Welcome to Cal Poly's Mobile Biomechanics Lab!

Mobile Biomechanics Lab Group Photo 2024

Introduction

Cal Poly's Mobile Biomechanics Laboratory (MBL), led by faculty members Dr. Britta Berg-Johansen (Biomedical Engineering), Dr. Steve Klisch (Mechanical Engineering), Dr. Scott Hazelwood (Biomedical Engineering), Ms. Christie O'Hara (Kinesiology), and Dr. Brian Self (Mechanical Engineering) is located in building 52, room D17 on the Cal Poly campus. The lab is focused on B.S. and M.S. student research that aligns with the mission of our predominantly undergraduate university. Our research team is interdisciplinary, and currently involves students and faculty from the Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Departments in the College of Engineering, the Kinesiology and Statistics Departments in the College of Science and Mathematics, and the Food Science & Nutrition Department in the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences.

Our mission is to:

  • conduct sports and exercise biomechanics research, with focus on injury & disease prevention, that benefits society
  • enrich interdisciplinary student-learning experiences at Cal Poly
  • enhance student success in their careers

The Motion Biomechanics Lab conducts biomechanical analyses of human motion to determine joint loads and motion. Current focus areas include measuring balance, gait, and spine biomechanics using wearable sensors such as smartphones, smartwatches, and inertial measurement units (IMUs). The lab is also equipped with a complete motion analysis system with 12 motion capture cameras, ground force plates, several exercise machines instrumented with load cells, EMG sensors, and inverse dynamics analysis software. This equipment is used to validate our lab's mobile methods.

The MBL faculty work diligently to mentor Cal Poly’s students in the hope that they become leaders in their profession. Also, we work to maintain a strong international exchange program for researchers and have exchanged visiting scholars (students, post-docs, and professors)  with the following partners:

  • Politecnico di Torino (Italy)
  • Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
  • Munich University of Applied Sciences (Germany)
  • University of Bergamo (Italy)
  • University of Eindhoven (Netherlands)

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