All Outputs (97)

Crowd-sourced amputee gait data : a feasibility study using YouTube videos of unilateral trans-femoral gait (2016)
Journal Article

Collecting large datasets of amputee gait data is notoriously difficult. Additionally, collecting data on less prevalent amputations or on gait activities other than level walking and running on hard surfaces is rarely attempted. However, with the we... Read More about Crowd-sourced amputee gait data : a feasibility study using YouTube videos of unilateral trans-femoral gait.

A review of the design and clinical evaluation of the ShefStim array-based functional electrical stimulation system (2016)
Journal Article

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.

Dealing with time-varying recruitment and length in Hill-type muscle models (2016)
Journal Article
Hamouda, A., Kenney, L., & Howard, D. (2016). Dealing with time-varying recruitment and length in Hill-type muscle models. Journal of Biomechanics, 49(14), 3375-3380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.08.030

Hill-type muscle models are often used in muscle simulation studies and also in the design
and virtual prototyping of functional electrical stimulation systems. These models have to
behave in a sufficiently realistic manner when recruitment level a... Read More about Dealing with time-varying recruitment and length in Hill-type muscle models.

A novel method of using accelerometry for upper limb FES control (2016)
Journal Article

This paper reports on a novel approach to using a 3-axis accelerometer to capture body segment angle for upper limb functional electrical stimulation (FES) control. The approach calculates the angle between the accelerome... Read More about A novel method of using accelerometry for upper limb FES control.

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.

A practical, yet flexible functional electrical stimulation system for upper limb rehabilitation following stroke (2016)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

The effects of prosthetic ankle stiffness on stability of gait in people with trans-tibial amputation (2016)
Journal Article

The ability to control balance during walking is a critical precondition for minimizing fall risk, but is compromised in persons with lower-limb loss due to reduced sensory feedback mechanisms and inability to actively modulate prosthesis mechanical... Read More about The effects of prosthetic ankle stiffness on stability of gait in people with trans-tibial amputation.

Transtibial amputee gait efficiency : energy storage and return versus solid ankle cushioned heel prosthetic feet (2016)
Journal Article

Energy storage and return (ESR) feet have long been assumed to promote metabolically efficient amputee gait. However, despite being prescribed for approximately thirty years, there is limited evidence that they achieve this desired function. Here, we... Read More about Transtibial amputee gait efficiency : energy storage and return versus solid ankle cushioned heel prosthetic feet.

A device for characterising the mechanical properties of the plantar soft tissue of the foot (2015)
Journal Article
Parker, D., Cooper, G., Pearson, S., Crofts, G., Howard, D., Busby, P., & Nester, C. (2015). A device for characterising the mechanical properties of the plantar soft tissue of the foot. Medical Engineering and Physics, 37(11), 1098-1104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2015.08.008

The plantar soft tissue is a highly functional viscoelastic structure involved in transferring load to the human body during walking. A Soft Tissue Response Imaging Device was developed to apply a vertical compression to the plantar soft tissue whils... Read More about A device for characterising the mechanical properties of the plantar soft tissue of the foot.

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.

Novel methods of using accelerometry for upper limb FES control [conference paper] (2015)
Presentation / Conference
Sun, M., Howard, D., Kenney, L., Smith, C., Waring, K., & Luckie, H. (2015, May). Novel methods of using accelerometry for upper limb FES control [conference paper]. Presented at 5th Conference of the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society (IFESS) UK & Ireland Chapter : Stimulating Technology for the Future, Sheffield, UK

Introduction: Accelerometry offers a low cost, low power solution to measuring body segment angle (BSA) relative to the gravity vector under quasi-static conditions. BSA may be used as an input to a state-machine based, upper limb functional electric... Read More about Novel methods of using accelerometry for upper limb FES control [conference paper].

Older people’s experiences of using tactile paving (2015)
Journal Article

Tactile paving has been designed in response to the needs of vision-impaired pedestrians to be independent, mobile,
confident and safe when using the external environment. Tactile paving is not without its critics because it can
adversely affect ot... Read More about Older people’s experiences of using tactile paving.

A forward dynamic modelling investigation of cause-and-effect relationships in single support phase of human walking (2015)
Journal Article
McGrath, M., Howard, D., & Baker, R. (2015). A forward dynamic modelling investigation of cause-and-effect relationships in single support phase of human walking. Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine, 2015, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/383705

Mathematical gait models often fall into one of two categories: simple and complex. There is a large leap in complexity between model types, meaning the effects of individual gait mechanisms get overlooked. This study investigated the cause-and-effec... Read More about A forward dynamic modelling investigation of cause-and-effect relationships in single support phase of human walking.

The strengths and weaknesses of inverted pendulum models of human walking (2014)
Journal Article
McGrath, M., Howard, D., & Baker, R. (2015). The strengths and weaknesses of inverted pendulum models of human walking. Gait & Posture, 41(2), 389-394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2014.10.023

An investigation into the kinematic and kinetic predictions of two ‘inverted pendulum’ (IP) models of
gait was undertaken. The first model consisted of a single leg, with anthropometrically correct mass and
moment of inertia, and a point mass at th... Read More about The strengths and weaknesses of inverted pendulum models of human walking.

The use of an adjustable electrode housing unit to compare electrode alignment and contact variation with myoelectric prosthesis functionality: A pilot study (2014)
Journal Article
and contact variation with myoelectric prosthesis functionality: A pilot study. Prosthetics and Orthotics International, 40(1), 123-128. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309364614545417

Background: Usable myoelectric control relies on secure and intimate contact at all times between the electrode, the socket and the residual limb. At present, there is little post-fitting socket adjustment available to prosthetists with respect to el... Read More about The use of an adjustable electrode housing unit to compare electrode alignment and contact variation with myoelectric prosthesis functionality: A pilot study.

An investigation into plantar pressure measurement protocols for footwear research (2014)
Journal Article

Many researchers investigate how footwear design affects plantar pressure (PP) and ask participants to walk in unfamiliar footwear as part of their studies. However, there are no clear guidelines for the required period of time or number of steps a... Read More about An investigation into plantar pressure measurement protocols for footwear research.

Feasibility study of a take-home array-based functional electrical stimulation system with automated setup for current functional electrical stimulation users with foot-drop (2014)
Journal Article

Objective

To investigate the feasibility of unsupervised community use of an array-based automated setup functional electrical stimulator for current foot-drop functional electrical stimulation (FES) users.

Design

Feasibility study.

S... Read More about Feasibility study of a take-home array-based functional electrical stimulation system with automated setup for current functional electrical stimulation users with foot-drop.

A systematic procedure to optimise dose and image quality for the measurement of inter-vertebral angles from lateral spinal projections using Cobb and superimposition methods (2014)
Journal Article
Al Qaroot, B., Hogg, P., Twiste, M., & Howard, D. (2014). A systematic procedure to optimise dose and image quality for the measurement of inter-vertebral angles from lateral spinal projections using Cobb and superimposition methods. Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology, 22(5), 613-625. https://doi.org/10.3233/XST-140449

BACKGROUND: Patients with vertebral column deformations are exposed to high risks associated with ionising radiation exposure. Risks are further increased due to the serial X-ray images that are needed to measure and asses their spinal deformation us... Read More about A systematic procedure to optimise dose and image quality for the measurement of inter-vertebral angles from lateral spinal projections using Cobb and superimposition methods.

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 effects of prosthetic ankle stiffness on ankle and knee kinematics, prosthetic limb loading, and net metabolic cost of trans-tibial amputee gait (2013)
Journal Article
Major, M., Twiste, M., Kenney, L., & Howard, D. (2014). The effects of prosthetic ankle stiffness on ankle and knee kinematics, prosthetic limb loading, and net metabolic cost of trans-tibial amputee gait. Clinical Biomechanics, 29(1), 98-104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2013.10.012

Background
Previous studies of commercially-available trans-tibial prosthetic components have been unable to provide clear insight into the relationships between prosthetic mechanical properties and user performance (i.e., gait quality and energy ex... Read More about The effects of prosthetic ankle stiffness on ankle and knee kinematics, prosthetic limb loading, and net metabolic cost of trans-tibial amputee gait.