The Neuromotor Science (NMS) Research Consortium is a state-of-the-art research facility consisting of multiple interdisciplinary laboratories that investigate a range of basic and clinical issues in human sensorimotor neuroscience, including:
- neuromotor control and biomechanics of movement
- upper extremity function
- posture and gait
- spinal cord function
- concussion
- sensorimotor integration
- health outcomes
- assistive device development
Virtual reality is an important component of these laboratories as a means to understand how sensory processing is integrated with motor function and to develop new rehabilitative techniques.
Our research labs are housed in a common space that promotes interaction and discussion, providing a rich scientific atmosphere to share ideas through journal clubs and invited lectures. Laboratories housed in the NMS Consortium include:
Temple Research Immersive Balance and Locomotion (TRIBAL) Lab
The Temple Research Immersive Balance and Locomotion (TRIBAL) Lab is a shared resource of all neuromotor science faculty. The primary goal of the TRIBAL lab is to understand the neural and biomechanical basis of human balance and locomotion. Individuals stand or walk in a room-sized virtual reality cave that allows precise control of the visual surround along with input from vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile sensory systems. Balance control mechanisms can then be studied with regard to processes that fuse information from multiple sensory systems. Computational methods combine mechanisms of multisensory fusion with biomechanical investigations of multilink body dynamics to develop new techniques and “smart health technology” to improve mobility in patient populations with balance disorders including Parkinson’s disease, individuals with the loss of inner ear (vestibular) function, elderly individuals at risk of falling and athletes who have experienced concussion.
