Carlo De Luca

Dr. De Luca focuses on the application of engineering principles to the understanding of motor control and the development of objective patient treatment procedures. Specifically, he is interested in: (1) Using innovative technology to identify motor unit action potentials from the surface EMG signal to explore the control scheme that regulates their activation and firing in the healthy neuromuscular system. This is a continuation of work that Dr. De Luca has done over the past four decades. (2) Leading a team developing algorithms for identifying dysfunctional movements in neurologically impaired patients for the purpose of providing clinicians with high-resolution reports on mobility and medication-effect for improving patient management. (3) Developing a physiologically-based mathematical model describing the generation of muscle force that allows for hypothesis testing of the influence of firing characteristics and muscle fiber mechanics.(4) Exploring the development of technology for detecting and analyzing surface EMG signals for the purpose of facilitating and expanding the use of the EMG signal in clinical, movement science, sport science and ergonomics environments.