Current Projects:
- A novel rehabilitation technology based on automated analysis and intervention.
- Sensor for Reliable Measurement of Joint Angle
- Smart Balance Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Device
- Three Degrees of Freedom Hip-Joint Device
- Human Gait cycle modeling
- Human Muscles modeling
- Research on proprioceptive Sensory feedback for Charcot foot peripheral neuropathy
Patients with diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy develop loss of neural sensory feedback as the neuropathy progresses. As a consequence of the progressive disease process, diabetic foot pressure ulcers develop which in turn leads to the development of what infections and eventually amputations. This research aims at developing an ectopic sensory center that can substitute for the loss of proprioception on the foot.
- A novel rehabilitation technology based on automated analysis and intervention.
This research aims to develop a computational intelligence methodology driven by a wearable microelectromechanical systems-based (MEMS) sensor array for efficient and reliable analysis of human gait dynamics at a level capable of quantifying variations from morphometrically adjusted normal in three dimensions and real-time. This is an essential and limiting step in the conceptualization of new systems for objective characterization of gait disability and recovery with the potential for rehabilitative and compensatory interventions modulated by immediate and case-specific kinematic feedback.
- Sensor for Reliable Measurement of Joint Angle
The angular positions of the body’s segments with respect to space and relative
to each other play an important role in understanding human dynamic behavior in
space. This behavior is very complex and involves many physical, perceptual
and motor aspects. The position sense of a limb involves not only spindle
receptors in the muscles, but also receptors in the skin and in the capsules of the
joints. When tested with psychophysical means, one finds that the brain
combines these many signals into a rather accurate position sense over a broad
dynamic range (true with the small angles used here). This sensor for the reliable
measurement of joint angles provides measurements of the joint angles in 3D
space.
- Smart Balance Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Device
This device will control balance and posture in the human, i.e. equilibrium position, using the principles of machine intelligence quotient, MIQ. This device exhibits the characteristics of the human neuromusculoskeletal system.
- Three Degrees of Freedom Hip-Joint Device
Exoskeletal device to mimic the human movement, and in the case of the hip-joint connection. The device is a lower extremity hip-joint gait device that emulates, follows and gives motion to all the possible movements of the legs by using a ball joint concentric to the head of the human femur, by having a partial spherical shell surrounded by an internal and an external spherical plates, that allows the shell to rotate around three axes. Control of a prototype synergistic multi-axis robotic system
The main objective of this project is to develop a mechatronic device for the efficient assessment of balance and posture. This device may be used for the treatment of diseases associated with balance and posture disorders. It may also be used for training in different areas like sports, in the military and in space exploration (astronauts).
This research project exhibits high significance for multidisciplinary research. It includes and requires a high level of engineering concepts from areas including but not limited to electrical and mechanical engineering, control engineering, biomedical engineering, computer Science and industrial design (ergonomics).
- Human Gait cycle modeling
A Mathematical Model for the Validation of the Ground Reaction Force Sensor in Human Gait Analysis ( link )
- Human Muscles modeling
A mathematical model to evaluate detection on Muscle Transition-to-Fatigue during Isometric Exercise using a Surface Electromyography Segmented Assessment for the human Lower Limb ( link )
Introduction
Hemiplegic stroke, paraparesis from spinal cord injuries, and other upper motor neuron syndromes such as multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy cause serious neurological impairments and mobility-related disability. The complexity of the interactions of various components of human gait has been researched and documented extensively, and to date it is the experienced clinician who continues to perform functional gait assessment and training in the absence of virtually any technological assistance. While traditional methods have involved complex statistical analysis, the aim of this research is to introduce an algorithm (the key concepts of Fuzzy Logic) to design an expert system, to improve the effectiveness of rehabilitative treatments for sensorimotor disabilities, and especially for ambulation, balance, and maintenance of physical fitness across these neurologic diagnoses.Experimental Design
Human motion analysis and neurorehablitation applications demand instrumented analytical tools for quantitative analysis of movements. This may be based on the simultaneous measurement of video data, ground reaction forces and electromyography (EMG) data. To permit simultaneous measurements of sagittal, coronal and transverse motion of the hip, knee and ankle, multiple markers are used to illustrate 3D dimensions. This method may exhibit more detailed analysis of complex patterns in the dynamic behavior during movements.
Gait Cycle
A single cycle of human gait can be divided into several different phases. The first division is between the stance and swing phases. For a typical healthy subject the stance phase covers the first 60% of their gait cycle while the stance phase represents the remaining 40%. Each of these phases can then be divided into a number of sub-phases based on a series of gait events.
- Loading Response - LR
- Midstance - MST
- Terminal Stance - TST
- Preswing (PSW) - PSW
- Initial Swing - ISW
- Midswing - MSW
- Terminal Swing - TSW