This laboratory is used for biomechanical studies of runners and the evaluation of factors that contribute to footwear comfort.
Below is a list of the equipment used in this lab.
1. Temperature and Humidity Testing Equipment
- Sensors attached to socks are capable of measuring relative humidity, temperature and dewpoint.
- Sensors record digital data points at a specified rate.
- Used to investigate the breathability and thermal comfort of footwear.
2. AMTI Force Plate
- Force plate is set into a 46' x 4' runway.
- Runway area provides testers with an adequate space to jog or walk so that information collected from the force plate is representative of their natural footstrike.
- Measures the forces and moments generated during a foot step, and uses this information to identify patterns of weight distribution on the foot.
- Information can be used to characterize an individual's foot strike pattern.
3. VICON Motion Capture System
- Uses multiple cameras placed at different angles to measure motion in real-time.
- Detects position of reflective markers worn by test subjects in absolute dimensions and relative to one another.
- Information can be used to analyze the physiological effects of different footwear on the subject.
- System can be integrated with AMTI Force Plate to determine reaction forces relative to 3-Dimensional Motion
4. Oxford Foot Model
- Reflective marker set used in conjunction with Vicon motion capture.
- Allows for accurate and precise measurement of lower-body kinematics, focusing on the joint segments in a single foot.
- The Oxford foot model marker set, used to study precise movement of the segments of the foot.
- This model is fully integrated into Vicon for quick and accurate data collection.
5. Plug-In Gait marker set
- Reflective marker sets used in conjunction with Vicon motion capture.
- Allows for accurate and precise measurement of lower body kinematics.
- The Plug-in Gait marker set is a more comprehensive model that does not focus on one particular joint but rather allows for measurements of many lower-body movements.
- Plug-in Gait software does inverse dynamics calculations to automatically determine joint forces and moments.
6. PAROTEC Pressure Sensor System
- Evaluates the pressure distribution of a foot step.
- Identifies irregularities of a footstep by highlighting areas of concentrated stress due to high pressures.
- This information can be used to characterize an individual's foot step.
- Can provide information on an individual's proper footwear requirements.