Sensation generation method of bolus pass through the pharynx by using vibration stimulation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K11929
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 61020:Human interface and interaction-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Ohmori Nobuyuki 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 情報・人間工学領域, 客員研究員 (20506133)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 遠藤 博史 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 情報・人間工学領域, 研究グループ付 (20356603) ; 近井 学 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 情報・人間工学領域, 主任研究員 (60758431) ; 井野 秀一 大阪大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (70250511)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 嚥下 / 咀嚼 / 振動 / 刺激 / 飲料 / 知覚 / 咽頭 / のどごし

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Impaired functions like chewing and swallowing lead to the provision of care foods to mitigate the risk of aspiration. Since the physical properties of the nursing care food are limited and the texture is poor, the sensations and experiences that were obtained with regular food prior to the functional impairment are lost. Therefore, there is a need for a method to provide the same sensory experience as that of a regular meal, even when nursing care food is ingested. In this study, we developed a vibration stimulator for the neck to generate the sensation of passing through a food mass by vibration stimulation, and investigated the effect of vibration on the perceived texture changes during beverage ingestion. The results showed that vibration stimulation was effective in enhancing the sensation of carbonation and other food sensations, and that the enhancement effect depended on the type and concentration of the beverage.

Free Research Field

人間支援工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

侵襲性の低い外部からの振動刺激により食感，咽頭通過感覚を変化させる方法を明らかにした．これまでに解明されていない方法であり，摂食嚥下機能のリハビリテーション及び食品開発等の分野の研究進展，産業発展に寄与できる成果が期待できる．