Thesis Project Form
Title (tentative): A multimodal assessment of walking strategies adopted by healthy and Spinal Cord Injured individuals while using a new powered lower-limb exoskeleton.| Thesis advisor(s): Casadio Maura, Amy Bellitto, Camilla Pierella (DIBRIS, UNIGE), Antonino Massone, (Spinal Cord Italian Lab, Santa Corona Hospital), Gianluca Sesenna (U&O), Marta Baratto (EMAC) | E-mail: |
| Address: Via Opera Pia 13, 16145 Genova (ITALY) | Phone: (+39) 010 33 52749 |
Description
Motivation and application domain
Total or partial loss of locomotor function is one of the main consequences of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Therefore, the recovery of walking ability is one of the primary goals in the rehabilitation of SCI survivors. In recent years, an increasing number of rehabilitation centers have decided to integrate their rehabilitation treatments with the use of robotic exoskeletons. However, there is still the need to study and assess the changes on walking patterns due to exoskeletons–based training and the related underlying mechanisms.
General objectives and main activities
The long-term goal of this project is to evaluate the effects of a new powered exoskeleton on the walking ability of healthy and SCI individuals.
More in detail, we aim to investigate the effects of the exoskeleton assistance and mechanical structure on the walking patterns (in terms of electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) signals and kinematic data) of healthy and SCI individuals assessed while walking with and without the device
More in detail, we aim to investigate the effects of the exoskeleton assistance and mechanical structure on the walking patterns (in terms of electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) signals and kinematic data) of healthy and SCI individuals assessed while walking with and without the device
Training Objectives (technical/analytical tools, experimental methodologies)
The student(s) will learn to:
- Define, develop and test an experimental setup capable of combining different systems and techniques in order to collect multiple data signals synchronously;
- Elaborate and analyze kinematic, electromyographic and electroencephalographic data;
- Correlate data in order to have a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon;
- Define, develop and test an experimental setup capable of combining different systems and techniques in order to collect multiple data signals synchronously;
- Elaborate and analyze kinematic, electromyographic and electroencephalographic data;
- Correlate data in order to have a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon;
Place(s) where the thesis work will be carried out: NeuroLab (DIBRIS, UNIGE), Spinal Cord Italian Lab (Unità Spinale Unipolare, Ospedale Santa Corona, ASL2 Savonese, Pietra Ligure)
Additional information
Maximum number of students: 1