Mark S. Redfern, PhD,
University of Pittsburgh
"Biomechanics and the Prevention of Slips and Falls"

Bio: Mark S. Redfern is the Kepler Whiteford Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, with secondary appointments in the School of Medicine (Otolaryngology) and the School of Health and Rehabilitation Science (Physical Therapy). He received a PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Michigan in 1988 in the area of biomechanics while working at the Center for Ergonomics. Dr. Redfern's current research focuses mainly on human postural control modeling, the influence of aging on balance, and slip/fall prevention. He has over 150 peer review publications and 20 book chapters.

Abstract: Slips and falls continue to be a significant problem, resulting in injury and death across the age-span. Falls result in 20 % of all occupation injuries and 13 % of fatalities, with slips being the cause in about half. Reducing slips and falls requires taking an ergonomics approach. The presentation will review the slip and fall prevention research undertaken in the Human Movement and Balance Laboratory. Three areas will be covered: Human Factors, Environmental Evaluation and Design, and Computer Modeling. Human factors will include the biomechanics of slips and falls for young and older populations. The environmental aspects will focus on slip resistance measurements and characterization of shoe-floor-contaminant interface. Recent computational modeling efforts will also be discussed, including shoe-floor tribological modeling.