Human Engineering Research Laboratories

Summer Interns of 2005

Back Row (L to R): Matt Wilkinson, Neil Stegall, Suliaman Harris, Megan Langdon, Pete Kala-Lufulwabo, Rachel Augenstein, Samantha Goldstein

Front Row (L to R): David Crook, Scott Israel, Michelle Sporner, Dewey Black, Amanda Chappell, Jessica Chechak, Sara Sibenaller

HERL's 2005 summer interns are a diverse group of students. While their interests range from computer science, bio-engineering, and physical therapy, each student has made an important contribution to the world of wheelchair engineering!  The interns have had a great time familiarizing themselves with the lab and gaining experience with assistive technology. At the end of their internships, each student completed a paper and presentation detailing their accomplishments over the summer. The presentation at the bi-weekly general lab meetings enabled students to get valuable feedback on their projects from faculty and their peers.

The following statements are from the students when asked to explain what they have been doing during their internships. As you will quickly see, each student has had a different experience and has benefited from having close contact with a mentor.

Rachel Augenstein

"I have been working on the Nursing Home Safety Study with Dr. Collins and Amol Karmarkar. I have also been doing basic background research for the study and other odds-and-ends throughout the lab."

Dewey Black

"This summer I am working with Dr. Spaeth again [Dewey was also working at HERL last summer]. My project is different from last summer’s project, but I am still working with data loggers. This summer’s project was to write software to transfer and analyze data from the data logger. I have enjoyed the work and the challenge, and I know that this experience will further shape me into a better programmer."

Amanda Chappell

"During my summer internship at HERL, I worked with Garrett Grindle and Dr. Guo on the power wheelchair controller project. My responsibilities included designing a mounting system for a feedback sensor on a power wheelchair, designing and implementing a power wheelchair controller, and helping out in the machine shop. Most of my time was spent working on the controller, which involved LabVIEW programming and interfacing mechanical and electrical components. By the end of my summer, I was able to implement the control system to a power wheelchair, drive it around with a joystick, and adjust the software to improve the system. I really enjoyed being part of a group that truly aims to improve the lives of others. I look forward to reading about future research that comes out of HERL." 

Jessica Chechak

“I worked with Erik Wolf and Jon Pearlman, graduate students under the supervision of Dr. Cooper. Over the course of the summer, I worked on two projects – Evaluation of Selected Pavement Surfaces (ICPI study) and Roadloads III – testing of suspension on power chairs. I assisted in the creation of a wireless data collection system for the ICPI study by designing a box in Solidworks to hold a laptop, and writing/modifying a LabVIEW program to collect data and determine the success of a trial. My tasks for Roadloads III included transferring instrumentation between chairs and assisting with the testing process. I was also able to participate in the study as a subject. My favorite part of working at HERL was being able to meet and work with so many new people. I feel that I learned a great deal about wheelchairs and assistive technology while gaining more insight into the research process. I was also able to gain valuable experience working with programs such as Solidworks, LabVIEW and Matlab. A highlight of the summer was learning how to pop a wheelie in a manual wheelchair.

I’d like to say thank you to Dr. Cooper, Erik, Jon, and the rest of the HERL staff for a wonderful summer experience.”

David Crook

"While at HERL, I spent most of my time in the machining shop helping with prototyping parts for other people's projects. I worked mostly on the CNC Mill. Another larger portion of my time was spent on the PAWAW study; testing the power assisted wheel chairs made by Quickie and Yamaha. I also tested scooters made by Amigo. Tests that I have done while in this program are: Statistic Stability, Dynamic Stability, Double Drum, Curb Drop, Environmental, and the Climbing Ability Test. I also worked a little with Steve on a few minor electronics in the bio-lab. I would like to thank Jeremy, Sam, Mark, and Steve for all the help that they gave me while working here and that it was great working with them. I had a great time at HERL and this is an opportunity I am glad I did not pass up and will take it again if the opportunity presents itself."

Samantha Goldstein

"I have been working with the Clinical Coordinator staff to ensure the smooth running of the many studies currently going on at HERL. I have completed audits and renewals, helped maintain the Wheelchair Users Registry, and done general filing and secretarial work. I have definitely come to appreciate how much hard work goes into making sure each study meets IRB requirements. I'd like to especially thank Annmarie for taking me under her wing this summer, Dr. Fitzgerald for helping me to navigate SPSS, Jill for helping me with Access amongst many other things, and Rosi for her help with the various audits I completed. While this is my second summer at HERL, I am still consistently surprised and proud of the hard work and dedication that enters and leaves this lab. I truly believe that HERL is making an incredible difference in the world of assistive and wheelchair technology."

Scott Israel

"The ultimate goal of my project is to determine the relationship of shoulder pain to the forces and movements induced by manual wheelchair propulsion through the use of a 3D computer model.  In order to do this, I began my summer by learning an image analysis software program called Analyze.  Analyze allowed me to isolate individual bones from a full CT scan and compare motions between them.  I have developed a protocol for isolating the humerus and scapula and registering them to output a transformation matrix that will be useful in our data analysis. We are also aiming to minimize the radiation that each subject is exposed to by taking limited scans and then utilizing tools incorporated in the Analyze software to acquire useful data for our studies.

I have also been working on the construction of a table extension for a CT scanner that will allow us to mount a load measuring pushrim.  By making our own table extension, we will be able to mount the force measuring equipment without making modifications to the CT table itself.  We will use either a SmartWheel or a load cell with part or all of a pushrim attached to it.  With the force measuring attachment, subjects in our study will be able to apply a load similar to what they exert during wheelchair propulsion while they are being scanned.  It is essential that we recreate the conditions in the shoulder during wheelchair propulsion as accurately as possible to ensure that the data we collect is not meaningless or misleading.

 I also recently started developing a Matlab program that will output inertial properties of wheelchair wheels given mass and dimension properties.  I am working on making this program create a model that is as close to actual inertial properties as possible while limiting the information that the user has to input.  If time permits I will construct an inertial test rig to validate the mathematical model and any assumptions I made in my calculations."

Pete Kala-Lufulwabo

Megan Langdon

"This summer I am working with Jeremy Puhlman, Joe Olson, and Dr. Cooper on the Handcycle project.  My daily tasks include working in the machine shop, creating Solidworks and FeatureCAM files, assembling purchase orders, and finding parts to order for the Handcycle.  One of the most interesting aspects of my internship at HERL has been working in the Machine Shop and learning about all of the different tools used to create the various parts needed.  The most valuable part of my summer internship the opportunity to witness the process of design that takes place at HERL.  Now I hope to be able to apply this knowledge to products that I will design in the future."

Sara Sibenaller

"This summer I worked with Rachel Cowan, under the supervision of Dr. Boninger on two projects. I designed a wheelchair weighting system to be used in a manual wheelchair propulsion study and evaluated the lever drive wheelchair study data. During my time here, I gained experience using Matlab, SolidWords, and FeatureCam programs as well as machine shop skills. With the help of some graduate students, I even learned how to pop a wheelie! HERL is a challenging yet nurturing environment with an emphasis on learning. I would recommend this internship to any student looking for an exciting, meaningful, and hands on experience in the field of biomedical engineering. Thanks for a great summer!" 

Michelle Sporner

"I worked with Dr. Fitzgerald, Amanda, and Bob throughout this summer on Service Dog Studies. My responsibilities mainly involved study participant information, computer entry, and paperwork. My daily tasks included subject data entry and verification, phone calls, follow-up mailings for birthday and thank you cards, contacting Service Dog agencies for recruitment purposes, and other miscellaneous tasks around the lab. I greatly enjoyed learning more about research this summer. I hope to incorporate some of these new ideas into the clinical aspect of Physical Therapy and eventually getting back into research. I am very grateful to everyone at HERL for making this a memorable and enjoyable summer and I look forward to working with everyone again soon."

Matt Wilkinson

"I worked on many projects during my internship this summer and gained experience in a wide array of research performed at HERL. The most significant projects involved placement of motion sensors on test subjects and their wheelchairs. Using the Vicon system consisting of up to 21 3D motion sensors and six cameras, motion data is collected from an array of wheelchair subjects at three different test sites.   Motion sensors were placed on pertinent body joints and positions as well as on the wheelchair hub and pushrim in order to provide the necessary information for the overall motion and biomechanics of the subject.  The study is gauged for wheelchair propulsion in subjects with paraplegia who frequently experience wrist and shoulder pain. Data is collected at three different speeds for each subject.

In the second study motion sensors were used to collect data of subjects transferring in daily situations (i.e. from their wheelchair to a car seat or toilet).  Using computational software such as MATLAB, the data was manipulated to reveal key features of the propulsion data and biomechanics that give insight into the subjects wheeling or transferring such as efficiency and joint stress.  During the trials, certain motion sensors are lost either by the subject’s body obstructing the view between the sensor and the cameras, which receive the reflection of the motion sensor, or by there being a certain position in the experimental setup where the camera does not receive the sensor.  Interpolation of data can lead to skewed results when data interpolation is overused or inaccurate in an experimental trial.  Over interpolation or inaccurate interpolation can affect the credibility and usability of data and ultimately the study being performed.  Different data trend characteristics call for different methods of interpolation. Another project I worked on was to determine the best interpolation method for these missing data points again using MATLAB, as well as give information about the interpolated points such as the time interpolated and fit, which can be used to determine whether or not the trial is usable."

HERL (Human Engineering Research Laboratories) provides an opportunity for undergraduates and high school students to experience the daily activities of a research environment.  Internships are granted to those students who have an interest in Biomechanics, Bioengineering, Rehabilitation Sciences or other fields within these disciplines.  Students are encouraged to offer their own ideas on projects and to work alongside professional researchers and engineers to complete their given tasks.  Although most interns work in the summer months, there are openings nearly year round.

If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact Paula Stankovic at (412) 365-4850.