| | | Capabilities is NU Prosthetics Research Laboratory and Rehabilitation Engineering Research Program’s (NUPRL & RERP) quarterly publication. Published since 1991, Capabilities is available free of charge by internet or post to individuals who are interested in prosthetics and orthotics.
Capabilities is written to inform persons involved in all aspects of prosthetics and orthotics (P&O), including consumers, clinicians, manufacturers and fellow investigators. Articles feature stories that are of interest to people who develop and use prostheses and orthoses. Reports include information about the research, presentations, publications and other activities conducted by the staff and students of the NUPRL & RERP and NUPOC, the prosthetics and orthotics school.
Capabilities is available free of charge by internet or post to individuals who are interested in prosthetics and orthotics.
To read Capabilities, visit this site often or send your subscription request to Capabilities, Northwestern University PRL & RERP, 345 East Superior Street, Room 1441, Chicago, IL 60611. You may e-mail your request to reiu@northwestern.edu or call (312) 238-6500. NOTE: All Capabilities are in the Adobe PDF format. You will need the Adobe Reader, which is available for FREE, to view these documents.
Summer 2008
Featured articles: In this issue of Capabilities, Lexyne McNealy Jackson, M.S., reviews ways to evaluate balance and stability. An article about Mrs. Tatjana Mauch notes with regret her passing and remembers her philanthropic work supporting prosthetics engineering research at the Northwestern University Prosthetics Research Laboratory. R. J. Garrick, Ph.D., spotlights new opportunities in biomedical engineering research through the role of John H. Linehan, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Translational Innovation at Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS). Read other articles that focus on the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) and Joann Williams, who is one of its Soldier Family Management Specialists; the departure of NUPOC’s Mark L. Edwards to accept a position with Otto Bock Healthcare; the experiences of prosthetists in training at NUPOC, and NURERC graduate student, Charles Wang. Spring 2008
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities features “Model Simulations of Partial Foot Amputation Gait While Wearing Shoes” written by NURERC’s Andrew Hansen, Ph.D., and Stefania Fatone, Ph.D., and La Trobe University’s Michael Dillon, Ph.D. Discover how marker placement on the shoe may result in exaggerated range of motion measurements at the ankle during dorsiflexion at three levels of partial foot amputation. “Where Education and Engineering Meet” by R. J. Garrick, Ph.D., reports on NURERC graduate students who participated in Get-a-Grip, the educational outreach program that teaches prosthetics engineering concepts to eighth graders. Other articles chronicle an exchange of research interests between NURERC and visitors from the Nacional Autónoma Universidad de México (UNAM), University of Illinois, and MIT-Harvard.
Winter 2008
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities features “Bionic Arms and Human Performance,” written by NURERC research engineer, Craig Heckathorne, M.Sc., who compares the performance of physiologic and prosthetic hands and elbows. The next article “Step Length Modulation in Able-Bodied Persons” is written by biomedical engineering doctoral student, Pinata Sessoms, M.S., and NURERC director, Steven A. Gard, Ph.D., who discuss ways able-bodied walkers alter their step length and speed. R. J. Garrick, Ph.D., editor of Capabilities, offers a ten year retrospective in memory of Margaret C. Pfrommer. Also, read articles about outreach and educational activities conducted by NURERC researchers. Autumn 2007
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities features “Models and Measurements of Spinal Motion during Ambulation,” written by biomedical engineering graduate, Regina J. Konz, Ph.D. The next two articles examine vascular insufficiency, advanced diabetes and partial foot amputation. Stefania Fatone, Ph.D., reviews "Studies of the Biomechanics of Gait of Persons with Partial Foot Amputation," while an associated article emphasizes VA programs that prevent limb loss due to diabetes. Also, read about visits to NUPRL & RERP by distinguished scientists such as NSF’s Robert J. Jaeger, Ph.D., and La Trobe University’s Michael Dillon, Ph.D., BPO(Hons). Summer 2007
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities features articles by two NUPRL & RERP graduate students. The first article is “Investigating the Effects of Surface Inclination and Prosthetic Alignment on the Biomechanics of Standing” by Brian Ruhe, M.S. The second article is "Prosthetic Foot and Ankle with Mechanical Adaptation for Inclined Surfaces" by Ryan Williams, B.S. Learn more about Mr. Ruhe and his work in this issue’s “Brian Ruhe: Mind, Body, Spirit” and “Eager Students Attend NURERC’s Outreach Program.” Spring 2007
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities features articles by two NUPRL & RERP graduate students. The first article is entitled "Stance-Control Knee Ankle Foot Orthoses" by Angelika Zissimopoulos, M.S., and the second is entitled "Preliminary Findings for a Study of the Dynamics of RGO Gait" by William Johnson, B.E. Winter 2007
Featured article: This issue of Capabilities describes the recent celebration held to honor the 40-year career of Dudley S. Childress, Ph.D. Winter 2007 (extra)
Featured article: This supplemental issue of Capabilities emphasizes Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center's (NUPOC) continued commitment to hands-on training as an important component in their new blended learning curriculum for training future prosthetists and orthotists. Autumn 2006
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities focuses on the new blended learning curriculum for prosthetics and orthotics education at the Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center (NUPOC). Summer 2006
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities focuses on a recent visit by Edward Pennington-Ridge, President of Elegant Design and Solutions Ltd., located in Wales, UK. The article discusses his work on new prosthetic technologies and landmine removal. Also, another article summarizes the results of our online survey and forum on the state of prosthetics and orthotics research. Spring 2006
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities provides an overview of NUPRL & RERP's State of the Science Meeting in Prosthetics and Orthotics Research, which was held on February 28, 2006. This issue also features an article about the life and career of Dr. Ken Akashi who was instrumental in the development and promoting of clinical rehabilitation medicine in Japan. Winter 2006
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities highlights the research being conducted at NUPRL & RERP by graduate students. Autumn 2005
Featured article: This issue of Capabilities features an article on the recent IEEE 9th International Congress on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR): Frontiers of the Human-Machine Interface (June 28 - July 1, 2005) held in Chicago, IL. Dr. Richard Weir was a co-chair for the international conference. In this article, Dr. Weir reports on the purpose of the conference and highlights the many innovations presented.  Summer 2005
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities features an article by Andrew Hansen, PhD titled, "A Learning Experience in India." This article describes Dr. Hansen's (far right in picture) trip to India where he learned about the technologies available for fabricating lower-limb prostheses. Also, Michael Yoshida, MD, PhD and R. J. Garrick, PhD have written an article entitled, "Long Term Care in Japan". Their article details efforts in Japan to provide long-term treatment to the severely disabled.
Spring 2005
Featured articles: This issue of Capabilities spotlights the work of two individuals, Jonathon W. Sensinger, MS and Po-Fu Su, MS, both of whom recently defended their Master's theses in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University. Jon Sensinger's work focuses on nonbackdrivable impedance control for use as a control paradigm in prostheses. Po-Fu Su's work focuses on prosthetic ankle motion and its affects on bilateral transtibial amputees. Winter 2005
Featured articles: Articles dedicated to the memory of Jan Little and her life spent breaking new ground, promoting assistive technology, and opening new horizons for people with disabilities. Also, an article by Stefania Fatone, PhD entitled, "AFO Study Draws to a Close: An Investigation of the Effect on Gait of Ankle Alignment and Foot-plate Length" is featured. View Capabilities Archives
Capabilities is a free quarterly newsletter that highlights research, news, and events at Northwestern University Prosthetics Research Laboratory and Rehabilitation Engineering Research Program. This work is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the Deparment of Education. | | |
