Akihiro Tokuhiro

Measurement System of Transfer Motion for Patients With Spinal Cord Injuries

The purpose of this study is to make clear the side-approach transfer ability of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. We evaluate the SCI patients skill and muscle power for the transfer motion by imaging patients transfer motion and measuring the floor reaction forces. In this study, the measurement of the side-approach transfer from the wheelchair to the platform was carried out in eight SCI patients who train the side-approach transfer in rehabilitation and two healthy subjects. We can understand that the brachial muscle power of left hand is necessary so that SCI patients lift about 50% of the body weight for the side-approach transfer. The force patterns and the force direction of the left hand are different among SCI patients. Using force pattern, the medical staffs can evaluate the ability of the side-approach transfer motion of each patient

Measurement of wheelchair turn radius for SCI patient's remodeling house

In remodeling the house of an SCI (Spinal Cord injury) patient, it is necessary to accurately determine and carry out changes that are suitable with regard to the patients ability. In our rehabilitation center, house remodeling is demonstrated for patients and family members through the use of three dimensional computer graphic images before the remodeling occurs. We have proposed an evaluation system that can show whether there is sufficient space in the remodeled house for a wheelchair to be moved or turned using a computer graphic image. The turn space is calculated using only a wheelchair size. Especially, the wheelchair turning radius determined by the physical limitation of each patient is different among SCI patients. In this study, the turning radius is calculated by measuring the moving speed of right and left wheelchair rear wheel using the rotary encoder in order to estimate the actual turn space of wheelchair for SCI patients remodeling house.

Measurement of Wheelchair Position for Analyzing Transfer Motion for SCI Patient

The purpose of this study is to clarify the side-approach transfer ability of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. We have proposed the measurement system that consists of four force plates and two CCD cameras in order to analyze the transfer motion. The system measures the three-dimensional floor reaction forces and the side-view and the front-view images during each patients transfer motion. We understood that the force patterns and the force direction of the left hand are different among SCI patients by analyzing the floor reaction forces. In side-approach transfer, SCI patients diagonally move their wheelchair close to the platform and the wheelchair position is different among SCI patients. In this study, we estimate the wheelchair position by detecting the center position of the wheelchair wheel using the images and by calculating the wheelchair degree (gap angle between the wheelchair and the platform) using side-view image.

Analysis of Side-approach Transfer Motion for Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries

The purpose of this study is to clarify the side-approach transfer ability of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. We evaluated SCI patients skill and muscle strength when performing the transfer motion by imaging the movements involved in each patients transfer motion and measuring the floor reaction forces. Measurements of the side-approach transfer from wheelchair to platform were carried out in eleven SCI patients who were trained to perform the side-approach transfer during rehabilitation, and two healthy subjects. The results showed that SCI patients must have large brachial muscle strength in their both hands in order to execute the side-approach transfer. The force patterns and force direction of the left hand differ among SCI patients. Using force patterns, medical staffs can evaluate each patients ability to perform the side-approach transfer, and train the patients accordingly

Development of computer input device for patients with tetraplegia

We describe a measurement and evaluation methods of a computer input ability of patients with tetraplegia. We measure the position locus of the mouse cursor when a patient operates the computer using a computer input device such as a ball mouse, a trackball, and a touch pad. We analyze the position locus of mouse cursor in order to analyze the computer input ability of patients. Using this system, we can measure and evaluate the computer input ability of patients using various kinds of computer input devices. Based on the experiment result using this system, we developed a new computer input device for the patient with tetraplegia. It makes clear that the new computer input device is useful for the patient with tetraplegia

Evaluation System of Suitable Computer Input Device for Patients

In rehabilitation medicine, it is necessary for medical staff members to recommend the suitable computer input device for each patient with spinal cord injury. This paper describes the recommendation and the adjustment of a computer input device for each patient. We propose the device parameter to characterize the computer input device. We measure the moving distance of a mouse cursor in browsing of the Internet to estimate the necessity moving distance in operating the computer. Moreover, we measure the patients moving distance of his hand. Using these measurement results and the proposed equation, medical staffs can adjust the suitable computer input device for each patient.

Small device for counting the number of manual wheelchair strokes

The goal of our study is to provide wheelchair users with the novel device that can easily acquire the amount of activity for prevention of metabolic syndrome. In this paper, we proposed a small device which can count the number of the wheelchair strokes when wheelchair users drive their manual wheelchair. The device counts the number of the wheelchair strokes by detecting the peak of the forward and backward acceleration signal acquired by an acceleration sensor. We defined a peak acceleration value as a high (more than 1.0m/sec2), a middle (form 0.5 m/sec2 to 1.0 m/sec2), and a low acceleration (from 0.2 m/sec2 to 0.5 m/sec2) and then the device counted the number of peaks by three levels of stroke intensity. The device eliminated the acceleration due to gravity, detected using 0.1 Hz low-pass filter, from the forward and backward acceleration. Moreover, we evaluated the accuracy of this device using the images measured by a small video camera when able-bodied persons drove the wheelchairs.

Measurement and imaging of wheelchair movement for manual wheelchair users

The decrease in the amount of physical activity in daily life can cause lifestyle diseases and metabolic syndrome for wheelchair users. Some able-bodied persons use step counters during walking to detect the amount of activity during a day. However, it is difficult for wheelchair users to get the amount of the activity during a day spent in a wheelchair. The purpose of this study is to propose a system that can get the wheelchair activity of a wheelchair user. In this study, wheelchair movement was estimated by the rotation speed of both rear wheels, measured using rotary encoders. The number and the strength of the pushing action of wheelchair rear wheels were calculated by the acceleration forward and backward, measured using acceleration sensors.

House Remodeling Support System for Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries

In remodeling the house of an SCI (spinal cord injury) patient, it is necessary to execute accurately determine and carry our changes that are suitable with regard to the patients ability. In our rehabilitation center, house remodeling is demonstrated for patients and family members before the remodeling occurs through the use of three-dimensional computer graphic images. We propose herein an evaluation system that can show the image of the remodeled house regarding whether there is sufficient area where a wheelchair can be moved or turned. That area is calculated by using the computer graphic image of the house and the specific wheelchair belonging to the patient. We also propose a database system that includes a three-dimensional house image, animation such as wheelchair movement, and a space evaluation system.

Measurement of Wheelchair Movement Area for SCI patient's Remodeling House

In remodeling the house of an SCI (spinal cord injury) patient, it is necessary to accurately determine and carry out changes that are suitable with regard to the patients ability. In our rehabilitation center, house remodeling is demonstrated for patients and family members through the use of three-dimensional computer graphic images before the remodeling occurs. We here propose an evaluation system that can show whether there is sufficient area in the remodeled house for a wheelchair to be moved or turned. That area is calculated using a computer graphic image of the house and the specific wheelchair belonging to the patient. In this study, we propose the evaluation system that can show the area in which the patients wheelchair can be moved or turned. Moreover the system can measure the movement and turn area of the wheelchair.