Development of 6-axis dynamic sitting balance device to prevent fall for elderly people

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10919
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Akita University
• Principal Investigator: SAITO KIMIO 秋田大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (20566153)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 島田 洋一 秋田大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (90162685) ; 巖見 武裕 秋田大学, 理工学研究科, 教授 (10259806)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: バランス / 体幹バランス / 座位バランス / 転倒 / 転倒予防 / 動的バランス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a sitting balance device. This device can measure trunk balance safely and quantitatively. We verified accuracy of the device. The intra-rater reliability for the device was 0.815 (excellent) and the inter-rater reliability was 0.789 (excellent). We evaluated the characteristics of the trunk balance ability that can be measured by this device, a comparative test with an existing balance evaluation battery was conducted. As a result, a significant correlation was found between the existing balance evaluation battery and dynamic factors such as standing on one leg and reaction in the anterior-posterior direction, and it became clear that it has characteristics related to the dynamic factor.
This device aims to be utilized as a training device. We try to develop as training device with virtual reality (VR) equipment. We continue research.

Free Research Field

人間医工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

超高齢社会では，健康寿命が重要である．健康寿命を延ばすためには転倒予防は欠かせず，バランス能力評価は必須である．
本装置は，安全かつ簡便に定量的に体幹バランスを計測できる装置として開発された．また，座面を動かす機構を用いて体幹バランス訓練装置としての応用も検討されている．これまでの研究で，座った状態で安全かつ正確に動的なバランス能力を評価できることが示唆された．
今後はこれまでの研究結果を踏まえ，訓練装置としての活用を検討している．具体的には仮想現実（VR)との組み合わせでゲーム性を持たせた体幹バランス訓練プログラムの開発を行っている．