Yoshiyuki Ueno

Development of a System for Capturing Sleep Predictor Signals during Wakefulness

The feature of sleep pattern is determined by the rhythm of body temperature. In this study, a method was conceived for capturing changes in the peripheral circulatory system during the process of lowering of core body temperature via finger plethysmogram. Recorded signals were then analyzed by chaos analysis. By analyzing the variations in the time series of the gradients of the largest Lyapunov exponent and the power value (the square of the finger plethysmogram amplitude), and by observing the conditions of the subject, the phenomenon that predicts the subject’s transition to Stage 1 sleep during wakefulness was detected.

An experimental study on walking fatigue of wheelchair users on the ramped kerbs

The ramped kerbs of sidewalk which are accessible in a hand-propelled wheelchairs, motorized wheelchairs and wheelchair helpers are discussed experimentally. The experiment was done by using equipment which could be adjusted in level area width and ramp gradients. The walking time and subjective evaluations were used as an index of the walking fatigue. The ramped kerbs for all wheelchair users and wheelchair helpers without difficulty are designed appropriately, provided hand-propelled wheelchair users whose arms has been paralyzed are taken in acount. If a level area which allow wheelchair to pass should be provided at side of the ramped kerbs, there is a large decrease in walking fatigue.