Gripping the hovering drone strap stabilizes the child's posture

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21781
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 9:Education and related fields
• Research Institution: Prefectural University of Hiroshima
• Principal Investigator: Shimatani Koji 県立広島大学, 保健福祉学部(三原キャンパス), 教授 (00433384)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 島 圭介 横浜国立大学, 大学院工学研究院, 准教授 (50649754)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 姿勢制御 / Drone / 揺らぎ / 風船 / 歩行支援

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our study found that grasping a balloon filled with helium gas reduced body sway during walking in infants starting toddling (Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research, Exploratory, 16K13074). However, it needed to be clarified how the behavior of the balloons increased the complexity of body control. In this study, we investigated the effects on the human standing posture by controlling the frequency of the floating balloon sway and other factors. The method was to examine the effects of the relationship between the Drone (force point) and the fingertips (action point) (presentation of force sensation to the fingertips) on body sway based on differences in (1) the direction of force sensation and (2) the force point-action point distance. The results suggest that somatosensory stimulation to the fingertips and force presentation at a moderate distance positively affect postural control.

Free Research Field

運動制御学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

初期歩行間もない乳児に対しヘリウムガス入りの風船を把持させることで歩行時の身体動揺が減少することを発見し、歩行距離が延長することを発見した。この現象は健常成人者においても確認し、多くの人に対して歩行を支援できる可能性がある。しかし、その現象のメカニズムが不明であったことから、幾つかの実験過程を経て、Drone等の「揺らぎ」が指先への体性感覚入力となり、また適度な距離の力覚提示が姿勢制御に好影響を及ぼす可能性が示唆された。さらに、身体動揺や指先の動きに同期した指先への感覚入力刺激が効果的である可能性が示唆され、風船把持現象はLight touch現象とは別の現象である可能性を示唆した。