Biomechanics is is one of the old sciences that carries its name given by the Ancient Greeks βίος μηχανική – ‘life mechanics’.
There are a variety of definitions such as:
It combines the application of mechanical principles to the biological systems
(adapted from Wikipedia)
Considered to be the best formulated definition is the following text:
"Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems by means of the methods of mechanics".
[Hatze, Herbert. (1974) The meaning of the term biomechanics. Journal of Biomechanics, 7:189-190]
Initially the word Biomechanics was always associated with the motion, walk and the specific study of the Gait. Today it represents a wide area of studies starting from the gait, and including biomechanics of orthopaedics, clinical, skeletal muscle, injury, tissue, cell biomechanics, etc.
At its start the biomechanics concentrated on the macro motion of the human or animal skeletal system while these days the science is continuing to uncover behaviour of the tissues at different hierarchical levels to better understand the biomechanics of some cells or viruses spreading disease. A relatively new area where the biomechanics plays an important role is regenerative medicine, which supports studies related to cell behaviour in an artificial environment of implants such as non-cemented implants that eliminate the possibility of loosening of the implant once the bone cells penetrate through the nanopores on the surface of the implant.
Mechanics principles deal with the study of the system motion, which is induced by forces, either external or generated by the muscles. Consideration of the living system requires adaptation of the relatively simple principles of mechanics to the intricacy of living systems thus the analysis and solution of the system becomes complex. Engineering can help in many ways to improve the medical care by introducing a modern technological approach.
Simulation of biological skeletal systems
Funded by: University of Malta
Principal investigator: Zdenka Sant
Co-investigators: A. Attard, M. Cauchi, A. Lupi, L. Mifsud, C. Muscat, K. Shaw, M. Spiteri
Stress and strain analysis of the sternum after the surgery
Funded by: University of Malta
Principal investigator: Zdenka Sant
Co-investigators: A. Casha, J. Catania, J. Cilia, N. Farrugia, K. Schembri
Engineering of implants for regenerative medicine
Funded by: University of Malta
Principal investigator: Zdenka Sant
Co-investigators: J. Calleja-Agius, G. Cassar
Development of a Low-Wearing Novel Hip Joint Prosthesis with a Longer Lifespan
Funded by: FUSION R&I Programme, MCST
Date: 2016 to 2020
Principal Investigator: Pierre Schembri Wismayer (Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine)
Researcher / Ph.D. student: Donald Dalli
Ph.D. Supervisor: Joseph Buhagiar (Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering)
Ph.D. Co-supervisors: Pierre Schembri Wismayer (Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine), Pierluigi Mollicone
DEXAPP - Application of Manual Dexterity Studies to Prosthetics and Service Robotics
Funded by: University of Malta
Date: 2017 to date
Principal Investigator: Michael A. Saliba
Co-investigator: Kenneth P. Camilleri, Jesmond Attard
Project Partners: Orthotics and Prosthetics Unit (OPU), Karen Grech Hospital
DEXTERITY - Studies on minimalism versus anthropomorphism in robot hand dexterity
Funded by: University of Malta
Date: 2013 to 2016
Principal Investigator: Michael A. Saliba
HAND - Development of a dexterous robotic hand for manufacturing, prosthetic, and general research applications
Funded by: University of Malta
Date: 2006 to 2010
Principal Investigator: Michael A. Saliba
Co-investigators: Simon Fabri, Conrad Pace.
Prof. Duncan Camilleri
Prof. Pierluigi Mollicone
Prof. Michael A. Saliba
Dr Zdenka Sant
