A bidirectional model of postural sway using force plate data.

This work was designed to expand on our previous anterior-posterior postural control model to include medial-lateral sway of unperturbed posture during quiet standing. The bidirectional model simulates two decoupled inverted pendulums, each restricted to sway in either the anterior-posterior (AP) direction (ankle strategy) or medial-lateral (ML) direction (hip strategy), and each controlled by a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller. Postural data was collected from 31 healthy participants under different sensory test conditions: eyes closed, eyes open, and eyes open with real-time visual feedback.

Bi-planar postural stability model: fitting model parameters to patient data automatically.

Postural control can be a challenging task for many people, including those with cerebral palsy or idiopathic scoliosis. Assessment of postural stability can be used as one element of a comprehensive strategy to identify more efficient treatments and can provide a better understanding of postural control deficits. Several models and techniques have been developed to assess and understand postural imbalance.

Microengineered neural probes for in vivo recording.

One of the great challenges facing medicine is the repair of the damaged nervous system. Due to the limited capacity of the central (and to a lesser extent the peripheral) nervous systems to regenerate, damage such as spinal cord injury can often result in permanent paralysis. Researchers are attempting to overcome nerve injury by devising methods of sensing neural activity either in the brain or in the spinal cord or peripheral nervous system.