Glendale KAS Research Day Showcases CAREN-assisted Projects
State-of-the-art virtual reality system at the Midwestern University Therapy Institute enhances student and faculty research
The CAREN virtual reality system simulates realistic environments using a moving platform and treadmill, wrap-around projection screens, and a motion capture system.
Midwestern University’s annual Kenneth A. Suarez Research Day celebrates the research endeavors and accomplishments of Midwestern’s students, faculty, and staff, and also provides an open forum for discussion of future research on campus. Research Day is named in memory of Kenneth A. Suarez, Ph.D., who spent 25 years in Midwestern University’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) and who conceptualized and implemented the annual event in 2002 as a way to encourage student interest in academic research.
Among the research projects presented at this year’s Research Day on the Glendale Campus are four projects that utilize Midwestern’s state-of-the-art CAREN (Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment) advanced virtual reality platform. This advanced virtual reality platform is one of fewer than 20 in the U.S. and just 50 worldwide, offering a unique combination of immersive environments and precise data collection. Located at the University’s Therapy Institute, the CAREN system is a vital tool for Midwestern’s faculty healthcare providers and researchers, enabling a deeper understanding of human movement, balance, and rehabilitation.
The CAREN system is equipped with a moving platform, dual-belt instrumented treadmill, wrap-around projection screens, and a motion capture system, allowing it to simulate realistic environments—from walking through nature to navigating a speedboat on water. This controlled setup provides valuable data on the forces and movements involved in physical activity.
A game-changer for research
For Matthew O’Neill, Ph.D. (CGS-Glendale), Associate Professor, Anatomy, the CAREN system is a game-changing tool for research on musculoskeletal biomechanics. Dr. O’Neill is involved with two of the four CAREN-assisted research projects at this year’s Research Day. “The CAREN system is an incredible resource for the type of high-fidelity, integrated biomechanics data collection that is required for my lab’s research program,” Dr. O’Neill explains. “It allows us to answer a wide range of questions about the musculoskeletal system, from ‘how does it work?’ to ‘when and why did it start to work that way?’”
Christopher Burch (AZCOM ’27) and his classmates Alexander Hrnicek (AZCOM ’27) and Austin Bay (AZCOM ‘27) collaborated with Dr. O’Neill on a research project using ultrasound imaging methods to determine how calf muscles work to handle different walking challenges. “The CAREN system was key to our research,” Christopher says. “It let us simulate extreme planes of motion and observe their impact on muscle fascicle dynamics in ways that previous studies have been unable to achieve. To our knowledge, we were the first to study how lateral roll affects the medial gastrocnemius muscle at this level. By pushing the system’s tilt capabilities, we gained valuable insight into how muscle fibers respond to challenging terrain. This deeper understanding could improve biomechanical models and have important clinical implications for injury prevention and rehabilitation.”
Kendall Clark (CHS-Glendale PT ’26), along with her Class of ’26 classmates Samuel Bliese, Megan Germansky, Joshua Himes, and Angel Islas, elected to use the CAREN to simulate motion sickness in order to test a manufacturer’s claims about the benefits of motion sickness glasses. “The CAREN system was absolutely central to our research,” she says. “Without it, we wouldn't have been able to induce motion sickness in such a precise and controlled way. One of its biggest advantages was the level of customization it offered—we could simulate different types of travel, whether by land, air, or sea, and tailor the experience to fit our study’s goals.
“I believe it’s absolutely essential for science and research to test claims like these - and just as importantly, to make that evidence accessible to everyone. Holding manufacturers accountable ensures that products are developed with people’s well-being in mind, not just profit. Research gives people the tools to make informed decisions based on evidence, not just marketing.”
The ability to generate high-fidelity data in real time is what makes the CAREN system such a valuable asset to both clinical care and research. Thanks to its versatility in helping assess and treat a wide range of conditions, from neurological disorders to balance and gait issues, while providing researchers with the precise data needed to explore complex questions about human movement, the CAREN is playing a pivotal role in advancing research and student training in the fields of biomechanics, rehabilitation, and clinical care at Midwestern University.
2025 KAS Research Day CAREN-assisted projects
Exploring Motion Sickness Induction and the Efficacy of Motion Sickness Glasses using a Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN)
Celeste Delap, PT, D.P.T., Christina Esposito O.D., Megan Germansky, Kendall Clark, Joshua Himes, Angel Islas, Samuel Bliese
Tracking the Tilt: Unraveling Medial Gastrocnemius Dynamics in Adaptive Locomotion
Christopher Burch, Alexander Hrnicek, Austin Bay, Matthew O'Neill, Ph.D.
Examining muscle fascicle dynamics of vastus lateralis during walking using ultrasound imaging
Alexander Hrnicek, Christopher Burch, Austin Bay, Matthew O'Neill, Ph.D.
The Impact of Stroboscopic Training in a Computer-Assisted Rehabilitation Environment on Visual Reaction Time
Matthew Roe, O.D., Keili Oxley, Michaela Shaughnessy, Tara Kern
