Development of an Electric Mobile Cart to Assist Work in a Half-Crouching Position in Soil Cultivation using a Cloth Pressure Distribution Sensor

Abstract

There is a need for an assistance system for farmers doing mid-back work in soil cultivation which is hard on the legs and back. In this study, we developed an electric-powered mobile cart that can detect the direction of movement desired by a passenger based on an intuitive interface with a cloth pressure distribution sensor. The sensor is placed on the seat of the mobile cart. The electric-powered mobile cart assists the side-way movement of the passenger under mid-back work. We measured the changes in the EMG of the vastus lateralis muscle during the side-way movement of the passenger assisted by the mobile cart and confirmed that the EMG of the passenger was reduced.