MRI: Acquisition of a Caplex System for Human Movement Research and Research Training

这一重大研究仪器奖支持购买Humotech Caplex系统，供代顿大学机械与航空航天工程、健康与体育科学和物理疗法三个系的研究人员和学习人体运动生物力学评估的学生使用。Caplex系统是一种可穿戴设备模拟器，允许更深入地科学了解人类对向腰部、腿部和/或手臂等位置施加受控力的设备的反应方式。由Caplex系统推动的研究将直接有助于改进可穿戴辅助设备、治疗方法和运动障碍患者的康复。Caplex系统将与测量人体运动和力量的现有生物力学设备集成在一起。CAPLEX系统在推进最先进的人体运动评估科学研究、培训跨学科本科生和研究生研究人员以及人体运动评估教育方面做出了重大努力。Humotech CAPLEX系统支持代顿大学从事人体运动生物力学评估的八名跨学科教员的研究和研究培训活动。Caplex系统使可控外力能够与现有的标准人体运动设备(例如，运动捕捉、测力板、肌电图仪)集成在一起。这些外力是使用轻便的绳系附着物施加在人体上的，因此该系统通常被称为“可穿戴设备仿真器”。更广泛地说，它是一种可用作科学上可重现的实验力或扰动分析的手段。Caplex系统将通过试验性的人体在环性能研究来验证数学表示和计算模拟，从而实现对人类运动控制这一广泛主题的创新研究。在人类损害评估的广泛主题中，这一工具将通过通过可量化的力量相互作用评估能力和任务表现的能力，使关于年龄、发育障碍、神经障碍或伤害方面的人类表现缺陷的高级科学研究成为可能。因此，CAPLEX系统将是对代顿大学现有设施的重大改进，因为它将是提供这种可控外部力量在校园内进行高级人员流动评估研究的唯一商业工具。CAPLEX系统将直接增强我们通过演示、实践经验和翻译研究成果让不同的学生和更大的社区参与我们工作的能力。该奖项反映了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。

This Major Research Instrumentation award supports acquisition of a Humotech Caplex system for use by faculty researchers and students studying human movement biomechanics assessment across three departments at the University of Dayton: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Health and Sports Science, and Physical Therapy. The Caplex system is a wearable device emulator that allows for deeper scientific understanding of the ways humans react to devices that apply controlled forces to locations such as the waist, leg, and/or arm. Research facilitated by the Caplex system will directly contribute to improved wearable assistive devices, therapeutic approaches, and rehabilitation for people with movement impairments. The Caplex system will be integrated with the existing biomechanics equipment that measures human motion and forces. The Caplex system enables significant efforts in advancing state-of-the-art scientific research in human movement assessment, training of interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate researchers, and human movement assessment education.The Humotech Caplex system supports research and research training activities for eight interdisciplinary faculty engaged in human movement biomechanics assessment at the University of Dayton. The Caplex system enables controllable external forces to integrate with the existing standard human movement equipment (e.g., motion capture, force plates, electromyography). These external forces are exerted on a human subject using lightweight, tethered attachments, and so the system is often referred to as a ‘wearable device emulator’. More generally, it is an instrument that can be used as a means for scientifically reproducible experimental force or perturbation analyses. The Caplex system will enable innovative research in the broad theme of human motor control by validating mathematical representations and computational simulations through experimental human-in-the-loop performance studies. In the broad theme of human impairment assessment, this instrumentation will enable advanced scientific studies on human performance deficits with respect to age, developmental disabilities, neurological disorders, or injuries through the ability to estimate capacities and task performance via quantifiable force interactions. Thus, the Caplex system would be a major improvement in existing facilities at the University of Dayton since it would be the only commercial instrumentation that provides such controllable external forces to conduct advanced human movement assessment studies on campus. The Caplex system will directly enhance our ability to engage a diverse range of students and the larger community in our work through demonstrations, hands-on experiences, and translational research outcomes.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.