new publication + blog update

I can add a new publication to my (short) List of Publications:

I have also updated the list of my postdoctoral research interests, by adding a new section about 3D-printed components and mechanisms 😉

NEW blog page: Research – Postdoc(s)

I’ve added a brand new page to my blog! Just click here (or keep on reading this post) to know a bit more about my current research interests.

🙂

My biomedical and robotics engineering multidisciplinary background, along with the experience gained in the course of my doctoral program, allow me to accomplish different tasks. My main research interests are briefly summarized below.

Development of a software for hand rehabilitation

A 3D interface developed in Unity3D (C# language) is proposed for the purpose of processing in real time the data collected by one Leap Motion Controller connected to a common personal computer. The movements required by the rehabilitation program can be recorded by the physiotherapist and saved by the software as a set of reference models. The user is asked to select the movement they wish to practice via the Leap Motion Controller, thus without any invasive external device. Throughout the whole rehabilitation exercise, the software is able to detect in real time the orientation of the user’s hand phalanges and palm; those data are compared to the reference model (white hand in the figure above) and the accuracy of the performed movement is shown in real time by means of three different colors (green, orange and red segments in the figure above). The speed and the difficulty of the exercises can be progressively adjusted to the user’s needs: this allows to continuously provide challenging exercises as well as to keep track of the user’s improvements in accuracy. Besides being extremely low-cost and non-invasive, the proposed 3D interface is really user-friendly and is mainly intended to speed up the whole rehabilitation process.

Development of a lower limb exoskeleton for partial body weight support

My current research focuses on the design and manufacturing of a lower limb exoskeleton for partial body weight support. Such assistive devices is intended to be proposed to the following two communities:

• those people who suffer from muscle weakness problems (ie: upon long periods of hospitalisation, after injuries or accidents);
• those subjects who need specific rehabilitation programs where the residual mobility capabilities need to be progressively enhanced by lightweight and energy-efficient devices.

The key idea consists in joining the support provided by crutches and walkers to the advantages brought by a legged structure. The proposed lower limb exoskeleton should be as much portable as possible; partial body weight support should be continuously provided to the patient, so as to relieve a part of the efforts experienced by the lower limb muscles during daily life activities. The design must be at the same time robust and efficient, in order to provide support without affecting the user’s posture, balance and stability. Gait analysis is meant to be performed in real time during normal walking by processing the data of specific sensors (embedded in the shoe soles) collected by a compact Arduino system.

2015 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for my blog. Thank you very much, readers and followers! 🙂

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 22,000 times in 2015. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 8 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

andreacollo2.0 – new content, new layout

Hello everybody! 🙂

I’ve recently renewed my blog, here’s a short list of the latest updates:

• the content of my Bio and Contact pages;
• the descriptions of my PhD Thesis and Master Thesis research projects;
• the new format of my Curriculum Vitae (in english, french and italian);
• the new layout of this blog (Twenty Eleven theme), selected specifically to improve navigation and readability.

Upcoming: a new page describing my Postdoc research activity & updating the Links page… and hopefully a new entry in the Publications page 😉

Once again, thank you for your views and comments and… stay tuned!

 

2013 in review

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for my blog.

Click here to see the complete report.