Risk reduction of human fall by using anticipatory tactile stimuli to facilitate reactive motion

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13908
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Intelligent mechanics/Mechanical systems
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Okamoto Shogo 名古屋大学, 工学研究科, 講師 (10579064)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 運動 / 把持 / 歩行 / 皮膚刺激 / 安全

Outline of Final Research Achievements

On the subject of grip adjustment, we investigated the conditions for which anticipating tactile stimulation effectively facilitates human reactive actions. Furthermore, the same or similar principles were attempted to apply for avoidance behavior against fall by stumbling.
The anticipating tactile stimuli facilitated the prehension correction when the reactive increase in grip force begins 100 ms or longer after the commencement of perturbative force to the handle. In contrast, the tactile stimuli exhibited little influence on reactive motion for the rapid perturbation to the handle.
We also conducted walking trials on a treadmill while restricting ankle motions with taping. Certain indices presented that the subjects were more at risk of falling. Some modifications of experimental conditions remain to be studied before we test the function of anticipating tactile stimuli.

Free Research Field

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