was featured in Robohub’s 2021 edition of “50 women in robotics you need to know about.”