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1. Dense & Attention Convolutional Neural Networks for Toe Walking Recognition

   https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSRE.2023.3272362  

   Chen, Junde; Soangra, Rahul; Grant-Beuttler, Marybeth; Nanehkaran, Y. A.; Wen, Yuxin (January 2023, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering)
2. Females Present Reduced Minimum Toe Clearance During Walking As Compared to Males in Active Older Adults

   https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glae109  

   Faria, Aurélio; Sousa, Tiago; Vaz, João_R; Gabriel, Ronaldo; Gama, Jorge; Stergiou, Nikolaos; Lipsitz, ed., Lewis_A (April 2024, The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences)

   Abstract BackgroundPhysical decline due to aging has been associated with the risk of falls. Minimum toe clearance (MTC) is a gait parameter that might play a role in the mechanism of tripping and falling. However, it is unclear if there are any sex-related effects regarding MTC as people age. The present study investigated if there are sex-related differences in MTC in older active adults. MethodsTwenty-three females and 23 males (F: 65.5 ± 4.8 years; M: 61.9 ± 5.2 years) walked on a treadmill at a preferred walking speed, while kinematic data were obtained at a sampling frequency of 100 Hz and up-sampled to 120 and 240 Hz. MTC was calculated from the kinematics data and evaluated concerning its magnitude (ie, MTC and MTC/leg length), the time between left/right MTC (ie, T-MTC), amount of variability (ie, coefficient of variation [CV] and coefficient of variation modified [CVm]), and temporal structure of variability, that is, the complexity of the time series (ie, MTC α, T-MTC α). ResultsNo sex effects were found for MTC/leg length, for the amount of variability (ie, CV and CVm), and for the complexity of the time series (MTC α, T-MTC α). However, females exhibited significantly lower MTC and T-MTC after adjusting for walking speed, mass, and age as covariates. ConclusionsThe reduced MTC in females suggests a potential sex-related disparity in the risk of tripping and falling among active older adults. 

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3. COMPARISONS OF ENERGY EXPENDITURES AMONG CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH IDIOPATHIC TOE WALKING AND TYPICAL CHILDREN USING INERTIAL SENSORS

   Woo, John; Shiraishi, Michael; Soangra, Rahul; GrantBeuttler, Marybeth (April 2023, Biomedical sciences instrumentation)

   Children diagnosed with Idiopathic Toe Walking (ITW) walk on their toes and are liable for leg pain and fall injuries. It is crucial to understand how toe walking affects energy expenditure in these children compared to typical children of the same age. In this study, we utilized an inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to the low back to evaluate the number of steps and energy expenditure in the child’s natural setting for three days. Twenty participants were instructed to wear a sensor on their low back for three days, and their activities of daily living (ADL) were objectively quantified during weekdays and weekends in their natural settings. We found total energy expenditure was significantly higher among children diagnosed with ITW compared to typical controls (p<0.05). We also found the children diagnosed with ITW took shorter and significantly more steps than age-matched controls (p<0.05). A future investigation into biomechanics and new gait interventions is needed to improve gait efficiency and energy expenditure among children diagnosed with ITW. 

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4. Stepping Beyond Efficacy: Understanding the User Experience of Wearables for Children with Idiopathic Toe Walking in the Natural Setting

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hfh.2023.100044  

   Boyd, LouAnne; Soangra, Rahul; Mukhar, Lara; Kling, Rachel; Grant Beuttler, Marybeth (June 2023, Human Factors in Healthcare)
5. Photoacoustic-guided surgery from head to toe [Invited]

   https://doi.org/10.1364/BOE.417984  

   Wiacek, Alycen; Lediju_Bell, Muyinatu_A (March 2021, Biomedical Optics Express)

   Photoacoustic imaging–the combination of optics and acoustics to visualize differences in optical absorption – has recently demonstrated strong viability as a promising method to provide critical guidance of multiple surgeries and procedures. Benefits include its potential to assist with tumor resection, identify hemorrhaged and ablated tissue, visualize metal implants (e.g., needle tips, tool tips, brachytherapy seeds), track catheter tips, and avoid accidental injury to critical subsurface anatomy (e.g., major vessels and nerves hidden by tissue during surgery). These benefits are significant because they reduce surgical error, associated surgery-related complications (e.g., cancer recurrence, paralysis, excessive bleeding), and accidental patient death in the operating room. This invited review covers multiple aspects of the use of photoacoustic imaging to guide both surgical and related non-surgical interventions. Applicable organ systems span structures within the head to contents of the toes, with an eye toward surgical and interventional translation for the benefit of patients and for use in operating rooms and interventional suites worldwide. We additionally include a critical discussion of complete systems and tools needed to maximize the success of surgical and interventional applications of photoacoustic-based technology, spanning light delivery, acoustic detection, and robotic methods. Multiple enabling hardware and software integration components are also discussed, concluding with a summary and future outlook based on the current state of technological developments, recent achievements, and possible new directions. 

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