Domain
Ergonomics-Biomechanics

The Domain`s primary research areas focus on Ergonomics and Biomechanics concerning agricultural tasks and quality of life.

Our Vision

Ergonomic
interventions

 Assist the agricultural workers by optimizing the worker-workplace interface, improving the tools as well as examining techniques to prevent employees from awkward postures, repetitive motions and excessive forces

Human and animal
movement biology

Aim at the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of locomotor dysfunction

Engineering principles of
design and analysis

Investigation of musculoskeletal impairments, aiming at quality of life improvement

Research Applications

Knee Osteoarthritis Prediction

Agricultural workers are very vulnerable to developing Knee OsteoArthritis (KOA), which is a degenerative “wear-and-tear” type of arthritis . KOA develops slowly but the pain it encompasses worsens over time, affecting to a great extent the ability of agricultural workers. Prevention of osteoarthritis is multi-factorial and requires a versatile investigation for the purpose of developing, implementing and evaluating of ergonomic improvements. We apply advanced classification models suitable for very large data sets to overcome the problem of high dimensionality compared to the existing statistical techniques applied to the KOA risk prediction problem.    

Simulation-based Musculoskeletal Biomechanics

Biomechanical simulations have become an important tool for investigating musculoskeletal impairments associated either with misuse, such as tissue overload of farmers during agricultural works, or with diseases, such as osteoarthritis and muscular dystrophy. 

We develop analytical and finite element-based computational modeling approaches in order to understand the role of mechanics in biological systems, to make predictions about the stress and strain fields developed in biological tissues, and to evaluate hypotheses in silico, aiming at discovering new therapeutic treatments for musculoskeletal dysfunctions or improving the existing ones, and proposing novel ergonomic interventions for agricultural workers.

3D finite element model of the knee joint

Simulation of contact pressures (MPa) on the menisci and cartilages during the stance phase of gate

Multi-scale biomechanical modeling – From the level of the whole body to the level of tissue cells
Stress analysis of a human foot

Application of Motion Capture Technologies in Animal and Human Locomotion

We seek fundamental understanding of the mechanisms involved in the production of movement by using Motion Capture Technologies, and we are motivated by opportunities to improve treatments for Farm Animals and Humans with movement disorders. Recently we have focused particularly on the development of motion analysis methods based on AI techniques such as Deep Learning (Convolutional Neural Networks).

Indicative Projects

SAFEACL

25/07/2018 - 24/05/2022
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OACTIVE

01/11/2017 - 31/10/2020
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BACCHUS

01/01/2020 - 31/12/2022
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SYNERGIE

22/08/2018 - 21/08/2021
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SYNERGIE