Design development of a measurement system based on the upper abdominal suppleness

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12684
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 90010:Design-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya City University
• Principal Investigator: Kato Takashi 名古屋市立大学, 大学院芸術工学研究科, 准教授 (90362285)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ヘルスケア / 生体計測 / 工業デザイン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to use the flexibility of the upper abdomen as a new health indicator, a finger-mounted position/force sensor unit was developed and quantitatively evaluated through measurement experiments. The upper abdomen is greatly deformed under the influence of the respiratory muscles, and the motor state of the digestive organs, blood flow state, and mental state are multiply involved in the stiffness of the abdomen, but we explored what can be learned from the resulting upper abdominal stiffness. Specifically, by measuring and analyzing changes in the vertical movement of the upper abdomen (equivalent to respiratory movement) before and after the oculocardiac reflex, we tested the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and respiration on multiple subjects and found a large correlation between the two. We also developed a device that enables users to measure the stiffness of the upper abdomen on a daily basis, and were able to present a prototype.

Free Research Field

ロボティクス・メカトロニクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

研究成果から、呼吸の状態が自律神経の働きにより影響を受けることがわかり、上腹部運動の一側面を明らかにできた。自身の直感として体調を感じ取れ、また定量化指標として他者と共有、比較可能な上腹部の柔軟性が、体調把握・管理の新たな指標となり得るため、人類共通の健康指標として普及させる価値があることがわかった。個人の生活習慣・既往・遺伝に拠るところが大きいため、相対評価はこれからの課題であるが、むしろ個人レベルの経時的な判断指標として有効である。本研究の知見によりデバイス開発を行うことで、特に高齢者が自身の体調を直感的に把握することができる新しいしくみづくりを推進できると考えている。