Development of Capacitive Seating Analysis Sensor Using Conductive Textile for the Evaluation of Seating Motion

Abstract

In this study, we developed a capacitive seating analysis sensor using a conductive textile for evaluating a Seating Motion. Physical burden on caregivers is a common problem at nursing care sites. Developing long-term caregiving skills can help reduce the physical burden on amateur caregivers. Several quantitative evaluation studies have focused on the skills of caregivers. However, such evaluation is highly expensive and require huge area because it involves the use of motion capture systems with several 3D cameras for dynamic motion analysis. In our previous study, we developed a conductive textile sensor for measuring the seating position of a care recipient in a wheelchair. The sensor could measure either seating body pressure or distance between the buttocks and the seat. The system can measure the care recipient's motion without requiring any motion capture system. We recommend using the sensor to evaluate the skills of caregivers; the sensor output can be used to determine the seating speed of the care recipient on the chair. Herein, we report the validity of the measurement system comprising a conductive textile-based capacitive seating analysis sensor for evaluating seating in nursing care.