• 051146 - TECHNOLOGIES FOR MOTOR BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS AND VIRTUAL MODELLING 1

Goal of 'technologies for motor behaviour analysis and virtual modelling 1' is focused at providing the student with the knowledge about hardware devices and math-software algorithms exploited by the systems for the analysis of motor behaviour for neuroscience, biomedical, ergonomics and entertainment purposes. In the course a full panorama of paradigmatic and modern instrumentation is presented  with the goal of conveing the deep understanding of the foundations of the topics and providing the ability to use the knowledge in a proper way in order to analyse and design according to the biomedical and other requirements.

The first result expected is the deep interdisciplinary knowledge about the systems for motor behaviour analysis and their biomedical related requirements (DD1- Dublin Descriptor 1 - Knowledge acquisition). The student will be, with the acquired knowledge, able to apply it to analize and to design some basic devices and methods for the assessment of the motor behaviour through different probing systems, from electrophysiology to the motor actions (DD2 - Dublin Descriptor 2 - Application). The course is mainly thought to allow the student to gain the knowledge of the aspects of the description of each method and/or system at the detailed mathematical approach and the device levesl. The interview and possibility to discuss a scientific paper will expand sudent's focused communication skills (DD4- Dublin Descriptor 4 - Communication skills).

The course describes in detail the core technologies for the detection  of human motor acts. The lectures and other activities include the following topics:

1)Technologies for measuring myoelectric activity:

signal generation; electrodes; biological and environmental noise; amplifiers; sources of signal distortion.

2) Technologies for measuring forces exchanged between the subject and the environment:

sensors and signal conditioning units; amplifiers; pressure maps; sources of signal distortions.

3) Technologies for measurent of motion kinematics:

interfacing features; sensors; information recognition and extraction; signal processors; noise identification and suppression; off-line and real time tracking; calibration and 3D reconstruction. 

Basic electronic devices (basic circuits, operational amplifiers, instrumentation amplifiers, optical sensors), mathematical analysis and projective geometry 

Evaluation will be carried out through a written test including analysis and design of devices and an interview. This will allow to evaluate the actual understanding of the technology amd math, which constitutes the foundations of the systems for motor analysis. The students can choose also to add the commentary of a scientific paper taken from a suggested pool as complement to the interview.

In the central part of the term (lectures suspension) the students will be given the opportunity to take a mid term test (as above) on the subjects of the first part of the course.

In Italian