Abstract
We developed a new aramid-fiber white cane that is lightweight, resistant to breakage, and reduces injury caused by the cutting surface. This paper presents the results of evaluating the cane strength and the load on a user's muscles by comparing the new cane (aramid-fiber) with an existing one (carbon-fiber). Six male subjects participated in an experiment analyzing physical load reduction, in which the participants were required to wave a cane for 10 min using only wrist movement in a standing position. The surface electromyogram of five forearm muscles and the mental workload of the upper limb were analyzed. The results indicated that the new aramid-fiber white cane reduced the physical load on the muscles (flexor carpi radialis muscle, extensor carpi radialis muscle, flexor carpi ulnaris muscle, pronator teres muscle) by about 10~40% in comparison with the carbon-fiber white cane. However, the physical load on the extensor carpi ulnaris muscle, which is used during wrist extension, increases by about 30%.
