Frank Sup

The research of Frank Sup, PhD, bridges engineering and health care to develop human-centered robotic and mechatronic technologies that address clinical needs and improve outcomes for patients and care providers. As co-director of the Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation and co-director of SHINE, an NSF-funded graduate training program, he fosters sustained collaboration between nurses and engineers to co-design solutions that align with clinical practice and care delivery. Sup focuses on health-care robotics, human movement analysis, and shared control of robotic systems, with particular attention to nursing-relevant challenges such as perceptions of robotic technology, physical workload during care tasks, rehabilitation support, and training for innovation.

He leads the Mechatronics and Robotics Research Lab at UMass Amherst, where students and collaborators develop and evaluate technologies including assistive robotic devices, human–machine interfaces, and predictive models of movement. Sup’s interdisciplinary approach emphasizes rigorous design, iterative testing with clinical partners, and translating insights into practical tools that support nurses, patients, and health systems. His research is supported by competitive funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and industry partners.