Center for Engineering and Biomechanics Research (CEBR)

Lab director – Peter Pidcoe, PT, DPT, Ph.D.

This 1,200-square-foot research laboratory is located in the Department of Physical Therapy. The lab participates in collaborative research in the fields of motor control, biomechanics and human performance. Collaborations include members of the schools of medicine, engineering and nursing, in addition to outside institutions.

Current projects

• Development of a Robotic Gait Trainer – Cost effective gait trainer targeted for use in a hemi-paretic stroke population.
• Computational Modeling of the Instantaneous Helical Axis of Rotation of the Knee – Identifying the intersection of the tibial and fibular rotation on the meniscus.
• Botox for Non-surgical Lateral Release in Patellofemoral Pain – Double-blind comparison Botox use in reducing patellofemoral pain.
• Development of a Prone Progressive Crawler – Robotic trainer to assist quadraped ambulation in children with movement disorders.
• Vestibular and Visual Systems Comparison in Elite Athletes – Comparison of developmental differences between female gymnasts and age matched non-gymnasts.
• Balance and Vision Differences in Hearing Impaired Children – Investigating the role of vision in balance and postural control in children with vestibular deficits.
• Visual Feedback Phase Delays – Investigating the impact of visual feedback phase delays during balance tasks.
• Ankle Sprain Prediction – Development of a fatigue monitor to predict performance changes in athletes.

Funded proposals

• Development and Evaluation of the Self-initiated Prone Progression Crawler. Co-investigator; principle investigator: Thubi Kolobe (University of Oklahoma). Physical Therapy Foundation. 2008-09.
• The Effect of Training on a Modified Elliptical Device on Functional Mobility in a Hemiparetic Patient Population. Principle investigator. AD Williams Research Grant, Virginia Commonwealth University. 2008-09.
• Development and Evaluation of the Self-initiated Prone Progression Crawler. Co-investigator; principle investigator: Thubi Kolobe (University of Oklahoma). Presbyterian Health Foundation, University of Oklahoma. 2006-07.
• Effects of Endurance Exercise Training on Biobehavioral Outcomes of Fatigue in Women with Breast Cancer. Co-investigator; principle investigator: Sadeeka Al-Majid (Department of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University. Oncology Nursing Foundation. 2004-05.

• Development of an Upper Extremity Joint Stiffness Measurement Robot for Use in Parkinson’s Patients. Co-investigator; principle investigator: Peter Lum (Department of Bioengineering, Virginia Commonwealth University). Veterans Administration Grant, McGuire Hospital. 2003-04.
• Botox for Non-surgical Lateral Release in Patellofemoral Pain. Co-investigator; principle investigator: David Drake (Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University). Medical Society of Virginia Foundation. 2003-04.

• Effects of Structured Endurance Exercise Training on Biobehavioral Outcomes of Fatigue in Women with Breast Cancer. Co-investigator; principle investigator: Sadeeka Al-Majid (Department of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University). Pilot proposal for RFA NR-04-001 for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Biobehavioral Clinical Research. 2003-04.
• Influence of Vision on Dynamic Balance during Walking. Co-investigator; principle investigator Ronita Cromwell (University of Texas Medical Branch). National Institutes of Health NIDCD R15. 2002-04.
• Hip Motor Control Assessment: Comparing Physical Exam Techniques with Quantitative Motion Analysis in Normal Subjects and Subjects with Lower Limb Musculoskeletal Injury. Principle investigator. AD Williams Research Grant, Virginia Commonwealth University. 2002-03.
• A Biomechanical Evaluation of the Functional Movement Screen. Principle investigator. Reebok Inc. 2001-02.
• Effects of Resistance Exercise on Cancer-induced Muscle Wasting in Rats. Co-investigator; principle investigator: Sadeeka Al-Majid (Department of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University). AD Williams Research Grant, Virginia Commonwealth University. 2001-02.
• Determining Forces on the Anterior Cruciate Ligament during the Performance of Closed-kinetic-chain Exercises. Principle investigator. AD Williams Research Grant, Virginia Commonwealth University. 2000-01.
• Development of WEB-based Course Materials for Kinesiology and Biomechanics. Principle investigator. VCU Mentoring Program Award. Virginia Commonwealth University. 2000-01.

Equipment

These grants continue to support ongoing and pilot research programs that require sophisticated instrumentation or complex data collection/processing as part of their design. The facility provides an integrated collection of the latest motion tracking equipment, force measurement equipment and muscle measurement systems:

• Kinematics – six degrees of freedom, 10-channel kinematic tracking system (Motion Monitor, IST Inc.)
• Kinematics – six degrees of freedom, four-channel kinematic tracking system (Polhemus)
• Kinetics – Kistler and Bertec force plates – used to collect ground reaction force data for inverse dynamic modeling
• EMG – three kinesiologic EMG systems (Electrotherapeutics and Noraxon)
• Eye tracking – Eyelink II eye tracker with integrated scene camera
• Balance – custom force-plate measurement system to assess dynamic balance performance
• Photocell timers – for event markers and gait velocity measurements
• 2-D sonic digitizer – to digitize single or sequential body position changes
• Video/VCR camera for qualitative movement analysis
• Dynamometers – KinCom and BioDex
• Data reduction and analysis software: MATLAB and Lab-View

Doctoral students conducting research in this lab:

• Courtney Bradford

Biomedical engineering graduate students conducting research in this lab:

• Emily Carney
• Davis Gentry
• Laura Maple
• Kristen Morgan
• Harshad Hedge

Recent graduates:

• Evie N. Burnet, PT, DPT, Ph.D. (2004-08)
• M Dyer Diehl, PT, Ph.D. (2003-07) – Assistant professor, University of Indianapolis
• Michael L. Madigan, Ph.D. (1999-2001) – Associate professor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Collaborators:

• Ross A. Arena, PT, Ph.D., FACSM, FAACVPR, FAHA – Virginia Commonwealth University
• Ellen Casey, MD – Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
• Jeffery Ericksen, MD – McGuire VA Hospital
• Sheryl Finucane, PT, Ph.D. – Virginia Commonwealth University
• David Gator, MD – McGuire VA Hospital
• Thube Kolobe, PT, Ph.D. – University of Oklahoma
• William E. Nordt, MD – West End Orthopedic Clinic Henrico Doctors, Saint Francis Medical Center
• Diane Pollock, Ph.D. – Virginia Commonwealth University
• Mary Shall, PT, Ph.D. – Virginia Commonwealth University
• James Thomas, PT, Ph.D. – University of Ohio
• Paul Wetzel, Ph.D. – Virginia Commonwealth University