In this study, we attempted to characterize body motion pattern in patients with Parkinson's disease during walking. Body motion was recorded from 16 patients with Parkinson's disease and 10 healthy elderly subjects by using a tri-axial accelerometer without any constraints. To assess body motion pattern, time-frequency patterns of the acceleration signal were estimated using a matching pursuit algorithm. The time-frequency patterns were totally different between the healthy elderly subjects and patients with Parkinson's disease. We classified the time-frequency patterns into four distinct patterns based on their time durations: duration patterns I(D-I:< 0.15s), II(D-II:0.15-0.5s), III(D-III:0.5-2.0s)and IV(D-IV:≥ 2.0s). The energy of the D-II patterns representing the irregular activities and the energy of the D-III patterns representing the short-term regular(rhythmic)increased in the patients with Parkinson's disease compared to those of the healthy elderly subjects. On the other hand, the energy of the D-IV patterns representing the long-term regular(rhythmic)activities significantly decreased in the patients with Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, these features were seen more clearly in severe case patients than in mild case patients. We concluded that these differences are likely due to a lack of ability to control normal and smooth movement in Parkinson's disease. Therefore, the time-frequency patterns of acceleration signal can be used to assess gait disorder in patients with Parkinson's disease.

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Rehabilitation is usually performed by the therapist in the hospital. However, rehabilitation at home is encour aged for reduction of medical expence, recently. Rehabilitation at home is effective for health management for patients of chronic diseases. To realize the rehabilitation at home, it is important to give the motivation to patients. The cost of the equipment must be redused. The system must be automated and patients without any restriction will be recommended. Therefore, we developed the rehabilitation system using horse riding simulator with computer graphics. Because our system is simple composition, the subject does not need the special operation. In addition, computer graphics gives the motivation to the subject. The result of the experiment, our system is effective for seventy percent of subjects.

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This paper describes a power-assisted attendant-propelled wheelchair employing a model reference control algorithm based on velocity feedback control. The model equation encompasses two parameters, mass and viscous damping factor. The input of the control system is operator's force. Choosing the model mass less than the real value enables the operator to move the wheelchair with less effort. The goal is to realize functionality where the operator would always feel as though he/ she were propelling a lighter wheelchair on level ground.In order to measure the operator' s force we developed a propelling force sensing mechanism utilizing magnetostrictive torque sensors. The control circuit uses a16-bit single chip microcomputer and DC motor driver boards. The model parameters were chosen through experiments on surfaces indoors. Test drives with dummy weight(65kg)on surfaces indoors and slopes to buildings, and so on were conducted. Both young adults and elderly people took part in the tests. The results shown by the subjects indicate that they started the wheelchair with less than half of the force required when they operated a normal wheelchair. Adaptations of the parameters to the operator' s characteristics and to situations such as quick start or slow stop are to be solved.

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The care-data entry interface for the Home Helper support system was improved to entry the data and to create the care report. The system consists of a Java mobile phone for the Home Helper and a conventional server computer at the Home Helper's office.The operation of scroll-up key, used as the care-data entry interface, was compared with that of the dial key in terms of the time to create the report. The questionnaire has been made to helpers concerning their easiness of operation. The time to create the care report with dial key operation was shorter by 58% than that with the scroll-up one. The questionnaire results indicated that the easiness of operations were the similar with both cases. Therefore, the comparison study found the dial key operation to be very suitable for easy and rapid data entry.

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