TY - GEN
T1 - Improving postural control using a portable plantar pressure-based vibrotactile biofeedback system
AU - Ma, Christina Z.
AU - Wan, Anson H.P.
AU - Wong, Duo W.C.
AU - Zheng, Yong Ping
AU - Lee, Winson C.C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 IEEE.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - A portable and lightweight vibrotactile biofeedback system is introduced here which acts as a real-time balance aid. The biofeedback system provided users with vibrotactile stimulation based on changes in plantar pressure distribution. An experiment was conducted to investigate its effectiveness in improvement of postural control. A Romberg test was performed requesting the subjects to stand as still as possible, while the degree of body sway was measured by a force platform. Two young healthy subjects and one older healthy subject participated in the study. A wearing wool socks and eye-closed intervention was used to simulate reduced sensory input, and the effect of provision of vibrotactile feedback was studied. The experiment was conducted in 3 conditions: 1) bare feet, eyes open (baseline), 2) wearing 5 layers of wool socks, eyes closed, 3) wearing 5 layers of socks, eyes closed, with biofeedback system turned-on. The range, root mean square (RMS) and coefficient of variance (CV) of center of pressure (COP) were studied. Results indicated a significant increase of postural sway after the intervention of reducing sensory inputs, and a considerable reduction of postural sway upon using the vibrotactile feedback reminding body motion in four directions. These results suggested that vibrotactile biofeedback system is effective in improving postural control of subjects. Future studies about the effects of this biofeedback system on dynamic balance control and gait are needed.
AB - A portable and lightweight vibrotactile biofeedback system is introduced here which acts as a real-time balance aid. The biofeedback system provided users with vibrotactile stimulation based on changes in plantar pressure distribution. An experiment was conducted to investigate its effectiveness in improvement of postural control. A Romberg test was performed requesting the subjects to stand as still as possible, while the degree of body sway was measured by a force platform. Two young healthy subjects and one older healthy subject participated in the study. A wearing wool socks and eye-closed intervention was used to simulate reduced sensory input, and the effect of provision of vibrotactile feedback was studied. The experiment was conducted in 3 conditions: 1) bare feet, eyes open (baseline), 2) wearing 5 layers of wool socks, eyes closed, 3) wearing 5 layers of socks, eyes closed, with biofeedback system turned-on. The range, root mean square (RMS) and coefficient of variance (CV) of center of pressure (COP) were studied. Results indicated a significant increase of postural sway after the intervention of reducing sensory inputs, and a considerable reduction of postural sway upon using the vibrotactile feedback reminding body motion in four directions. These results suggested that vibrotactile biofeedback system is effective in improving postural control of subjects. Future studies about the effects of this biofeedback system on dynamic balance control and gait are needed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84925633470&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/IECBES.2014.7047632
DO - 10.1109/IECBES.2014.7047632
M3 - Conference article published in proceeding or book
AN - SCOPUS:84925633470
T3 - IECBES 2014, Conference Proceedings - 2014 IEEE Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Sciences: "Miri, Where Engineering in Medicine and Biology and Humanity Meet"
SP - 855
EP - 860
BT - IECBES 2014, Conference Proceedings - 2014 IEEE Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Sciences
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 3rd IEEE Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, IECBES 2014
Y2 - 8 December 2014 through 10 December 2014
ER -