Contact:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonia-centrone-bb10b2160/
Cycle: XXXIX
Curriculum: Mechanical Engineering
Title of the PhD Project:
“Development of in silico procedures for the evaluation of pathologies and optimization of treatments”
Supervisors:
Francesca Di Puccio (University of Pisa) and Valentina Camomilla (University of Rome, “Foro Italico”)
Abstract of the PhD project:
Her research topic concerns new procedures for evaluating human movement in the rehabilitation field. The marker-based systems, which are considered the gold standard for motor pattern quantification, involve the use of stereophotogrammetric systems for determining kinematic parameters and force platforms for kinetic variables. These devices can provide subject-specific quantities (such as joint angles/torques/powers, velocities/accelerations, etc.) related to gait, balance, and also other tests in sports (e.g. countermovement jump, drop jump), providing clinicians with objective data to assess progress and adjust treatment plans accordingly. However, it is time-consuming for subject preparation and data processing before clinicians can interpret the results. New methods based on marker-less systems allow for continuous monitoring of movement patterns even outside clinical settings, also ensuring more natural tasks performed by subjects (especially if they are athletes). Furthermore, with musculoskeletal modelling, it is possible to estimate additional quantities, such as muscle activations and reaction forces to which joints are subjected during the specific motor task. So, the goal is to define new procedures based on marker-less systems, integrating the experimental activity and musculoskeletal modelling, both for neuromotor rehabilitation and for assessing sports performance.
Period abroad
Since September 2025, she has been carrying out a six-month research period at the Instituto de Biomecánica de Valencia (IBV). Her work focuses on developing a novel method for estimating the Gleno-humeral joint center (GH-JC) using the markerless system Move4D, and validating its accuracy through comparison with gold-standard marker-based approaches.
Third Mission Activities
• Collaboration with A.S.D.D. Royal Caribe (January–February 2025)
o Contribution to the drafting of a popular science book in collaboration with a FIDS instructor, including a biomechanical assessment section on sport-specific movements.
• Collaboration with Local Institutions/Companies (Pisa Sporting Club) (May–July 2025)
o Design and execution of biomechanical tests for professional athletes, development of an automated pipeline for data reporting, and acquisition/processing of laboratory data.
o Generation of biomechanical reports for 35 professional football players, including additional evaluations for new transfers.
• Collaboration with “La Tartaruga” Association (August 2024–March 2025)
o Gait analysis of Parkinson’s patients participating in a Nordic Walking program, compared with a control group; follow-up assessment after 3 months (total sample: 30 participants).
o Active participation in the Nordic Walking training pathway.
• Collaboration with INAIL and the National Ergonomics Center (March 2024–February 2025)
o Biomechanical risk assessment during five patient-handling maneuvers performed by 10 healthcare workers, with pre- and post-training comparisons based on kinesthetic education
Publications
R. Santanchè, A. Centrone, L. Mattei, F. Di Puccio, “ Open Datasets for Upper Body Motion – REVIEW”, Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering (Elsevier), 2024
R.M. Viglialoro, A. Centrone, L. Mattei, S. Dalise, N. Ferrari, C. Chisari, F. Di Puccio, “Dataset on gait analysis of Parkinsonian subjects: effect of Nordic walking”, Scientific data (Springer Nature), 2025
A. Centrone, R.M. Viglialoro, A. Di Pietro, F. Di Puccio, “Biomechanical Analysis of the Cuban Motion”, Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise, Dec-2023
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2666-2037Articles
Conferences
• A. Centrone, R.M. Viglialoro, R. Santanchè, L. Mattei, F. Di Puccio, “Assessing markerless systems for pelvis and trunk kinematics in patient handling tasks», ISB Congress, Stockholm, Sweden, 27-31 July 2025.
• Centrone, F. Di Puccio, “Musculoskeletal analysis of two basic Latin American steps”, ISBS Congress, Salzburg, Austria, 15 - 19 July 2024.
• Centrone, R.M. Viglialoro, A. Di Pietro, F. Di Puccio, “Human motion analysis of Latin dancing”, ESB Congress, Edinburgh, Scotland, 30 June – 3 July 2024 (podium presentation).
• Centrone, F. Di Puccio, “Comparison of pelvis and hip poses in different full-body models in Vicon-Nexus and OpenSim”, ESB Congress, Edinburgh, Scotland, 30 June – 3 July 2024 (poster presentation).
Partecipations
• Participation in the THACH Call for Proposals (2025): Training and development of a Business Plan for a digital solution dedicated to individuals with Parkinson’s disease, carried out under the supervision of industry experts from Deloitte (Milan). Pitch presentation of the application on May 27, 2025, at FirstLab, Novoli (Florence).
• Webinar online: “The Role of Machine Learning in Biomechanics — Power, Precision, and Critical Thinking”: Application of machine learning methods in biomechanics, with a focus on strengths, limitations, and critical interpretation of results.
• SIAMOC Workshop on inertial sensors for clinical mobility analysis: strategies for informed use . University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Italy, 22 February 2024.
• Ninth Bohnes Colloquium, Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Italy, 18-19 January 2024.