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

运动对人类的生存状况至关重要。用于测量功能性人体运动的最常用仪器依赖于跟踪皮肤上的标记的位置。不幸的是，这些系统在准确性上有不可逾越的限制，这反过来又限制了我们对人类运动的理解的研究和教学努力。我们寻求获得一个高速三维x射线系统，以彻底改变功能性人体运动的定量成像，涉及工程，运动科学，生物学，骨科，康复和机器人技术。此次收购将填补我们推进北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校（UNC- ch）科学发现能力的关键空白，同时促进与五个地区机构的合作，包括该国历史上最大的黑人学院（HBCU）。此次收购还将为6个学院和系的约3000名本科生和约300名研究生提供课程和体验式学习。我们将进一步为国家利益服务，通过外展和参与活动，与北卡罗来纳大学- ch的多样性和公平项目以及我们当地的HBCU合作，为本科生创造一个独特的暑期研究体验，为在STEM领域历史上处于劣势的本科生提供培训。我们建议获得一种高速双平面透视（HS-BF）系统，用于跨广泛科学学科的功能性人体运动的非侵入性定量成像。HS-BF系统提供高达1000个样品/秒的电影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，即使是最复杂的同类技术也无法捕获。我们的HS-BF系统将通过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的教师和学生网络。此次收购将解决我们地区在客观量化人类运动基本机制方面的关键限制，并有机会产生重大影响。具体来说，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的当代挑战和造福社会至关重要，包括：(1)了解肌肉骨骼力学和功能如何在哺乳动物的生命周期中实现和维持；(2)发展运动生物力学和基础生物学之间的机制联系；(3)确定外科创新的机会；(4)为强大而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；(6)推进下一代康复机器人技术。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.