Lab News
Orthotic and Prosthetic Innovative Technologies Conference
05/2018 - Last week, our lab's director, Lou Awad, PT, DPT, PhD, spoke at the UCSF Orthotic and Prosthetic Innovative Technologies Conference about soft robotic exosuits that enable more normal walking behavior in persons with weakness on just one side of the body.
BME Senior Design Project
05/2018 - Congratulations to undergraduate scholars Brady Reynolds and Amogh Chandupatla for a great biomedical engineering senior design presentation! Their project included the creation of a new sensor control system for the delivery of functional electrical stimulation to survivors of stroke during walking. Also, a big shout out to graduate researcher Andy Alvarez who mentored them throughout the process!
Feature Friday #1
04/2018 - We had a great time working with students from the Upward Bound Math Science program at Boston University. Students were able to see exosuits in action, see the power of electrical stimulation to activate muscle, and play with other technologies in the lab.
New clinical study in collaboration with ReWalk Robotics and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital!
04/2018 - Our lab is excited to kick off a multi-site clinical trial of the ReWalk Restore soft exosuit at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Read all about it here!
Spotlight of the Week #5
03/2018 - This Spotlight of the Week goes to undergraduate scholar Amogh Chandupatla! Amogh is a senior in the biomedical engineering program assisting in the development of rehabilitation technology. In the lab, he is currently working on creating an integrated system that combines functional electrical stimulation with real-time inertial motion tracking to assist pathological gait in stroke patients. You can also find Amogh busting moves on a competitive South Asian fusion dance team at Boston University!
Spotlight of the Week #4
03/2018 - This Spotlight of the Week goes to Candy Qiu! Candy first started in the lab last year as a Dean Moore Scholar and is now a laboratory research assistant. She is a sophomore in the 6-year physical therapy program in Sargent College. Candy runs the social media aspects of the lab and assists graduate researchers when needed. Her goal in the lab is to gain a better perspective on the research side of rehabilitation and to get to work with physical therapists. You will most likely find Candy shivering because she cannot handle the cold Boston winters (especially the blizzard today)!
Spotlight of the Week #3
03/2018 - This Spotlight of the Week goes to graduate researcher Andy Alvarez! He is a First-Year PhD student studying Rehabilitation Sciences. Andy manages the motion capture aspects of the lab, mentors undergraduate scholars, and collaborates with outside and visiting researchers. His goal in the lab is to conduct research that leads to tangible differences in the lives of patients and in clinical practices. You will never catch Andy holding a $5 latte in his hand because he might be the only graduate student worldwide who does not drink coffee!
Spotlight of the Week #2
02/2018 - This Spotlight of the Week shines of associated faculty member Julie Starr, PT, DPT (get it, Starr, shines, spotlight!). Julie is a certified clinical specialist in the area of cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy. Perhaps you didn’t even know that was possible, but it is. In the lab, she is helping a team of researchers who are studying the metabolic costs of exercises in participants who have had a stroke in the past. Julie also teaches in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Sargent College and provides patient care at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in their intensive care units. When she is not being a physical therapist, you will likely find her singing!
Featured Article in BU Today!
02/2018 - Move over, Iron Man! Check out a featured article in BU Today on our lab's work to create a soft robotic exosuit to help people who have had a stroke relearn how to walk. Read all about it here!
New Publication in the Journal of Biomechanics!
02/2018 - Check out our new publication in which we show how we quantify differences in how people who have had a stroke control their paretic and nonparetic limbs while walking. Read all about it on the lab's publication page or you can access the pdf directly here!