Prof. Tommaso Lenzi received a new grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This grant will support the Ergonomics and Safety program at the University of Utah, and it is part of a larger Education and Research Center (ERC) grant award by NIOSH to the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH)....
Read MoreAbby Citterman Wins 3rd Place in EMBC Student Paper Competition!
In the world of cutting-edge research and groundbreaking discoveries, the Utah NeuroRobotics Lab has always been at the forefront. It is with immense pride and excitement that we celebrate one of our own, Abby Citterman, for her outstanding achievement in the student paper competition at the prestigious 2023 IEEE Engineering Medicine & Biology Conference. Abby’s passion for research and her exceptional paper have earned her a well-deserved 3rd place in the competition. Read more...
Read MoreAbbott and Rogue Space Systems Receive Space Force Grant
Jake Abbott and Rogue Space Systems were awarded a Space Force STTR Phase 2 grant “Use of Rotating Magnetic Fields to Detumble Irregular Asymmetric Space Debris-Like Objects”. $420,000. 7/24/2023-10/23/2023....
Read MoreHGN Lab Published Paper in IEEE Transaction on Biomedical Engineering
Volitional control systems for powered prostheses require the detection of user intent to operate in real-life scenarios. Ambulation mode classification has been proposed to address this issue. However, these approaches introduce discrete labels to the otherwise continuous task which is ambulation. An alternative approach is to provide users with direct, voluntary control of the powered prosthesis motion. In this study, we show that a small and lightweight A-mode ultrasound system can continuously predict prosthesis joint kinematics in seven individuals with transfemoral amputation across different ambulation tasks. Features from the A-mode ultrasound signals were mapped to the user’s prosthesis kinematics...
Read MoreKuntz Lab Paper Published in IEEE RA-L
Kuntz Lab paper, “Toward Continuum Robot Tentacles for Lung Interventions: Exploring Folding Support Disks” has been published in the IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L)....
Read MoreHGN Lab Published Paper in Springer Nature Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
Passive prostheses are able to dissipate limited amounts of energy using resistive damper systems during “negative energy” tasks like sit-down. Consequently, users are forced to over-compensate with their upper body, residual hip, and intact leg. In contrast, powered prosthetic joints are controlled by motors, which can produce higher levels of resistance at a larger range of joint positions than passive damper systems. In this study, we found that a powered knee-ankle prosthesis significantly improved weight-bearing symmetry during sit-down compared to passive prostheses. However, we did not observe a corresponding decrease in intact-limb muscle effort. These results indicate that powered...
Read MoreNeuroRobotics Lab Showcase Latest Research at Limb Preservation Foundation’s Annual Conference
Lyndsey Schultz (BME) and Connor Olsen (ECE), two representatives from the NeuroRobotics Lab at the Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital, attended the Limb Preservation Foundation’s Annual Symposium in Denver on April 21st. The conference brought together patients, medical professionals, and industry experts to discuss the future of medicine and promote physical and emotional well-being. Read more...
Read MoreKuntz Lab Paper Published in IEEE TMRB Journal
Kuntz Lab paper, “Screw-tip Soft Magnetically Steerable Needles” has been published in the IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics (TMRB) journal....
Read MoreGould Lecture: Lenzi Presents on Bionic Leg Tech
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KuzfSHGH1A&t=1546s&ab_channel=J.WillardMarriottLibraryBuilding BionicsHow technologies are going to enhance the human body and end physical disabilityGould Lecture on Technology and the Quality Of LifeDr. Tommaso Lenzi, Ph.D.The field of bionics presents a unique opportunity to address the unmet needs of millions of individuals living with physical disabilities. Critical to this goal is the development of artificial systems and technologies that can merge with the human body – restoring, replacing or augmenting its capabilities.In this talk, Dr. Tommaso Lenzi, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, a Core Faculty in the Robotics Center at University of Utah, and the Director of...
Read MoreHGN Lab Publishes in IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering
Lower-limb-powered prostheses can provide users with volitional control of ambulation. To this end, they require a sensing modality that reliably interprets user intention to move. Ultrasound has been shown to have better resolution and specificity than surface EMG. However, this technology has yet to be integrated into lower-limb prostheses. In this paper, we show that A-mode ultrasound sensing can reliably predict the prosthesis walking kinematics of individuals with a transfemoral amputation. Ultrasound features from the residual limb of 9 transfemoral amputee subjects were recorded with A-mode ultrasound during walking with their passive prosthesis. The manuscript is freely available at this...
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