Overview keynote address: Active orthoses and prostheses could improve mobility for tens of millions of people with disabilities. However, two serious challenges must first be overcome: we need ways of identifying what a device should do to benefit an individual user, and we need cheap, efficient hardware that can provide that function. In this talk, we will describe an approach to the design of wearable robots based on versatile emulator systems and algorithms that automatically customize assistance, which we call human-in-the-loop optimization. We will also discuss the design of exoskeletons that use no energy themselves, yet reduce the energy cost of human walking, and efficient, electro-adhesive actuators that could make mobile robots substantially cheaper and more efficient. In the long term, we expect these approaches to the design and prescription of orthoses and prostheses to dramatically improve energy economy, speed, balance and overall satisfaction for their users. Student Capstone research projects covers a broad range of prosthetic and orthotic topics from several research laboratories across campus.