March 2025

Table of Contents

• President's Blog 

  Busy start to the year for ISB! Meet the Muybridge & Wartenweiler Lecturers, get Congress & election updates, and explore special EDC features on biomechanics in Uruguay! ... [read more]

• Student's Corner

  • Looking for graduate positions and employment?... [read more] 
    Are you interested in sharing your personal journey in academia—the highs, the lows, and everything in between?...[read more] 

• Biomechanics Through Time

  When the congress was first held in Calgary in 1999 (Congress XVII), the Wartenweiler Memorial Lecture was delivered by Andrew Huxley. ..... [read more]

• ISB 2025 - Exciting Lineup of Keynote Speakers and Award Lecturers Announced

  The ISB 2025 Congress is shaping up to be an unforgettable event, featuring an outstanding lineup of keynote speakers and award lecturers ...[read more]

• Affiliated Societies

South African Society of Biomechanics

• The South African Society of Biomechanics (SASB) is entering an exciting new phase in 2025 with the addition... [read more] 

Women in Biomechanics Wikibomb

• Wikipedia is Earth's most widely read knowledge repository, with approximately two billion unique device visits per month. Despite this, less than 20% of Wikipedia biographies are about women .... [read more]  

• Technical Group News

Footwear Biomechanics Group 

• Over the last year, the Footwear Biomechanics Group organised four engaging web sessions... [read more]  

• Check out this amazing Snow Shoe Art, made with footprints in the snow: “Footwear Footprints”, by R. Kim Asmussen & Michael J. Asmussen... [read more] 

Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics Technical Group  

• The Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics Technical Group (CNB),  together with University of Jyväskylä is hosting a satellite meeting to be held in Helsinki Finland July 23rd-26th 2025 prior to the main ISB meeting in Stockholm..... [read more] 

• Awards and Travel Grants 

Updates

• Nearly 600 submissions (yes, 600!) were received across six award categories... [read more] 

Reports

• From first-time international presentations to research stays abroad—Ayaka Hobo and Carlos Sendra-Pérez share their journeys in biomechanics... [read more] 

• Around the World

Featured Labs - EDC Series

• Professor Franco Simini, Director of NIB, shares insights on his work and the MOVHUM at the Hospital de Clínicas, Montevideo.. [read more] 

Building Biomechanics in Uruguay: A Call for Support

• many ISB members visited Uruguay to participate in the ISB Technical Group Meeting on 3D Human Movement. During the visit, Professor Walter Herzog and I toured a newly established biomechanics laboratory in Montevideo - check how you can help....[read more]

• Obituary: Mitsumasa Miyashita (1936-2025)

  • A beloved pioneer of biomechanics in Japan and an avid supporter of the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB), passed away on January 3, 2025, at the age of 88.. [read more] 

President's Blog

It’s been a busy start to the new year for ISB! In this issue you’ll find updates on the ISB Congress, ISB Council election, and a special EDC feature article.

ISB is so pleased to announce the Muybridge Awarded Lecturer and the Wartenweiler Memorial Lecturer for the upcoming IBS Congress in Stockholm. Sincere congratulations to Professor Marco Vaz and Professor Walter Herzog, respectively! Please see the full announcements in this newsletter and on the ISB 2025 Congress website to get a taste for these wonderful lectures to come in Stockholm.

During my presidency, I have often been asked about the selection process for our Society's highest honours. For those who may not know, the Muybridge Award Lecturer is chosen by the ISB, while the Wartenweiler Memorial Lecturer is selected by the congress organizing committee. Until recently,  ISB did not have a formal, documented procedure for these selections. In response to feedback and to enhance transparency, we have developed a formal selection procedure. Thank you to our Past President, Alberto Leardini, for drafting the Muybridge Award selection procedure, and to those who have reviewed and refined it so far. The draft will be discussed at our upcoming Council meeting, and will be made available on our website to ensure transparency in the selection process.

Another important recent activity for ISB has been soliciting nominations for the ISB Executive Council election. The call for nominations has now closed, and we are in the process of preparing the online voting forms. Please look out in the near future for the election email. We received 24 nominations from 15 counties across six continents and all career stages. Thank you to all the nominees for your willingness to serve our Society, and once again, thank you to Past President Alberto Leardini for managing the nomination process.

This newsletter also includes special EDC features, prepared in collaboration with Professor Franco Simini from Uruguay. Professor Simini recently hosted the 3DAHM technical group symposium in Uruguay.  The articles in this issue include an interview with Professor Simini showcasing his Laboratorio de Análisis de la Marcha del Hospital de Clínicas in Montevideo, and an appeal to the biomechanics community – supported by ISB to help advance Biomechanics in Uruguay. Please check these special features and consider if you have the resources or links to help biomechanics thrive in Uruguay. There is a cross-post in Biomch-L to facilitate discussions on this topic.

Additionally, please review other sections of this newsletter and the ISB Congress website for other important updates. For example, the early bird registration deadline has been extended to April 10th, and ISB in conjunction with International Women in Biomechanics is hosting a Women in biomechanics wiki-edit-a-thon in Stockholm. Be sure to check the tutorial announcements and technical group satellite meetings before you book your travel. In the next newsletter, we will have an update on the Advancing Women in Biomechanics workshop. A lot is happening as we prepare for our Congress in Stockholm so please check the congress website regularly!

As always, please be aware that members of the ISB community are regularly targeted by scam emails. There are two new scam emails that we are aware of, that have recently been sent to members of the ISB community, offering direct assistance with travel bookings for the congress, and offering discounts for group travel bookings. These emails are scams. These two scams are in addition to at least two other scam emails sent last year to members of the ISB community requesting favours or funds in relation to ISB. The emails usually appear to sign off from me as the President of ISB, and I am aware that one email in 2024 nearly copied the format of my legitimate email signature, so they look very authentic. Please be extremely vigilant and do not transfer any funds based on email requests. If you are seeking discounts or advice on hotel reservations for the congress, please only do this directly through the contacts listed on the ISB Congress website: www.isb2025.com. Thank you to the many members of the ISB community that are making us aware of these scams.

Finally, I’d like to draw your attention to the Biomechanics Through Time feature from our Archives Officer John Challis, as well as an obituary for Professor Mitsumasa Miyashita. Professor Miyashita gave an inspiring and heartwarming presentation in Fukuoka in 2023, sharing his career journey in biomechanics and his passions for swimming and fishing.

Elizabeth Clarke

ISB President 

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Student's Corner

Easily Find Jobs/Positions 

For any and all graduate positions and employment, remember to stay up to date with Biomch-L here.

Get ready for ISB 2025 in Stockholm!

The 30^th Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics  27 - 31 July 2025 

We have some great plans forming for the student event and the student-mentor lunch! Be sure to stay on the lookout as more information is to come soon.

Keep in touch!

Stay up to date with ISB by liking our ISB Facebook page, joining the Student Members Facebook page, and following ISB on Twitter. Please reach out to me with any comments, questions, suggestions, or just to talk. You can contact me at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Best Wishes,

Shaye Tiell

ISB Student Representative

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Science in the Break

Be sure to watch the latest videos on Youtube!

Are you interested in sharing your personal journey in academia—the highs, the lows, and everything in between? This is the perfect place! Your story could be valuable not only for your colleagues but also for expanding your professional network.

Our goal in Science in the Break is to showcase researchers from around the world while providing insights into personal development and career paths. We hope to inspire new interactions and motivate researchers at all career stages!

Reach out to us via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or connect with us on Twitter (@ISBiomechanics and @ScilnTheBreak).

In our latest episode, we had a conversation with Prof. Felipe Carpes, Associate Professor of Biomechanics and Kinesiology at the Federal University of Pampa, Brazil. As the President of the Brazilian Society of Biomechanics and the ISB President-Elect, he shared valuable insights into personal development and career progression

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Biomechanics Through Time

Here, you will uncover historical information about the society. Enjoy these nuggets curated by John Challis, our Archives Officer.  

Traditionally the first presentation at each ISB Congress is the Wartenweiler Memorial Lecture.  This lecture is named after Jurg Wartenweiler (1915-1976), the first president of the ISB.  When the congress was first held in Calgary in 1999 (Congress XVII), the Wartenweiler Memorial Lecture was delivered by Andrew Huxley.  In 1963 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with Alan Hodgkin and John Eccles, for their work on the mechanisms associated with the excitation and inhibition of the nerve cell membrane.  This work was predominantly conducted in the late 1940s and early 1950s, after which he turned his attention to understanding the production of muscle force.  His work on muscle produced many important insights (e.g., Huxley & Niedergerke, 1954; Huxley, 1957; Gordon, Huxley, & Julian, 1966).  It was his work on muscle which was the focus of his Wartenweiler Memorial Lecture.  The lecture can be viewed on YouTube (click here).  The content of this lecture was subsequently published in the Journal of Biomechanics (Huxley, 2000); a paper which was one of the last of his over half a century of publishing.

When Huxley was performing his work on nerve excitation, only a few universities had a computer.  If a university had a computer, they only had one on which users would share time.  These computers were typically the size of a small room, but by the end of his career nearly every member of a university had a computer on their desk.  When Huxley wanted to perform simulations of nerve excitation his plan was to use the computer at the University of Cambridge, but as his collaborator Alan Hodgkin explains this ended up not being feasible.  Hodgkin (1992) described the computation process required for some of their work resulting in their Nobel prize, in particular that work reported in Hodgkin and Huxley (1952),

“We had settled all the equations and constants by March 1951 and hoped to get these solved on the Cambridge University computer.  However, before anything could be done we heard that the computer could be off the air for six months or so, while it underwent a major modification.  Andrew Huxley got us out of that difficulty by solving the differential equations numerically using a hand-operated Brunsviga calculating machine.  The propagated action potential took about three weeks to compute and must have been an enormous labour for Andrew.”  (page 291)

In the Brunsviga calculator, see picture above, when numbers were multiplied they were entered by sliding levers to produce one of the numbers (e.g., 123), and then if, for example, multiplying by 789 the carriage position was first moved to the “ones” and then the crank rotated nine times, then the carriage was moved to the “tens” and the crank rotated eight times, before finally selecting the “hundreds” and cranking the handle seven times.  Crank the handle one way and you could achieve addition or multiplication, the other way subtraction or division.  Even the product of two three digit numbers required multiple steps.  The complexity of the operations that Huxley was performing is hard to imagine as he was integrating a differential equation with multiple parameters and variables.  His results were later confirmed using computers (e.g., Cooley and Dodge, 1966; note this is the Cooley who developed the Fast Fourier Transform:  Cooley and Tukey, 1965).  Huxley’s diligence in performing these calculations in such a complex and time-consuming way, possibly offers a glimpse into one of the factors contributing to his long and prestigious career.

References

Cooley, J. W., & Dodge, F. A., Jr. (1966). Digital computer solutions for excitation and propagation of the nerve impulse. Biophysics Journal, 6(5), 583-599.

Cooley, J. W., & Tukey, J. W. (1965). An algorithm for the machine calculation of complex Fourier series. Maths of Computation, 19, 297-301.

Gordon, A. M., Huxley, A. F., & Julian, F. J. (1966). The variation in isometric tension with sarcomere length in vertebrate muscle fibres. Journal of Physiology, 184(1), 170-192.

Hodgkin, A. L. (1992). Chance & Design: Reminiscences of Science in Peace and War. Cambridge England ; New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press.

Hodgkin, A. L., & Huxley, A. F. (1952). A quantitative description of membrane current and its application to conduction and excitation in nerve. Journal of Physiology, 117(4), 500-544.

Huxley, A. F. (1957). Muscle structure and theories of contraction. Progress in Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, 7, 257-318.

Huxley, A. F., & Niedergerke, R. (1954). Structural changes in muscle during contraction; interference microscopy of living muscle fibres. Nature, 173(4412), 971-973.

Huxley, A. F. (2000). Cross-bridge action: present views, prospects, and unknowns. Journal of Biomechanics, 33, 1189-1195.

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ISB 2025 - Exciting Lineup of Keynote Speakers and Award Lecturers Announced

The ISB 2025 Congress is shaping up to be an unforgettable event, featuring an outstanding lineup of keynote speakers and award lecturers. 

Keynote Speakers

• Friedl De Groote (KU Leuven, Belgium)
• Steven H. Collins (Stanford University, USA)
• Jacqueline Alderson (University of Western Australia)
• Hanna Isaksson (Lund University, Sweden)
• Antonie (Ton) van den Bogert (Cleveland State University, USA)

**Click here for a quick glimpse into the profiles and exciting work of our keynote speakers.**

These esteemed speakers will provide cutting-edge insights into biomechanics, offering a diverse range of perspectives from fundamental research to applied innovations. ISB 2025 promises to be memorable—mark your calendars and join us for an inspiring exchange of ideas!

Deadline for Early bird registration has been postponed to April 10th!

Tip: If you haven’t yet explored the tutorials being offered at ISB, be sure to check the previous issue of ISB Now on our website!

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South African Society of Biomechanics 

The South African Society of Biomechanics (SASB) is entering an exciting new phase in 2025 with the addition of three new board members. This year, we are committed to fostering collaboration, sharing cutting-edge research, and driving innovation in applied biomechanics. Our theme, "Beyond Frontiers: Bridging the Gap Between Science and Practice," highlights the importance of translating biomechanics research into real-world impact.

Join us for the SASB 2025 Conference, a pivotal gathering for the biomechanics community in South Africa. Taking place on 4-5 September 2025, this year’s event will be hosted at the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Johannesburg’s Auckland Park Bunting Road Campus. Attendees will engage in thought-provoking discussions, cutting-edge research presentations, and networking opportunities aimed at bridging the gap between science and practice.

The call for abstracts opened on the 28 February, inviting researchers to showcase their work and contribute to the advancement of applied biomechanics. Submissions will close on 30 April, with acceptance notifications sent out by 1 June.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a growing movement dedicated to innovation and collaboration in biomechanics. Register on our website @ https://biomechsa.org/


Yumna Albertus

Chairperson

Upcoming Events:

April 30 - May 3, 2025     XXI Brazilian Society of Biomechanics  Congress        Petrolina, Brazil

August 13-16, 2025         American Society of Biomechanics Meeting                 Pittsburgh, USA

September 4-5, 2025      South African Society of Biomechanics (SASB 2025)   Johannesburg, South Africa

Is your affiliated society hosting an international event? Let us know so we can share it!

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Women in Biomechanics Wikibomb

Wikipedia is Earth's most widely read knowledge repository, with approximately two billion unique device visits per month. Despite this, less than 20% of Wikipedia biographies are about women and in 2023 a  search of 'Women in Biomechanics' on Wikipedia by Emeritus Professor Julie Steele returned no results. 

Throughout 2024, we’ve been working with a team of volunteers to create and update Wikipedia biographies of notable women in biomechanics, e.g., Professor Taija Finni. The Women in Biomechanics Wikibomb is an initiative of the International Society of Biomechanics and will ensure that women biomechanists are visible to younger female scientists on Wikipedia so they can imagine education and careers in biomechanics – just like us! 

We are again calling on the biomechanics community to volunteer their time to help! We learnt loads during the 2024 cycle, so have made some improvements to the process for 2025!

Please sign up to create or update a page for a woman in biomechanics here. When you sign up, you will be given access to the Public Google Drive supported by International Women in Biomechanics. This folder will contain a list of women in biomechanics who meet the Wikipedia notability criteria that you can sign up to write a biography for, and clear instructions on how to write  biographies and upload them. Once you sign up, we request you aim to publish your biography by the end of May so that it can be edited and approved before ISB 2025 in Stockholm.

Thank you,

Celeste & Fraje

(Women in Biomechanics Wikibomb Coordinators)

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Footwear Biomechanics Group

Encouraging Translational Research and Industry Engagement

Over the last year, the Footwear Biomechanics Group organised four engaging web sessions designed to broaden the perspectives of student members and early-career researchers. These events went beyond traditional conference presentations and academic papers, offering an inside look at the strategies and insights shaping today’s footwear industry. Non-member students and researchers from various labs were also encouraged to attend, creating a dynamic forum for discussion and collaboration.

The first session, held on April 9, 2024, featured Dr. Dan Feeney of BOA Technology, who explored how research-driven innovations in closure systems can optimize footwear fit and performance. On June 18, 2024, Dr. Cedric Morio from Decathlon highlighted how combining user perception with biomechanical data paves the way for more effective sports footwear engineering. Later in the year, on December 3, 2024, Dr. Ashna Subramanium from Plantiga delved into how real-time data analysis reveals movement asymmetries and injury risks, informing product refinement and targeted interventions. Finally, on February 27, 2025, Dr. Jason Cheung from OLAB in Hong Kong examined the core biomechanical principles that underpin functional footwear design, emphasizing comfort, efficiency, and injury prevention.

Each session served as a platform to connect academic research with real-world applications in the footwear industry. Through in-depth presentations and interactive discussions, participants gained valuable insights into contemporary product innovation strategies, while early-career researchers had an opportunity to engage directly with leading industry professionals. The exchange of ideas during these sessions highlighted the importance of bridging academic expertise and industry needs, ultimately fostering greater collaboration and translational research. These sessions were recorded and are available to all FBG members to watch.

Looking ahead, the Footwear Biomechanics Group plans to continue hosting similar events to maintain the momentum of knowledge-sharing and professional networking. The hope is that future sessions will spark even more productive collaborations, encourage fresh research questions, and promote the development of practical solutions for footwear performance and injury prevention.

For additional details on these past events or to stay informed about upcoming opportunities, please contact Professor Nachi Chockalingam, Chair of the Footwear Biomechanics Group, Yannick Denis, Student Representative, or Thorsten Sterzing, Industry Representative. We look forward to connecting with wider ISB members at future gatherings, where we hope to continue to push the boundaries of footwear biomechanics together.

 FBG

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Footwear Biomechanics Group - FBS 2025

Abstracts for Footwear Biomechanics Symposium 2025 have now been submitted and we can’t wait to welcome you to the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, in July!

Check out this amazing Snow Shoe Art, made with footprints in the snow: “Footwear Footprints”, by R. Kim Asmussen & Michael J. Asmussen.

Deadline for Early Bird Registration is May 29, 2025 and registration will open soon!

 Thank you Hannah Rice for sharing the photographs with us!

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Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics Technical Group

CNB-ISB 2025 Satellite meeting: Muscle-Tendon Mechanics Across Species

The Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics Technical Group (CNB),  together with University of Jyväskylä is hosting a satellite meeting to be held in Helsinki Finland July 23rd-26th 2025 prior to the main ISB meeting in Stockholm. The organising committee consists of Taylor Dick, Taija Finni, Neil Cronin, Jonas Rubenson, and Huub Maas. The meeting program can be found here.  

The event showcases 2 keynotes and 17 invited speakers from 10 different countries and is kindly sponsored by the International Society of Biomechanics, the Finnish Federation of Learned Societies, The Company of Biologists, The Journal of Experimental Biology, Delsys, and Aurora Scientific. Registration for the event has now closed. A Journal of Biomechanics special issue on the theme Comparative Neuromuscular Biomechanics: integration across scales and species will showcase research presented at the meeting via a series of papers.

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Awards and Travel Grants - Updates

The application period for ISB awards to be presented at the upcoming Congress in Stockholm has officially closed, and we are excited to share that we received an outstanding response! Nearly 600 submissions (yes, 600!) were received across six award categories.

For the Clinical Biomechanics Award and the ISB World Athletics Award, the following timeline will be followed:

• March 31st, 2025 – Shortlisted nominees (five per award) will be notified and invited to submit a full paper.
• May 31st, 2025 – Full papers due to ISB Awards Officers (Taylor Dick and Katherine Boyer).
• Mid-July 2025 – Final award winners and nominees will be notified of the outcomes.

Breakdown of Submissions by Award Category:

• David Winter Young Investigator Awards: 374
• Clinical Biomechanics Award: 91
• ISB World Athletics Award for Biomechanics: 70
• Jacquelin Perry Emerging Female Scientist Award: 19
• Promising Scientist Award: 24
• Carlo de Luca Emerging Scientist Award: 18

We are also delighted to report an enthusiastic response to the ISB EDC Student Travel Grant and the Developing Countries Grant Competition (DCGC). The application period has now closed, with 79 eligible submissions for the EDC Student Travel Grant and 11 applications for the DCGC.

A big thank you to all who applied!

Successful applicants will be notified on March 31st for the EDC Student Travel Grant and April 30th for the DCGC.

We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our awardees in Stockholm!

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Awards and Travel Grants - Reports

Ayaka Hobo participation in 3DAHM, Uruguay
Master's Student in Physical Education
University of Tsukba, Japan

The 3DAHM symposium in Uruguay was my first international conference. I presented a non-invasive methodology of evaluating the plantar fascia strain during locomotion by combining ultrasound and motion capture systems. The opportunity to discuss our outcomes was an invaluable and truly honourable experience for me. During my first presentation, I was extremely nervous, and my performance fell short of my expectations, leaving me deeply frustrated. But rather than being discouraged, my experience at the 3DAHM symposium has further fuelled my passion to present my research internationally and contribute to the biomechanics community.

My research interest is in inter-individual variation and its determinants in the foot deformation dynamics in human locomotion. As a potential substantial factor, we focus on muscle-tendon-fascia interaction. The research presented at this symposium is positioned as the first step of my Master’s research. In our protocol, we track small (4 mm in diameter) hemispherical markers attached to the foot surface and the ultrasound transducer. This process required precise camera settings and meticulous equipment operation. The research presented was obtained after repeated trial-and-error. I intend to apply this methodology to investigate muscle-tendon-fascia dynamics relevant to inter-individual differences in foot arch deformation during walking and running. I am inspired by the potential of this research to contribute to elucidating the role and mechanisms of foot deformation during locomotion.

Just after the symposium, I lost my passport and missed my return flight. In this difficult situation, many people at the conference generously supported me. I am especially grateful to Professor Franco Simini, the conference president, for providing accommodation and assisting me until I could return home safely. This experience truly highlighted the kindness and generosity of the academic community.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who engaged with me during the conference.

Ayaka Hobo

Carlos Sendra-Pérez visit at Unipampa - Brazil
Doctoral Student in Physiological Sciences
Universitat de València, Spain

I am a doctoral student in Physiological Sciences at the Universitat de València in Spain. I applied for the ISB International Travel Grant and was lucky to be granted it. My main goal was to apply for ISB funding to cover the expenses of an international research visit as part of my doctoral program. The ISB International Travel Grant program allowed me to visit the Federal University of Pampa in Brazil for 90 days, from July to September 2024. During this time, I was with the Applied Neuromechanics Research Group (GNAP) of the Federal University of Pampa, working under the supervision of Professor Felipe P. Carpes.

The International Travel Grant from the ISB provided me with a unique experience. It enabled me to learn about another university, connect with people from another research group, and dive into Brazilian culture. The experience abroad also taught me about technologies unavailable in our laboratory in Valencia (e.g., the Vicon Motion System for 3D motion capture using infrared cameras). In addition, the visit also allowed me to learn about Brazil and the people living there.

The main activities developed during my stay in Brazil included:

• Attending the lab routine under the supervision of Dr. Felipe P. Carpes.
• Conducting experiments as part of a research project with GNAP students to assess the relationship between neuromuscular electrical activity and muscle oxygen saturation during exercise. The results of this project are planned to be presented at the upcoming ISB Congress 2025.
• Collaborating in research and teaching activities involving combined biomechanical and physiological measures, such as experiments related to jump landing performance and squat mechanics.
• Contributing to the development of scripts for data analyses.
• Attending the annual Graduate Program Symposium through an oral communication titled “Validación del sensor Calera Research durante una intervención en un incendio residencial. Un estudio piloto.”

Actively participating in the weekly Journal Club, which happens every Friday in the laboratory. This journal club is live-streamed, so people from other universities also participate. In one meeting, I was responsible for conducting research about “Pedaling posture and muscle oxygenation.”

I would like to thank the ISB for granting me the International Travel Grant and for all the work carried out towards the development of students and new scientists in biomechanics. I would also like to thank my supervisor, Professor Jose Ignacio Priego-Quesada, for his daily encouragement and help in preparing the proposal, and Professor Felipe P. Carpes for all his help and assistance and his role as a host professor.

In addition, I also want to thank Professor Willian Da Silva, who consistently encouraged me to reapply for the International Travel Grant scholarship. Furthermore, I would like to thank all the Applied Neuromechanics Research Group (GNAP) students for having me at the Federal University of Pampa and for their support during my stay.

I am sure this experience will greatly impact my professional and personal life. I will continue working to learn more about biomechanics, seeking my development as a future scientist in this field, and contributing to the development of students interested in learning more about the biomechanics of human movement.

Kind regards,
Carlos Sendra-Pérez

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Featured Labs - EDC Series

As part of our ongoing series featuring biomechanics laboratories worldwide, we present a special focus on biomechanics research in Uruguay. Below, Professor Franco Simini, Director of the Núcleo de Ingeniería Biomédica (NIB), shares insights into his work. NIB is part of MOVHUM, an interdisciplinary laboratory dedicated to gait analysis at the University Hospital in Montevideo, the renowned Hospital de Clínicas. This hospital, which has been serving Uruguay for nearly a century, has provided specialized healthcare for over 70 years.

Interview with Professor Franco Simini

ISB: What inspired you to establish your lab in an emerging developing country (EDC), and what unique challenges or opportunities does it face?

Prof. Simini: MOVHUM was created by integrating several academic units—both research and clinical—to work together on topics related to human movement, ranging from rehabilitation and sports medicine to technology transfer and associated basic research. The inspiration for this historic collaboration among the University Departments of Neurology, Sports Medicine, Physical Therapy, Biophysics, Occupational Therapy, and Biomedical Engineering was the limited resources available, coupled with the growing need for neuro-rehabilitation options for an increasing number of patients. At the same time, two years of preparation for a major international event, 3DAHM2024, which took place in December 2024, helped to secure funding and recruit students..

ISB: Can you provide an overview of your laboratory and its main research focus?

Prof. Simini: MOVHUM unites multiple departments. The gait analysis laboratory, directed by Dr. Dario Santoswith a primary research focus on knee biomechanics; the Neurology Department, directed by Dr. Christina Vazquez; the Physical and Occupational Therapy Departments, led by Dr. Janine Hareau and Andrés Rey, who are active in upper limb rehabilitation; Sports Medicine, led by Dr. Sofía González Assiz, which has produced significant research on the ultrasound determination of muscular lesions; and the Biophysics Department, headed by Dr. Gonzalo Ferreira, along with our NIB, which is actively developing original medical devices based on clinical needs and transferring this technology to industry, with several recent successful examples in biomechanics.

ISB: What are the primary challenges in conducting biomechanics research in Uruguay?

Prof. Simini: Although there are five gait analysis laboratories in the country, the number of researchers and graduate students does not yet constitute the critical mass necessary to achieve a substantial leap forward in terms of results—particularly when compared with groups that

feature clinicians with PhDs and an interdisciplinary use of technology in health care. The recent establishment of MOVHUM is an attempt to foster biomechanics in Uruguay in response to this perceived weakness.

ISB: How does your lab collaborate with other institutions, both nationally and internationally?

Prof. Simini: The academic groups that are part of MOVHUM have several collaborative research projects among themselves, which form the foundation of this joint venture. Internationally, every PhD student in our groups is, in some way, affiliated with a reference laboratory abroad. This arrangement not only provides the student with an international perspective but also facilitates cooperation from eminent colleagues. An incomplete list of countries includes Canada, France, Italy, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, India, Ecuador and Argentina.

ISB: What types of equipment and resources are currently available in your lab?

Prof. Simini: MOVHUM currently has an 8-camera gait analysis system (generation 2025) provided by Motion Analysis. sEMG systems expected to arrive shortly as part of an agreement with DELSYS. Other equipment include standard electronics development instrumentation, US equipment for muscle scanning on sports fields, and weight reduction hanging devices..

ISB: What are the most urgent equipment needs that would enhance your research capabilities?

Prof. Simini: We currently lack force plates and the associated software, which would significantly enhance research in several areas at MOVHUM, linked to sEMG and to cameras.

ISB: How do you see the future of biomechanics research in Uruguay evolving?

Prof. Simini: In a slow and incremental manner, biomechanics research in Uruguay will gradually benefit from an increasing number of PhD graduates with foundational degrees in a variety of disciplines, including Engineering, Medicine (Neurology, Sports Medicine, Biophysics, etc.), and Physical and Occupational Therapy, among others. The development of new devices, along with clinical evidence of their efficacy, will eventually give rise to new startup companies staffed by PhD graduates and other dedicated personnel. A virtuous cycle of increased research, enhanced technology transfer, improved health care, and more efficient use of clinical time will eventually be established in Uruguay..

ISB: Are there any ongoing projects or success stories you would like to highlight?

Prof. Simini: DINABANG evolved from the clinical need to measure the instantaneous power of the lower limbs in sports fields and rehabilitation medical offices, effectively serving as a portable biomechanics lab. Initially defined in terms of engineering specifications by an interdisciplinary team, DINABANG was the subject of several theses and research grants. The successful prototype became the object of a university licensing agreement with a start-up company (directed by former students, now entrepreneurs), and the product is now sold in several countries, opening markets in Asia, Europe, and, naturally, Latin America..

ISB: How can the international biomechanics community contribute to supporting biomechanics in Uruguay?

Prof. Simini: A list of laboratories open to receiving graduate students for short-term or extended internships would be of great help, ideally with shared expense coverage to facilitate these study visits. During these stays, students would work on shared research projects between the host and home laboratories, paving the way for reciprocal visits and joint publications. Additionally, Uruguay is open to considering surplus donations of equipment and software in good condition from research laboratories worldwide, as well as from manufacturing firms that wish to disseminate new products in Latin America through the Universidad de la República.

Closing Remarks

The work being done at MOVHUM highlights the importance of collaboration and innovation in biomechanics research in Uruguay. As Professor Simini emphasized, increased access to training opportunities and technology will be critical in advancing biomechanics in the region. In line with this, the ISB community can play a role in supporting these efforts through equipment donations and knowledge exchange. For more details on how you can contribute, please see our upcoming article on facilitating equipment donations to biomechanics laboratories in developing regions.

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Building Biomechanics in Uruguay: A Call for Support

The field of biomechanics in Uruguay is experiencing an exciting phase of growth, with several research groups actively engaged in advancing knowledge and innovation. A key milestone in this development is the planned establishment of the Uruguayan Society for Biomechanics, which aims to strengthen biomechanics in Uruguay and integrate the country’s biomechanics community into the global network of researchers and professionals.

A critical challenge faced by these laboratories is the lack of essential equipment that is fundamental for human movement analysis and biomechanical research. This need was highlighted in the Featured Lab series by Dr. Franco Simini, Professor at the Universidad de la Republica in Montevideo, URUGUAY.

Recently, many ISB members visited Uruguay to participate in the ISB Technical Group Meeting on 3D Human Movement. During the visit, Professor Walter Herzog and I toured a newly established biomechanics laboratory in Montevideo, led by Professor Franco Simini, housed within a hospital setting. Despite having a full set of high-speed motion capture cameras, the lab lacks force platforms, limiting the scope of research and clinical investigations that can be done.

This situation is not unique to Uruguay but reflects broader challenges faced by biomechanics researchers in EDC. Historically, ISB has supported equipment donations to laboratories in need, including successful initiatives in Tanzania, Venezuela, and India. These efforts have enabled local scientists to establish state-of-the-art facilities and conduct impactful research that would otherwise not have been possible.

How You Can Help
We are calling on ISB members, biomechanics laboratories, and industry partners to support this initiative in the following ways:

• Donate used or surplus equipment: If your lab has force platforms or other biomechanics equipment that is no longer in use but still functional, consider donating it to the Uruguayan lab or any other lab in an EDC country.
• Connect with manufacturers: If you have industry contacts, encourage them to donate or showcase their equipment in Uruguay as a means of expanding their market in the region.
• Spread the word: Share this initiative with your network, including research groups, universities, and biomechanics professionals who may be able to assist.

Professor Franco Simini will be leading this initiative in Uruguay and is working closely with ISB to coordinate efforts. If you are interested in contributing, please reach out to (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ). Additionally, I, Heiliane (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), ISB Publications Officer, and Daniel (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)ISB EDC Officer, are available to receive requests and announcements of available equipment at any time.
By working together, we can advance biomechanics research in Uruguay and support the growth of an emerging biomechanics community eager to expand its integration into the international landscape.

Heiliane de Brito Fontana 
Publication Officer (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

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Obituary: Mitsumasa Miyashita (1936-2025)

We regret to write that Prof. Mitsumasa Miyashita, a beloved pioneer of biomechanics in Japan and an avid supporter of the International Society of Biomechanics (ISB), passed away on January 3, 2025, at the age of 88.

Born in Nagano, Japan, in 1936, Prof. Miyashita pursued his education at the University of Tokyo, where he graduated from the Department of Physical Education and Health Education in the Faculty of Education. As an undergraduate, he was an active member of the University of Tokyo’s swimming club, competing in freestyle and water polo. His deep passion for swimming led him to coach the club as a graduate student.

In 1967, he became the first person in Japan to earn a PhD in physical education, completing his dissertation, “Kinesiology of Swimming.” His pioneering study involved electromyographic analyses of underwater swimming movements, identifying the muscle activities responsible for propulsion. Following his PhD, he joined the Center for Health and Physical Education at Nagoya University, where he and his colleagues made history as the first Japanese researchers to present at an ISB conference at University Park, Pennsylvania, in 1973.

In 1974, Prof. Miyashita returned to the University of Tokyo as a professor in the Faculty of Education and Graduate School of Education. His commitment to biomechanics extended to mentoring graduate students, encouraging them to present their research internationally. He recognized the importance of making scientific findings accessible beyond biomechanics, advising his students to test their research clarity on individuals unfamiliar with the field, including sports coaches.

Prof. Miyashita was a visionary educator, advocating for scientific approaches to physical education. His influential book, “What is Physical Education?” highlighted the necessity of scientific knowledge in physical education. He systematically analyzed training methodologies, tailoring them for different age groups—from children to adults—based on empirical data. His work in “Science of Sports Skills” remains a foundation for Japanese sports leaders in coaching methodologies.

Throughout his career, Prof. Miyashita held several prestigious academic positions in Japan, including Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, Professor at Toyo Eiwa University, and Professor at the Open University of Japan. He also played pivotal roles in professional societies, serving as Director of the Japan Society of Physical Education, President of the Japan Swimming Federation, and Honorary Member of the Japanese Society of Biomechanics.

Beyond academia, he was a prolific author and editor, publishing approximately 30 books on training methodologies, sports science, and physical fitness. Some of his notable works include Scientific Bases of Training, Swimming Science: Kinesiology and Its Applications to Coaching, Women’s Sports Physiology, Medical Walking, Medical Nordic Walking, and Walking to Protect Brain Function.

Prof. Miyashita’s research legacy extends beyond the academic sphere. His studies on sports biomechanics and training emphasized muscle activities in sports movements, forming the basis for many coaching strategies in Japan. Even after retirement, he continued publishing, with his posthumous article, “What is ‘Good Muscle’? Evaluation of Skeletal Muscle Function from Various Aspects,” reflecting his lifelong passion for human movement.

He was also deeply invested in public health and citizen sports, believing that physical activity should transcend competition. As the first President of the Japan Fitness Association and Chairman of the Japan Citizen Sports Federation, he advocated a philosophy that echoes his impact in biomechanics: “Our goal is to promote the health of people around the world who participate in citizen sports, where there is no winning or losing, and to deepen friendships among participants and contribute to world peace.”

By the time he retired from the University of Tokyo, more than 30 graduate students had earned their PhDs under his guidance. He was not just a mentor but a lifelong supporter of his students’ success, fostering international collaborations and expanding Japan’s presence in biomechanics.

One of the most memorable moments of his career was his final lecture, “What I Have Done for the Last 60 Years,” delivered at the 50th Anniversary ISB Congress in Fukuoka in 2023. His closing words—“Which path have I taken? Research, swimming, or fishing?”—perfectly reflected his versatile, passionate, and energetic approach to life.

As Honorary Chairman of the “Walk Until 100 Years Old” Club, he actively participated in community walks well into his 80s, promoting lifelong fitness. Sadly, Prof. Miyashita could not walk for 100 years, but his footprints in biomechanics and humanity will endure for generations.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. May his soul rest in peace.

Yuichi Hirano

Todd Pataky

Hiro Nunome

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