Keiko Kasamatsu

The relationship between arm movement and walking stability in bipedal walking

Research about bipedal locomotion is advanced in all fields at present. For research of those fields, a quantitative analysis of human walking characteristics is indispensable. However, bipedal locomotion analysis has been performed focusing on lower limbs, and, research on arm swing operation has not been performed; nevertheless its importance is generally known. The reason for its omission is the assumption that the arm is not a necessary part for locomotion. However, it can be guessed that the arm swing operation, having done a certain role in the stability of a walk, is very unstable physically. When running, the human clearly draws the arm greatly and quickly. This suggests that the arm swing operation is related with the change of walking form and movement speed of the locomotion, and it influences the stability of a walk. This method becomes a useful analysis technique also not only to the above-mentioned research but to sport kinematics research etc., if the relations to this arm swing operation and the stability of a walk is quantitatively understood. In this study, the relationship between arm swing operation in bipedal locomotion and stability of the walking was noticed.

A study on shifting time to low awakening conditions on monotonous VDT works

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the study of three kinds of monotonous video display terminal (VDT) work that have different interface. During repeated monotonous work, which needs less physical exercise, most of workers shift to low awakening condition. Then the characteristic of shifting time to this condition are recorded. Experiment 3 this work is an analogous behavior which is more continual and tends to shift to low awakening level. Experiment 1 this work is a digital behavior, its rhythmical and need a little judgment. However, they get used to this work then shift to low awakening level. In experiment 2 they need ability of calculate which is a high-level brain activity. They feel not only monotonous but also fatigue and shift to low awakening level. In term of the appearance time of grouped a waves there are few difference among three types of interaction. During monotonous work which receives less stimulation from outside and needs less physical exercise we confirm that electroencephalography that reflect physical condition directly change from 20 to 30 minutes later and awakening level go down objectly. They cannot prevent drowsiness. There are two reasons why we shift to low awakening level. They are monotonousness and fatigue.