Institute of Mechanics

Theme 1

NVESTIGATION AND MODELING OF THE ANTHROPOMETRIC AND MASS-INERTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HUMAN BODY: BASIS FOR ANALYSIS OF HUMAN MOVEMENTS

Project team:

The research and development in the proposed project have the following directions:

1. Study of the mass-inertial characteristics of the human body and derivation of new results for the inertial characteristics of its main segments in different motion tasks.

Knowledge of the geometric and mass-inertial characteristics of the human body is of key importance in human motion analysis and many biomechanical activities. The current project aims at suggesting new mathematical models of the human body with the purpose of the determination of the mass-inertial characteristics of the Bulgarian men and women, as well as their computer realization. The models are applicable in medicine (orthopedics and traumatology), orthotics and prosthetics design, rehabilitation robotics, computer simulations, sports, ergonomics, criminology and other fields.

2. Analysis and optimization of motor control under different conditions and motion tasks:

Human movements with or without technical devices of rehabilitation are extremely complex for the analysis, modelling, control and optimisation of dynamic systems. Fulfilment of complicated requirements for positioning accuracy, movement execution time and energy expenditure is needed. To this aim, we develop parallel approaches for modelling, identification, controllability analysis, and optimal design of (bio-) mechatronic systems.

Current projects:

• Project DN 07/5 (2016-2021) with the National Science Fund of Bulgaria: “Study of anthropometric and mass-inertial characteristics of the Bulgarian men and women via mathematical models of the human body”, project leader: Assoc. Prof., PhD Gergana Nikolova

• “Wearable Robots for Augmentation, Assistance or Substitution of Human Motor Functions”, COST Action CA16116, March 2017 - September 2021, project leader: Dr Jan Veneman (ES).