Antonia Zaferiou (azaferio)

Antonia Zaferiou

Assistant Professor

Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Education

  • PhD (2015) University of Southern California (Biomedical Engineering)
  • MS (2011) University of Southern California (Biomedical Engineering)
  • BE (2010) The Cooper Union (Mechanical Engineering )

Research

Antonia Zaferiou’s research focuses on understanding and improving movement mechanics used during agile maneuvers. Specifically, Dr. Zaferiou is interested in (1) identifying strategies people use to achieve the mechanical objectives of turning maneuvers and (2) developing real-time sonified biofeedback (sound/music conveying biomechanics metrics) as movement training technology.

Dr. Zaferiou has studied a wide-spectrum of movements performed by individuals spanning across clinical populations (e.g., older adult fallers, pre-and-post-operative shoulder patients, etc.) to elite athletes (e.g., professional dancers, professional pitchers, etc.).

General Information

Dr. Zaferiou earned her B.E. in Mechanical Engineering at The Cooper Union and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California. After her doctoral studies, she joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan as a Postdoctoral Fellow. Prior to joining Stevens Institute of Technology, she was an Assistant Professor and director of a biomechanics lab in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Zaferiou is also a dedicated educator and mentor in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education activities.

Experience

Stevens Institute of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering
2019-Present: Assistant Professor

Rush University Medical Center, Department of Orthopedic Surgery 2016-2018:
2018-Present: Visiting Assistant Professor
2016-2018: Director of Sports Medicine Motion Analysis
2017-2018: Assistant Professor
2016-2017: Instructor

University of Michigan, Department of Mechanical Engineering
2015-2016: Postdoctoral Fellow

Other:
2020: Course Leader, "Project Design: Biomechanics", Art Harper Saturday Program, Stevens Institute of Technology
2016: Course Leader, "Body Physics" Cooper Union Summer STEM Program

Institutional Service

  • Research Advisory Council Member
  • Junior Faculty Board of Representatives Member
  • President of Career Club (junior faculty mentoring) Chair
  • Steering Committee of Strategic Plan Chair

Professional Service

  • ASME Bioengineering Division Co-Chair of Devices, Dynamics, and Rehabilitation Technical Committee
  • Editorial Board Member, Medical Problems of Performing Artists Editorial Board Member
  • American Baseball Biomechanics Society Elected to Board of Directors
  • American Society of Biomechanics Conference proceeding reviewer
  • American Society of Biomechanics Reviewer of conference proceedings
  • General Conference Chair, Seventh International Conference on Movement and Computing General Conference Chair
  • Scientific Chair, Seventh International Conference on Movement and Computing Scientific Chair
  • National Science Foundation NSF Review Panelist

Honors and Awards

Presidential Fellow, Endowed Faculty Fellowship, Stevens, 2022-2025
Early Career Research Excellence Award, Stevens, 2021

Grants, Contracts and Funds

NSF CAREER Award titled “Adaptive Biofeedback to Improve Balance during Everyday Mobility” 9/20-8/25 (Role: PI)

IRE-K12 "Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Engineering Research Career Development" (scholar of NIH Award #K12HD073945) 1/21-12/21 (Role: site PI)

Major League Baseball Research Grants
Title: Developing wearable technology to warn pitchers of change in mechanics due to fatigue (Role: PI)
Title: Lower and Upper Extremity Control Used During Batting at Different Pitch Speeds (Role: PI)

National Academy of Medicine - Healthy Longevity Catalyst Award
2021 (Role: co-PI)
Title: A multi-sensor wearable system with a personalized AI and multimodal biofeedback to improve balance of older adults at home

Selected Publications

Book Chapter

  1. Zaferiou, A.; Gustafson, J. A.; Pourzal, R. (2020). Chapter 8: Musculoskeletal Biomechanics. Orthopaedic Knowledge Update 13. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
    https://shop.lww.com/Orthopaedic-Knowledge-Update--13--Print---Ebook-with-Multimedia/p/9781975129521.
  2. Zaferiou, A. (2020). Subject-Specific Muscle Activation Patterns in Athletic and Orthopedic Populations: Considerations for using Surface Electromyography in Assistive and Biofeedback Device Applications. Advances in Motor Neuroprosthesis. Springer.
    https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-030-38740-2_2.

Conference Proceeding

  1. Liu, J. M.; Zaferiou, A. (2023). Impulse generation and Initial Velocity Differences in Two-Foot Running Jumps With and Without a Basketball (1 ed., vol. 41, pp. 76). In Proceedings of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport.
    https://commons.nmu.edu/isbs/vol41/iss1/76/.
  2. Liu, J. M.; Knowlton, C.; Guathier, M.; Tropp, Z.; Verma, N.; Nicholson, G.; Romeo, A.; Zaferiou, A.. A 3D Approach to Baseball Pitching Kinematic Sequence (1 ed., vol. 40, pp. 92). Proceedings of the International Society of Biomechanics of Sport.
    https://commons.nmu.edu/isbs/vol40/iss1/92.
  3. Liu, J.; Knowlton, C.; Gauthier, M.; Tropp, Z.; Verma, N.; Nicholson, G.; Romeo, A.; Zaferiou, A.. The roles and mechanisms of linear and angular impulse generation for both legs in baseball pitching: a whole-body perspective. In Proceedings of the International Society of Biomechanics of Sport. Virtual. *Finalist for New Investigator Award competition.
  4. Zaferiou, A. (2020). Seventh International Conference on Movement and Computing .
  5. Ribeiro, L. B.; Zaferiou, A.; Da Silva Filho, M. (2020). Evaluation of Movement and Motor Skills for Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series.
  6. Tillman, M.; Dahl, L.; Knowlton, C. B.; Zaferiou, A. (2020). Real-Time Optical Motion Capture Balance Sonification System. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series.
  7. Dahl, L.; Knowlton, C.; Zaferiou, A. (2019). Developing real-time sonification with optical motion capture to convey balance-related metrics to dancers. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series.
  8. Joseph, C.; Zaferiou, A.; Ojeda, L.; Perkins, N.; Stirling, L. (2018). An optimal control model for assessing human agility trajectories. IEEE Aerospace Conference Proceedings (vol. 2018-March, pp. 1-10).

Journal Article

  1. Tillman, M.; Molino, J.; Zaferiou, A. (2023). Gait-phase specific transverse-plane momenta generation during pre-planned and late-cued 90 degree turns while walking. Scientific Reports (1 ed., vol. 13).
  2. Zaferiou, A. (2023). Dance-Themed National Biomechanics Day Community Engagement to Inspire our Future STEAM Leaders. Journal of Biomechanics (vol. 150).
  3. Tillman, M.; Molino, J.; Zaferiou, A. (2022). Frontal plane balance during pre-planned and late-cued 90 degree turns while walking. Journal of Biomechanics (vol. 141).
  4. Chen, Z.; Zhang, H.; Zaferiou, A.; Zanotto, D.; Guo, Y. (2022). Mobile Robot Assisted Gait Monitoring and Dynamic Margin of Stability Estimation. IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics (2 ed., vol. 4, pp. 460-471).
  5. Liu, J. M.; Knowlton, C.; Gauthier, M.; Tropp, Z.; Verma, N.; Nicholson, G.; Romeo, A.; Zaferiou, A. (2022). Roles of each leg in impulse generation in professional baseball pitchers: preliminary findings uncover the contribution of the back leg towards whole-body rotation. Sports Biomechanics.
  6. Zaferiou, A.; Knowlton, C. B.; Jang, S. H.; Saltzman, B. M.; Verma, N. N.; Forsythe, B.; Nicholson, G. P.; Romeo, A. A. (2021). Scapular and humeral elevation coordination patterns used before vs. after Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty. Journal of Biomechanics (vol. 125).
  7. Davidson, S. P.; Cain, S. M.; Ojeda, L.; Zaferiou, A.; Vitali, R. V.; Stirling, L. A.; Perkins, N. C. (2021). Quantifying warfighter performance during a bounding rush (prone-sprinting-prone) maneuver. Applied Ergonomics (vol. 94).
  8. Engen, P.; Zaferiou, A.; Rasmussen, H.; Naqib, A.; Green, S.; Fogg, L.; Forsyth, C.; Hamaker, B.; Keshavarzian, A. (2020). A Single-Arm, Non-Randomized, Time Series, Single-Subject Study of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Multiple Sclerosis. Frontiers in Neurology, section Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology .
    https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2020.00978/full.
  9. Vitali, R. V.; Cain, S. M.; Ojeda, L. V.; Potter, M. V.; Zaferiou, A.; Davidson, S. P.; Coyne, M. E.; Hancock, C. L.; Mendoza, A.; Stirling, L. A.; Perkins, N. C. (2019). Body-worn IMU array reveals effects of load on performance in an outdoor obstacle course. PLoS ONE (3 ed., vol. 14).
  10. Ojeda, L. V.; Zaferiou, A.; Cain, S. M.; Vitali, R. V.; Davidson, S. P.; Stirling, L. A.; Perkins, N. C. (2017). Estimating stair running performance using inertial sensors. Sensors (Switzerland) (11 ed., vol. 17).
  11. Erickson, B. J.; Zaferiou, A.; Chalmers, P. N.; Ruby, D.; Malloy, P.; Luchetti, T. J.; Verma, N. N.; Romeo, A. A. (2017). Are the hamstrings from the drive leg or landing leg more active in baseball pitchers? An electromyographic study. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (11 ed., vol. 26, pp. 2010-2016).
  12. Zaferiou, A.; Ojeda, L.; Cain, S. M.; Vitali, R. V.; Davidson, S. P.; Stirling, L.; Perkins, N. C. (2017). Quantifying performance on an outdoor agility drill using foot-mounted inertial measurement units. PLoS ONE (11 ed., vol. 12).
  13. Vitali, R. V.; Cain, S. M.; McGinnis, R. S.; Zaferiou, A.; Ojeda, L. V.; Davidson, S. P.; Perkins, N. C. (2017). Method for estimating three-dimensional knee rotations using two inertial measurement units: Validation with a coordinate measurement machine. Sensors (Switzerland) (9 ed., vol. 17).
  14. Zaferiou, A.; Flashner, H.; Wilcox, R. R.; McNitt-Gray, J. L. (2017). Lower extremity control during turns initiated with and without hip external rotation. Journal of Biomechanics (vol. 52, pp. 130-139).
  15. Zaferiou, A.; Wilcox, R. R.; McNitt-Gray, J. L. (2016). Modification of impulse generation during pirouette turns with increased rotational demands. Journal of Applied Biomechanics (5 ed., vol. 32, pp. 425-432).
  16. Zaferiou, A.; Wilcox, R. R.; McNitt-Gray, J. L. (2016). Modification of impulse generation during piqué turns with increased rotational demands. Human Movement Science (vol. 47, pp. 220-230).
  17. Zaferiou, A.; Wilcox, R.; McNitt-Gray, J. L. (2016). Whole-body balance regulation during the turn phase of piqué and pirouette turns with varied rotational demands. Medical Problems of Performing Artists (2 ed., vol. 31, pp. 110-116).
  18. McNitt-Gray, J. L.; Munaretto, J.; Zaferiou, A.; Requejo, P. S.; Flashner, H. (2013). Regulation of reaction forces during the golf swing. Sports Biomechanics (2 ed., vol. 12, pp. 121-131).

Short Survey, Journal

  1. Zaferiou, A. (2023). Dance-Themed National Biomechanics Day Community Engagement to Inspire our Future STEAM Leaders. Journal of Biomechanics (vol. 150).

Courses

BME/ME 561 Biofeedback Innovations for Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation

BME 482/502 Engineering Physiology

BME 445 Biosystems Simulation& Control

BME 482L Engineering Physiology Lab

BME 701 Selected Topics in Biomedical Engineering

Research Credit Courses:

BME 498 Research in Biomedical Engineering I (Undergraduate Research)

BME 800 Special Problems in Biomedical Engineering (MS/ME)

BME 960 Research in Biomedical Engineering

BME 801 Special Problems in Biomedical Engineering (PhD)

BME 901 Biomedical Engineering Project (ME)