Lumbar load, which causes chronic low back pain, varies depending on posture and external load. However, the timing to feel the lumbar burden varies from person to person. It is also known that tightening the pelvic belt against the lumbar burden improves posture and reduces the lumbar burden. For this reason, the tightening force of the pelvic belt is measured for the posture and the lumbar load, and the relationship between the sensation and the load is evaluated.
In this paper, we experimentally verify the relationship between the change in the stiffness of joints around the lumbar due to dynamic tightening control of the Active Corset and the reduction of the lumbar load. The bending angle of joints around the lumbar in lifting movement were measured, and the elasticity of the joints were calculated. As the result of the measurement on 21 subjects, tightening of Active Corset reduced the lumbar load with substituting the lumbar joint flexion by the hip joint flexion in all subjects. In addition, the we confirmed that the ratio of the lumbar elasticity to the hip joint elasticity increase with tightening around the pelvis on the four subjects. We conclude that the decrease of the lumbar load with tightening caused by increasing the ratio of the lumbar joint elasticity to the hip joint elasticity.
This paper describes a method to model the change in vibratory perception due to the adaptation. In the vibration alert interface, user has to perceive the vibratory frequency correctly, however when the frequency was the same, the vibration perception was different if the frequency before change was different. Experimental results showed that the higher vibration frequency before the change is, the weaker vibration strength user perceives. In order to correct this difference of vibratory perception, we create a model to calculate the perception adaptation. Simulation result shows accuracy of this model.
Low back pain is a serious problem in Japan, so analysis of lumber load is needed. The conventional analysis method is an invasive analysis, and a non-invasive and safe analysis method is required. The purpose of this study is to make a physical model of L4-L5 vertebral body from radiographs and to estimate the lumbar load from the model. Five X-ray images of the upper body angle, standing postures, and backward bending were taken for each subject, and a three-dimensional model of the L4-L5 vertebral body was created. FEM analysis was performed using the model created, and the load acting on the intervertebral disc during the photographed postures ware measured. The results were evaluated for each of the four subjects to measure individual differences. Based on these results, we approached the lumbar load analysis using a physical model, which is the goal of this study.
腹圧性尿失禁は女性の典型的なQOL疾患である.予防には骨盤底筋(PFM)の強化が有効であるが,筋活動に個人差が大きく,それを考慮したトレーニングが望まれる.骨盤アライメントはこの個人差の一因となるため,計測する必要がある.現在はレントゲン計測が主流だが,被爆などの問題がある.本研究では,これを解決するため,歩行動作から骨盤アライメントを推定する方法を提案する.推定の結果,残差を2[deg]程度に抑えることができた.
In recent years, the necessity of measuring the physical stress is increasing. The reaction force that the legs receive from the floor is useful information for estimating the physical stress. But measurement equipment for reaction force cannot be carried in most cases. It is difficult to measure at the environment that human act. Furthermore, that equipment is expensive, and measurement involves several constraints. We prototype a sensor which is low cost and can measure the reaction force even in any environment.
In recently years, aging society with fewer children are major problem, and it is required that the elderly are independent in order to enhance the quality of life. There are many researches on walking assist suit from this background. Walking is exercise including not only lower body but also upper body movement, but most of these are suits to assist the lower body. Therefore, the purpose of study is to develop walking assist suit focusing on trunk rotation. The control method adopted periodic input control which is effective for periodic motion. And, the Hybrid oscillator is extended,it is possible to change the motion in case of rotating direction switching. In this paper, we describe the design method of the trunk rotation assist device, confirm system effect from experiment. As the result, this system need to consider left and right legs.
Anteflexion motion is absolutely necessary when we spend daily life which we carry, snow shoveling, farm work, etc. This study aims to develop of wearable sensor system, and propose an estimation method of lumbosacral alignment and lumbar load caused by changes in posture. Lumbar motion have anteflexion,rotation motion and lateral bending. However, it thing don't know that relationship between the upper body attitude angle and the attitude angle of the vertebral body in rotation motion and lateral bending. We construct that estimation method of rotation angle and lateral bending angle in the vertebral body.
We have developed the Sensorimotor Enhancing Suit (SEnS) and revealed that the SEnS can unload the load of one's upper limb and then improve the force perception capability. In this study, we develop a new version of SEnS for a laparoscopic surgery. The SEnS for the laparoscopic surgery was designed to unload the muscle effort around one's shoulder, and it also helps to maintain the appropriate posture for the surgery. We measured smoothness of motions during forceps manipulations when wearing the SEnS. The experimental results show that the SEnS can improve the smoothness of motions.
Low back pain is a serious problem in Japan, so analysis of lumber load is needed. The conventional analysis method is an invasive analysis, and a non-invasive and safe analysis method is required. The purpose of this study is to make a physical model of L4-L5 vertebral body from radiographs and to estimate the lumbar load from the model. Five X-ray images of the upper body angle, standing postures, and backward bending were taken for each subject, and a three-dimensional model of the L4-L5 vertebral body was created. FEM analysis was performed using the model created, and the load acting on the intervertebral disc during the photographed postures ware measured. The results were evaluated for each of the four subjects to measure individual differences. Based on these results, we approached the lumbar load analysis using a physical model, which is the goal of this study.