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Karl Zelik Profile picture
@KarlZelik
May 31 • 11 tweets • 3 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
🚀 5 years ago, I stumbled—somewhat unexpectedly—into the world of tech translation, commercialization & startups. It's been a wild & enriching adventure!

👨🏾‍🔬 As a scientist-turned-entrepreneur, this journey opened my eyes to the business world.

But...
😡 Amidst all the positive learning & growth, there's one thing that truly gets under my skin: misleading marketing & unsubstantiated claims.
😬 Brace yourself: The wearable & assistive tech industry (think #exoskeletons, #prosthetics, sensors) is still plagued by this problem! Whether it's in clinical, occupational, sport, or recreational applications, we need to address it head-on.

Now...
🙌🏾 I'm all for you promoting your theories, technologies & research approaches. I'm all for science communication & broad dissemination of things that can (or have potential to) positively impact the world. And sometimes you have to "fake it until you make it" in life.

But...
🛑 There's a line that shouldn't be crossed—the one where science is misrepresented & people are misled.
🙏🏽 Here's my humble request: If you're going to make bold claims, back them up! Show us the RECEIPTS!

🧾 We're talking evidence, scientific references, or other proof. Let's see where your assertions come from & how the evidence was gathered (yes, the methods matter!).
🤷🏾‍♂️ Call me idealistic or naive, but I come from a world where scientists are expected to provide evidence, references, & sound reasoning for their claims. In my world, data has a source & methods matter.
📸 Picture this: Claims that can be traced back to sources -- so they can be scrutinized, replicated, confirmed, or even refuted. It's a simple yet powerful concept. And it feels like the only honest & responsible thing to do—don't you agree?
✋🏾 Hold up! This isn't just a plea to tech producers, distributors & marketers. I've witnessed a few dreadful research talks where references/sources were omitted. So academics, engineers & researchers, this applies to us too! Let's raise the bar in our presentations & #SciComm.
🌟 Join me in advocating for transparency, credibility & responsible communication. Let's shatter the mold of hype & misleading claims, & instead embrace a world where evidence reigns supreme!
🌐 Spread the word, or follow me if you want to cut through the BS & learn more about the bleeding-edge of: #exoskeletons #wearables #safetytech #biomechanics

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More from @KarlZelik

Karl Zelik Profile picture
Jun 3
Exoskeletons in construction:

Nice article posted to the Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin website & co-written by Prof. Zhenhua Zhu from UW-Madison & Mariya Sorenson, a construction manager with M.A. Mortenson.

They highlight 3 potential broad impacts of exos: Image
1. Improving worker safety & fostering a better safety culture in the construction industry.

Exoskeletons can reduce fatigue, muscle strain & wear-and-tear injuries, which could lead to substantial cost savings.
2. Alleviating the shortage of skilled construction workers.

Exoskeletons could help extend careers & attract candidates who might otherwise be deterred by physically demanding jobs.
Read 7 tweets
Karl Zelik Profile picture
Nov 16, 2022
I spend a lot of time thinking about & discussing the science of #exoskeletons.

3 years ago, the single most common question I heard was:

❓Do exoskeletons cause muscle atrophy?

Short answer: No.

But I don't hear this as often anymore.

I believe there are 2 reasons why👇🏽
1️⃣ Science Communication

• For a long time, exo engineers/scientists mostly spoke to each other

• But now a broader audience is interested in exo tech

• And more researchers/developers are engaging in public discourse

This is helping reduce exo myths & misconceptions 👏🏽 🎉
If you want a quick rundown on:

• what causes atrophy (muscle weakening/wasting)

• why exos are more likely to prevent atrophy than to induce it

Then check out this thread:
Read 7 tweets
Karl Zelik Profile picture
Nov 15, 2022
Where do your research ideas originate from?

I used to source all of mine from academic literature & conferences, or from my own research.

But these can become echo chambers that limit thinking & creativity.

🔥 Here are 4 overlooked places to find impactful research problems:
1️⃣ Your own life

• This is why I started studying low back #biomechanics
• I was a parent to young kids & experiencing back pain
• I was curious if we could create more practical exoskeletons that'd fit into my own life

It started as an undergrad project then grew into more:
2️⃣ Spending time w/ users

• In academia we often talk about this
• But we tend to involve users too late in R&D
• And I'm not convinced we spend enough time doing it

Hearing pain points directly from #prosthetics users is what prompted the daily activities we now study:
Read 6 tweets
Karl Zelik Profile picture
Oct 15, 2022
Science is the foundation, but user feedback is the north star:

• to know what to prioritize
• to learn where to improve
• to remember why you sweat all the science details

This is a vital lesson for those doing applied research whose feedback is mostly from other scientists
The combination of #biomechanics science and user-centric design is beginning to have the real-world impact the occupational #exoskeleton field long hypothesized it would.

End-users explain this best:
“When you show you care about people, that retains people,” one warehouse worker who piloted a back exosuit said. “Everybody in here, we’re all sore. We’re all hurting. But for the first time in a long time I won’t be hurting walking out of this building [because of the exosuit]”
Read 4 tweets
Karl Zelik Profile picture
Oct 14, 2022
Early career researchers often stress out when they talk to more senior faculty about how many grant proposals they submit.
 
Don't compare. Focus on your writing process. Outcomes will follow.
 
Here are 5 proven tricks senior faculty use to submit more high-quality proposals:🧵
1. Resubmitting

• Revise/resubmit an unfunded proposal
• This takes much less time than writing a new application

This is easier to do (and comes naturally) as you get further into your career.
2. Repurposing

• Take a similar core idea and apply it to a new population or context
• Or you can sometimes submit the same proposal to multiple agencies (check w/ program officers first; you just can't accept two grants for the same work)

This helps get more shots on goal.
Read 7 tweets
Karl Zelik Profile picture
Oct 12, 2022
I wish I learned this tip earlier in my career:

👉🏽 If you do R&D on wearable or assistive tech, wear/use prototypes regularly in your daily life. It helps empathize with end users. And improves your ability to design and test for usability & practicality.

Here's why (brief 🧵)
1. It builds your intuition.

In retrospect, this tip seems obvious. But most researchers & developers don't do it. It took me >10 years of biomedical R&D to realize it. 

Once I did, it transformed how I evaluate and develop new #exoskeletons, #prosthetics, #bionics & #wearables
2. It provides clarity.

You'll notice design constraints you never knew existed. You'll think more deeply about user experience. And you'll create better lab and field evaluations more quickly.

It helps preempt fatal flaws before you start any serious design or testing work.
Read 4 tweets

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