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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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BioE Ph.D. Defense
Pawel Golyski
Monday, July 11, 2022, 10:00 AM EST
Location: GTMI 101 (First Floor Auditorium)
Link: https://gatech.zoom.us/j/92501960261?pwd=MFl0RFRLczBDbG1nZTViaHJPLytkUT09
Advisor:
Gregory S. Sawicki, Ph.D.
Committee:
T. Richard Nichols, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Lena H. Ting, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University)
Young-Hui Chang, Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Keith E. Gordon, Ph.D. (Northwestern University)
Tuning biomechanical energetics with an exoskeleton to improve stability during walking
Exoskeletons are promising tools to improve multiple aspects of our daily lives – they can increase our strength, improve our efficiency during walking and running, and lower our risk of injury during tasks such as lifting. Further, passive exoskeletons with elastic elements can be lighter and cheaper than their motor-driven counterparts, while also being able to assist us by modulating the mechanics of muscles and biological joints. However, one critical aspect of locomotion which we do not understand the influence of passive exoskeletons on is stability. This overall project addresses the interaction between the areas of locomotion stability, muscle mechanics, and passive exoskeleton assistance through the lens of mechanical energetics with two principal aims: 1) to determine the multi-scale response to transient mechanical energy demands of proximal joints and muscles, and 2) to evaluate the influence of a passive hip exoskeleton on stability during perturbed walking. By addressing these aims, this work provides valuable initial insights into the role of proximal joints and muscles in responding to perturbations during walking in humans and establishes the potential of passive exoskeletons for improving stability in daily life.