Albert H. Vette

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, and a Research Scientist at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton. I am also a member of the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute (NMHI) and an affiliate within the Department of Biomedical Engineering, both at the University of Alberta. I received my Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, and completed a MITACS postdoctoral fellowship in Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo. In line with my interdisciplinary background, my work lies at the interface between human movement neuromechanics, human motor control, and rehabilitation engineering. Using both experimental and theoretical means, my team’s efforts are focused on gaining a better understanding of how we control movement and on enhancing functional independence following neuromuscular impairment. Current research activities include the identification of active and passive mechanisms involved in human postural control; characterizing the role of sensory noise in sensorimotor speed of processing; establishing quantitative techniques, e.g., motion capture, for effective evaluation of rehabilitation outcomes; and developing advanced assistive technologies for postural control using functional electrical stimulation.

Particular research topics focus on:

- neural balance control strategies during postural control

- quantitative assessment of upper limb function following impairment

- central processing times (‘reaction times’) during voluntary motor tasks and evoked responses in different populations

- musculoskeletal biomechanics of the human trunk and their role in stabilizing posture during activities of daily life

- biomechanical mechanisms of muscle fatigue induced by functional electrical stimulation (FES)

My goal is to foster strong collaborations with clinicians, human movement scientists, and engineers within Alberta and across the country.