St. Jude Research
Epidemiology & Cancer Control

Gait & Mobility Lab

About the Gait & Mobility Lab

 Our group uses multidisciplinary approaches to assess the motor function of pediatric patients with cancer currently receiving treatment, childhood cancer survivors, children with rare neuromuscular diseases and other individuals with gait disturbances. In our lab, we assess gait, balance, muscle function, coordination and other key aspects of mobility. We use the most advanced biomechanical technology, such as wearable sensors and motion-capture technology: the same technology commonly used in Hollywood animation to track how an individual moves in space.

Josh Burns watching someone walk

Our mission

The mission of our work takes a comprehensive approach to:

  1. Extend the longevity and health span of children with cancer and those with rare neurological diseases.
  2. Find new ways to bring measurement and intervention to these populations earlier while decreasing the burden on patients and their families.
  3. Use movement data to transform the way care is provided to decrease long-term side effects.
feet with sensors

Research equipment and infrastructure

The Gait & Mobility Laboratory is located on the fourth floor of the Patient Care Center and is equipped with the following:

  • Passive, high-resolution motion capture system (Vicon Valkyrie VK26)
  • 2D FLIR cameras
  • Depth cameras (ORBBEC Femto)
  • Floor-mounted, high-frequency force plates (AMTI BMS464508)
  • Wireless 16-channel EMG (electromyography) system (Delsys Trigno Centro)
  • Blue Trident IMU (inertial measurement unit) sensors (VICON)
  • Noraxon Ultium IMU motion capture system (16 sensors + calibration adjustment tool)
  • BioSensics IMU sensors
  • Xsens DOT IMU sensors (Movella)
  • Sensoria smart socks
  • Apple watches (Apple watch series 10)
  • Protokinetics Zeno walkway (20 feet)
  • Emed XL pressure measurement walkway (Novel)
  • Plidar plantar pressure insoles, Loadsol ground reaction force insoles, and buttonsens finger force measurement (Novel)
  • CITEC hand-held dynanometers
  • Aretech Zero G ceiling mounted body-weight support system
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease clinical outcome measures
Explore more about the Gait and Mobility Lab

Our team

The Gait & Mobility Lab brings together individuals from diverse training and educational backgrounds, including one biomechanist, one biomechanical engineer, one physical therapist and several exercise physiologists. Together, we continuously improve patient care and advance research in the field. 

Leadership

The team

Contact us

Chen Yang, PhD
Gait & Mobility Lab
B4015, Patient Care Center
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN, 38105-3678 USA
(901) 595- 3428 chen.yang@stjude.org