Michele Lobo

Associate Professor, Physical Therapy University of Delaware

  • Newark DE

Prof. Lobo's research focuses on interventions and devices for young children that maximize early learning and development.

Contact

University of Delaware

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Biography

Michele Lobo's research focuses on young children — designing and testing assessments, interventions and rehabilitation devices that maximize early learning and development. She examines interventions based in play that caregivers can provide. Her laboratory develops exoskeletons to improve function for infants and children with impaired arm movements. Related work creates wearable technology with support structures embedded into clothing for children.

Industry Expertise

Medical Devices

Areas of Expertise

Wearable Technology
Rehabilitation Devices
Exoskeletons
Pediatrics

Media Appearances

Enabling artistic expression | UDaily

University of Delaware  online

2023-02-09

The grant was awarded to an interdisciplinary research team led by Pigford, who is co-director of UD's Interaction Design Lab. The team includes Adam Wickenheiser, co-principal investigator and associate professor of mechanical engineering from the College of Engineering, and Michele Lobo, co-principal investigator and associate professor of physical therapy from the College of Health Sciences.

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Developmental Delay Treatment Breakthrough: 'Super Suits' To Combat Kids Developmental Delays

Parent Herald  online

2016-05-18

Seeing the degree of "shame" and discomfort that the usual exoskeletons bring to developmentally-delayed children, one professor from the University of Delaware, Michele Lobo, decided to create a nice twist with these exoskeletons to better help children. She made them more special by making them light and comfortable, yet providing the same degree of efficacy as with bulky exoskeletons.

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Building functional, fashionable exoskeletons for babies

WHYY  online

2016-01-27

But on these trips, they also swing by the University of Delaware. When Sarah Grace was about eight months old, Valarie signed her up to be a test subject for a pediatric exoskeleton called the Playskin Lift. Physical therapy researcher Michele Lobo leads its development.

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Articles

Information Available to Parents Seeking Education about Infant Play, Milestones, and Development from Popular Sources

Behavioral Sciences

2023

Parents commonly seek information about infant development and play, yet it is unclear what information parents find when looking in popular sources. Play, Milestone, and Development Searches in Google identified 313 sources for content analysis by trained researchers using a standardized coding scheme. Sources included websites, books, and apps created by professional organizations, commercial entities, individuals, the popular press, and government organizations/agencies.

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How do parents and early intervention professionals utilize educational resources about infant development and play?

Early Human Development

2023

Background
Parents utilize online sources to learn about health information, however few studies have examined where parents look for information about development or play for young children.
Aims
Investigate parents' and early intervention (EI) providers' practices and preferences regarding parent education about infant development and play.

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Opportunities for learning and social interaction in infant sitting: Effects of sitting support, sitting skill, and gross motor delay

Developmental Science

2023

The development of independent sitting changes everyday opportunities for learning and has cascading effects on cognitive and language development. Prior to independent sitting, infants experience the sitting position with physical support from caregivers. Why does supported sitting not provide the same input for learning that is experienced in independent sitting? This question is especially relevant for infants with gross motor delay, who require support in sitting for many months after typically developing infants sit independently. We observed infants with typical development (n = 34, ages 4–7 months) and infants with gross motor delay (n = 128, ages 7–16 months) in early stages of sitting development, and their caregivers, in a dyadic play observation.

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Education

University of Delaware

PhD

Biomechanics & Movement Science

2006

Hahnemann University

MPT

Physical Therapy/Therapist

1997

Trenton State College

BS

Biology & Psychology

1994

Languages

  • English