Keywords

Paper information

Timothy DAVID and Masao TANAKA, “Preface”, Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2010), pp.53-53 . doi:10.1299/jbse.5.53

Finger Braille is one of the communication media of deafblind people. In one-handed Finger Braille, a sender dots the left part of the Braille code on the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints of the index, middle and ring fingers of a receiver, and subsequently dots the right part of the Braille code on the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints of the same fingers. Because there is a small number of non-disabled people who are skilled in Finger Braille, deafblind people communicate in this medium only through an interpreter. In this study, we developed a Finger Braille recognition system using small piezoelectric accelerometers worn by the receiver. We first conducted a measurement experiment to derive algorithms for the recognition of the dotted fingers and positions. The results showed that the accuracy of the recognition of dotted fingers was 92.9%, and the recognition system was independent of the dotted strength, dotted position and receiver. The accuracy of the recognition of dotted positions was 81.9%, and the recognition system could recognize dotted positions if the receiver's hand formed a natural longitudinal arch on the desk. Next, an evaluation experiment was carried out. The results showed that the accuracy of the recognition of dotted fingers by dotting was 89.7%, and the accuracy of recognition of dotted positions by dotting was 92.3%. Therefore, the recognition system could recognize sentences accurately when the interpreter dotted clearly.

Keywords

Finger Braille, Deafblind, Recognition System, Communication Aid, Accelerometer, Shock Acceleration, Recognition of Dotted Fingers, Recognition of Dotted Positions

Paper information

Yasuhiro MATSUDA, Ichiro SAKUMA, Yasuhiko JIMBO, Etsuko KOBAYASHI, Tatsuhiko ARAFUNE and Tsuneshi ISOMURA, “Development of Finger Braille Recognition System”, Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2010), pp.54-65 . doi:10.1299/jbse.5.54

A variety of operation devices have been developed for severely disabled people such as those with cervical cord injuries and/or muscular dystrophies. Each device has its own merits and demerits respectively, but there is still a need to develop other types of operation devices. In this study, we have tried to develop a mouthpiece type remote controller to operate an electric powered wheelchair. This remote controller would be inserted into user's mouth and be operated by tongue. This remote controller has passive RFID transponders but no battery. To evaluate the performance of this system, the MCR (Maximum Communication Range) was measured. The results indicated that if users set the antenna beside their cheek, the remote controller would work well. For the preliminary study, the operativeness of this remote controller was suitable. With this system, we succeeded in an operating electric powered wheelchair on the market. These results suggested the possibility that this mouthpiece type remote controller system would be effective for severely disabled people.

Keywords

Cervical Cord Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Assistive Technology, Daily Living, RFID, Remote Controller

Paper information

Shojiro George TERASHIMA, Eiichi SATOH, Kazuo KOTAKE, Eiichi SASAKI, Kazunori UEKI and Satoshi SASAKI, “Development of a Mouthpiece Type Remote Controller for Disabled Persons”, Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2010), pp.66-77 . doi:10.1299/jbse.5.66

This paper reports the first steps in determining the effects of fluid flow on the performance of the mitral valve of the heart that is relevant to surgical repair of the valve. In this paper, blood flow in idealised two-dimensional models of the mitral valve was studied using a numerical fluid-structure interaction (FSI) and experimental models and an experimental problem designed to validate the computational model. Both the experiments and simulation predicted a large vortex behind the anterior leaflet during inflow of blood into the left ventricle, in agreement with MRI scans available in the literature. Leaflet deformations agreed with results from experiments in the literature and with our previous experimental results.

Keywords

Mitral Valve, Fluid-Structure Interaction Modelling, Biomechanics, Flow Visualisation

Paper information

Mushtak AL-ATABI, Daniel M. ESPINO and David W. L. HUKINS, “Computer and Experimental Modelling of Blood Flow through the Mitral Valve of the Heart”, Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2010), pp.78-84 . doi:10.1299/jbse.5.78

In the present study, the characteristics of both flow and heat transfer in a pharyngeal cooling cuff for the treatment of brain hypothermia were investigated experimentally and numerically. The pharyngeal cooling cuff, which is a balloon-like structure placed in the pharynx, was developed for medical purposes. As a method for controlling the brain temperature, cooling water, which is physiological saline at 5°C, is injected into the cuff in order to cool the common carotid artery, which is adjacent to the pharynx. In this study, the heat transfer characteristics between the cuff wall and phantom body, which was considered to be equivalent to the human body, were experimentally determined, and the flow behaviour in the cuff was observed in detail. Furthermore, a three-dimensional numerical simulation was carried out to investigate both the flow velocity and temperature distribution in the cuff.

Keywords

Pharyngeal Cooling, Brain Hypothermia, Medical Engineering, Numerical Simulation, Heat Transfer

Paper information

Koji FUMOTO, Yoshimasa TAKEDA, Hiroshi HASHIMOTO, Masatomo KOKUBU and Tsuyoshi KAWANAMI, “Heat Transfer Characteristics of a Pharyngeal Cooling Cuff for the Treatment of Brain Hypothermia”, Journal of Biomechanical Science and Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2010), pp.85-93 . doi:10.1299/jbse.5.85