About
The Closed Loop Engineering for Advanced Rehabilitation core (CLEAR) is a joint enterprise between NC State (NCSU) and The University of North Carolina-CH (UNC). CLEAR faculty are committed to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities by studying basic science in neuromechanics, sensorimotor integration, tissue biomechanics and developing innovative and effective rehabilitation and assistive technologies. The CLEAR core tightly collaborates with UNC and other local hospitals and industry partners in our effort to translate new knowledge and technologies to stakeholders (i.e. clinics, persons with disabilities and their families, and the biomedical industry).
History
In 2010, the inaugural Co- Interim Directors; Dr. Richard Wysk in the department of Industrial & Systems Engineering at NC State and Dr. Richard Segal who was with the department of Allied Health Sciences at UNC, came together to develop and shape the Rehabilitation Engineering Core (REC) along with support of both Dr. Louis Martin- Vega, Dean, College of Engineering at NCSU and Dr. Nancy Allbritton, Chair, Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering UNC/ NCSU.
Dr.’s Segal and Wysk quickly established core facilities on both campuses to support human movement analysis, the study of tissue biomechanics, electrophysiological studies, rapid prototyping, and robotics. They instituted several programs, such as the annual REC Symposium and the REC Seed Grant Program, both are designed to cultivate interdisciplinary research and innovation between NC State and UNC. They also initiated a search for a Director of the Core.
In November of 2011, Joanie M. Moritz-Smith hired as Lead Coordinator for the Core, assisting the Co-Interim Directors.
2012 - LOTS OF COOL THINGS HAPPEN!
Symposia. Pilot Grants, Seminar Series, Website, Faculty Directory, Senior Design Project, and efforts to form an MSP&O program initiated
Faculty hires ‘12-’13:
(left to right)
Helen Huang, Associate Professor (BME, Rehab Engineering Thrust)
Jacque Cole, Assistant Professor (BME, Regenerative Medicine Thrust)
Matt Fisher, Assistant Professor (Chancellor’s Faculty Excellence Program cluster hire in Translational Regenerative Medicine)
Kate Saul, Associate Professor (NCSU-MAE)
Brian Pietrosimone (UNC-EXSS)
In 2013, Rick Segal leaves UNC PT for MUSC. Michael Lewek, PT, Ph.D. (UNC-PT) appointed a co-interim director based at UNC.
August 2014 sees Helen Huang appointed Director of the Core while Mike Lewek and Rick Wysk become Associate Directors for the Core.
More hires take place in 2014-2015
(left to right)
Jason Franz, Assistant Professor (BME, Rehab Engineering Thrust)
Xiaogang Hu, Assistant Professor (BME, Rehab Engineering Thrust)
Debbie Givens appointed Director of UNC-PT
Faculty hires 2016
Derek Kamper, Associate Professor (BME, Rehab Engineering Thrust)
Helen Huang, Ph.D.
Jacqueline Cole, Ph.D.
Matthew Fisher, Ph.D.
Katherine Saul, Ph.D.
Brian Pietrosimone, Ph.D., ATC
Join BME in Congratulating Dr. Helen Huang—
The New Director of The Rehabilitation Engineering Center!
Please join us in offering Professor Helen Huang your warmest congratulations on her recent appointment as the director of the Rehabilitation Engineering Center (REC) at NC State and UNC. The REC, like BME itself, unites the University of North Carolina and NC State University in order to encourage and engender groundbreaking collaborative science between the two institutions. The Co-Interim Director of the Center, Dr. Rick Wysk, commented that Dr. Huang is the “perfect person for this opportunity.” Louis Martin-Vega, the Dean of NC State’s College of Engineering, in addition to offering his congratulations, noted that he “looks forward to her leadership in this very special and unique effort in our College!” With her innovative research in the creation of neural-machine interfacing technologies, Dr. Huang is perfectly positioned and qualified to lead the Rehabilitation Engineering Center as it continues to prosper and grow. Congratulations to Helen on this exciting new step in her career!
Jason Franz, Ph.D.
Xiaogang Hu, Ph.D.
Debby Givens, PT, PhD, DPT
Derek Kamper, Ph.D.
Here we highlight some successful research within the REC.
· Bioinspired, wearable ankle- foot orthotics for stroke rehabilitation
· Osseointegration for prosthetics
· Neural- machine interface for prosthetics, orthotics, and rehabilitation robots
· Wearable sensors for movement evaluation and fall prevention
· Sensory neural interface based on acoustic and optical stimulation
· Self- controlled virtual reality for stroke rehabilitation
· Neural modulation
We welcome collaborations from local, national, and international researchers in rehabilitation science and engineering as well as partnerships from local practice and technology companies. Our goal is to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities in North Carolina, the Nation and the World.