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Steven A. Gard, PhD
Director, Prosthetics Research Laboratory and Rehabilitation 
     Engineering Research Program
Director, VA Chicago Motion Analysis Research Laboratory
Research Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and
     Rehabilitation
Research Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering Department
Curriculum Vitae | (312) 238-6500 |

Research Interests: I am interested in human movement, particularly in areas of rehabilitation. Many of the projects that I’m involved with focus on the biomechanics of able-bodied and pathological gait. Our goal is to better understand normal gait, and to use that knowledge to evaluate and improve the gait of persons who walk with prosthetic or orthotic devices. Results from our work may enable us to develop more functional lower-extremity prosthetic and orthotic components.

Edward C. Grahn
Associate Director, Prosthetics Research Laboratory and Rehabilitation
     Engineering Research Program
Associate, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Curriculum Vitae | (312) 238-6505 |

Research Interests: Prosthetics; mechanical and electromechanical device development

Dudley S. Childress, PhD
Director Emeritus, Prosthetics Research Laboratory and Rehabilitation
     Engineering Research Program
Professor Emeritus, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and
     Biomedical Engineering Department
 Curriculum Vitae  | (312) 238-6502 |

Research Interests:  My present research and development activities are concentrated in the areas of biomechanics, human walking, artificial limbs, orthoses, ambulation aids, and rehabilitation engineering. This involves the design and development of modern technological systems for persons with limb loss (prostheses) or existing limb disability (orthoses). The work is applied but is conducted with a basic-research approach that seeks general understanding in addition to achievement of tangible goals. The concept is that understanding will facilitate advancements in designs and lead to new applications. The research and development activities are carried on in the Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Feinberg School of Medicine (Northwestern University) in conjunction with the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and with the Dept. of Biomedical Engineering (Evanston, IL). The main laboratories for the work, the Prosthetics Research Laboratory and the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Program, are physically located within the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

I'm working on the Shape and Roll Foot, a polypropylene foot designed for use in low-income countries and based on the theoretical principle of a circular roll-over shape that is similar to the shape of the human foot during normal walking. I am also working on mathematical models of walking.