We are thrilled to welcome Jeff Nickel as the new Scientific Engineer of the UBC Balance and Falls Research Centre! Bringing with him extensive experience in instrumentation and human movement, Jeff will help advance the Centre's research by developing creative electrical, mechanical, and mechatronic solutions for human experimentation. A significant part of his work will involve designing and building custom human-machine interfaces where off-the-shelf solutions cannot meet specific research project requirements.
With an Applied Science Diploma from BCIT in Computer Control Electronics and a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from UBC, Jeff joins us from MEA Forensic Engineers, where he worked as Instrumentation Engineer. At MEA, he was responsible for the electronic aspects of diverse research projects, ranging from vehicle collision studies and whiplash testing to slip-and-fall incidents and biomechanical analysis of various injuries.
One of Jeff's latest projects at MEA involved using a large industrial robot to study neck biomechanics during vehicle rollovers by manipulating subjects in a car seat through trajectories experienced in actual rollover accidents. This innovative system has now been transferred to the new School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) building, where it will be enhanced with bi-planar x-ray capabilities for 3D neck motion imaging. Jeff will commission and program this sophisticated system to support ongoing research projects.
Based in both the SBME and the new Gateway Building (School of Kinesiology), Jeff will provide technical support across departments. He is particularly excited to continue his involvement with the graduate and post-graduate students research and developing new gadgets to advance UBC's research programs.
The Balance and Falls Research Centre looks forward to the new possibilities that Jeff's valuable expertise bring to the table!