Prof. Dr. Sandro Wartzack

Chair of Engineering Design, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Research and validation of processes, methods and tools to support the design of medical technologies and interventions.

Research projects

  • Biomechanical Engineering
  • Musculoskeletal Modeling and Simulation
  • Development of Exoskeletons and Ortheses
  • Preoperative Planning of Endosurgeries
  • Analysis and Optimization of User-Product-Interaction

  • Empatho-Kinaesthetic Sensor Technology

    (Third Party Funds Group – Overall project)

    Term: 1. July 2021 - 30. June 2025
    Funding source: DFG / Sonderforschungsbereich / Transregio (SFB / TRR)
    URL: https://empkins.de/
    The proposed CRC “Empathokinaesthetic Sensor Technology” (EmpkinS) will investigate novel radar, wireless, depth camera, and photonics based sensor technologies as well as body function models and algorithms. The primary objective of EmpkinS is to capture human motion parameters remotely with wave-based sensors to enable the identification and analysis of physiological and behavioural states and body functions. To this end, EmpkinS aims to develop sensor technologies and facilitate the collection of motion data for the human body. Based on this data of hitherto unknown quantity and quality, EmpkinS will lead to unprecedented new insights regarding biomechanical, medical, and psychophysiological body function models and mechanisms of action as well as their interdependencies.The main focus of EmpkinS is on capturing human motion parameters at the macroscopic level (the human body or segments thereof and the cardiopulmonary function) and at the microscopic level (facial expressions and fasciculations). The acquired data are captured remotely in a minimally disturbing and non-invasive manner and with very high resolution. The physiological and behavioural states underlying the motion pattern are then reconstructed algorithmically from this data, using biomechanical, neuromotor, and psychomotor body function models. The sensors, body function models, and the inversion of mechanisms of action establish a link between the internal biomedical body layers and the outer biomedical technology layers. Research into this link is highly innovative, extraordinarily complex, and many of its facets have not been investigated so far.To address the numerous and multifaceted research challenges, the EmpkinS CRC is designed as an interdisciplinary research programme. The research programme is coherently aligned along the sensor chain from the primary sensor technology (Research Area A) over signal and data processing (Research Areas B and C) and the associated modelling of the internal body functions and processes (Research Areas C and D) to the psychological and medical interpretation of the sensor data (Research Area D). Ethics research (Research Area E) is an integral part of the research programme to ensure responsible research and ethical use of EmpkinS technology.The proposed twelve-year EmpkinS research programme will develop novel methodologies and technologies that will generate cutting-edge knowledge to link biomedical processes inside the human body with the information captured outside the body by wireless and microwave sensor technology. With this quantum leap in medical technology, EmpkinS will pave the way for completely new "digital", patient-centred diagnosis and therapeutic options in medicine and psychology.Medical technology is a research focus with flagship character in the greater Erlangen-Nürnberg area. This outstanding background along with the extensive preparatory work of the involved researchers form the basis and backbone of EmpkinS.
  • Bereinigung multimodaler Bewegungsmessdaten mittels individualisierter muskuloskelettaler Menschmodelle

    (Third Party Funds Group – Sub project)

    Overall project: Empathokinästhetische Sensorik - Sensortechniken und Datenanalyseverfahren zur empathokinästhetischen Modellbildung und Zustandsbestimmung
    Term: 1. July 2021 - 30. June 2025
    Funding source: DFG / Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB)
    URL: https://www.empkins.de/

    Es wird eine neuartige Methode zur Bereinigung und Filterung multimodaler Bewegungsmessdaten in Verbindung mit einer entsprechend notwendigen Multidomänenmodellierung muskuloskelettaler Ganzkörpermenschmodelle erforscht. Aufbauend auf den individualisierten Menschmodellen werden kinematische bzw. dynamische Trackingalgorithmen untersucht, die auf unterschiedliche Kombinationen multimodaler Messdaten angewendet werden können. Außerdem werden die neuen Methoden erprobt und evaluiert, sowie Benchmarks zu konventionellen Methoden durchgeführt. Neue EmpkinS-Messtechniken werden sobald verfügbar auf die neu etablierten Methoden transferiert.

  • Erforschung der posturalen Kontrolle basierend auf sensomotorisch erweiterten muskuloskelettalen Menschmodellen

    (Third Party Funds Group – Sub project)

    Overall project: Empathokinästhetische Sensorik
    Term: 1. July 2021 - 30. June 2025
    Funding source: DFG / Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB)
    URL: https://www.empkins.de/

    A novel postural control model of walking is explored to characterise the components of dynamic balance control. For this purpose, clinically annotated gait movements are used as input data and muscle actuated multi-body models are extended by a sensorimotor level. Neuromotor and control model parameters of (patho-)physiological movement are identified with the help of machine learning methods. Technical and clinical validation of the models will be performed. New EmpkinS measurement techniques are to be transferred to the developed models as soon as possible.

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

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