Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Objective measures of rollator user stability and device loading during different walking scenarios (2019)
Journal Article
Costamagna, E., Thies, S., Kenney, L., Howard, D., Lindemann, U., Klenk, J., & Baker, R. (2019). Objective measures of rollator user stability and device loading during different walking scenarios. PLoS ONE, 14(1), e0210960. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210960

Walking aids are widely used by older adults, however, alarmingly, their use has been linked to increased falls-risk, yet clinicians have no objective way of assessing user stability. This work aims to demonstrate the application of a novel methodolo... Read More about Objective measures of rollator user stability and device loading during different walking scenarios.

A review of the design and clinical evaluation of the ShefStim array-based functional electrical stimulation system (2016)
Journal Article
Kenney, L., Heller, B., Barker, A., Reeves, M., Healey, J., Good, T., …Howard, D. (2016). A review of the design and clinical evaluation of the ShefStim array-based functional electrical stimulation system. Medical Engineering and Physics, 38(11), 1159 -1165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2016.08.005

Functional electrical stimulation has been shown to be a safe and effective means of correcting foot drop of central neurological origin. Current surface-based devices typically consist of a single channel stim- ulator, a sensor for determining gait... Read More about A review of the design and clinical evaluation of the ShefStim array-based functional electrical stimulation system.

A flexible finite state controller for upper limb functional electrical stimulation (2016)
Presentation / Conference
Sun, M., Kenney, L., Smith, C., Waring, K., Luckie, H., & Howard, D. (2016, June). A flexible finite state controller for upper limb functional electrical stimulation. Poster presented at 20th Annual Conference of the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society, La Grande-Motte, France

This paper reports on a flexible finite stage machine (FSM) controller for the real-time control of functional electrical stimulation (FES) during upper limb rehabilitation, and an associated setup Graphical User Interface (GUI) guides clinical users... Read More about A flexible finite state controller for upper limb functional electrical stimulation.

Meta-analysis of metabolic cost of amputee walking shows only a marginal improvement in cost when using ESR feet compared to conventional SACH feet (2015)
Presentation / Conference
Gardiner, J., Bari, Z., Kenney, L., & Howard, D. (2015, June). Meta-analysis of metabolic cost of amputee walking shows only a marginal improvement in cost when using ESR feet compared to conventional SACH feet. Presented at ISPO World Congress 2015, Lyon, France

Background: Energy storage and return (ESR) prosthetic feet are designed to store strain energy during stance and release that energy during push-off and, hence, promote a more energy efficient gait. However, despite ESR feet being prescribed for app... Read More about Meta-analysis of metabolic cost of amputee walking shows only a marginal improvement in cost when using ESR feet compared to conventional SACH feet.

Automated detection of instantaneous gait events using time frequency analysis and manifold embedding (2013)
Journal Article
using time frequency analysis and manifold embedding. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 21(6), 908-915. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSRE.2013.2239313

Accelerometry is a widely used sensing modality
in human biomechanics due to its portability, non-invasiveness, and accuracy. However, difficulties lie in signal variability and interpretation in relation to biomechanical events. In walking, heel st... Read More about Automated detection of instantaneous gait events using time frequency analysis and manifold embedding.

The relationship between impairment, functional ability, hand-arm task complexity and set-up difficulty for an Advanced FES Rehab Tool (2013)
Presentation / Conference
Smith, C., Kenney, L., Howard, D., Waring, K., Sun, M., & Hardiker, N. (2013, April). The relationship between impairment, functional ability, hand-arm task complexity and set-up difficulty for an Advanced FES Rehab Tool. Poster presented at Fourth Conference of the UK and Ireland Chapter of the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society (IFESSUKI), Southampton, UK

The use of hydrogel as an electrode-skin interface for electrode array FES applications (2011)
Journal Article
Cooper, G., Barker, A., Heller, B., Good, T., Kenney, L., & Howard, D. (2011). The use of hydrogel as an electrode-skin interface for electrode array FES applications. Medical Engineering and Physics, 33(8), 967-982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2011.03.008

Functional electrical stimulation is commonly used to restore function in post-stroke patients in upper and lower limb applications. Location of the electrodes can be a problem hence some research groups have begun to experiment with electrode arrays... Read More about The use of hydrogel as an electrode-skin interface for electrode array FES applications.

Biomechanics for inclusive urban design : effects of tactile paving on older adults’ gait when crossing the street (2011)
Journal Article
Thies, S., Kenney, L., Howard, D., Nester, C., Ormerod, M., Newton, R., …Maclennan, H. (2011). Biomechanics for inclusive urban design : effects of tactile paving on older adults’ gait when crossing the street. Journal of Biomechanics, 44(8), 1599-1604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2010.12.016

In light of our ageing population it is important that the urban environment is easily accessible and hence supports older adults’ independence. Tactile ‘blister’ paving was originally designed to provide guidance for visually impaired people at pede... Read More about Biomechanics for inclusive urban design : effects of tactile paving on older adults’ gait when crossing the street.

Inertial sensor-based knee flexion/extension angle estimation (2009)
Journal Article
Cooper, G., Sheret, I., McMillian, L., Siliverdis, K., Sha, N., Hodgins, D., …Howard, D. (2009). Inertial sensor-based knee flexion/extension angle estimation. Journal of Biomechanics, 42(16), 2678-2685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2009.08.004

A new method for estimating knee joint flexion/extension angles from segment acceleration and angular velocity data is described. The approach uses a combination of Kalman filters and biomechanical constraints based on anatomical knowledge. In contra... Read More about Inertial sensor-based knee flexion/extension angle estimation.

Movement variability in stroke patients and controls performing two upper limb functional tasks: a new assessment methodology (2009)
Journal Article
Thies, S., Tresadern, P., Kenney, L., Smith, J., Howard, D., Goulermas, J., …Rigby, J. (2009). Movement variability in stroke patients and controls performing two upper limb functional tasks: a new assessment methodology. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 6(2), https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-6-2

Background: In the evaluation of upper limb impairment post stroke there remains a gap between detailed kinematic analyses with expensive motion capturing systems and common clinical assessment tests. In particular, although many clinical tests evalu... Read More about Movement variability in stroke patients and controls performing two upper limb functional tasks: a new assessment methodology.

Simulating acceleration from stereophotogrammetry for medical device design (2009)
Journal Article
Tresadern, P., Thies, S., Kenney, L., Howard, D., Smith, C., Rigby, J., & Goulermas, J. (2009). Simulating acceleration from stereophotogrammetry for medical device design. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 131(6), https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3118771

When designing a medical device based on lightweight accelerometers, the designer is faced with a number of questions in order to maximize performance while minimizing
cost and complexity: Where should the inertial unit be located? How many units ar... Read More about Simulating acceleration from stereophotogrammetry for medical device design.

Activity identification using body-mounted sensors — a review of classification techniques (2009)
Journal Article
Preece, S., Goulermas, J., Kenney, L., Howard, D., Meijer, K., & Crompton, R. (2009). Activity identification using body-mounted sensors — a review of classification techniques. Physiological Measurement, 30, R1-R33. https://doi.org/10.1088/0967-3334/30/4/R01

With the advent of miniaturized sensing technology, which can be body-worn, it is nowpossible to collect and store data on different aspects of human movement under the conditions of free living. This technology has the potential to be used in automa... Read More about Activity identification using body-mounted sensors — a review of classification techniques.

The effect of the impedance of a thin hydrogel electrode on sensation during functional electrical stimulation (2008)
Journal Article
Sha, N., Kenney, L., Heller, B., Barker, A., Howard, D., & Wang, W. (2008). The effect of the impedance of a thin hydrogel electrode on sensation during functional electrical stimulation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2007.07.012

Surface functional electrical stimulation results in stimulation of cutaneous receptors and discomfort. The degree of non-uniformity of current distribution in the cutaneous layers in the vicinity of the electrode may influence the sensation experien... Read More about The effect of the impedance of a thin hydrogel electrode on sensation during functional electrical stimulation.

A finite element model to identify electrode influence on current distribution in the skin (2008)
Journal Article
Sha, N., Kenney, L., Heller, B., Barker, A., Howard, D., & Moatamedi, M. (2008). A finite element model to identify electrode influence on current distribution in the skin. Artificial Organs, 32(8), 639-643. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1594.2008.00615.x

Discomfort experienced during surface functional electrical stimulation (FES) is thought to be partly a result of localised high current density in the skin underneath the stimulating electrode. This paper describes a finite element (FE) model to pre... Read More about A finite element model to identify electrode influence on current distribution in the skin.

Rapid prototyping for functional electrical stimulation control (2008)
Journal Article
Tresadern, P., Thies, S., Kenney, L., Howard, D., & Goulermas, J. (2008). Rapid prototyping for functional electrical stimulation control. IEEE Pervasive Computing, 7(2), 62-69. https://doi.org/10.1109/MPRV.2008.35

Electrical muscle stimulators can help restore limb function following a neurological injury. However, complex neuromuscular stimulators need a straightforward software interface to simplify hardware programming and make patient care more efficient.... Read More about Rapid prototyping for functional electrical stimulation control.

An instance-based algorithm with auxiliary similarity information for the estimation of gait kinematics from wearable sensors. (2008)
Journal Article
Goulermas, J., Findlow, A., Nester, C., Liatsis, P., Zeng, X., Kenney, L., …Howard, D. (2008). An instance-based algorithm with auxiliary similarity information for the estimation of gait kinematics from wearable sensors. IEEE transactions on neural networks / a publication of the IEEE Neural Networks Council, 19(9), 1574-1582. https://doi.org/10.1109/TNN.2008.2000808

Wearable human movement measurement systems
are increasingly popular as a means of capturing human movement data in real-world situations. Previous work has attempted to estimate segment kinematics during walking fromfoot acceleration and angular ve... Read More about An instance-based algorithm with auxiliary similarity information for the estimation of gait kinematics from wearable sensors..

Comparison of linear acceleration from three measurement systems during “reach & grasp” (2007)
Journal Article
Thies, S., Tresadern, P., Kenney, L., Howard, D., Goulermas, J., Smith, C., & Rigby, J. (2007). Comparison of linear acceleration from three measurement systems during “reach & grasp”. Medical Engineering and Physics, 29(9), 967-972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2006.10.012

Given the increased use of accelerometers in movement analysis, validation of such inertial sensors against conventional 3D camera systems and performance comparisons of different sensors have become important topics in biomechanics. This paper evalu... Read More about Comparison of linear acceleration from three measurement systems during “reach & grasp”.

The design, development and evaluation of an array-based FES system with automated setup for the correction of drop foot (2002)
Presentation / Conference
Kenney, L., Heller, B., Barker, A., Reeves, M., Healey, J., Good, T., …Howard, D. (2002, August). The design, development and evaluation of an array-based FES system with automated setup for the correction of drop foot. Presented at 9th IFAC Symposium on Biological and Medical Systems, Berlin, Germany, Berlin, Germany

Functional electrical stimulation has been shown to be a safe and effective means of correcting
drop foot of central neurological origin. However, despite recent technological advances, the set-up of
surface stimulators remains a challenge for many... Read More about The design, development and evaluation of an array-based FES system with automated setup for the correction of drop foot.

A novel energy storage and return prosthetic ankle using cams and miniature hydraulics
Journal Article
Pace, A., Gardiner, J., Kenney, L., & Howard, D. (in press). A novel energy storage and return prosthetic ankle using cams and miniature hydraulics. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering,

A novel design for an energy-storage-and-return (ESR) prosthetic ankle is described, based on simple miniature hydraulics. The aim is to overcome the weaknesses of prosthetic feet currently on the market and also previous research attempts, which are... Read More about A novel energy storage and return prosthetic ankle using cams and miniature hydraulics.