Our Laboratory Spaces & Equipment

Herbert Wertheim Laboratory for Engineering Excellence (WERT)

Campus Map: WERT

Within the Herbert Wertheim Laboratory for Engineering Excellence, the Gary J. Miller PhD Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory includes an 800 ft² computational space (currently outfitted with more than a dozen computer workstations), desks and conference space to accommodate up to 22 students or research fellows. An adjoining, 400 ft² room has benches and equipment for fabrication of hardware, sensors, and other small technological equipment.

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering B (MAEB)

Campus Map: MAEB

Construction was completed in the summer of 2023 on a new 954 ft² experimental facility for human movement analysis in the nearby MAE-B building. Equipment includes a wall-mounted 20-camera Vicon optical motion capture (marker-based) system as well as 3 AMTI force platforms and a Bertec split-belt force-instrumented treadmill embedded in the laboratory floor. Further, we are working with multiple technologies to capture biomechanics and physical activity from study participants outside the laboratory and during daily life. Wearable inertial measurement units and electromyography sensors are also available for data collection within or outside the laboratory. These spaces are co-led by Dr. Kerry Costello, Dr. Jessica Allen, and Dr. Scott Banks.

Portable motion capture “lab”

Led by Dr. Costello’s lab, this is a portable, 8-camera, high-speed-video-based (markerless) motion capture system (FLIR, Vicon), 2 portable AMTI force platforms and AMTI AccuGait walkway, and portable high-performance computing workstation are available for data collection within or outside of the laboratory. This equipment, along with a height adjustable chair, aerobic step, cones, and other equipment to support motion capture of biomechanics during activities of daily living, is packed into a set of four wheeled carts/cases for transportation. Further, the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UF maintains a fleet of vehicles, including a lift gate truck and multi-passenger van, that can be utilized to transport this portable equipment and study staff over longer distances (e.g., to off-campus testing locations or between on-campus locations).