Development of a method for evaluating joint load in activities of daily living using inertial sensors

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24326
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0909:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Teikyo University of Science & Technology
• Principal Investigator: Koyama Yumiko 帝京科学大学, 医療科学部, 助教 (00845042)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 慣性センサ / 関節負荷 / 動作分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to develop a method for evaluating the mechanical load on joints during walking using inertial sensors in young healthy subjects. The subjects were asked to walk in self-seleceted speed, and the kinematic and kinematic data were measured using a three-dimensional motion analysis sysytem and inertial sensors. As a result, it was shown that external knee joint flexion moment was significantly correlated to the forward tilt angular velocity of the shank and the forward tilt angular velocity of the shank relative to the upper trunk. In addition, when multiple regression analysis was performed, only the anterior tilt angular rate of the shank relative to the upper trunk was extracted as a predictor. In estimating the mechanical load on the sagittal plane of the knee joint, it is useful to focus on trunk movement and measure lower limb movement as relative values of the trunk.

Free Research Field

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Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、慣性センサによる動作解析技術は急速に発展しており、センサのみで精度の高い関節トルクの推定が可能となった。しかし、現状では高精度の推定には高度な技術を要するなど、実用性の改善を要するものであり、加速度データそのものより得られる情報から動作の評価を行えることは、実用性の観点から優れている。本研究結果より、慣性センサの角速度データを用いて、膝関節の矢状面での力学的負荷を推定できる可能性が示唆された。さらに体幹部との相対的な下肢の回転速度を計測することでより精度の高い推定が可能となることが示された。本研究は慣性センサの応用性を拡大させ、下肢関節の負荷の少ない身体運動の制御方法の解明に繋がる。