Biography

Present:  Assistant Professor

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

Present:  Graduate Faculty

Harrington Department of Bioengineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

April 2007 - Aug. 2008:  Postdoctoral Research Associate

A.E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Advisors:  Gerald E. Loeb (primary) and Rahman Davoodi

  • Developed a novel biomimetic tactile sensor for prosthetic and mechatronic hands.
  • Designed a testbed for developing controllers for prosthetic fingertips.

Cornell Graduation!!!2007:  Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engin. with Biometry minor

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Advisors:  Francisco J. Valero-Cuevas (chair), Carlos D. Bustamante, 
Donald L. Bartel, Mark Campbell

"A Bayesian Approach to Biomechanical Modeling: A Treatise on the Human Thumb" (Abstract)

2004:  M.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Preparing for VICON expt Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

2000 - 2001:  R&D Engineer (2/01 - 6/01), Quality Engineer (2/00 - 2/01)

Guidant Corporation-Vascular Intervention, Santa Clara, CA

Designed and tested coronary stent delivery systems.

1999:  B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with Music minor

University of California, at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

 

 Honors and Awards

  • National Institutes of Health Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows (declined in order to accept appointment as Assistant Professor at Arizona State University, 2008)
  • Sibley School Exceptional Teaching Assistant Award, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (2005)
  • Finalist, Selected Professions Fellowship, American Association of University Women Educational Foundation (2005)
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2001-04)
  • National Physical Science Consortium Fellowship (declined in order to accept NSF Fellowship, 2000)
  • Society of Women Engineers/Chevron Scholarship, University of California, at Berkeley (1997)
  • Mary C. and William G. Drake Scholar, University of California, at Berkeley (1995-99)
  • Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholar, University of California, at Berkeley (1995-99)
  • Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholar, State of California (1995-99)

 

Selected Publications

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

  • Keenan, K., Santos, V. J., Venkadesan, M., and Valero-Cuevas, F. J. “Maximal voluntary fingertip force production is not limited by movement speed in combined motion and force tasks.” J. Neurosci. Brief communication. In press.
  • Santos, V. J., Bustamante, C., and Valero-Cuevas, F. J. “Improving the fitness of large-scale biomechanical models via data-driven stochastic exploration.” Submitted to IEEE Trans Biomed Engin (full paper). Accepted with minor revisions. (Abstract)
  • Wettels, N., Santos, V. J., Johansson, R. S., and Loeb, G. E. “Biomimetic tactile sensor array.” Advanced Robotics 2008:22(8):829-849. (Abstract)
  • Santos, V. J. and Valero-Cuevas, F. J. “Reported anatomical variability naturally leads to multimodal distributions of Denavit-Hartenberg parameters for the human thumb.” IEEE Trans Biomed Engin 2006:53(2):155-163. (Abstract, pdf)
  • Miller, A. T., Allen, P., Santos, V. J., and Valero-Cuevas, F. J. “From robotic hands to human hands: A visualization and simulation engine for grasping research.” Ind Robot 2005:32(1):55-63. (Abstract, pdf)

Peer-reviewed Conference Proceedings Articles (full-length abstracts)

  • Fishel, J. A., Santos, V. J., and Loeb, G. E. “A robust micro-vibration sensor for biomimetic fingertips.” Proc. IEEE Intl Conf Biomed Robotics and Biomechatronics, Scottsdale, AZ, Oct. 19-22, 2008.
  • Wettels, N., Smith, L. M., Santos, V. J., and Loeb, G. E. “Homogeneous skin geometry and material selection to control the response of a biomimetic tactile sensor.” Proc. IEEE Intl Conf Biomed Robotics and Biomechatronics, Scottsdale, AZ, Oct. 19-22, 2008.

Peer-reviewed Conference Proceedings Abstracts

  • De Gregorio, M., Bair, K., and Santos, V. J. “Characterizing reflexive grip responses to rotational perturbations of an object in precision grasp.” Proc Robotics: Science and Systems Conf, Seattle, WA, June 28 - July 1, 2009.
  • Clewley, R., Valero-Cuevas, F. J., Guckenheimer, J., McNamara III, R. V., and Santos, V. J. “Rigorous estimation of neuromuscular degrees of freedom requires both fractal dimension and principal component analyses: Demonstration using hand motions.” Proc 5th World Cong Biomech, Munich, Germany, July 29 - Aug. 4, 2006.
  • Valero-Cuevas, F. J., McNamara III, R. V., Santos, V. J., Venkadesan, M., Song, S., and Grace-Martin, K. “The nervous system transitions rapidly between incompatible control strategies by predictively exploiting the margins of error of the task.” Proc 5th World Cong Biomech, Munich, Germany, July 29 – Aug. 4, 2006. J. Biomech. 2006; Vol. 39, Suppl. 1, p.S95.
  • Valero-Cuevas, F. J., Lipson, H., Santos, V. J., and Anand, V. “Shifting to population-based models and inferring model structure from data are two directions that will enhance the clinical usefulness of modeling.” Joint Proc 20th Cong Intl Soc Biomech, 29th Ann Mtg Amer Soc Biomech, Cleveland, OH, Aug. 2005, p.963.
  • Ashley, D., Venkadesan, M., Santos, V. J., McNamara III, R. V., and Valero-Cuevas, F. J.. “Competing constraints in hybrid force-motion tasks may lead to a severe reduction of maximum voluntary force magnitudes.” Proc. 15th Neural Control Mvt Ann Mtg, Key Biscayne, FL, April 2005.
  • Valero-Cuevas, F. J., Santos, V. J., Venkadesan, M., Song, S. “During abrupt transitions from finger motion to static force, errors in force direction are tuned to exploit the allowable margin of error afforded by surface friction.” Proc 5th Triennial Intl Hand and Wrist Biomech Symp, Syracuse, NY, Sept. 2004.

White Papers

  • Santos, V. J., Davoodi, R., and Loeb, G. E. “Intelligent Local Grasp Control Algorithms Plan for RP2009.” Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Revolutionizing Prosthetics 2009 Program, Aug. 2007.

Manuscripts in Preparation

  • Santos, V. J. and Valero-Cuevas, F. J. “A study of anthropometric measurements of the human hand.” Target journal: J. Biomech. Brief communication.

 

Selected Invited Presentations