This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant supports the acquisition of a real-time motion analysis system to strengthen the research and research training capabilities for faculty and students in the Departments of Kinesiology, Mechanical Engineering, and Physical Therapy at California State University Northridge (CSUN). The new state-of-the-art real-time system will allow data to be captured with high fidelity and to be immediately analyzed and processed, advancing research and education on biomechanics, neuromuscular control of human movements, and biomedical engineering. Data from the motion analysis system will be analyzed with biomechanical models to better understand human movement and how equipment and environmental design affects neuromuscular control. The motion analysis system can be integrated with other instrumentation, such as the electromyograph or force plates, to analyze complex movements in three dimensions and to better understand how humans interact with their environments under different conditions.
The motion analysis system will promote collaborative research among the faculty and the cross-training of students in the three disciplines. This research enables the development of enhanced control strategies and design for a broad range of activities. Understanding of human movement can lead to improved designs for daily living that prevent injuries and promote peak performance and to the creation of new adaptive devices, ranging from wheelchairs to improved orthotics and prosthetics. The newly developed motion analysis laboratory will promote research training in engineering and rehabilitation for CSUN students and will attract underrepresented students to STEM research areas.
