Dr. Kaplan addresses issues involving the biomechanics of human injury, with expertise in the areas of human tolerance, occupant kinematics, and rigid body dynamics. His work includes analysis of traumatic injuries associated with transportation, heavy equipment, falls, consumer products, and the workplace. His research activities have included studies of occupant kinematics and injuries in the automotive environment. Dr. Kaplan’s experience also includes computerized accident simulation.
Dr. Kaplan has undergraduate and graduate teaching experience in dynamics and biomechanics, and has conducted post-doctoral research at Stanford University and the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, Portugal.
Kaplan ML. Injury criteria and thresholds. FMVSS Development, ATDs, Biomechanics Course Lecture, AAAM, 2008.
Hovey CB, Kaplan ML, Piziali RL. Occupant trajectory model using case-specific accident reconstruction data for vehicle position, roll, and yaw. SAE 2008-01-0517, 2008.
Hovey CB, Kaplan ML, Piziali RL. Model for occupants ejected from vehicles with roll and yaw. American Society of Biomechanics, Stanford, CA, 2007.
Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. Second-order optimal control algorithm for complex systems. International Journal of Numerical Methods in Engineering 2002; 53:2043-2060.
Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. Predictive algorithms for neuromuscular control of human locomotion. Journal of Biomechanics 2001; 34:1077-1083.
Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. Energy conserving impact algorithm for the impact phase of gait. Journal of Biomechanics 2000; 33:771-775.
Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. Fast optimal control algorithm for multibody models of the human musculoskeletal system. 20th International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Chicago, IL, 2000.
Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. Fast optimal control algorithm for muscle forces and joint loading during complex human motion. Orthopedic Research Society 45th Annual Meeting, Anaheim, CA, 1999.
Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. Efficient optimal control algorithm for human motion. PACAM VI, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1999.
Heegaard JH, Hovey CB, Kaplan ML. Fast convergent solvers for augmented Lagrangian equations in contact mechanics. 10th International Conference Computational Engineering Science, Atlanta, GA, 1998.
Heegaard JH, Kaplan ML. Energy preserving integration schemes to model impact with friction. 4th World Congress in Computational Mechanics, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1998.
Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. Joint loading during the impact phase of gait. Orthopedic Research Society 44th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, 1998.
Kaplan ML, Hovey CB, Heegaard JH. Energy conserving impact algorithm for gait simulation with persistent contact. ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Anaheim, CA, 1998.
Hovey CB, Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. A viscoelastic model for finite deformation of soft tissue. ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Anaheim, CA, 1998.
Heegaard JH, Kaplan ML. Energy preserving integration schemes for multibody collisions with friction. Unilateral problems in Structural Mechanics, Ferrara, Italy, 1997.
Heegaard JH, Kaplan ML. Computational models for the impact phase of gait. 4th U.S. National Congress on Computational Mechanics, San Francisco, CA, 1997.
Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. Numerical penalty method for the impact phase of gait. 5th Pre-ORS Computational Biomechanics Meeting, Berkeley, CA, 1997.
Kaplan ML, Heegaard JH. Fast optimal control algorithm for human locomotion. Bay Area Biomechanics Meeting, Monterey, CA, 1997.
Heegaard JH, Hovey CB, Kaplan ML. Computer assisted planning for knee surgery: A patient specific approach. International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Atlanta, GA, 1996.