Tag: Sports Science

Suit up with a robot to walk and run more easily

Between walking at a leisurely pace and running for your life, human gaits can cover a wide range of speeds. Typically, we choose the gait that allows us to consume the least amount of energy at a given speed. For example, at low speeds, the metabolic rate of walking is lower than that of running

How a popular antidepressant drug could rewire the brain

Prozac®, the trade name for the drug fluoxetine, was introduced to the U.S. market for the treatment of depression in 1988. Thirty years later, scientists still don’t know exactly how the medication exerts its mood-lifting effects. Now, researchers report that, in addition to the drug’s known action on serotonin receptors, fluoxetine could rearrange nerve fibers

Calcium-based MRI sensor enables more sensitive brain imaging: System detects direct signals of neural activity; could reveal patterns underlying behavior

MIT neuroscientists have developed a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sensor that allows them to monitor neural activity deep within the brain by tracking calcium ions. Because calcium ions are directly linked to neuronal firing — unlike the changes in blood flow detected by other types of MRI, which provide an indirect signal — this

First dynamic spine brace — robotic spine exoskeleton — characterizes spine deformities: Designed by Columbia Engineers, RoSE is first device to measure 3-D stiffness of human torso, could lead to new treatments for children with spine deformities such as idiopathic scoliosis and kyphosis

Spine deformities, such as idiopathic scoliosis and kyphosis (also known as “hunchback”), are characterized by an abnormal curvature in the spine. The children with these spinal deformities are typically advised to wear a brace that fits around the torso and hips to correct the abnormal curve. Bracing has been shown to prevent progression of the