Research

Topics investigated in the lab include:

Computational Motor Control: Developing computational models for describing human movement

• Validity of the minimum-jerk description during end-point movements in 3D

• The formation of hand paths in 3D as a function of constraints, such as Donders’ and Listing’s laws.

• The concept of geodesics (shortest amplitude paths) at different levels of planning, particularly for the control of arm dynamics and kinematics.

 

Stroke Rehabilitation

• The role of submovements and the meaning of submovement fragmentation in healthy and Stroke patients (with Prof. S Berman from Ben-Gurion University & Prof. J McIntyre from CNRS-Paris College de France)

• Effects of virtual reality training vs. conventional training in the recovery of arm function in stroke patients (with Prof. T. Weiss from the Univ. of Haifa and Prof. M. Levin from McGill Univ. in Montreal, Canada)

• Telerehabilitation and robotic rehabilitation

 

Grasping and Finger Movements

• Learning sequences of finger movements (with Dr. M. Korman from Ariel University)

• Development of the kinematics and kinetics of grasping (with Dr. S Shaklai and Prof. A Bloch from Loewenstein hospital)

• Force coordination during grasping

 

Motor learning

• Role of coarticulation in motor learning

• Computational scaffolding for accelerating motor learning (with Prof. H Ritter and Dr. A Moringen from Bielefeld University)

 

Movement production

• Why can’t we make slow, smooth movements (with Dr. L Noy from Ono Academic college & Prof. R. van der Wel from Rutgers University)

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Interactions between voluntary motion of the arm and nociceptive (withdrawal or startle) reflexive actions, based on a modeling approach

The relationship between changes in postural set, EMG responses, and functional patterns of motor behavior in CP children

Pre- and post-operative effects in the control of joint positioning in 2D and 3D after recurrent shoulder dislocation

The effects of vibration on motor unit synchronization and on net force generation

The formation of muscular synergies as a result of constrained and self-paced oscillatory motion

Healthy and pathological neck motion and its relation to arm posture and endpoint accuracy (with the CBF group from the University of Gavle University in Umea, Sweden)