Matthew K. Seeley, PhD, ATC

Office Location: 116B Richards Building

Office Phone: 801.422.4970

Email: matt_seeley@byu.edu

Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday, Noon to 2:00 pm       

Course Description & Purpose

This course is designed to provide students with the ability to use the instruments in the biomechanics lab in order to make basic measurements and better understand forces and motions involved during human movement. Along with making these measurements, students will also learn how to perform many various calculations involved in analysis of collected data. Equally important, students will understand precisely what data are being collected and the physical phenomenon those data represent.

Slides from the discussion on Day One.

Genealogy of Biomechanics.

Required Text

Robertson et al. (2004). Research Methods in Biomechanics. ISBN: 0-7360-3966-X

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, students will:

• understand general concepts that are related to the collection and analysis of biomechanical data. These concepts include: analog to digital conversion, sampling rate, frequency analysis, signal noise and filters, and other signal processing techniques and issues. 
• know how to use various motion analysis instrumentation (primarily high speed videography and accelerometry) to evaluate the kinematics of human motion.
• know how to use force measurement devices (force platform and load cell) to measure forces involved during human motion.
• know how to combine kinematic and kinetic data, and perform inverse dynamics calculation in order to more fully understand the dynamics of human motion.
• know how to use electromyography to better understand involved muscular activity during human motion. 

Assessment Breakdown

Projects

You will be required to complete four small projects during the term. Each project will be completed while working with a partner. These projects are all designed to help you accomplish the course learning outcomes. Project 1 will consist primarily of some mathematical calculations and graphical presentations of collected data. Projects 2-4 will be small projects that will consider biomechanical topics of your choosing. The write-ups for Projects 2-4 will be in the format of an abstract that could be presented for the American Society of Biomechanics Annual Meeting (sample abstracts). A rubric describing how the abstracts will be graded can be found here: abstract rubric. Further detail concerning these projects will be given throughout the course.

Exams

One comprehensive exam on information presented during the course will be given on Thursday August 14 between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Plan to take the final exam at the scheduled time.

Tentative Course Schedule

Below is the course schedule, with reading assignments in parentheses.

Course Policies

Academic Honesty: The first injunction of the BYU Honor Code is the call to “be honest.” Students come to the university not only to improve their minds, gain knowledge, and develop skills that will assist them in their life’s work, but also to build character.  President David O. McKay taught that “character is the highest aim of education” (The Aims of a BYU Education, p. 6).  It is the purpose of the BYU Academic Honesty Policy to assist in fulfilling that aim.  BYU students should seek to be totally honest in their dealings with others.  They should complete their own work and be evaluated based upon that work.  They should avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including but not limited to plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct.

Preventing Sexual Harassment: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational program or activity that receives federal funds.  The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education.  Title IX covers discrimination in programs, admissions, activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment. BYU’s policy against sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the university, but to students as well.  If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender based discrimination, please talk to your professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895 or 367-5689 (24-hours); or contact the Honor Code Office at 422-2847.

Students with Disabilities: Brigham Young University is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere, which reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities.  If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the University Accessibility Center (UAC) Office (422-2767).  Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified, documented disabilities.  Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the UAC Office. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures.  You should contact the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895, D-285 ASB.

Diversity: A classroom is similar to the workplace.  In the workplace, it is illegal to discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or age.  Furthermore, we believe Christ would never belittle anyone based on their race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or age.  Therefore, we feel strongly that no one in a classroom should be belittled for any reason.  If you experience such an offense in any class in this Department (caused either by the instructor or a fellow student), we strongly encourage you to contact the Department Chair.

Dress and Grooming: “The dress and grooming of both men and women should always be modest, neat, and clean consistent with the dignity adherent to representing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and any of its institutions of higher education.”  Students understand and have committed to obey this policy, thus instructors or other students should never be placed in the uncomfortable situation of having to remind someone of adhering to the sacred honor they have pledged.

Policy on the Use of Technology in the Classroom: Technology is an essential part of today’s learning environment.  However, technology, when used inappropriately, can also hinder learning.  Most students have, at some point, sat next to students who use their laptops or PDAs in class to check e-mail, talk to friends, instant message, search the internet, or play on-line games.  Unfortunately, every person sitting around such students is distracted by this behavior and classroom learning decreases.  As a result of these distractions, the Department of Exercise Sciences has implemented the following policy effective Fall semester 2008: “Using laptops or PDAs in class to legitimately take notes or work on class projects is allowed, but all other use of laptops, PDAs, or other electronic devices  in class is prohibited.”  Please respect your fellow students and professors and abide by this department policy (and courtesy). This would naturally include not reading newspapers, doing work for another class, or other potentially disruptive activities not associated with the class in session.

Cell Phone Policy: Students are not allowed to use cell phones in classes in the Department of Exercise Sciences.  Please turn them off as you enter the classroom and keep them stored out of sight in your backpack, purse, or pocket.