PhD Wearable technology and associated metrics for prescription and monitoring of impact-related physical activity and exercise for osteoporosis

Currently, recommendations for exercise to promote bone strength in people with osteoporosis include guidelines for the frequency and quantity of moderate impact exercise (e.g. stamping, jogging, low-level jumping, hopping). However, monitoring the intensity of these impacts has typically been limited to metrics based on measurement or estimation of ground reaction forces and/or external surface accelerations. These have been proposed to quantify the overall stimulus using the number and intensity of loading cycles but are not always strongly associated with the internal contact forces important for stimulating site-specific adaptation.

This project aims to investigate relationships between commercially available activity measures, estimates of bone contact forces, and post-exercise-intervention changes in bone properties.
First, musculoskeletal modelling will be used to estimate site-specific contact forces during moderate impact activities.
Secondly, models and experimental data will be used to assess the relationship between contact forces and a number of candidate external measurements at different positions on the body.

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in sport and exercise science, biomechanics, engineering, human biology, or a related subject.

This project would suit those who understand the role of signal processing in the analysis of human movement.
A relevant master's degree and/or experience in one or more of the following will be an advantage but not essential: 3D motion capture (Vicon/Qualisys, etc.), musculoskeletal modelling (e.g., OpenSim), wearable technology (e.g., inertial measurement units), and MATLAB, Python, or similar programming language.

IELTS - 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each individual element (reading, writing, listening and speaking).
TOEFL - iBT - Overall score of 92, with not less than 22 in each test.