Conference Brochure Registration Call for posters History Contact us
The 32nd Annual
Great Lakes Biomedical Conference
Bionic Arms Race: Advances in limb prosthetics
Friday April 18, 2008
 Speakers
Laura A. Miller, PhD, CP
Richard Weir, Ph.D.
Brian Schmit, Ph.D.
Gerald Stark, CP, FAAOP

Preliminary Agenda:

7:30  Poster Set-up

8:00  Registration

8:30  Poster Viewing

          Continental Breakfast

8:50  Assembly & Conference Pre-view – LL Hause – Diagnostic Visions

9:00  “Arms Race”: discovery of neural-muscular-control of the prosthetic arm, the bionic arm

Dr. Richard Weir, Director of Biomechatronics, RIC and Professor of Biomedical Engineering,

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

9:30  Current Advances in Neurally-Controlled Upper Limb Prosthetics

Dr. Laura  Miller, Prosthetist, RIC and Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

10:30 Prosthetic Arim and Hand control with Myoelectric (Nerve-Muscle)   Sensors

Dr Richard Weir, ibid.

11:30 Break & Poster Viewing & Bverages

12:00 The Role of Sensory Feedback in the Control of Arm Movements

Dr. Brian Scmit, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineeering, and Co-dorector of Faulk Ceter for Neurorehabilitation, Marquettte University; Senior Research Scientist and Associate Director of Sensory Motor Performance Center, RIC

[12:45 A Moderated Panel Discussion, Weir, Miller, Schmit, Stark]

1:15    Lunch

2:00    External Control Options for Upper Extremity Prostheses

Gerald Stark, CP, FAAOP, Vice President of Education  Product Development, Fillauer Companies, Inc.

3:00    Biomechanical Modeling

Alex Birdwell, PhD. Student in Biomedical Engineering at NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 

3:40   Poster Awards sponsored by…..

·    Dr. Ric Soto – JC Johnson

3:45 The Take Home Message

 

 

Speaker Bios:

Laura A. Miller, PhD, CP: Dr. Miller is a prosthetist at the RIC Prosthetics Orthotics Clinical Services and a Clinical Instructor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northwestern University, lecturing in prosthetics through the NU Prosthetics Orthotics Center.   She is one of the few individuals in the world with both certification in prosthetics and a PhD in an engineering research discipline.

Dr. Miller graduated summa cum laude from Tulane University in New Orleans with a Bachelor of Science degree.  She moved to Chicago to pursue graduate work in prosthetics and biomedical engineering at Northwestern University. After completing her Masters degree, she attended the Northwestern prosthetics program and began working at the RIC.  She completed her PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University in 2003.

Abstract: - Current Advances in Neurally-Controlled Upper-limb Prosthetics
 

See related article:

An arms race

Building better prosthetic limbs

 


Richard Weir, Ph.D., Dr. Weir is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center & Prosthetic Research Laboratory

Abstract: My research interests are in the fields of Biomedical, Rehabilitation, and Mechatronic Engineering, specifically, artificial arm/hand systems, manipulators, robotics and their control. My primary research emphasis is in man-machine interfaces and the design of upper-limb prosthetic components and their associated control.  This work is currently directed at developing physiologically appropriate microprocessor based controllers based on implantable "BION-like" EMG sensors for multiple degree-of-freedom prosthetic arm control.

Brian Schmit, Ph.D., Dr. Schmit is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Marquette University.  He is Co-Director of the Falk Center for Neurorehabilitation Engineering Research.  Dr. Schmit is a Senior Research Scientist and Associate Director of the Sensory Motor Performance Program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. He is Adjunct Assistant Professor Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University and Associate Director of the Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Dr Schmit Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Marquette University College of Engineering in 1988.  He was awarded a Ph.D.  in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 1995.

Abstract: Spinal cord injury, human neurophysiology, neurorehabilitation, biomechanics

Gerald Stark, CP, FAAOP, is Vice President of Education & Product Development, Fillauer Companies, Inc.

He will speak on External Control Options for Upper Extremity Prostheses and review the control options for upper extremity prostheses with respect to current input controls as well as output  functions. Presentation will focus on technologies currently available or soon to be available as viable prosthetic options.  Componentry and practices for prosthetic optimization will also be discussed.


 

The Great Lakes Biomedical Conference will be held at the Golden Rondelle Theatre in Racine, WI. The theme of this year's conference is Innovation Engineering,and there will be a range of related discussions, including a postersession and prizes as well as cutting edge talks.


Held at the
Golden Rondelle Theatre
SC Johnson Wax
Racine, Wisconsin
DIRECTIONS

Rondelle

Registration (includes lunch)
click here to register



CALL FOR POSTERS

Call for Posters:  Posters describing original research or new applications in the areas of biomedical sensors, biomedical engineering and related fields.

Download submission information.  For more information, contact Larry Fennigkoh, at :
fennigko@msoe.edu

Awards of $100/ $50/ $25 will be given to the three best posters presented by students. 




For additional information please contact:
The Great Lakes Biomedical Conference
Larry Hause  
Ph:  262-894-3968
e-mail llhause@yahoo.com


Supporting Organizations:


S.C. Johnson Wax
MarquetteUniversity
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee School of Engineering
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
   


Product Development and Management (PDMA)
Milwaukee
Section of IEEE
IEEE Milwaukee, Computer Chapter
IEEE Milwukee, EMBS Chapter
Region 4 of IEEE
MU 
MCW   MSOE 
UWM


Sponsors:


Diagnostic Visions

Further Information call:  LL Hause, Conference Chair at 262-894-3968.


Review the GLBC's over 30 year history


Previous Programs:

Innovation Engineering, the 31th GLBC

Biomedical Sensors,the 30th GLBC

Biomedical Informatics: Applications, achievements and frontiers, the 29th GLBC

Taking Emerging Technologies to the Marketplace,the 28th GLBC

Appilcations of Nanotechnology,the 27th GLBC

Genomicsand Beyond, the 26th GLBC

Computer Assisted Surgery, the 25th GLBC