<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 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 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 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 mental disorders
- developing a device to estimate mental fatigue
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