Sophie Palmer ’25 is learning how to slow things down in her final weeks as an undergraduate student at the University of St. Thomas.
In a recent biomechanics lab, the exercise science major found herself surrounded by four highly sensitive motion capture cameras – each recording at 500 frames per second, nearly 10 times faster than the human eye. With dozens of tiny sensors stuck to her ankles, knees and hips, Palmer put the Qualisys motion capture system to the test, demonstrating a series of jumps and squats.
Moments later, a highly detailed 3D animation of Palmer’s every move appeared on a nearby screen. The budding sports scientist could now analyze her technique down to the exact millimeter and in extremely slow motion.
“It was absolutely illuminating,” Palmer said, who plans to pursue a marketing career in the fitness industry after graduation. “Understanding all the nuances and how these kinds of technologies can be applied, it’s going to be so important.”
Hands-on high-tech learning
Exercise science has seen remarkable advancements in recent years, revolutionizing how athletes maximize performance, recover and prevent injury. At St. Thomas, undergraduate students receive an unusual front-row seat to the latest innovations, as other institutions often reserve such advanced tech for graduate-level researchers.
In addition to motion capture, Palmer and her fellow Tommies are learning how to use an electromyography machine, which measures the recruitment of muscle for human motion. In another corner of the same lab, students experiment with force plates, which evaluate an athlete’s pressure on different movement planes.
No technology in the biomechanics lab is off limits to students, a defining characteristic of the St. Thomas program.
“To have this experience already, I’m knowledgeable about this technology, and that makes me ready to market them,” Palmer said.
Tommies enrolled in the biomechanics lab will now complete a research study and write a grant for external funding. Previous students have used the motion capture system to study the high-octane jumps and twists of the Tommie Dance Team. Others have built projects around the lab’s Anatomage table, which can virtually dissect the human body.
Many of the technologies in the lab were brought in by Dr. Adam Korak, a biomechanist and associate professor of health and exercise science. Obsessed with learning how to apply new tools to practical research projects, Korak works to give his students extraordinary access.
“The whole sports science industry is exploding right now,” Korak said. “Our students are going to be more competitive for jobs because they can go ‘I learned how to do that.’”
From the lab to the career field
St. Thomas grads have gone on to pursue careers as athletic trainers, rehabilitation specialists and exercise physiologists. Each student enters the job market ready to improve human health aided by the use of cutting-edge technology.
To ensure they’re ready to hit the ground running, St. Thomas students put theory into practice at the Sports Science Institute. Housed within the Department of Health and Exercise Science, the institute is the only known program in the country that offers undergraduate students the opportunity to work alongside Division I student-athletes, tracking their vitals and making data-driven recommendations.
Recently, students and faculty have worked closely with Tommie Softball, studying the throwing mechanics of the team’s pitchers.
“Athletics has become so much more scientific,” Softball head coach Jenn Trotter said. “There is so much more information out there about movement preferences, which not only allows us to coach better but also to help keep our athletes healthy through appropriate training.”
Over the course of several sessions this past fall, Tommie pitchers delivered a variety of throws from an artificial pitching mound in the middle of the biomechanics lab. Carefully recording every move was the Qualisys motion capture system. Students at the Sports Science Institute then stepped in to replay each pitch in slow motion, working with coaches to look for ways to increase spin and ball velocity.
“When pitchers throw, it’s an explosive movement and it happens so quickly that it can be hard to pinpoint what they’re actually doing,” Korak said. “At 500 photos a second, these cameras allow us to see the things we simply can’t see with the human eye.”
Motion capture systems are now considered essential technology for major league sports teams, but the cameras are also spreading quickly to non-athletics facilities, such as physical and occupational therapy clinics.
The chance to gain practical experience with the latest instruments brought senior exercise science major Lily Linden ’25 to St. Thomas.
“Our faculty does a really good job of being able to get undergrad students in the lab,” Linden said. “We get a firsthand look at all the cool stuff, and then we can see exactly what’s possible.”
Linden has enjoyed exploring what’s possible with Division I teams through the Sports Science Institute. She’s conducted VO2 max tests, which measure your body's ability to utilize oxygen during exercise. She’s placed sensors for motion capture sessions. And she’s conducted research on athletes recovering from injury.
After graduation this May, Linden plans to pursue a doctorate in exercise science. No matter where she lands – she’s excited to work with people, improving health and making a difference.
“My time here has definitely opened my eyes to all of the amazing research that you can do,” Linden said. “And so much of that can be focused on bettering lives.”
