BE 411 - Biomechanics

• Define the terms, anatomical axes, and planes associated with human movement
• Understand the physiology associated with skeletal muscle contractions, strength evaluation, joint mechanics, energy requirements, and fatigue
• Understand the principles and use of electromyography as a biomechanics research tool
• Define the design and behavior of the instrumentation, transducers, force plates, etc. used to collect and process human movement data
• Develop 2-D link-segment models from basic anthropometric and kinematic data
• Obtain inverse solutions of joint moments and reaction forces from kinematic and force plate data
• Design and conduct a human-movement based experiment to test a biomechanical problem and draw scientific conclusions.
• Obtain knowledge of state-of-the-art solutions through peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and vendor websites, to analyze and solve contemporary open-ended problems.

• Knowledge of engineering statics, dynamics, and strength of materials
• Human physiology and anatomy

• Review of muscle physiology and skeletal anatomy
• Principles and use of electromyography
• Anthropometry
• Measurement and use of anthropometic data for the development of link-segment models
• Center of mass and stability
• Joint motion
• Linear and angular kinematics
• Kinematics and kinetics of elbow flexion
• Analysis of kinematic gait data
• Development and use of 2-D link-segment models to estimate joint moments, reaction and compressive forces
• Vertical jump height and force plates
• Occupational biomechanics - NIOSH lifting equation, injury mechanisms