Quantitative Measurement of the Pressure and Shear Stress Acting on the Body of a Wheelchair User Using a Wearable Sheet-Type Sensor: A Preliminary Study

Satoshi Shirogane (), Shigeru Toyama, Motonori Hoshino, Atsushi Takashima and Toshiaki Tanaka
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Satoshi Shirogane: National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, 4-1 Namiki, Tokorozawa 359-8555, Saitama, Japan
Shigeru Toyama: National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, 4-1 Namiki, Tokorozawa 359-8555, Saitama, Japan
Motonori Hoshino: National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, 4-1 Namiki, Tokorozawa 359-8555, Saitama, Japan
Atsushi Takashima: National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, 4-1 Namiki, Tokorozawa 359-8555, Saitama, Japan
Toshiaki Tanaka: Institute of Gerontology, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-10

Abstract: To provide a safer sitting environment for wheelchair users, it is important to quantitatively measure the forces acting on the contact surface between the seat and the person in the wheelchair. In addition to the pressure acting on the buttocks, shear forces have received particular attention in recent years; however, measuring shear force is more difficult than measuring pressure. To obtain this measurement, a thin and flexible sensor that can be used in a natural state on a wheelchair is needed. Therefore, we constructed a measurement system using our previously developed wearable sheet-type sensor (0.9 mm thick). In this study, preliminary tests were conducted using human dummies before testing on humans. Sensors were placed in four locations on the humanoid dummy’s back and buttocks, and the electric wheelchair was tilted and reclined five times each. The results showed that the sensor output pattern was reproducible and valid enough to proceed to the next step. However, the shear force in the internal and external directions was greater than expected, which indicates that the equipment and testing methods must be reviewed. On the basis of the results obtained in this preliminary study, preparations will be made for testing on human subjects.

Keywords: wearable sensor; shear force; electric wheelchair; pressure ulcer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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