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MAC-Lab Facility

School of Podiatric Medicine

School of Podiatric Medicine MAC-Lab Facility

Equipment

The Lab is equipped with the latest biomechanic motion analysis hardware and software, including an eight camera 3D infrared motion analysis system, two force plates, one 12 foot long pressure mapping gait platform, wireless in-shoe pressure mapping sensors, superficial EMG systems, one wireless triaxial accelerometer, two high speed video cameras and the latest finite element modeling software.

Vicon Three Dimensional Infrared Motion Analysis Equipment

Three-dimensional optoelectronic infrared video cameras coordinate markers and calculate the internal centers of rotation within each joint (shoulder, pelvis, hip, knee and ankle), outputting the changes in angle projected onto the three main planes of the body (frontal, sagittal and transversal).

MAC-Lab Kinematics

Motion Analysis Center (MAC) Lab

MAC-Lab 800 Square Foot Flexible Motion Capture Space; Featuring (8) Vicon High Speed 3D Inferred Motion Analysis Cameras & (2) Vicon High Speed High Definition 2D Motion Analysis Cameras.

Vicon Software

Vicon Nexus software, a Life-science specific motion capture software system, facilitates simple optical and dynamic video calibration, allows visualization of 3D marker tracking and video in real-time, and synchronizes kinematics and video with analog kinetic (i.e. force plate) data. Post-processing in Nexus results in data that can be sent to additional software programs for statistical analysis, visualization, and presentation.

Gait Force Plates

Seamlessly embedded in the floor, our AMTI biomechanics force platforms are designed to measure forces and movements applied to their top surface. These sensory plates are used for the highest accuracy force measurements in the x, y and z axes, enabling us to collect forces and moments in every direction through every joint.

MAC-Lab Kinetics

Motion Analysis Center (MAC) Lab

MAC-Lab Gait platform; Featuring (2) in-ground AMTI force plates & (1) 12 foot long Tekscan plantar pressure walkway.

Tekscan P-mat Pressure Analysis Platform

Our pressure mapping platform is used to translate force analysis over a longer distance. The P-mat quantifies components of force and identifies asymmetries during stance phase and areas of potential ulcerations. This system provides individual data for the left and right feet in regards to the gait cycle, step-stride parameters, and symmetry scores as well as automated calculations of an array of gait parameters. Individual stances (foot strikes) are automatically detected and labeled as left or right and numbered from first to last stance. Foot segmentation is applied to calculate toe-in or toe-out angle, compared to the line of progression, very useful information for determining gait abnormalities, foot pathology and potential ulcer sites.

Tekscan F-scan In-shoe Pressure Mapping System

This system captures dynamic in-shoe pressure, force and timing information for foot function and gait analysis. Information obtained from the F-Scan is used in real-world applications, like designing and testing orthotics, offloading diabetic feet, and evaluating footwear and techniques in elite athletes’ information between foot and footwear.

Tekscan Software

The Sway Analysis Module is an integrated software module that provides an assortment of parameters such as weight bearing, symmetry, center of force, direction and amount of sway, and pressure distribution to analyze balance and sway.

The Timing Analysis Module is an integrated software module that provides an assortment of foot strike timing parameters, determines percent phases of gait and illustrates left and right asymmetries, and compares the subject’s gait to normal range values.

Electromyography

The synchronisation of the electromyographic signal with the kinematics and kinetics allows for an assessment not only of muscle activation but also the exact moment at which this occurs during human movement.

Wireless Triaxial Accelerometer G-Walk

This wireless system consists of an inertial sensor composed of a triaxial accelerometer, a magnetic sensor, and a triaxial gyroscope that, when positioned on L5, allows a functional gait analysis. The system extrapolates from the data acquired from all the spatial-temporal gait parameters.

Vicon Bonita High Speed 2 Dimensional Video Cameras

Two Bonita 720c cameras provide high-definition digital video that is synchronized with 3D motion data at a rate of up to 120 frames per second. These cameras provide sagittal and frontal plane views of all data collection sessions and can be moved within the lab to optimize movement analysis as needed.

Materialise Mimics Finite Element Modeling Software

Materialise Mimics is software specially developed by Materialise for medical image processing. Use Mimics for the segmentation of 3D medical images (coming from CT, MRI, micro-CT, CBCT, 3D Ultrasound, Confocal Microscopy) and the result will be highly accurate 3D models of your patient’s anatomy. You can then use these patient-specific models for a variety of engineering applications directly in Materialise Mimics or Materialise 3-matic, or export the 3D models and anatomical landmark points to 3rd party software like statistical, CAD, or FEA packages.

Noraxon Myo Motion and Myo Metrics System

The Noraxon software module features an intricate and sophisticated toolset capable of handling any type of neuromuscular-kinesiological data captured with our Ultium-ESP sensors, as well as any other legacy EMG systems. Real-time data is automatically synchronized in an all-in-one analysis, enabling detailed insight for performance enhancement, injury recovery or research metrics.

Research, publication and community service contributions of The MAC-Lab and School of Podiatric Medicine since 2012:

Brand Center Research Activity

  • Florida Diabetic Amputation Prevention Project (Fall 2012-Spring 2014) (enabled the purchase of additional gait analysis equipment which led to the collaboration and formation of the MAC-Lab)

MAC-Lab Research Activity

  • Derma Science; TCC Application; (Fall 2014-Spring 2015)
  • Derma Science; Total Contact Cast Plantar Pressure; Plantar Pressure Tibial Position (Spring 2015)
  • Heel Defender Corporation Pilot; In Conjunction with Harvard Medical School (June 2016)
  • Delaware State University/ University of Maryland/ Baltimore VA Geriatric Research Education Center and Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Ankle Bot research (Fall 2016)
  • Mat Market: University of Tennessee/Delaware State University; Management of Distal Lower Extremity Injuries Measuring Efficacy of Prophylactic use of Non-Custom Foot Orthosis in Collegiate Sports (Summer 2017- Spring 2019)

Grant Proposal Submissions

  • Department of Defense: The Heel Defender: A Novel Orthotic Device to offload the Heel and Improve Function Following Limb Impairment (Fall 2016)
  • American Academy of Orthotics and Prosthetics: “Examining pressure and friction reduction inside footwear: Do low friction garments in support surfaces influence simply friction and shear or pressure redistribution also?†(Spring 2016) submitted; Not funded
  • American Academy of Orthotics and Prosthetics: “Analysis of Plantar pressure and compression threshold in diabetic footwear materials.†(Spring 2017)
  • 51²Ö¿â Faculty Stimulus Grant. (Spring 2017)
  • American Academy of Orthotics and Prosthetics: “Measuring Neuromuscular Efficiency during Specific Athlete Movement with the use Non- Custom Foot Orthotics.†(Spring 2017)

Services

  • Miami Heat Basketball Organization
  • Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital; Gait Laboratory projects
  • Children’s Rehabilitation Network; Multiple Gait Analysis and Biomechanics assessment
  • Wayne Rosen Prosthetics and Orthotics; Gait Analysis and Patient Orthopedic Appliance assessment
  • 51²Ö¿â SPM Biomechanics Club

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journals

  • Homer V, Pflug J (2013) “When Pathology Meets Overuse; Treating Sport Injuries and Assisting Other Allied Health Professionals.†Current Pedorthics, 10(2): 40-42.
  • Homer V (2015) “Evidence Based Practice For Pedorthic Devices That Prevent Ulcer Recurrence.†Current Pedorthics, 47(1): 13-14
  • Homer V, Harlis M, Norris M (2015) “Propulsion: The Use of the Morton’s Extension in Athletics Old Remedy or Innovative Healthy Advantage.†Current Pedorthics, 47(1): 9-10
  • Homer V, Anwar Z, Saxton J, Ludwig K, Egret C (2015) “Kinematic Analysis of Tibial Position Related to Peak Plantar Pressure Inside Total Contact Cast Systems.†Current Pedorthics, 47(4): 37-39
  • Jenson J, Homer V, Pena C (2015) “Diabetic Amputation Prevention Project I.†Current Pedorthics, 47(4): 22-27
  • Homer V (2017) “Preferred Movement Pathway: A Balancing Act.†Current Pedorthics, 49(3): 18-23
  • Homer V (2017) “Characterizing Gait; A brief profile of the process of energy†Current Pedorthics, 49(4): 44-48

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