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Ahmed, Alaa Abdalla

Professor

Positions

Research Areas research areas

Research

research overview

  • Dr. Ahmed's research uses a neuroeconomic approach to reverse engineer how the brain controls movement. Specifically, she seeks to understand the costs and rewards underlying movement choices in health and disease. Experiments use a combination of approaches involving virtual reality, robotic interfaces, kinetic and kinematic analyses. Coupled with computational models, these investigations will provide greater insight into the interplay between the biomechanical and sensorimotor processes underlying human movement control, learning, and decision-making.

keywords

  • decision making, movement, neuroeconomics, biomechanics, neuromechanics, computational motor control

Publications

selected publications

Teaching

courses taught

  • BMEN 6519 - Special Topics
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2022
    Credit hours and subject matter to be arranged. May be repeated up to 12 total credit hours.
  • GEEN 1400 - Engineering Projects
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018
    First-year students solve real engineering design problems in interdisciplinary teams. Design projects vary by section. Curriculum focuses on iterative design process, teamwork and team dynamics, supporting design with testing and analysis, and technical writing. Completed projects are exhibited at an end-of-semester design expo. Students responsible for contributing towards their design project budget and poster costs, and purchasing safety glasses (approximately $75).
  • IPHY 4540 - Biomechanics
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018 / Spring 2019
    Applies the principles of physics and physiology to analyze the movement of humans and other animals. Assesses the mechanical properties of muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones. Quantitatively analyzes forces, torque, mechanical energy, power impulses and momentum associated with human movement. Department enforced prerequisite: completion of statistics course or equivalent. Recommended prerequisites: (MATH 1300 or MATH 1310 or APPM 1350) and IPHY 3415.
  • IPHY 6680 - Matlab for Physiological and Biomechanical Research
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2019
    Introduces Matlab programming skills needed to write and modify programs for data acquisition and analysis, statistics, plotting, and simulation.
  • IPHY 6840 - Research Project
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2019 / Spring 2021
    Involves a scholarly investigation of a selected topic using literature and/or experimental techniques. Advisor required. May be repeated up to 3 total credit hours.
  • MCEN 2043 - Dynamics
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022
    Covers dynamic behavior of particle systems and rigid bodies; 2-D and 3-D kinematics and kinetics; impulse, momentum, potential, and kinetic energy; and work, collision, and vibration.
  • MCEN 4157 - Modeling of Human Movement
    Primary Instructor - Summer 2023
    Human movement analysis is used in physical rehabilitation, sport training, human-robot interaction, animation, and more. Course provides a systematic overview of human movement on multiple levels of analysis, with an emphasis on the phenomenology amenable to computational modeling. Covers muscle physiology, movement-related brain areas, musculoskeletal mechanics, forward and inverse dynamics, optimal control and Bayesian inference, learning and adaptation. Inspires students to see and appreciate the complexities of movement control in all aspects of daily life. Same as MCEN 5157.
  • MCEN 4228 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022
    Subject matter to be selected from topics of current interest. May be repeated up to 15 credit hours. Same as MCEN 5228.
  • MCEN 5157 - Modeling of Human Movement
    Primary Instructor - Summer 2023
    Human movement analysis is used in physical rehabilitation, sport training, human-robot interaction, animation, and more. Course provides a systematic overview of human movement on multiple levels of analysis, with an emphasis on the phenomenology amenable to computational modeling. Covers muscle physiology, movement-related brain areas, musculoskeletal mechanics, forward and inverse dynamics, optimal control and Bayesian inference, learning and adaptation. Inspires students to see and appreciate the complexities of movement control in all aspects of daily life. Same as MCEN 4157.
  • MCEN 5228 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022
    Subject matter to be selected from topics of current interest. May be repeated up to 15 credit hours.
  • MCEN 5930 - Professional Internship
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2023
    This class provides a structure for Mechanical Engineering graduate students to receive academic credit for internships with industry partners that have an academic component to them suitable for graduate-level work. Participation in the program will consist of an internship agreement between a student and an industry partner who will employ the student in a role that supports the academic goals of the internship. Instructor participation will include facilitation of mid-term and final assessments of student performance as well as support for any academic-related issues that may arise during the internship period. May be taken during any term following initial enrollment and participation in ME graduate programs. Department permission required to enroll.
  • MCEN 6949 - Master's Degree Candidacy
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2019 / Summer 2023
    -
  • MCEN 6959 - Master's Thesis
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2019 / Spring 2023
    -

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