Dr Dale Robinson
Lecturer
School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering
Researcher biography
Dr. Dale Robinson is a Lecturer in The School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering. He specialises in Biomechanics, applying advanced engineering and computational techniques to investigate the function and disease of the musculoskeletal system. Dr. Robinson is an expert in both experimental and computational biomechanics. He develops novel experimental methods that combine customised mechanical loading apparatus with state-of-the-art sensing equipment to measure load and analyse material properties in human tissue and implants across micro- and macro-scales.
His computational expertise centres on rigid body models and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for examining stress and strain in bone, soft tissue, and medical implants. A key focus is on integrating AI and statistical shape modelling with medical imaging (CT, MRI, micro-CT) to create automated workflows for the design and analysis of personalised 3D-printed implants.
Dr. Robinson's significant research contributions include:
- Design and analysis of the world's first 3D-printed jaw-joint replacement
- Changes in mechanical properties of cartilage with osteoarthritis
- Fracture risk assessment in at risk populations including osteoporosis
- Injury risk assessment for the lumbar spine and pelvis during blast attacks in military vehicles
- Load analysis of osseointegrated transfemoral amputees
- Pelvic fracture reconstruction using statistical shape modelling
- Automated workflows for the design of 3D-printed implants
- FEA of reverse shoulder replacements
Dale is an expert in the use of mechanical loading equipment to perform static, dynamic and fatigue tests of human cadaveric tissue and implants, with sizes ranging from the micro scale to macro-scale of full joints. Sensors that he has used extensively include:
- Digital image correlation and digital volume correlation
- Acoustic emission
- 3D scanners
- Multi-axis load cells
- Accelerometers
- High-speed cameras
Prior to his academic career, Dr. Robinson completed his undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering and Science (Mathematics) at UQ, followed by industrial experience with Boeing Aerostructures Australia. He earned his PhD in 2016 and conducted post-doctoral research in Biomechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne.
Journal Articles
Tiew, Ryan, Gray, Hans A., Robinson, Dale L., Siwicka, Karolina, Ackland, David C. and Lee, Peter V. S. (2025). Femoral fracture risk in transfemoral amputees with bone-anchored prosthetic limbs during activities of daily living. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, 20 (1) 968, 1-13. doi: 10.1186/s13018-025-06311-z
Mehl, Albert C., Woodford, Sarah C., Robinson, Dale L., Abduo, Jaafar, Lee, Peter V. S. and Ackland, David C. (2025). Location of centers of rotation and existence of terminal hinge axes during jaw movements – a preliminary in vivo clarification. Clinical Oral Investigations, 29 (11) 530, 530. doi: 10.1007/s00784-025-06619-4
Yu, Yihang, Robinson, Dale L., Ackland, David C. and Lee, Peter Vee Sin (2025). A pipeline to morph finite element models of the lumbar spine for generation of customised spinal cages. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, 20 (1) 864, 1-12. doi: 10.1186/s13018-025-06248-3
Borim, Felipe Moreira, Batty, Lachlan, Zeng, Cindy, Calek, Anna-Katharina, Robinson, Dale, Ackland, David and Lording, Timothy (2025). A low-profile all-suture anchor construct provides comparable fixation to both spiked washer and bone staple for tibial-sided medial collateral ligament reconstruction: A cadaveric biomechanical study. Journal of Isakos Joint Disorders & Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, 11 100845, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jisako.2025.100845
Gray, Hans A., Tiew, Ryan, Robinson, Dale L., Ackland, David and Lee, Peter V. S. (2024). A failure envelope approach to characterizing strength of an amputated femur with a bone-anchored percutaneous implant. Scientific Reports, 14 (1) 28799, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-78421-3
Yu, Yihang, Robinson, Dale L., Ackland, David C., Yang, Yi and Lee, Peter Vee Sin (2024). The influence of lumbar vertebra and cage related factors on cage-endplate contact after lumbar interbody fusion: An in-vitro experimental study. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 160 106754, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2024.106754
Lobo, Abhirup, Ackland, David, Robinson, Dale and Tham, Stephen K. Y. (2024). Validation of the Chicken Femur as a Model for the Human Metacarpal: An In-Vitro Analysis. Journal of Hand Surgery-Asian-Pacific Volume, 29 (5), 418-423. doi: 10.1142/s2424835524500383
Woodford, Sarah C., Robinson, Dale L., Abduo, Jaafar, Lee, Peter V. S. and Ackland, David C. (2024). Muscle and joint mechanics during maximum force biting following total temporomandibular joint replacement surgery. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 23 (3), 809-823. doi: 10.1007/s10237-023-01807-1
Panagiotopoulou, Olga, Robinson, Dale, Iriarte-Diaz, Jose, Ackland, David, Taylor, Andrea B. and Ross, Callum F. (2023). Dynamic finite element modelling of the macaque mandible during a complete mastication gape cycle. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 378 (1891) 20220549, 1-10. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0549
Dao, Thang, Robinson, Dale Lee, Doyle, Lex W., Lee, Peter V. S., Olsen, Joy, Kale, Ashwini, Cheong, Jeanie L. Y. and Wark, John D. (2023). Quantifying Bone Strength Deficits in Young Adults Born Extremely Preterm or Extremely Low Birth Weight. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 38 (12), 1800-1808. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.4926
Woodford, Sarah C., Robinson, Dale L., Abduo, Jaafar, Lee, Peter V.S. and Ackland, David C. (2023). Kinematics of the jaw following total temporomandibular joint replacement surgery. Journal of Biomechanics, 159 111741, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111741
Ernstbrunner, Lukas, Robinson, Dale L., Huang, Yichen, Wieser, Karl, Hoy, Greg, Ek, Eugene T. and Ackland, David C. (2023). The Influence of Glenoid Bone Loss and Graft Positioning on Graft and Cartilage Contact Pressures After the Latarjet Procedure. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 51 (9), 2454-2464. doi: 10.1177/03635465231179711
Robinson, Dale L., Bucknill, Andrew, Ferragina, Alessandro, Campbell, Christopher and Lee, Peter Vee Sin (2023). Fixation of pelvic acetabular fractures using 3D-printed fracture plates: a cadaver study. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, 18 (1) 360, 1-17. doi: 10.1186/s13018-023-03756-y
Safavi, Sarah, Yu, Yihang, Robinson, Dale L., Gray, Hans A., Ackland, David C. and Lee, Peter V. S. (2023). Additively manufactured controlled porous orthopedic joint replacement designs to reduce bone stress shielding: a systematic review. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, 18 (1) 42, 1-23. doi: 10.1186/s13018-022-03492-9
O'Byrne, Kadie L., Sugiyama, Takanori, Robinson, Dale, Woodward, Andrew P. and Ryan, Stewart D. (2022). Biomechanical Comparison of a 3-Loop Pulley and a 4-Loop Pulley Suture for Tenorrhaphy in the Canine Gastrocnemius Tendon. Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 35 (5), 321-330. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1749398
Krishna, Praveen, Robinson, Dale L., Bucknill, Andrew and Lee, Peter Vee Sin (2022). Generation of hemipelvis surface geometry based on statistical shape modelling and contralateral mirroring. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 21 (4), 1317-1324. doi: 10.1007/s10237-022-01594-1
Yu, Yihang, Robinson, Dale L., Ackland, David C., Yang, Yi and Lee, Peter Vee Sin (2022). Influence of the geometric and material properties of lumbar endplate on lumbar interbody fusion failure: a systematic review. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, 17 (1) 224, 1-16. doi: 10.1186/s13018-022-03091-8
Huang, Yichen, Robinson, Dale L., Pitocchi, Jonathan, Lee, Peter Vee Sin and Ackland, David C. (2021). Glenohumeral joint reconstruction using statistical shape modeling. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 21 (1), 249-259. doi: 10.1007/s10237-021-01533-6
Huang, Yichen, Ernstbrunner, Lukas, Robinson, Dale L., Lee, Peter Vee Sin and Ackland, David C. (2021). Complications of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: a computational modelling perspective. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10 (22) 5336, 1-15. doi: 10.3390/jcm10225336
Robinson, Dale L., Tse, Kwong Ming, Franklyn, Melanie, Zhang, JiangYue, Fernandez, Justin W., Ackland, David C. and Lee, Peter Vee Sin (2021). Specimen-specific fracture risk curves of lumbar vertebrae under dynamic axial compression. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 118 104457, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104457
Woodford, Sarah C., Robinson, Dale L., Edelmann, Cornelia, Mehl, Albert, Roehrle, Oliver, Vee Sin Lee, Peter and Ackland, David C. (2021). Low-Profile Electromagnetic Field Sensors in the Measurement and Modelling of Three-Dimensional Jaw Kinematics and Occlusal Loading. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 49 (6), 1561-1571. doi: 10.1007/s10439-020-02688-6
Woodford, Sarah C., Robinson, Dale L., Mehl, Albert, Lee, Peter V. S. and Ackland, David C. (2020). Measurement of normal and pathological mandibular and temporomandibular joint kinematics: a systematic review. Journal of Biomechanics, 111 109994, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.109994
Robinson, Dale L., Tse, Kwong Ming, Franklyn, Melanie, Ackland, David C., Richardson, Martin D. and Lee, Peter Vee Sin (2020). Occlusion of the lumbar spine canal during high-rate axial compression. The Spine Journal, 20 (10), 1692-1704. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2020.05.095
Jiang, H., Robinson, D. L., Lee, P. V. S., Krejany, E. O., Yates, C. J., Hickey, M. and Wark, J. D. (2020). Loss of bone density and bone strength following premenopausal risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: a prospective controlled study (WHAM Study). Osteoporosis International, 32 (1), 101-112. doi: 10.1007/s00198-020-05608-5
Tse, Kwong Ming, Robinson, Dale Lee, Franklyn, Melanie, Zhang, Jiang Yue, Spratley, E. Meade, Salzar, Robert Scott, Fernandez, Justin, Ackland, David Charles and Lee, Peter Vee Sin (2020). Effect of sitting posture on pelvic injury risk under vertical loading. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 108 103780, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103780
Brady, Rhys D., Zhao, Michael Z., Wong, Ker R., Casilla-Espinosa, Pablo M., Yamakawa, Glenn R., Wortman, Ryan C., Sun, Mujun, Grills, Brian L., Mychasiuk, Richelle, O'Brien, Terence J., Agoston, Denes, Lee, Peter V. S., McDonald, Stuart J., Robinson, Dale L. and Shultz, Sandy R. (2020). A novel rat model of heterotopic ossification after polytrauma with traumatic brain injury. Bone, 133 115263, 1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2020.115263
Jiang, Hongyuan, Robinson, Dale L., Nankervis, Alison, Garland, Suzanne M., Callegari, Emma T., Price, Sarah, Lee, Peter V. S. and Wark, John D. (2020). Bone Measures by Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry and Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography in Young Women With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Journal of Clinical Densitometry, 24 (2), 259-267. doi: 10.1016/j.jocd.2020.05.009
Robinson, Dale L., Safai, Lauren, Harandi, Vahidreza Jafari, Graf, Mark, Lizama, L. Eduardo Cofre, Lee, Peter, Galea, Mary P., Khan, Fary, Tse, Kwong Ming and Ackland, David C. (2020). Load response of an osseointegrated implant used in the treatment of unilateral transfemoral amputation: An early implant loosening case study. Clinical Biomechanics, 73, 201-212. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2020.01.017
Robinson, Dale L., Tse, Kwong Ming, Franklyn, Melanie, Zhang, Jiang Yue, Ackland, David and Lee, Peter Vee Sin (2019). Cortical and Trabecular Bone Fracture Characterisation in the Vertebral Body Using Acoustic Emission. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 47 (12), 2384-2401. doi: 10.1007/s10439-019-02316-y
Jiang, Hongyuan, Robinson, Dale L., McDonald, Matthew, Lee, Peter V. S., Kontulainen, Saija A., Johnston, James D., Yates, Christopher J. and Wark, John D. (2019). Predicting experimentally-derived failure load at the distal radius using finite element modelling based on peripheral quantitative computed tomography cross-sections (pQCT-FE): A validation study. Bone, 129 115051, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2019.115051
Jiang, H., Robinson, D. L., Yates, C. J., Lee, P. V. S. and Wark, J. D. (2019). Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT)-based finite element analysis provides enhanced diagnostic performance in identifying non-vertebral fracture patients compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Osteoporosis International, 31 (1), 141-151. doi: 10.1007/s00198-019-05213-1
Brady, Rhys D., Wong, Ker Rui, Robinson, Dale L., Mychasiuk, Richelle, McDonald, Stuart J., D'Cunha, Ryan A., Yamakawa, Glenn R., Sun, Mujun, Wark, John D., Lee, Peter Vee Sin, O'Brien, Terence J., Casillas-Espinosa, Pablo M. and Shultz, Sandy R. (2019). Bone Health in Rats With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in the Absence of Anti-Epileptic Drugs. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10 (OCT) 1278, 1-9. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01278
Robinson, Dale, Aguilar, Luis, Gatti, Andrea, Abduo, Jaafar, Lee, Peter Vee Sin and Ackland, David (2019). Load response of the natural tooth and dental implant: a comparative biomechanics study. Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics, 11 (3), 169-178. doi: 10.4047/jap.2019.11.3.169
Robinson, Dale L., Jiang, Hongyuan, Song, Qichun, Yates, Christopher, Lee, Peter Vee Sin and Wark, John D. (2019). The application of finite element modelling based on clinical pQCT for classification of fracture status. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 18 (1), 245-260. doi: 10.1007/s10237-018-1079-7
Ackland, David C., Robinson, Dale L., Wilkosz, Adam, Wu, Wen, Richardson, Martin, Lee, Peter and Tse, Kwong Ming (2019). The influence of rotator cuff tears on muscle and joint-contact loading after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 37 (1), 211-219. doi: 10.1002/jor.24152
Ackland, David, Robinson, Dale, Lee, Peter Vee Sin and Dimitroulis, George (2018). Design and clinical outcome of a novel 3D-printed prosthetic joint replacement for the human temporomandibular joint. Clinical Biomechanics, 56, 52-60. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2018.05.006
Lavecchia, C. E., Espino, D. M., Moerman, K. M., Tse, K. M., Robinson, D., Lee, P. V. S. and Shepherd, D. E. T. (2018). Lumbar model generator: a tool for the automated generation of a parametric scalable model of the lumbar spine. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 15 (138) 20170829, 1-13. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2017.0829
Ackland, David C., Robinson, Dale, Redhead, Michael, Lee, Peter Vee Sin, Moskaljuk, Adrian and Dimitroulis, George (2017). A personalized 3D-printed prosthetic joint replacement for the human temporomandibular joint: From implant design to implantation. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 69, 404-411. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2017.01.048
Robinson, Dale L., Kersh, Mariana E., Walsh, Nicole C., Ackland, David C., de Steiger, Richard N. and Pandy, Marcus G. (2016). Mechanical properties of normal and osteoarthritic human articular cartilage. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 61, 96-109. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2016.01.015
Thesis
Robinson, Dale Lee (2006). Improving the friction observer for the 2100BLE electric rope shovel. B.Sc Thesis, School of Engineering, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/344865