Movers & Shakers
LATITUDE
E.I.T. EXPLORES MAKING PROTHESTICS FEEL REAL
McNiel Keri, E.I.T. , was just six when he and his family moved from Egypt to Edmonton, after civil war had forced the family to flee from their home country of Sudan. During high school in his adopted city and country, he joined a homework group for immigrants and refugees. Two volunteers in the group, an engineer and a physicist, made a lasting impression, inspiring him to choose a profession and a career that would allow him to make a difference in the world. Which is exactly what he’s doing. Now a master’s student in mechanical engineering at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering, Mr. Keri works with his university’s Bionic Limbs for Improved Natural Control Lab helping create better prosthetic devices. By using sensors connected to nerve endings and muscles, improved prosthetics allow users to touch and sense the world, much like they would with a living limb. “The goal of my project is kind of twofold. I’m trying to do more exploratory work, trying to find out how we can hack the biology of an individual to try and get them to feel as if their own limb is moving when the prosthesis is moving,” he says. “And on the other side, I’m developing technologies that allow us to extract information about how that limb is moving.” Mr. Keri was recently recognized with a National Black Coalition of Canada Award of Excellence in the youth (24 or younger) category for his outstanding societal and community contributions. He’s also been named a Top 30 Under 30 by the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation. Sensors for prosthetics are not new, but they are unaffordable for many people—one limb can set a user back tens of thousands of dollars. Mr. Keri has designed a prototype sensor that offers the same feedback as ones that came before it, but less expensively: it costs just $100 to create, meaning it opens the door to greater accessibility. And his work isn’t limited to limbs. He’s also helped create a way for surgeons to view needle insertions in real time, using virtual reality and 2D ultrasound images. The amputees he works with keep Mr. Keri inspired. “It’s amazing, the individuals that volunteer to participate in the studies. They have remarkable stories and their
energy is just really inspiring,” he told the CBC. “I really like the intersection between engineering and medicine and the ability to use my technical skills and medical know-how to improve the quality of life for these individuals. I feel like if you have skills or you have talents, what better way to use them than by trying to improve the lives of others.” FALLING FOR SCIENCE McNiel Keri, E.I.T., participates in an experiment to learn more about human gait and expand the science of biomechanics. Researchers monitored how he reacted and compensated in different virtual environments—such as standing on a moving bus or boat—designed to put him off balance. The research goal is to aid our aging population by reducing the risk of falling.
46 | PEG SUMMER 2018
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