Development of a system for support of swallowing function

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15855
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Murata Naomichi 岡山大学, 大学病院, 助教 (10407546)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 五福 明夫 岡山大学, ヘルスシステム統合科学研究科, 教授 (20170475) ; 江草 正彦 岡山大学, 大学病院, 教授 (90243485)
• Research Collaborator: Nagata Keisuke ; Konishi Takayuki ; Fujita Jumpei
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 摂食嚥下障害 / 健康増進 / 喉頭挙上 / 嚥下訓練 / システム化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

[Purpose] This study developed a laryngeal elevation training support system that mechanized laryngeal elevation support techniques, which is one of the training methods, to enable patients to practice swallowing function improvement training on their own.
[Methods and Subjects] We designed the system by measuring the required force and motion (operating range) to reproduce the clinically performed swallowing function training.
[Results and Discussion] Based on the requirements for laryngeal elevation support, the system design usually supports elevation with a force of 8 to 10 [N], and the support falls when excessive force is applied. So as to incorporate a safety mechanism. The support was able to move up and down at a speed of up to 40 mm / sec, and was able to support the maximum elevation following the laryngeal elevation during swallowing.

Free Research Field

障害者歯科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で作成した嚥下支援システムは、実際に臨床的に行われている訓練の動作を模倣が可能であった。本システムを利用することで、嚥下機能の低下した高齢者などの訓練を自動的に行ことが可能であり、摂食嚥下障害を改善することで健康な生活を支援することに寄与できると考えられた。また、システムを改良することで、嚥下動作（喉頭挙上）の測定も可能と考えられ、訓練による改善度や機能低下の指標が判断できると考えられた。