The Social and Physical Human-Robot Interaction (SaPHaRI) Lab at Case School of Engineering is led by a team of researchers who aim to create novel robots to improve overall mental health and well-being. Get to know us.
Current Lab Members
Dr. Alexis E. Block
Role: Principal Investigator
Bio: Alexis E. Block directs the SaPHaRI Lab at Case Western Reserve University. She is the first hire for the Human Fusions Institute as an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering. She was previously a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of California (UCLA). She earned her doctorate in computer science from ETH Zürich in 2021. During her doctorate, she was part of the Center for Learning Systems (CLS) and conducted research at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics, and robotics in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Research interests: Social and physical human-robot interaction, social robotics, haptics, tactile sensing,
Honors and awards: Computing Innovations Fellowship (CI Fellows) 2021-2023, Otto Hahn Medal 2022, Best Hands-On Demonstration at EuroHaptics 2022
See Block's work on Google Scholar
Lab Alumni
Cole E. Smith
Role: Undergraduate researcher
Major: Electrical and computer engineering
Expected graduation: May 2026
Research interests: Human-robot interaction, renewable energy, integrated circuits
Honors and awards: Dean’s List at Ohio State University, Aug 2022 - May 2023, National Merit Finalist 2022
Venky Kanniganti
Role: Undergraduate researcher
Major: Biomedical engineering and electrical engineering, pre-health
Expected graduation: May 2024
Research interests: Neuromodulation
Jack Wragan
Role: Undergraduate researcher
Major: Biomedical engineering and electrical engineering, pre-health
Expected graduation: May 2024
Research interests: Pain management and cancer treatment
Arnav Deshmukh
Role: Undergraduate researcher
Major: Biomedical engineering and electrical engineering
Expected graduation: May 2024
Research interests: Electrical stimulation for rehabilitation