Human-Function Substitution Systems, Graduate School of Life Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology

Japanese

Current researches

Main purpose of our research is to develop a device that can help the disabled, on the basis of human psychophysiological characteristics.

For the deaf-blind

- developing a communication aid by using tactile sensation

The deaf-blind are the people who have both deafness and blindness. Therefore they are difficult to get information of their surroundings and also difficult to communicate with other. In Japan, some deaf-blind use a method"writing character on a palm with finger" to communicate with other and get information. In our laboratory, we are developing a device which can realize this communication method by using tactile sensation.

For the deaf-blind

For the blind

- developing a tactile device which could transmit visual information while walking

The blind are difficult to know the direction of destination/obstacles. Recent navigation system for the walker or obstacle detection devices inform the blind of direction by using speech. Speech is such as "there is an obstacle 45 degrees rightward in front of you" or "your destination is leftward". We think most blind can not grasp direction correctly by these speech guidance. Then, in our laboratory, we proposed a method which inform the blind of direction by using head rotation and tactile stimulation.

For the blind

For the hemiplegic patient

- developing a walk-training support system

The hemiplegic patients do not know the location of paralytic leg and do not know the degree of pressure on the paralytic foot because of brain damage. Therefore, they have to look the paralytic leg to walk. However, looking the leg cause bad posture for walking. Then, we propsed system which present leg location and pressure distribution on a foot through a screen by using shoe-type measurement device and wireless technology.

For the hemiplegic patient

For the motor paralysis patients

- developing an input support device

Most switches for the motor paralysis patients need residual moto function to operate. These swithes are thoght to be difficult to use for the progressive diseases patients such as ALS. Then, we proposed an input method which use Sympathetic Skin Response(SSR) to operate switch. Because the SSR is a signal which reflects thinking action and do not depend on motor function.

For the motor paralysis patients

For the mental disorders

- developing a device to estimate mental fatigue

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