1,721,134 research outputs found
Monitoring Performance in Women’s Soccer Players during Training through Wearable Sensors: Design Issues and Reliability Assessement
No full textCharacterization Method for Bending Sensor Applied for Smart Glove
No full textNowadays accurate measurements of hand movements of workers in sectors such as manufacturing, aerospace, and healthcare are requested for different purposes, such as health analysis or human-robot interactions. In Industry 4.0, analyzing how workers interact with tools, machinery, and processes by hand it is important to achieve optimal performance, quality control, safety, and ergonomics. Several techniques - motion capture and wearable sensors - are available with different levels of accuracy and applicability. In particular, smart gloves, and in specific bend sensors, represent a viable solution to measure comfort level, but commercial solutions lack accuracy and affordability. For this reason, new sensors applied to wearable devices and therefore suitable characterization methods are needed. In this paper, a novel platform that emulates the finger movements is proposed to evaluate the sensors used to measure the rotation of two or more finger joints. For example, one bend sensor is used to measure more than one finger joint. The platform integrates a dummy little and index finger of average dimensions. With respect to previous works, the proposed method was used to test commercial bend sensors bent in two points, corresponding to two finger joints. The experimental results confirmed the sensor characteristics, especially regarding the linearity (the maximum error is less than 2.5%) and the repeatability (the maximum error is less than 3.8%). Finally, a relationship between the resistance and the curvature was found when the sensor was bent in two points, obtaining the same characteristics in terms of linearity and repeatability
METODO PER LA PRODUZIONE DI IMPIANTI ORTOPEDICI ANTI-USURA
No full textLa presente invenzione si riferisce ad un metodo per produrre componenti di un impianto ortopedico resistenti all’usura ed alla corrosione, detto metodo comprendente una fase di deposizione in vuoto di un materiale ceramico anti-usura sulla superficie di dette componenti. In particolare, le componenti a cui la presente invenzione fa riferimento sono le componenti di una protesi articolare, per esempio la protesi del ginocchio, dell’anca, del polso, del gomito, della spalla, della caviglia, delle dita o della colonna vertebrale
Computer Assisted Surgery in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Needful Tool in the Development of Intra-Operative Orthopaedic Research
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Novel Smart Glove for Ride Monitoring in Light Mobility
Full text linkEnsuring comfort in light mobility is a crucial aspect for supporting individuals’ well-being and safety while driving scooters, riding bicycles, etc. In fact, factors such as the hand grip on the handlebar, positions of the wrist and arm, overall body posture, and affecting vibrations play key roles. Wearable systems offer the ability to noninvasively monitor physiological parameters, such as body temperature and heart rate, aiding in personalized comfort assessment. In this context, user positions while driving or riding are, on the other hand, more challenging to monitor ecologically. Developing effective smart gloves as a support for comfort and movement monitoring introduces technical complexities, particularly in sensor selection and integration. Light and flexible sensors can help in this regard by ensuring reliable sensing and thus addressing the optimization of the comfort for the driver. In this work, a novel wireless smart glove is proposed, integrating four bend sensors, four force-sensitive sensors, and one inertial measurement unit for measuring the finger movements, hand orientation, and the contact force exerted by the hand while grasping the handlebar during driving or riding. The smart glove has been proven to be repeatable (1.7%) and effective, distinguishing between different grasped objects, such as a flask, a handlebar, a tennis ball, and a small box. Additionally, it proved to be a valuable tool for monitoring specific actions while riding bicycles, such as braking, and for optimizing the posture during the ride
A Wearable and Semi-automated Timed-Up and Go Test: Implementation and Accuracy Validation
No full textIn the last decade the introduction of wearable technologies supported the implementation of reliable quantification tools for clinical functional assessment. Within this frame, this work was focused on the development and validation of a wearable system for analyzing motor function, particularly using the Timed-Up and Go (TUG) test. This study specifically aimed to create a wearable device that could quantify and automate the TUG test, collecting not only the time taken but also various kinematic parameters like accelerations, velocity, and number of steps. The wearable actigraph, fixed at the pelvis by means of an elastic band, measured and stored 3D inertial parameters for processing and analysis. The validation involved comparing manual TUG test times with those obtained using the actigraph, showing a high level of agreement and accuracy. The study included healthy subjects and individuals with different pathologies like post-stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's, demonstrating the system's feasibility in clinical settings. Overall, the wearable system proved effective in quantifying and automating the TUG test, offering a possible remote, self, and unsupervised method for functional evaluation and tele-rehabilitation programs
Wearable Ergonomics: Novel Integrated Solutions, Applications and Open Challenges
No full textAt present, the availability of wearable systems provides the capability of a quantitative, reliable and objective measurement of workers’ activities in ecological settings, thus without affecting the normal execution of the required tasks. The actual solutions offer the chance to integrate existing approaches used in the assessment of the work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) within a multi-parametric framework, which should be properly exploited, even considering the inclusion of international standards. This present perspective also means developing new methodologies to collect and analyze big datasets, to be adopted for the evaluation of the physiological parameters, physical factors and the interaction within the environment. In this light, we dealt with the design and development of an integrated framework for the analysis of WRMSD and related risk exposure addressing complex working activities. A new set of technologies and novel methodological approaches were faced in the different scenarios, including large scale retail distribution, health, and industrial applications. This chapter aims at providing a short overview of the current situation and designing perspectives in technological evolution and methodology enhancement and giving a brief perspective on the most recent applications
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