MRI: Acquisition of a High-Speed Biplanar Fluoroscopy System for Non-Invasive Quantitative Imaging of Human Movement

运动是人类生存状态的关键。用于测量功能性人体运动的最常见的仪器依赖于跟踪皮肤安装的标记的位置。不幸的是，这些系统在准确性方面有不可逾越的局限性，这反过来又限制了研究和教学努力，使我们无法推进对人类运动的理解。我们寻求获得一种高速三维X射线系统，以彻底改变工程学、运动科学、生物学、整形外科、康复和机器人等领域对功能性人体运动的定量成像。此次收购将填补我们在北卡罗来纳大学教堂山推进科学发现(UNC-CH)能力方面的一个关键空白，同时促进与五个地区机构的合作，其中包括该国历史上最大的黑人学院(HBCU)。此次收购还将加强6个学院和院系的约3000名本科生和约300名研究生的课程工作和体验式学习。我们将通过外展和参与活动，与北卡罗来纳大学-CH多样性和公平项目以及我们当地的HBCU合作，进一步服务于国家利益，并为本科生创建独特的暑期研究体验提案，为在STEM领域处于历史劣势的本科生提供培训。我们建议获得一套高速双平面透视(HS-BF)系统，用于对跨越广泛科学学科的功能性人体运动进行非侵入性定量成像。HS-BF系统提供高达1000个样本/S的电影X射线图像，并直接量化三维骨骼位置、方向和关节表面力学，这些都是即使是最复杂的同类技术也无法捕获的。我们的HS-BF系统将通过已建立的合作透视研究核心广泛提供给北卡罗来纳大学和我们的五个合作机构的热情教师和学生网络。这项收购将解决我们区域客观量化人类流动的基本机制以及产生重大影响的机会的能力方面的严重限制。具体地说，我们的研究人员和合作者网络，以及我们所服务的不同学生团体，将有能力以无与伦比的分辨率测量骨骼运动的精确复杂性，这对于克服我们研究学科中的当代挑战并造福社会至关重要，包括：(1)了解肌肉骨骼力学和功能是如何在哺乳动物的一生中实现和保持的，(2)发展运动生物力学和潜在生物学之间的机械联系，(3)确定外科创新的机会，(4)为强大和充满活力的劳动力推进人体工程学和职业科学，(5)开发更复杂的生物工程材料/组织，和(6)推进下一代康复机器人。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Movement is a critical to the human condition. The most common instrumentation used for measuring functional human movement relies on tracking the position of skin-mounted markers. Unfortunately, those systems have insurmountable limitations in accuracy which in turn limit research and teaching efforts from advancing our understanding of human movement. We seek to acquire a high-speed three-dimensional x-ray system to revolutionize the quantitative imaging of functional human movement across engineering, exercise science, biology, orthopedics, rehabilitation, and robotics. This acquisition will fill a critical gap in our capability to advance scientific discovery at UNC Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) while catalyzing collaboration with five regional institutions, including the largest historically black college (HBCU) in the country. The acquisition will also enhance coursework and experiential learning for ~3000 undergraduates and ~300 graduate students spanning 6 colleges and departments. We will further serve the national interest through outreach and engagement activities, collaborations with UNC-CH diversity and equity programs and our local HBCU, and creation of a unique summer Research Experience for Undergraduates proposal for the training of undergraduates historically disadvantaged in STEM fields.We propose to acquire a high-speed biplanar fluoroscopy (HS-BF) system for the non-invasive quantitative imaging of functional human movement across a wide range of scientific disciplines. HS-BF systems provide cine x-ray images at up to 1000 samples/s and directly quantify three-dimensional bone positions, orientations, and articulating surface mechanics that are impossible to capture with even the most sophisticated of comparable technologies. Our HS-BF system will be made broadly available to an enthusiastic network of faculty and students at UNC-CH and our five partnering institutions through an established Collaborative Fluoroscopy Research Core. This acquisition will address critical limitations in our region’s ability to objectively quantify the fundamental mechanics of human movement with opportunities for significant impact. Specifically, our network of researchers and collaborators, as well as the diverse student bodies we serve, will have the capability to measure with unparalleled resolution the precise complexities of bone motion critical to overcoming the contemporary challenges across our research disciplines and for the benefit of society, including: (1) understanding how musculoskeletal mechanics and function are achieved and maintained over the mammalian lifespan, (2) developing mechanistic links between movement biomechanics and underlying biology, (3) identifying opportunities for surgical innovation, (4) advancing ergonomics and occupational science for a strong and vibrant workforce, (5) developing more sophisticated bioengineered materials/tissues, and (6) advancing next generation rehabilitation robotics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.