Abstract
This paper proposes an active air mattress to improve affinity of an upper limb support system. The affinity is developed by several items. An easiness of an attaching and releasing process of the support system contributes to a short-term affinity. Comfortableness and sense of belonging during wear belongs to a long-term affinity. Both are very important in addition to support functions of the system. The active air mattress installed in a forearm part of the support system actively holds a human forearm quickly and firmly, and then changes the contacting areas with a human skin in order to maintain adequate blood circulation around the contacting area. Exhaust air from air chambers is reused to ventilate around a forearm skin. It is evaluated through some experiments from viewpoint of pressure distribution, blood flow, wearing time, releasing time, body-holding rigidity, temperature and humidity of a human skin.
