Resources


The Human Movement Performance Lab collaborates within an active, dedicated, and well-supported research environment at UNTHSC


Institution

Hmp Unthsc The University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) is one of the nation’s leading graduate academic medical centers, located on a 33-acre campus in Fort Worth, TX. It comprises five schools dedicated to patient-centered education, research, and healthcare. The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine recently ranked 36th among all U.S. medical schools for primary care, consistently placing in the top 50 for the past 12 years, and is also recognized as a top 20 medical school for Hispanics.

UNTHSC operates with a budget exceeding $300 million, supporting 1,510 faculty and staff across 1.476 million square feet of state-of-the-art facilities. Sponsored research expenditures total $45.4 million, with externally sponsored awards growing 64% over five years, from $32.8 million in 2013 to over $84 million in 2022.

The campus features several key buildings, including a 140,000-square-foot Clinical Care Building, a 160,000-square-foot Center for Bio-Health, and a 120,000-square-foot Medical Education Building. Recently, a 170,000-square-foot Interdisciplinary Research and Education Building was completed, providing both teaching and research space.

UNTHSC’s mission is to create solutions for a healthier community, aligning directly with the proposed research.

Clinic

Hmp Clinic The UNT Health Science Center (UNTHSC) hosts the UNT Health System, a 160,000 sq. ft. clinical facility. This center serves patients from across the region, offering point-of-care evaluations and improving patient quality of life through a diverse range of medical specialties. Additionally, medical students and residents receive regular training in these clinics as part of their daily clinical practice.

Laboratory

  • Team Expertise
      • Since its establishment in 2007, the lab’s mission has been to generate new knowledge and technology to promote its effective use in real-world rehabilitation.
      • The lab has over a decade of expertise in capturing gait mechanics across various clinical populations:
          • Parkinson’s disease, Lower limb loss, Professional and pre-professional ballet dancers, Children with autism, Age-related deficiencies, Post-stroke individuals
  • Motion Capture Systems
      • The lab is integrated with state-of-the-art equipment to digitize human body movement
          • Equipment: 18 Motion capture cameras, EMG Systems, Balance systems, Gait Tracking systems
          • This system creates a digital 3D environment providing precise data to calculate temporal-spatial and kinematic measures
  • Laboratory Space
      • Dr. Patterson and the team have dedicated office space at HSC, complete with workstations, laptops, and the required analytical software.
      • Full-time staff offices and shared student spaces are located on the same floor to foster a collaborative environment.
      • Additionally, there are security procedures implemented in multiple layers to prevent data loss or corruption, a practice across all UNT System campuses.

Technology

  • Motion Capture System
      • Eagle-4 & Kestrel Infared Cameras (Motion Analysis Corp, Santa Rosa, CA, United States)
      • Real-time kinetics, dynamic force calculations and integrated with extremity calculation software
      • Integrated with a Delsys Trigno EMG system and AMTI Optima Force Plate
  • Transcutaneous Nerve and Muscle Stimulator
      • High Voltage Stimulator model DS7A ( Digitimer Ltd., Hertfordshire, UK)
          • A specialized device designed for delivering high voltage, constant current pulses of brief duration
  • Balance Testing Systems
      • BioSway model 950330, (BioDex Corp., Shirley, NY, United States)
          • A portable balance assessment and training system
          • Balance Evaluation and Training, Portable Design, Objective Measures
      • Portable Essential, (Bertec Corp., Columbus, OH, United States)
          • A clinical balance assessment device designed to provide a variety of balance and mobility assessments
          • Static Balance Tests, Weight Shifting Activities, Higher-Level Balance Testing, Customizable Therapy Programs
  • Wearable Sensor Systems
      • Motio, (STT Systems Corp., San Sebastian, San Sebastian, Spain)
          • A comprehensive motion analysis solution designed for sports scientists, clinicians, and researchers
          • 14 IMUs tracking gait trajectories, segment angles, and other parameters collected between 50 and 400 Hz
      • Loadsol, (Novel Electronics Inc., St. Paul, Minneapolis, United States)
          • A mobile, in-shoe force measurement system tracking the plantar force inside the shoe in both standing and dynamic movements
          • Utilizes a flexible, flat sensor that covers the entire plantar surface of the foot, records at 80-200Hz, and is BlueTooth LE-enabled
      • Trigno (Delsys Inc., Natick, Massachusetts, United States)
          • A mobile, high-performance electromyography (EMG) solution designed for research, medical, educational, and OEM applications
          • It offers a range of wireless sensors that can detect and transmit EMG signals, making it ideal for studying human movement and biomechanics