Journal of the Society of Biomechanisms
Print ISSN : 0285-0885
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Volume 34, Issue 1
Displaying 1-13 of 13 articles from this issue
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Papers
  • Analysis of Steering Operation Using a 3-Dimentional Musculo-Skeletal Model of the Upper Extremities and Evaluation about the Design Parameters of Steering Wheels
    Takeshi YOSHIDA, Kazunori HASE, Goro OBINATA, Masatoshi HADA
    2010 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 41-52
    Published: 2010
    Released on J-STAGE: April 15, 2016
    DOIhttps://doi.org/10.3951/sobim.34.41
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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    It is desirable to develop an analytic simulation method of sensuous information like the operational feeling of the steering wheel. The purpose of this study was to evaluate muscle loads in steering wheel operation with respect to the steering wheel design characteristics. A three dimensional upper limb musculoskeletal model was constructed to estimate muscle loads, and the accuracy of this model was verified by comparing the measured EMG with the muscle loads estimated by inverse dynamic analysis. The features of steering wheel design parameters appeared in the muscle load estimation results obtained by applying the proposed method. The result suggested that a common organoleptic evaluation about the design parameters of steering wheels was related to the pattern of muscle loads.
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  • The kinematic characteristics of swing motion to the different speed balls randomly thrown in baseball batting
    Tokio TAKAGI, Norihisa FUJII, Sekiya KOIKE, Michiyoshi AE
    2010 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 53-62
    Published: 2010
    Released on J-STAGE: April 15, 2016
    DOIhttps://doi.org/10.3951/sobim.34.53
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    The aim of this study was to compare the batting motions when batters informed ball speed (Normal) with not informed (Random). We also investigated the phase relating timing adjustment. The ball speed was set SLOW (87km/h), MEDIUM (107km/h), and FAST (127km/h). Six university baseball players were selected as subjects. Three dimensional kinematic data of swing motions were collected. The results were that in both Normal and Random conditions, batters reduced center of gravity and batters reduced the rotational movement extent of the upper torso, as ball speeds were high. Therefore it was investigated that batters selected their proper motions according to ball speeds, after they perceived ball speeds. It was also appeared that batters prolonged the time from stride foot contact to maximum lower torso rotation for low speed balls at Random
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Short_Paper
  • Gait Event Analysis of Normal Gait by Using a Gyroscope Attached on the Foot for Simplified Gait Evaluation
    Yuka MINEGISHI, Takashi WATANABE, Norio FURUSE
    2010 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 63-67
    Published: 2010
    Released on J-STAGE: April 15, 2016
    DOIhttps://doi.org/10.3951/sobim.34.63
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    In this study, we aimed to realize a simplified method of gait evaluation using a wearable sensor system intended to be used in motor function rehabilitation or daily exercise for healthcare. This paper focused on gait event analysis by using a single gyroscope attached on the instep. Characteristic points such as a turning value or a zero-crossing of the angular velocity waveform measured with the gyroscope were compared with the actual time points of gait events (heel off, toe off, heel contact and foot flat) detected by aluminum electrode sets for normal speed and slow speed walking of three healthy subjects. By using detection rules that could be applied to the offline processing, more than 90% of the gait events were detected within the difference in detection time of 50ms. For the normal speed walking, more than 90% of the gait events were detected within the difference of 42ms by detection rules both in offline and real time processing. These results showed that the characteristic points of the angular velocity waveform corresponded well to the four gait events, allowing to be detected by a single sensor.
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  • Study of an ultrasonic echo method for observing extremity cross sections using a water bath
    Seiichi HISAMOTO, Masatoshi HIGUCHI, Hitoshi TANAKA, Naoko FUJII, Mari ...
    2010 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 68-72
    Published: 2010
    Released on J-STAGE: April 15, 2016
    DOIhttps://doi.org/10.3951/sobim.34.68
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    The ultrasonic echo method is a simple and useful way of observing cross sections of extremities. However, due to the narrow view through the probe and its incapability to take images behind bones, combining multiple images is necessary in order to capture cross-sectional images of the whole extremity. Therefore, tissue deformation caused by pressing the probe when taking pictures is a problem. In this study, we investigated the conditions under which high-quality images of extremities can be taken, after avoiding the deformation of tissues by using a water bath together with the ultrasonic echo device. As a result, we found that use of a water bath having similar acoustical impedance to that of biological body and keeping the water at about 40 degrees while shooting enabled to obtain high-quality images.
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  • Searching better parameters for predicting muscle forces by correlation coefficients with electromyogram
    Yuya TANAKA, Yoshihiro EHARA, Katsuya FURUKAWA, Kazuki MIZUSAWA
    2010 Volume 34 Issue 1 Pages 73-78
    Published: 2010
    Released on J-STAGE: April 15, 2016
    DOIhttps://doi.org/10.3951/sobim.34.73
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    Muscle forces can be predicted by an optimization method. Researchers use various parameters for this method. This means that the optimization method has not been established yet. The present paper examines how these parameters affect correlation coefficients between predicted muscle forces and electromyogram (EMG) to search a better combination of these parameters. The parameters investigated were (1) two moment-arms, (2) three kinds of denominators of objective function (methods to normalize predicted muscle forces), (3) five kinds of physical cross-sectional areas (PCSA) and (4) three kinds of muscle length and muscle fiber length. Three male subjects walked three times. The model we used had three joints and nine muscles of the lower leg in sagittal plane. Electrodes were placed on gluteus maximus, semitendinosus, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, gastrocnemius, soleus and tibial anterior muscle. Results showed that, in the best combination of the investigated parameters, the correlation coefficients between predicted muscle forces and EMG activities at six muscles except rectus femoris were 0.79 or more. In most cases, the coefficients at rectus femoris were 0.2 or less. Otherwise, the coefficients at rectus femoris were high (r=0.47 or 0.55), and the coefficients at hamstring and vasti muscles were lower.
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