The Mechanobiology of body device interface interactions
Welcome to the Body Device Interface Mechanobiology Research Group! We are delighted to have you on board as we explore the intersection of engineering, life sciences, and clinical applications. Our research group is committed to advancing our knowledge of the biomechanical mechanisms that contribute to load transfer in the human body and developing innovative approaches to tackle a variety of clinical challenges.
Our team of researchers employs state-of-the-art technology, alongside biomechanical and biochemical assessments, to investigate the ways in which machines, particularly physical rehabilitation interventions, interact with human physiology. We believe that this interdisciplinary approach is crucial for improving user outcomes, including functionality and comfort, and enhancing our overall understanding of how the human body responds to mechanical loading conditions. This is particularly relevant in situations where tissue is not "designed" or has been compromised by disease, such as in prosthetics, orthotics, wheelchairs, backpacks, and bicycle saddles, to name a few.
We are excited about collaborating with you, sharing our knowledge and expertise, and making significant strides in the field of mechanobiology research. Thank you for joining us on this fascinating journey!
About the team
Prof. Arjan Buis leads a leading multi-disciplinary research group that specialises in the development and delivery of next-generation Assistive and Adaptive Rehabilitation Technologies (AaRT) including prosthetics, orthotics and soft robotics. Using advanced technology for biomechanical assessments the research group focus on advancing our understanding of the complexity of biomechanical mechanisms that contribute to the generation and control of load transfer forces. In addition, the research group develop the technology to integrate these biomechanical mechanisms into neural interfaces with the prosthetic/ Orthotic field. Dr Buis also has a specialised interest in “real world” evaluation of AaRT, Mechanobiology, advanced composites and component design-related topics with a focus on low and upcoming economies.
Dr Buis promotes collaborative cross-disciplinary research through an international network of partners, notably Google and promotes impact through relationships with multi-sector industry partners. He is extensively involved in the Centre of Excellence in Rehabilitation Research and a key academic in the National Centre for Prosthetics & Orthotics. He is also an active member of the Strathclyde Ageing Initiative and the Scottish Research Partnership in Engineering (SRPe).
Prof. Arjan Buis
Marisa is a postgraduate researcher at the University of Strathclyde. She has an MSc in Biomedical Engineering and is currently completing her PhD. She also works as a research assistant on the development of prosthetic silicone liners. Her main focus of work is on exploring the biological and physiological effects of prosthesis-related loading on the soft tissues of the residual limb, in particular skeletal muscle.
Research keywords/interests: deep tissue injury, prosthetics, mechanical loading, skeletal muscle, soft tissue health, animal model, microscopy, fluorescence imaging, histology, finite element analysis
DR Marisa Sargent
Thomas Arnstein is a PhD candidate based in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde and a member of the CDT in Prosthetics and Orthotics. He has a background in product design engineering and previously worked on a project developing innovative body-device interfacing products in the cycling industry. His PhD is on novel transtibial body/device interface design that facilitates more uniform loading of the residual limb than currently achieved and the effect this has on the transtibial residuum mechanobiology. To explore this, he is employing both benchtop and computational methods with the goal of reaching initial user testing.
Research keywords/interests: Prosthetic Socket Fit, Prosthetic Liners, Body/Device Interface, Residual Limb Health, Deep Tissue Injury
Tom Arnstein
As an undergraduate student, Rowan studied Anatomy and Human Biology. This led on to him completing a Master Degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde, where he carried over his research area to study a PhD as part of the CDT in Prosthetics and Orthotics. He is currently looking at thermal discomfort in lower limb prosthetics in terms perception and the physiological process behind the issue. His current work is calculating the heat transfer time of a silicone prosthetic liner. The results from this test will hopefully be used in future research which will look at monitoring the change in skin temperature before and after wearing a lower limb prosthetic liner.
Thermal discomfort, prosthetic liners, hyperhidrosis, heat transfer, trans tibial prosthetics, prosthetic socket, mechanoreceptor, perception of heat, skin wetness, residual limb
Rowan Edwards
Ben Hicks is a PhD student researching ultrasound imaging techniques for the detection of deep tissue injury (DTI) in lower limb prosthetic users. He has a background in physics (BSc) and biomedical engineering (MEng), with a particular interest in medical physics. His work focuses on the issues that arise in a poorly fitted prosthetic, namely DTI, and the need for early detection in order to prevent device abandonment. He is currently developing a tissue mimic to use while testing quantitative ultrasound methods of DTI detection.
Research keywords/interests: Deep tissue injury, Ultrasound, Quantitative ultrasound, acoustic biomarkers, biomarkers, pressure ulceration, socket fit, ischemia, cell deformation, collagen, backscatter, acoustic attenuation.
Ben hicks
Having just completed a MSc in Biomedical Engineering, I would like to use this and recent experience of transtibial amputation, prosthesis use and rehabilitation services to help optimise prosthetic socket fit and residual limb health awareness from a user perspective.
Prior to this I worked in broadcast engineering for Aljazeera Media Network and the BBC, having gained a BEng in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from Strathclyde University.
Morag Robertson
Sarah Day is a Prosthetist Orthotist and Senior Teaching Fellow within the National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics. She completed her BSc(Hons) in 1999, her MSc in 2010, and is currently studying part time for a PhD. Her main teaching and research interests are in upper limb prosthetics, focusing on the ways that technology can be integrated with the user to improve quality of life. She is currently researching the link between amputation incidence and prosthetic referral/usage rates, and has a keen interest in fabrication methods and material technology. Sarah has authored two book chapters and has numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Research interests: upper limb prosthetics, amputation incidence, prosthetic referral/usage rates, fabrication methods and material technology
Sarah Day
Raisul Akram
Raisul Akram is a PhD student in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Strathclyde as part of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O). He has a background in Health Economics (MSS and BSS) and previously worked for national and international organizations and the UN agency in Bangladesh. He is experienced in health economics research, low-cost innovations, and the area of strengthening health systems in lower and middle-income country settings. Mr Raisul’s research topic in his PhD is Methodology for Country-level Investment Case for P&O.
Research interests: National needs assessment, Return on Investment, National investment case, Supply chain and service delivery, Economic evaluation, Financing strategy.
Emma Curati-Alasonatti is a PhD student in the Biomedical Engineering department at the University of Strathclyde, as part of the CDT in Prosthetics and Orthotics. Emma is currently looking at continuous regional oxygen saturation monitoring in prosthetic sockets, primarily for tissue injury detection and prevention in lower limb protheses. Before joining the CDT, Emma completed an MEng in Electronic Engineering with Computer Systems at the University of Southampton and was a Senior Engineer at Arm, focusing on processor verification.
Research keywords/interests: deep tissue injury, pressure ulcer, NIRS, oxygen saturation, prosthetic sockets, lower limb prosthetics, injury detection, injury prevention
Emma Curati-Alasonatti
Hannelore Williams-Reid is a PhD student in the Biomedical Engineering department at the University of Strathclyde, as part of the CDT in Prosthetics and Orthotics. The sooner you can get an individual using a prosthetic the better the outcomes, thus her project focuses on wound healing and soft tissue health (and its management) after lower limb amputation. Currently her research is looking into biomarkers to objectively assess and monitor post-amputation surgical site healing. Before joining the CDT, Hannelore completed an MEng in Mechanical/Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southampton.
Research keywords/interests: primary wound healing, surgical site healing, post-amputation healing, biomarkers, lower limb amputation, soft tissue health.
Hannelore Williams-Reid
As part of the CDT for Prosthetic and Orthotics Harry is working towards his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. He has already achieved a Master’s from the University of Birmingham in Mechanical Engineering. Harry is currently looking into replicating human gait using a 6 degrees of freedom robot arm. This will be used to test prosthetic foot-ankle systems, in isolation and evaluate their effectiveness. This research will then fuel a design project which aims to produce a high-performance prosthetic foot-ankle system made from recycled carbon fibre.
Research keywords/interests: prosthetic foot and ankle, gait, trans tibial prosthetic analysis, material technology, and prosthetic design.
Harry Thompson
Angel Galbert is a PhD student in the Biomedical Engineering department and the Design Manufacturing & Engineering Management department at the University of Strathclyde, as part of the CDT in Prosthetics and Orthotics. Her background is Mechatronics and Robotics (MEng) with a particular interest in Medical Robotics and Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMI). Her work focuses on developing an externally powered exoskeleton hand to assistive with activities of daily living for those which suffer from muscle weakness due to peripheral neuropathy.
Research keywords/interest: Upper Limb Devices, Assistive Technology, Exoskeletons, Actuation, Control Systems, Powered Orthotics, Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES), Neuroprosthetics, Soft Robotics.