Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Reflex Activity01:08

Reflex Activity

2.8K
A reflex activity is an automatic, involuntary response to specific stimuli. It is a part of our survival mechanism, designed to protect us from potential harm. For example, when a bright light suddenly shines into our eyes, we instinctively close them or look away. This is a simple reflex activity orchestrated by the nervous system without conscious thought or effort.
A reflex exam is a diagnostic procedure performed by a healthcare professional to evaluate the functionality of a patient's...
2.8K
Somatic Spinal Reflexes01:22

Somatic Spinal Reflexes

4.6K
Somatic spinal reflexes are rapid, involuntary muscular responses to external stimuli that involve the somatic musculature and the spinal cord.
One of the most well-known somatic spinal reflexes is the stretch reflex, which is activated by the sudden stretching of a muscle. This reflex involves the activation of specialized sensory receptors called muscle spindles, which are located in the muscle tissue and detect changes in the length and speed of muscle contractions. When a muscle is suddenly...
4.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

In situ muscle pre-activation shifts the lateral gastrocnemius muscle-tendon unit to rely on active fascicle lengthening to absorb peak power input.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026
Same author

Design and Validation of an Arduino-Based, Cost-Effective Heated Anesthesia Induction Chamber for Mice.

Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS·2026
Same author

Evoking Cutaneous Reflexes During Human Walking I. A Step-by-Step Methodological Approach.

Current protocols·2025
Same author

Correction: Political participation among deaf youth in Great Britain.

PloS one·2025
Same author

Clinical-grade extracellular vesicles derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells: preclinical development and first-in-human intra-articular validation as therapeutics for knee osteoarthritis.

Journal of nanobiotechnology·2025
Same author

Efficacy of a single dose of cryopreserved human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis:a randomized, controlled, double-blind pilot study.

Cytotherapy·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects
10:19

Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects

Published on: April 13, 2011

13.2K

Evoking Cutaneous Reflexes During Human Walking II. An Open-Source Pseudo-Randomization Approach.

Colin E Benites1,2, Francisco Espinoza3,2, Christopher J Arellano1,3,2

  • 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.

Current Protocols
|November 29, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a low-cost, open-source system using Arduino and VICON for measuring cutaneous reflexes during walking. This method enables precise, real-time stimulation and data collection for gait analysis.

Keywords:
Arduino Uno ControllerC++phase‐dependent modulationreflex amplitudereflex modulation

More Related Videos

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
08:12

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

10.0K
Simulation of Human-induced Vibrations Based on the Characterized In-field Pedestrian Behavior
10:52

Simulation of Human-induced Vibrations Based on the Characterized In-field Pedestrian Behavior

Published on: April 13, 2016

9.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 6, 2026

Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects
10:19

Studying the Neural Basis of Adaptive Locomotor Behavior in Insects

Published on: April 13, 2011

13.2K
Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
08:12

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

10.0K
Simulation of Human-induced Vibrations Based on the Characterized In-field Pedestrian Behavior
10:52

Simulation of Human-induced Vibrations Based on the Characterized In-field Pedestrian Behavior

Published on: April 13, 2016

9.1K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biomechanics
  • Gait Rehabilitation

Background:

  • Cutaneous reflexes play a crucial role in human locomotion.
  • Measuring these reflexes during dynamic activities like walking is complex.
  • Existing methods may lack flexibility or be cost-prohibitive.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a low-cost, open-source protocol for measuring cutaneous reflexes during human walking.
  • To detail the integration of an Arduino microcontroller, VICON system, and electrical stimulator.
  • To enable precise, real-time control over experimental parameters for reflex measurement.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a C++ custom code for Arduino integration with VICON.
  • Implemented a pseudo-randomization approach for stimulus delivery synchronized with gait events.
  • Defined parameters for gait cycle partitioning and stimulus distribution across bins.

Main Results:

  • The integrated system allows for real-time stimulation and data acquisition.
  • Pseudo-randomized stimuli are delivered based on foot contact and evenly distributed across gait cycle bins.
  • The protocol facilitates controlled and repeatable measurement of cutaneous reflexes during walking.

Conclusions:

  • This flexible and accessible protocol enables investigation of phase-dependent reflex modulation.
  • The modular design integrates with existing motion capture systems for broad research application.
  • It serves as a valuable tool for neuroscience, biomechanics, and gait rehabilitation research.