Movement and Reality Lab

MoRe-Lab

MoRe-Lab is a technical infrastructure designed to support the development of the novel field of experimental health sciences. Experimental health sciences develop, evaluate and apply novel methods and innovative solutions to optimize functioning in everyday life and expand knowledge of human health and behavior across the life span. Studies use new ideas and methods in standardized or real environments such as housing, pedestrian, sport/exercise, workplace, hospital, residential care and home care settings. At present, a housing mock-up and movement platform are being established in a temporary location, to be complemented with additional equipment once permanently established at Forum Medicum. Experimental health sciences utilize technical platforms to study the complex dynamics between physical functioning, behavior, cognition, emotion, and different environmental contexts. Studies include evaluation of technologies, for example, gait trainers, assistive devices, motion sensors, e-health applications, lighting, and activity trackers to improve human functioning in a diversity of environments. Typically, such research makes use of quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. The research orientation is not discipline specific, but rather strives for interdisciplinary collaboration among traditional health sciences disciplines and any other discipline studying aspects relevant for health (e.g., bio-medical, clinical, and pre-clinical medicine; social sciences; humanities; engineering disciplines). Transdisciplinary approaches involving non-academic partners in the research process are core to the relevance and impact of the new knowledge produced.

MoRe-Lab has three integrated platforms.
1) The movement platform includes equipment enabling assessment of muscle strength and power, muscle activation and motion analysis (both kinematic and kinetic).
2) The reality platform has a housing mock-up (i.e., a typical 2-room apartment) with a modular design allowing researchers to modify the environment to conduct different studies. It includes furniture, fixtures, and other equipment to simulate a real life environment. The reality platform is equipped with audio-video equipment and can integrate with other systems for data collection.
3) The mobile equipment platform includes wearable devices as well as portable versions of equipment from platforms 1 and 2 for studies in authentic real life environments.

Use of specialized software is available for data analyses.

Consultation on research design and methods, which is recommended during the grant writing process.

Instructions and training on use of equipment.

Networking to bring inter- and transdisciplinary partners together.

Management Group:
Daniel Benoit, Director
Pär Halje, Technical Director
Steven Schmidt, Representative for Reality Platform
Eva Ageberg, Representative for Movement Platform