Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 12: The Astronaut Who Works to Prevent Falls!

Dr. Sienko's prototype- a vibrotactile feedback device for improving balance!


Kathleen Sienko is a researcher at the University of Michigan who specializes in technology to stabilize both elderly people and post-flight astronauts. Her current project uses a cell phone to provide vibrational cues to a person when he or she begins to lose balance.

What inspired you to choose this field? I am passionate about space exploration, and after working on a balance-related study that employed individuals with vestibular deficits as analogs for astronauts returning from long-duration spaceflight, I came to appreciate the daily challenges associated with inner ear disease and was inspired to pursue research that would have a positive impact on the quality of life for persons with balance deficits.

What are the benefits of your research? My research focuses on the design and assessment of devices for improving balance and the development of low-cost, easy-to-use technologies to benefit global health.

What about your field would most surprise people? The amount of travel. During the past year, work has taken me to Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Morgantown, Geneva, Copenhagen, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Kumasi, Reykjavik, Bangkok and New Delhi.

Gonzales, Cecile. "Astronauts and the Elderly Share Balance Issues." ScienceLives 26 Aug 2010. www.livescience.com/11167-astronauts-elderly-share-balance-issues.html