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Energy flow analysis of amputee walking shows a proximally-directed transfer of energy in intact limbs, compared to a distally-directed transfer in prosthetic limbs at push-off (2016)
Journal Article
Weinert-Aplin, R., Howard, D., Twiste, M., Jarvis, H., Bennett, A., & Baker, R. (2017). Energy flow analysis of amputee walking shows a proximally-directed transfer of energy in intact limbs, compared to a distally-directed transfer in prosthetic limbs at push-off. Medical Engineering and Physics, 39, 73-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2016.10.005

Reduced capacity and increased metabolic cost of walking occurs in amputees, despite advances in prosthetic componentry. Joint powers can quantify deficiencies in prosthetic gait, but do not reveal how energy is exchanged between limb segments. This... Read More about Energy flow analysis of amputee walking shows a proximally-directed transfer of energy in intact limbs, compared to a distally-directed transfer in prosthetic limbs at push-off.

Crowd-sourced amputee gait data : a feasibility study using YouTube videos of unilateral trans-femoral gait (2016)
Journal Article
Gardiner, J., Gunarathne, N., Howard, D., & Kenney, L. (2016). Crowd-sourced amputee gait data : a feasibility study using YouTube videos of unilateral trans-femoral gait. PLoS ONE, 11(10), e0165287. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165287

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
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.

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
Sun, M., Kenney, L., Smith, C., Waring, K., Luckie, H., Liu, A., & Howard, D. (2016). A novel method of using accelerometry for upper limb FES control. Medical Engineering and Physics, 38(11), 1244-1250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2016.06.005

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 fast inverse dynamics model of walking for use in optimisation studies (2016)
Journal Article
Salehi, S., Ren, L., & Howard, D. (2016). A fast inverse dynamics model of walking for use in optimisation studies. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 19(11), 1201-1209. https://doi.org/10.1080/10255842.2015.1124267

Computer simulation of human gait, based on measured motion data, is a well-established technique in biomechanics. However, optimisation studies requiring many iterative gait cycle simulations have not yet found widespread application because of thei... Read More about A fast inverse dynamics model of walking for use in optimisation studies.

Transtibial amputee gait efficiency : energy storage and return versus solid ankle cushioned heel prosthetic feet (2016)
Journal Article
Gardiner, J., Bari, A., Howard, D., & Kenney, L. (2016). Transtibial amputee gait efficiency : energy storage and return versus solid ankle cushioned heel prosthetic feet. Journal of rehabilitation research and development, 53(6), 1133-1138. https://doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2015.04.0066

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.

The effects of prosthetic ankle stiffness on stability of gait in people with trans-tibial amputation (2016)
Journal Article
Major, M., Twiste, M., Kenney, L., & Howard, D. (2016). The effects of prosthetic ankle stiffness on stability of gait in people with trans-tibial amputation. Journal of rehabilitation research and development, 53(6), 839-852. https://doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2015.08.0148

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.

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
Ormerod, M., Newton, R., MacLennan, H., Faruk, M., Thies, S., Kenney, L., …Nester, C. (2015). Older people’s experiences of using tactile paving. Proceedings of the ICE - Municipal Engineer, 168(1), 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1680/muen.14.00016

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
Melvin, J., Preece, S., Nester, C., & Howard, D. (2014). An investigation into plantar pressure measurement protocols for footwear research. Gait & Posture, 40(4), 682-687. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2014.07.026

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.

Biomechanical analysis of force distribution in human finger extensor mechanisms (2014)
Journal Article
Hu, D., Ren, L., Howard, D., & Zong, C. (2014). Biomechanical analysis of force distribution in human finger extensor mechanisms. BioMed Research International, 2014, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/743460

The complexities of the function and structure of human fingers have long been recognised. The in vivo forces in the human finger tendon network during different activities are critical information for clinical diagnosis, surgical treatment, prosthet... Read More about Biomechanical analysis of force distribution in human finger extensor mechanisms.

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
Prenton, S., Kenney, L., Stapleton, C., Cooper, G., Reeves, M., Heller, B., …Williamson, T. (2014). Feasibility study of a take-home array-based functional electrical stimulation system with automated setup for current functional electrical stimulation users with foot-drop. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 95(10), 1870-1877. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2014.04.027

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.