Daniel R. Suárez

Drawing sounds: representing tones and chords spatially

Research on the crossmodal correspondences has revealed that seemingly unrelated perceptual information can be matched across the senses in a manner that is consistent across individuals. An interesting extension of this line of research is to study how sensory information biases action. In the present study, we investigated whether different sounds (i.e. tones and piano chords) would bias participants’ hand movements in a free movement task. Right-handed participants were instructed to move a computer mouse in order to represent three tones and two chords. They also had to rate each sound in terms of three visual analogue scales (slow–fast, unpleasant–pleasant, and weak–strong). The results demonstrate that tones and chords influence hand movements, with higher-(lower-)pitched sounds giving rise to a significant bias towards upper (lower) locations in space. These results are discussed in terms of the literature on forward models, embodied cognition, crossmodal correspondences, and mental imagery. Potential applications sports and rehabilitation are discussed briefly.

GALILEO: Emergency Rooms and Crowd Computing

This research and software development project, is carried out based on a problem about the clinical context in Bogotá D.C., Colombia. It seeks through a web and mobile application, to inform citizens who are looking for, or moving to an emergency room, about the population status in which it is at the moment, in order to reduce the number of patients present in there by proposing some less saturated centers to the user. The latter, in order to expose a possible solution to the health crisis that exists in the city and the overcrowding that occurs especially in its medical centers.

Fracture risk and initial fixation of a cementless glenoid implant: The effect of numbers and types of screws:

The initial fixation of an anatomical cementless glenoid component, provided by different numbers and types of screws, and the risk of bone fracture were evaluated by estimating the bone–implant interface micromotions and the principal strains around the prosthesis. Four different fixation configurations using locking or compression screws were tested. Estimation of the micromotions at the bone–implant interface was performed both experimentally, using an in vitro model, and computationally, using a numerical model. Principal bone strains were estimated using the numerical model. Subject variability was included by modelling two different bone qualities (healthy and rheumatoid bone). For the fixation configurations that used two screws, experimental and modelling results found that the micromotions at the bone–implant interface did not change with screw type. However, screw type had a significant effect on fixation when only one screw was used; in this case, a locking screw resulted in less micromotion at the bone–implant interface compared with the compression screw. Bone strains were predicted by the numerical model, and strains were found to be independent of the screw type; however, the predicted strain levels calculated in rheumatoid bone were larger than the strain levels that may cause bone damage for most considered arm positions. Predicted bone strain in healthy bone did not reach this level. While proper initial component fixation that allows biological fixation can be achieved by using additional screws, the risk of bone failure around the screws must be considered, especially in cases of weak bone.

EFFECT OF A DEGENERATED SUPRASPINATUS ON THE INITIAL STABILITY OF A CEMENTLESS GLENOID IMPLANT

Integrity of the rotator cuff, available bone stock and shape of the arthritic glenoid are the most important factors in the preoperative planning of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and its outcome. The expectations regarding the functional outcome of a shoulder surgery are lower when the integrity of the rotator cuff is not adequate [van de Sande, 2005]. When a cementless glenoid component is used, its initial mechanical stability is highly relevant for the later implant fixation via bone ingrowth. The aim of this study is to quantify the initial mechanical stability of a cementless glenoid implant when a deficiency of the rotator cuff tendon is present.