Abstract:
Understanding the mechanisms of energy-efficient locomotion can provide a roadmap for clinical translations, including applications of assistive devices to augment human mobility. The goal of our lab is to uncover how humans produce, utilize, and/or dissipate various forms of energy (e.g., mechanical, metabolic, and thermal). In this talk, I will present examples of how these fundamental concepts can be translated to: (1) understand mobility impairments in individuals with altered foot-ankle mechanics (e.g., older adults), (2) design simple devices to augment foot-ankle function (e.g., shoes and prostheses), and (3) identify risk factors for tissue complications associated with impaired thermoregulation (e.g., diabetic foot ulcers).
Bio: Kota Takahashi is an assistant professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Utah. He also holds adjunct appointments in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Takahashi received his Ph.D. from the Biomechanics and Movement Science Interdisciplinary Program at the University of Delaware. He completed postdoctoral training from the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. Dr. Takahashi’s research is driven by curiosity to understand how humans move. Using a variety of tools (e.g., motion capture, ultrasound, thermal imaging), he aims to bridge concepts from engineering and physiology to identify structure-function relationships that govern human locomotion.