Human Performance Lab

A woman in a harness uses a rehabilitation device while a man kneels to adjust her shoe and another man observes. They are in a high-tech lab with computers and a large projection screen in the background.

Putting big data to work for everyone

The Human Performance Laboratory at Shepherd Center’s James M. Cox Innovation Institute offers comprehensive evaluation and personalized care planning for individuals with diagnosed neurological conditions.

Driven by our mission to integrate comprehensive, state-of-the-art human performance data collection with machine learning and AI, we transform rehabilitation into a personalized, data-driven experience. Our vision is to revolutionize research and clinical care through advanced analytics — delivering precision rehabilitation solutions that empower clinicians and individuals to achieve optimal recovery, independence, and quality of life.

Working in collaboration with our data science and analytics teams, we use cutting-edge technologies — such as the ZeroG 3D body-weight support system, instrumented treadmills with virtual reality, and motion-tracking instruments — to assess individual, physical, and cognitive performance and track changes throughout rehabilitation and beyond.

A man assists a woman in a wheelchair in a modern, well-lit room with exercise equipment and a patterned projection on the wall behind them. The woman looks focused as the man supports her arm.
A woman sits on a medical testing machine while a man in business attire operates a computer nearby in a modern, well-lit lab or clinic setting.
Close-up of a person’s hands pressing on another person's wrist in a therapeutic or medical setting. A wheelchair wheel is visible in the background.
Motion-tracking sensors applied to the arm enable precise biomechanical analysis for rehabilitation research (left); the BIODEX system measures strength and endurance to inform therapy protocols (top right); a close-up of the motion-tracking sensors on a wrist (bottom right).

What we measure and why it matters

  • In-depth muscle strength, cardiorespiratory, metabolic, and cognitive assessments to establish baseline capacity and guide rehabilitation strategies.
  • Comprehensive gait, balance, and functional task analyses using a network of 42 infrared and high-speed video cameras, in-ground force plates, and muscle activity sensors to provide precise, 3D movement tracking.
  • Personalized, data-driven reports to support therapy decision-making and to monitor individual rehabilitation/training progress.
  • Support for clinicians, researchers, and industry collaborators in developing, refining, and/or testing new rehabilitation technologies, protocols, and interventions.

Technologies we use in the Human Performance Lab

  • Qualisys Arqus infrared and Miqus high-speed video motion capture cameras
  • Bertec in-ground force plates
  • COSMED K5 indirect calorimetry system
  • Biodex System 4 Pro dynamometer
  • ProtoKinetics Zeno walkway
  • Motek Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab (GRAIL) with instrumented treadmill
  • Noraxon Ultium wireless electromyography sensors
  • Aretech ZeroG 3D body-weight support system
A man in a dark suit stands smiling beside gym equipment, with scientific graphs and diagrams projected on a large screen behind him in a modern, high-tech setting.

Meet the Human Performance Laboratory team

For nearly two decades, Dr. Nicholas Evans has been driven by a singular mission: to help people with neurological injuries reclaim movement and independence. At Shepherd Center’s Human Performance Laboratory, his work blends science and compassion, crafting innovative rehabilitation strategies that turn possibility into progress.

The new Shepherd Center Human Performance Laboratory unlocks an unprecedented ability to capture high-resolution insights into how people function after their injury and transform comprehensive data into powerful actionable knowledge that drives precision rehabilitation and optimizes patient outcomes.

Nicholas Evans, Ph.D. Research Scientist, Human Performance Laboratory

Active projects

The Human Performance Lab active projects include:

  • Pilot Study to Establish Comprehensive Evaluation Protocols to Inform Precision Rehabilitation Strategies
  • Shepherd Center Human Performance Laboratory Data Registry for Individuals Participating in Laboratory-Based Activities
  • A Comparative Analysis of Lower-Limb Exoskeleton Technology for Non-Ambulatory Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury
  • Cross-Validation of Marker-Based, Markerless, IMU, and Video-Based Motion Capture Systems in Neurological Populations
  • Mechanisms driving behind mobility impairment and fatigue in people with MS

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