Graduate Studies in Occupational Safety

The Biomechanics Laboratory Shelby 3325 A state-of-art Vicon Motion Capture System has been established. see the instruction video first!
The Vicon MX system is quite simply the most advanced optical motion capture system available. MX delivers greater precision, greater performance and greater practicality than has ever been available before. The major components of a Vicon MX system are the cameras, the controlling hardware module, the software to analyze and present the data, and the host computer to run the software. The MX system has been designed to be flexible, expandable and easy to integrate into your working environment. With a combination of MX system components you can create any size of system and link it easily to the external devices you want to use.
Every Vicon MX system includes at least one MX Giganet to provide power and data communication with up to 10 cameras and other devices. The Giganet also manages the data flow to the host computer running the software you’ll use to analyze your data. If your system has more than ten cameras, you’ll need another Giganet for every ten additional cameras. If you want to put your Vicon system at the heart of your working environment, MX Giganet lets you connect it into any studio, lab or research unit. You can create a custom-integrated system, acquiring and exchanging data with third-party devices including external capture technologies like force plates, data gloves, and eye trackers as well as HD compliant time code, genlock, EMG and any other digital device.
Peak Performance Motion Measurement System Used for biomechanical analysis, the Peak Motus © is a video-based system designed to capture human motion patterns (through 2-D and 3-D coordinates) and relay this information to software which can calculate kinematic and kinetic data. The OSE/IP laboratory uses the system to perform biomechanical analysis that relate specific body movements to physical stresses imposed on the human musculoskeletal system during the movement. Currently the Biomechanics Laboratory is under construction where the Peak Performance Motion Measurement System is being combined with two force plate systems to study confined space issues with patient handling. Here are some in progress pictures with more to follow in the future.

Lumbar Motion Monitor
The Lumbar Motion Monitor ^TM(LMM) is an exoskeleton of the spine that measures and records the position, velocity and acceleration of the spine in the sagittal, lateral, and twisting planes during various physical activities.

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The Biomechanics Laboratory uses the LMM to gather information about which spinal movements increase the risk of back injury while performing various occupational tasks.

Balance Master System
The BASIC Balance Master ® is a portable balance evaluation system that assess functional limitations in balance control under various conditions.

The Biomechanics Laboratory uses the Balance Master to study occupational accidents including falls from an elevation. These types of accidents are prevalent in the U.S. construction industry (e.g. roofing tasks).

Electromyography (EMG) Data Acquisition System
	This data acquisition system amplifies, filters and records bioelectrical signals associated with nerve and muscle activity, i.e., electromyography (EMG). The Biomechanics Laboratory uses the system to evaluate muscle utilization in various occupational activities. Results of the evaluation provide the research with information concerning: (1) what muscles are used to perform the activity, (2) the timing of muscle utilization during the activity, (3) the level of force generated by the muscles during the activity.

Foot Ground Reaction Force Plate Ground reaction force is an important external force which constantly affects the human motion. The force plate measures and records the changes in the ground reaction force (magnitude and direction of forces applied by the feet to the ground) experienced during actions such as stepping, jumping or lifting objects. The Biomechanics Laboratory uses the force plate to measure the physical forces generated during manual materials handling activities (i.e. pushing, pulling, lifting, and lowering) found in occupational settings. The device is also used in conjunction with the Basic Balance Master for occupational fall research.

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