- Series
- Applied and Computational Mathematics Seminar
- Time
- Friday, April 17, 2015 - 2:05pm for 1 hour (actually 50 minutes)
- Location
- Skiles 005
- Speaker
- Stephen Sprigle – Schools of Industrial Design and Applied Physiology, Georgia Tech
- Organizer
- Guillermo Goldsztein
The Rehabilitation Engineering and Applied Research Lab (REARLab) performs
both experimental research and product development activities focused on
persons with disabilities. The REARLab seeks collaboration from the School
of Mathematics on 2 current projects. This session will introduce
wheelchair seating with respect to pressure ulcer formation and present two
projects whose data analysis would benefit from applied mathematics.
3D Tissue Deformation- Sitting induces deformation of the
buttocks tissues. Tissue deformation has been identified as the underlying
cause of tissue damage resulting from external loading. The REARLab has
been collecting multi-planar images of the seated buttocks using MRI. This
data clearly shows marked differences between persons, as expected. We are
interested in characterizing tissue deformation as a combination of
displacement and distortion. Some tissues- such as muscle- displace
(translate within the sagittal, coronal and transverse planes) and distort
(change shape). Other tissue such as skin and subcutaneous fat, simple
distorts. We seek a mathematical means to characterize tissue deformation
that reflects its multi-planar nature.
Categorizing Weight-shifting behaviors - many wheelchair users have
limitations to their motor and/or sensory systems resulting in a risk of
pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers occur when localized loading on the skin
causes ischemia and necrosis. In an attempt to reduce risk of pressure
ulcer occurrence, wheelchair users are taught to perform weight-shifts.
Weight shifts are movements that re-distribute loads off the buttocks for
short periods of time. The REARLab is measuring weight shifting behaviors
of wheelchair users during their everyday lives. We seek a means to
classify patterns of behavior and relate certain patterns to healthy
outcomes versus other patterns that result in unhealthy outcomes.