My Research: Technology in Motion

We are facing a time of rapid technological progress with regard to measuring, improving and stimulating human movement. My mission is to merge cutting-edge human movement science with emerging motion technologies and academic entrepreneurship to generate knowledge and solutions for and with students, educators and societal stakeholders. The focus lies on research and development in the context of actor-environment interactions. Actor movements and environmental layout data are typically gathered with 3D depth cameras (Kinect, Hololens) and environments are often enriched with augmented/mixed reality, typically in a movement-dependent manner, to evoke actor-environment interactions.

Gait-environment interactions. Walking is a context-dependent activity. However, our understanding of walking and the sensitivity by which walking limitations can be identified is hampered because situational and environmental context conditions are currently not an integral part of walking assessments. I initiated the development of two augmented-reality solutions, the C-Mill rehabilitation treadmill and the overground Interactive Walkway, to assess and train context-dependent walking. Studies focus on assessing walking adaptability with the Interactive Walkway (PhD project of Daphne Geerse [ongoing]) and aspire to better understand and improve walking adaptability of stroke patients, elderly recovering from a fall-related hip fracture, elderly with mild cognitive deficits and prosthetic walkers through C-Mill treadmill training (PhD projects of Masood Mazaheri [2016], Marielle van Ooijen [2017] and Celine Timmermans [ongoing]).

Visual computing. Progress in hardware and software technology, including visual computing, now enable us to examine actor-environment interactions in open, new environments. We explore visual-computing in the context of human movement sciences. To this end, my PhD student Bert Coolen [ongoing] and I develop applications for the Hololens, a wearable computer headset that understands its environment into which smart 3D holographic content can be presented. Applications focus on actor-environment interactions in the context of public health, falls prevention and sports. 

Teaching duties include the courses Coordination Dynamics: Principles and Applications (main lecturer and coordinator) and Entrepreneurship in Human Movement Sciences (lecturer) in the Master of Human Movement Sciences. I give guest lectures on the Hololens and Kinect in several courses in the Master and Bachelor of Human Movement Sciences. I have supervised over 60 Bachelor and (Research) Master students during their research internships and projects. More than 10 of these students are currently working on, or have already obtained, their PhD degrees. In 2013 and in 2014, I was nominated for the VU Amsterdam Professor of the year award. Students of the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences elected me as Professor of the year in 2013

In 2015, I received the promising young scientist award of the International Society for Posture and Gait Research (ISPGR, Seville, Spain), after receiving formal honorary mention in that regard in 2012 (ISPGR/G&MF, Trondheim, Norway). In 2010, my PhD-dissertation was selected as runner up for the Dutch Society of Human Movement Sciences PhD-dissertation award 2008-2010.

In 2009, I received a Veni grant from NWO (250 K€). I further received grant funding from different divisions of NWO (MaGW, ZonMW, STW, EW), Dutch charity and society funds (e.g., Hersenstichting, OIM stichting) and the Erasmus Mundus program of the EU, both as a principal applicant (198 K€) and as formal co-applicant (447 K€). My work further procured approximately 300 K€ industrial investment related to the patented invention of the C-Mill and license fees for the Interactive Walkway and Trapplaus.

• Vereniging voor Bewegingswetenschappen Nederland (VvBN) | Breda | Bestuurder | 2020-09-01 - present
• International Society for Posture and Gait Research (ISPGR) | Victoria | Bestuurder | 2022-09-01 - 2026-08-31
• Strolll Ltd | Lichfield | Adviseur | 2023-04-01 - present
• Maastricht University | Maastricht | Medewerker | 2024-10-01 - 2028-07-31

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