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Motion Analysis and Human Performance Lab

The lab is approximately 1,400 sq. ft., designed for comprehensive assessment of human motion and assessment of treatment outcomes.

The lab is equipped with:

  • 12 Eagle infrared digital cameras (Motion Analysis Corp.) wall mounted and dedicated to gait analysis using Cortex software for data recording and processing.
  • 2 systems for surface recording of muscle activation: a wireless 16-channel EMG-accelerometer system (Trigno, Delsys Inc.); a wired EMG system (Motion Lab Systems, Baton Rouge, LA) with 2 sets of amplifiers (10 and 16 channels) and 16 dedicated pre-amp electrodes. Both systems are portable. 
  • 5 force plates (Bertec) built into raised floor for measuring ground reaction force/moment during gait or center of pressure during balance assessment.
  • 2 electronic walkways (Zeno 20x4ft, GAITRite 16x3ft) for temporo-spatial gait analysis based on timing and locations of footfalls with dedicated data collection and analysis software (PKMAS, GAITRite).
  • 2 video camcorders for recording front and side views of a person walking for qualitative analysis.
  • An isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex) for assessment of voluntary or involuntary force production in either isometric or isokinetic mode.
  • An examination table with side rails and hydraulic height adjustment for assessing subjects.
  • A ceiling lift (660 lb capacity) for safe transfers to/from the exam table and different devices.
  • Custom-made equipment designed and produced by our Biomedical Engineering Department.

Human Neurophysiology Lab

The lab is directed by Dobrivoje S. Stokic, M.D., D.Sc. and run by Antonio V. Hayes, R.EPT., R.NCST. The Human Neurophysiology lab consists of 5 exam rooms (~1,400 sq. ft.) designed for comprehensive assessment of the central and peripheral nervous system with the goal to increase understanding of mechanisms of recovery, provide more accurate diagnosis, and derive sensitive and objective outcome measures of potential for recovery.

The lab is equipped with:

  • Two commercial electrodiagnostic machines (Viking EDX, Viking Select), each with an 8-channel amplifier box and 2 peripheral nerve stimulators, fully loaded with applicable software, for conducting clinical electrodiagnostic studies and research neuromodulation studies utilizing segmental and plurisegmental spinal and supraspinal reflexes and multi-modal sensory evoked potentials.  The 2 moveable units run on a Win7 workstation connected to the hospital network to which data are backed-up every week.
  • A 32-channel EEG machine for time and frequency analysis of cortical activity.
  • A Magstim Pyramid system (4 Magstim 200 units and 3 Bi-stim units) with round, figure-8, and double-cone stimulation coils and custom-made navigation system for single- and multi-pulse paradigms probing cortical and spinal plasticity. 
  • A Magstim Rapid with a figure-8 coil for non-invasive repetitive brain stimulation up to 40Hz.
  • A Master-8 timing unit (2 available) for triggering multiple devices in different sequences.

Neurorobotics Lab

The lab opened in 2017 and is approximately 1,600 sq. ft., designed for conducting research on mechanisms underlying restoration of locomotor and upper extremity functions and clinical applications of rehabilitation robotics.

The lab is equipped with:

  • A LokomatPro FreeD (Hocoma Inc.) is a robotic gait orthosis with recently introduced active pelvic module that allows lateral translation and transverse rotation of the pelvis during treadmill walking. The device is equipped with both static and dynamic body weight support, while the robotic gait orthosis can provide variable assistance during treadmill walking.  The device can either record hip and knee joint torques and angles or provide live data during treadmill walking, which can be synced with other data collection systems (e.g. EMG). The device can also provide visual feedback of the torque produced at each hip and knee joint and augmented feedback during therapeutic gaming exercise.  Additional goniometric and dynamometric assessment tools are also available.
  • An ArmeoPower with ManovoPower (Hocoma Inc.) is a robotic upper extremity orthosis with an actuated hand module that provides assistance as needed to complete reach and grasp exercises in a 3D workspace.  The device has the ability to measure and record torques and movements during exercise. The device’s “record and playback” mode can be used to generate standardized movements by the robot that subjects can track. Several assessment tools are also built into the software. 
  • An ArmeoSpring upper extremity exoskeleton and ErigoPro robotic tilt-table with FES (Hocoma Inc.) are available for research either in the therapy gyms or in the NeuroRobotics Lab.
  • 8 Hawk infrared digital cameras (Motion Analysis Corp.) with a wall-mounting set-up that allows fast and easy installation either in LokomatPro area for gait analysis during non-robotic treadmill walking or ArmeoPower area for arm/upper body motion analysis.
  • An 80-channel A-D board for simultaneous recording of inputs from multiple devices with all wires running through walls and ceiling for convenience and safety.
  • An examination table with side rails and hydraulic height adjustment for assessing subjects.
  • A ceiling lift (660 lb capacity) for safe transfers to/from the exam table and different devices.