kneeMo - An Interactive Educational Platform for Learning Knee Biomechanics. Still image provided by S. Saharan
Shehryar (Shay) Saharan, MScBMC ‘22, received an Award of Excellence in the student category for Motion and Interactive Media at the July 2023 annual Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) Salon in Henderson, Nevada.
Saharan won the award for kneeMo: an interactive educational platform for learning knee biomechanics. He developed kneeMo as part of his master's research project for the Master of Science in Biomedical Communications (MScBMC) program at the University of Toronto.
Shehryar (Shay) Saharan, MScBMC ‘22. Photo credit: Shehroze Saharan
"Although the movement of the knee joint seems simple, the underlying mechanics are incredibly complex. This makes teaching knee biomechanics challenging because of the joint's complex movement and the lack of learning tools," says Saharan.
Saharan investigated the complexities of knee biomechanics for the project. He analyzed existing teaching aids and conducted primary and secondary research to pinpoint educational gaps. "With this insight, I was able to develop this interactive learning tool that better represents the multidimensional nature of the knee joint," he says.
Derek Ng, associate professor in the MScBMC program and one of Saharan’s former instructors, calls kneeMo innovative. "kneeMo takes a holistic and multimedia approach to teaching knee biomechanics compared to existing educational tools such as physical models, 2D illustrations, textbooks, videos and simulators,” says Ng.
The kneeMo platform offers interactive and animated modules that guide students from a foundational understanding of the knee joint to advanced knowledge of the joint’s multidimensional nature. Each module includes a rich collection of multimedia supported by written content.
"The kneeMo platform integrates cross-disciplinary information, interactive 3D-anatomical models, and didactic illustrations and animations, which make learning knee biomechanics more accessible and engaging for students," says Ng.
Saharan has also made kneeMo freely available to anyone with access to an internet connection and a computer.
"Any student anywhere in the world can go to kneeMo.ca and enter any of the three interactive learning modules," says Saharan, who now teaches interactive digital media design in the MScBMC program as an assistant professor, teaching stream (limited term appointment).
Saharan is grateful to his research supervisor Michael Corrin, an associate professor, teaching stream in the MScBMC program, and content advisor Timothy Burkhart, an assistant professor of orthopaedic biomechanics in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto.
"My heartfelt appreciation also goes out to Scott Brandon, Stephen Brown, Carol Heck, Jodie Jenkinson, Amy Jiao, Derek Ng, Michele Oliver, Shehroze Saharan, Nadine Tan, Michie Wu and Ke Er Amy Zhang who contributed significantly to this project and provided invaluable support in shaping its success," he says.
kneeMo was supported by The Vesalius Trust.
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Web sites referenced.
Shehryar Saharan’s online portfolio https://www.ss-design.site/
kneeMo: an interactive educational platform for learning knee biomechanics https://www.kneemo.ca/
Master of Science in Biomedical Communications web site https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/
Derek Ng’s faculty profile https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/#ng
Michael Corrin’s faculty profile https://bmc.med.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/#corrin
Timothy Burkhart’s faculty profile https://kpe.utoronto.ca/faculty/burkhart-timothy
The Vesalius Trust’s web site https://vesaliustrust.org/