BioMotion Center
Our research is driven by the interest in human movement, which is an important aspect of human life as it ensures physical mobility and thus interaction with the environment.
Our research is driven by the interest in human movement, which is an important part of life, as it ensures physical mobility and thus interaction with the environment. Against this background, the aim of our research is to understand the functioning of human movement, i.e. the interplay between the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system, that enables coordinated movement behavior. Of particular interest to us is, how training protocols need to be structured and modern technologies (e.g. running shoes, orthoses or exoskeletons) need to be designed to improve this interplay and thus motor performance in everyday life and sport as well as in prevention and rehabilitation. Our research focuses on the following areas: (1) control and biomechanics of human movements; (2) effects of training on the control and biomechanics of human movements; (3) effects of technologies on the control and biomechanics of human movements; (4) performance diagnostics.
In the four research areas mentioned above we work as an interdisciplinary team that combines various strands of research from sports science, neuroscience, medicine, computer and engineering sciences with the practical sports experience of our team in the context of experimental studies. This is made possible by the different scientific disciplines (including sports science, computer and engineering sciences, mathematics and physics) that our team members have studied, as well as our practical experience as athletes and coaches in various sports.
At the IfSS we represent the natural sciences of sport (motor control, biomechanics, training science, sports informatics & engineering) and are anchored in the research structures of the KIT through our membership in the KIT centers “Information - Systems - Technologies” and “Health Technologies”.
Cagla Kettner and Michael Herzog will present current results from their research projects at the 18th annual conference of the DVS-section “motor behavior” from 19.03.-21.03.2025 at the TU Munich.
Cagla Kettner has published an article entitled “The effects of running shoe stack height on running style and stability during level running at different running speeds” in the journal “Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology”.
Hannah Steingrebe, PhD student of Prof. Stein and Prof. Sell, has published an article titled “Mild-to-moderate hip osteoarthritis and hip bracing influence hip and knee biomechanics during 90° turns while walking” in the journal “Clinical Biomechanics”.
The DFG “Major Research Instrumentation” application “Instrumented split-belt treadmill with VR functionality for the analysis of human locomotion” from the IfSS professorships Stein, Woll, Sell and Bub was approved. This means that from summer 2024 the IfSS will have a new, state-of-the-art treadmill available for biomechanical experiments.
Steingrebe, H., Spancken, S., Sell, S. & Stein, T. (2023). Effects of hip osteoarthritis on lower body joint kinematics during locomotion tasks:
a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Front. Sports Act. Living 5:1197883.
Herzog, M., Krafft, F.C., Stetter, B.J. et al. (2023). Rollator usage lets young individuals switch movement strategies in sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit tasks. Sci Rep 13, 16901.
Prof. Stein will be a member of the “Council for Research and Promotion of Young Scientists” at KIT from October 2023.
Prof. Stein gave the lecture "Control and Adaptation of Human Movements" at the "International Autumn School on Movement Science".
Michael Herzog presented his research on "Muscle Synergies in Force Field Adaptation and Spatial Transfer" at the annual meeting of the "International Society of Motor Control" in Rome.
Hannah Steingrebe, Cagla Fadillioglu and Dr. Bernd Stetter presented their current research results at the conference of the dvs Section Biomechanics in Magdeburg.
Sina Spancken presented her current research results on performance diagnostics in Olympic shooting sports at the „dvs Hochschultag“ in Bochum.