Development of a practical motion measurement method for severely physically handicapped persons

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K12616
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities
• Principal Investigator: Takashima Atsushi 国立障害者リハビリテーションセンター(研究所), 研究所 福祉機器開発部, 研究員 (90711284)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 白銀 暁 国立障害者リハビリテーションセンター(研究所), 研究所 福祉機器開発部, 研究室長 (90404764) ; 佐藤 春彦 北里大学, 医療衛生学部, 准教授 (30274062)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): INOUE Takenobu 国立障害者リハビリテーションセンター(研究所), 研究所 福祉機器開発部, 部長 (40360680)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 慣性計測装置 / IMU / 頸髄損傷 / 脳性麻痺

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, we have constructed a simple measurement system using multiple inertial measurement sensors. Using the developed system, we performed motion measurement during motorized wheelchair operation using upper limbs for healthy subjects and those with severely physically handicapped persons and verified its performance. In this study, C3 high-level spinal cord injured person was selected as a representative example of severely physically handicapped person. Healthy subjects simulated C3 high cervical spinal cord injuries and restricted the possible range of upper limbs. According to the result, we verified that the performance of the development equipment is sufficient, and quantitatively showed that it is possible to operate the electric wheelchair using the upper limbs even in the C3 high-level spinal cord injured person, and the purpose of this study was achieved.

Free Research Field

福祉工学，計測工学，制御工学