NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation Laboratory
At NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation Laboratory (NERL) we discover functional mechanisms of sensorimotor control and develop objective assessments of movement deficits and motor skills. By studying the dynamics of neural circuits through neuromechanical interactions, we strive to improve the diagnosis and treatment of sensorimotor impairments after neural and musculoskeletal injuries. Understanding mathematically these neuromechanical interactions will help develop more intuitive human-machine interfaces, quantify sensorimotor deficits after neuromuscular damage, and guide the development of new interventions.
Our multidisciplinary research program comprises computational and experimental studies using non-invasive electromyography, motion capture, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation used during motion with complex dynamics defined by virtual reality. This setup enables the shaping of human behavior in a way that minimizes noise across individuals while revealing meaningful biomechanical and neurological differences. The analysis of the obtained rich dataset using dynamical musculoskeletal modeling helps derive the functional mechanisms of the neural control of movement and quantify motor deficits caused by stroke and other conditions.
Become familiar with our methods:
Talkington, W. J., Pollard, B. S., Olesh, E. V., and Gritsenko, V. (2015) Multifunctional setup for studying human motor control using transcranial magnetic stimulation, electromyography, motion capture, and virtual reality. JoVE (103), e52906, PMCID: PMC4692582Â
Taitano, R. I., Yough, M. T., Hanna, K., Korol, A. S., and Gritsenko, V. (2024) Setup for the Quantitative Assessment of Motion and Muscle Activity During Virtual Box and Block Test. JoVE: JoVE65736. DOI: 10.3791/65736
More videos of what we do are here!
Location:
Rooms 149 & 151, Erma Byrd Biomedical Research Facility
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
Phone: (304) 293 7976
