Midwestern State University received a $230,780 Project Grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) under the Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health program (CFDA 93.286), awarded September 25, 2025, with completion targeted for August 31, 2026. The grant funds the acquisition of a force platform embedded treadmill with an integrated safety harness system for use by the Department of Athletic Training and Exercise Physiology. This equipment will serve as the primary resource of its kind within a 100-mile radius, supporting undergraduate and graduate-level laboratory instruction in gait biomechanics analysis, cardiorespiratory assessment, and exercise prescription across multiple semester-long courses.
The treadmill will enable faculty-led research into gait biomechanics and physiological variables while expanding applied learning opportunities for the institution's diverse student population, including over 40% first-generation students and 42% Pell Grant recipients. Beyond academic instruction, the equipment will provide community-accessible rehabilitative services for patients with health-related conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, addressing regional healthcare and educational needs in underserved areas outside the Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma City metropolitan regions.