The Schwartz Movement Analysis & Rehabilitation Laboratory directed by Prof. Itshak Melzer was established in 2005. Its mission is to increase our understanding of human motor control, gait and Balance disorders and improve the quality of life during and after rehabilitation as well as in older adults. It pursues these goals by performing basic and applied research, and by developing new techniques and technology in rehabilitation. Prof. Melzer has active collaborations with various research groups in Ben-Gurion University as well as in countries throughout the world.
Currently, the research is focused in the field of balance control in older adults and stroke survivors. Prof. Melzer have developed a novel mechatronic device called the Balance Measure & Perturbation System (BaMPer System) in collaboration with Prof. Amir Shapiro mechanical engineering departments (patent PCT/IB2010/052079). The BaMPer provide controlled and unpredictable perturbations of posture while subjects carry out daily motor tasks such as standing and walking. These perturbations trigger postural “reflexes”, lead to an activation of balance recovery responses. In addition, his research team explore which are the brain areas that are associated with balance recovery using MRI and and CT. This work conducted in collaboration with the imaging department at Soroka Medical University center as well as in Lowenstein rehabilitation center in Raa'nana.
