Personal Statement
Dr. Lakany is a Reader (Associate Professor) in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics at the University of Liverpool, where she leads groundbreaking research in assistive technologies motivated by improving quality of life for people with mobility challenges. She holds a PhD in Robotics and AI from the University of Edinburgh and a postgraduate qualification in teaching and learning in higher education from the Open University.
As an entrepreneur with a certificate from Wharton Business School, she has founded a startup developing cutting-edge brain-machine interface and robotic exoskeletons technologies. In academia, she teaches mobile and autonomous robotics to undergraduate and MSc students and has developed a new postgraduate teaching programme in robotics launching in 2025. Her career includes previous academic positions at the Universities of Edinburgh, Essex, and Strathclyde, bringing a wealth of experience to translating research into real-world impact for vulnerable populations.

Research Overview
Dr. Lakany has secured substantial research funding from UKRI, Research England, NIHR, Innovate UK, EPSRC, Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research, and third-sector organisations. Her research has resulted in numerous publications and a patent in robotic exoskeletons, with notable collaborations spanning NHS partnerships, industry and third sector. She serves as Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics and delivered a keynote address at the 2024 annual scientific conference of the British Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.
Her research expertise spans assistive technologies including exoskeletons and brain-machine interfaces, robotics, pattern recognition, and biomedical signal processing. Current projects include:
• Upper limb robotic exoskeletons for arm rehabilitation and digital twin,
• Developing lower limb robotic exoskeletons for children with cerebral palsy,
• Brain-machine interfaces to improve cognitive function and reduce risk-of-fall in community-dwelling older adults,
• Designing robotic feeding systems for individuals with tetraplegia,
• Simulating gait in people with Parkinson's disease,
• Developing EEG phantoms for dynamic brain modelling.
• Developing an autonomous robotic unit and digital twin for cow cubicle bedding.