Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 6 of 6

Full-Text Articles in Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering

Unobtrusive Assessment Of Upper-Limb Motor Impairment Using Wearable Inertial Sensors, Brandon R. Oubre Oct 2022

Unobtrusive Assessment Of Upper-Limb Motor Impairment Using Wearable Inertial Sensors, Brandon R. Oubre

Doctoral Dissertations

Many neurological diseases cause motor impairments that limit autonomy and reduce health-related quality of life. Upper-limb motor impairments, in particular, significantly hamper the performance of essential activities of daily living, such as eating, bathing, and changing clothing. Assessment of impairment is necessary for tracking disease progression, measuring the efficacy of interventions, and informing clinical decision making. Impairment is currently assessed by trained clinicians using semi-quantitative rating scales that are limited by their reliance on subjective, visual assessments. Furthermore, existing scales are often burdensome to administer and do not capture patients' motor performance in home and community settings, resulting in a …


Quantifying And Reversing Compensatory Movements By Persons Post-Stroke In The Ambient Setting, Aaron Miller Dec 2021

Quantifying And Reversing Compensatory Movements By Persons Post-Stroke In The Ambient Setting, Aaron Miller

Doctoral Dissertations

Nearly 800,000 people in the United States suffer stroke annually. Following the onset of stroke, survivors will exhibit deficits, such as hemiplegia, which will limit their function and ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). In order to regain independence, many stroke survivors will employ maladaptive compensatory strategies to help with the completion of tasks. Compensation is generally defined as any performance of a task that is different than the way it may have been performed before the onset of a neurodegenerative disorder. While for some severely impaired individuals, compensation may be necessary, for most these maladaptive strategies ultimately …


Seeing Eye To Eye: A Machine Learning Approach To Automated Saccade Analysis, Maigh Attre May 2019

Seeing Eye To Eye: A Machine Learning Approach To Automated Saccade Analysis, Maigh Attre

Honors Scholar Theses

Abnormal ocular motility is a common manifestation of many underlying pathologies particularly those that are neurological. Dynamics of saccades, when the eye rapidly changes its point of fixation, have been characterized for many neurological disorders including concussions, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and Parkinson’s disease. However, widespread saccade analysis for diagnostic and research purposes requires the recognition of certain eye movement parameters. Key information such as velocity and duration must be determined from data based on a wide set of patients’ characteristics that may range in eye shapes and iris, hair and skin pigmentation [36]. Previous work on saccade analysis has …


Structural-Functional Brain Connectivity Underlying Integrative Sensorimotor Function After Stroke, Benjamin Thomas Kalinosky Apr 2016

Structural-Functional Brain Connectivity Underlying Integrative Sensorimotor Function After Stroke, Benjamin Thomas Kalinosky

Dissertations (1934 -)

In this dissertation research project, we demonstrated the relationship between the structural and functional connections across the brain in stroke survivors. We used this information to predict arm function in stroke survivors, suggesting that the tools developed through this research will be useful for prescribing individualized rehabilitation strategies in people after stroke. Current clinical methods for rehabilitating sensorimotor function after stroke are not based on the locus of injury in the brain. Instead, therapies are generalized, treating symptoms such as weakness and spasticity. This results in outcomes that are highly variable, with severity of impairment immediately following stroke as the …


Dynamic Balance Control During Treadmill Walking In Chronic Stroke Survivors, Eric Richard Walker Oct 2013

Dynamic Balance Control During Treadmill Walking In Chronic Stroke Survivors, Eric Richard Walker

Dissertations (1934 -)

Maintaining dynamic balance is an important component of walking function that is likely impaired in chronic stroke survivors, evidenced by an increased prevalence of falls. Dynamic balance control requires maintaining the center of mass (COM) within the base of support during movement. During walking, dynamic balance control is achieved largely by modifying foot placement to adjust the base of support. However, chronic stroke survivors have difficulty with both precision control of foot placement, as well as reduced control of COM movement. The objective of this dissertation was to characterize dynamic balance control strategies during walking in chronic stroke survivors. Additionally, …


Supraspinal Control Of Unilateral Locomotor Performance: An Fmri Study Using A Custom Pedaling Device, Brett Arand Oct 2013

Supraspinal Control Of Unilateral Locomotor Performance: An Fmri Study Using A Custom Pedaling Device, Brett Arand

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This study aimed to develop a novel unilateral pedaling device, validate its function, and use it in an fMRI study of bilateral vs. unilateral locomotor control. The new device is MRI compatible and allows for conventional coupled bilateral pedaling, along with decoupled unilateral pedaling. It was designed with an assistance mechanism to simulate the presence of the non-contributing leg while pedaling unilaterally. During coupled bilateral pedaling, the two legs work in unison: while one leg is extending in the downstroke, it provides support to lift the other leg back up as it is flexing in the upstroke. The device uses …