Evaluation of Upper Limb Muscle Activation Using Musculoskeletal Model with Wearable Assistive Device

In recent years, wearable assistive device has been used to support upper arm movement training for rehabilitation purposes. A wearable assistive device could affect the muscle output during motor tasks to support upper limb disorder rehabilitation training. However, the investigation of muscle activity with the given assistive force is not widely investigated. In this study, the evaluation of upper limb muscle activities using musculoskeletal simulation systems with the developed wearable cabledriven assistive device has been carried out. An experimental protocol consisting of a series of motions was executed with five healthy subjects. Muscle activation on the brachioradialis, biceps, and triceps muscles was measured by using surface electromyography (EMG) and analyzed. The simulations with a musculoskeletal model to estimate muscle output with and without a wearable assistive device were performed for three tasks. An assistive upper arm device was integrated into the musculoskeletal model, and the desired assistive force is translated to the arm joint along with a tendon routing structure. Assisting movement by the wearable device was evaluated by measuring muscle activation with-assist and without-assist conditions. The results show that the use of the wearable assistive device can effectively assist in arm movement. Comparisons of measured EMG muscle data and the musculoskeletal model revealed that muscle force was generated throughout the arm. The integrated musculoskeletal model results show that muscle force values for two primary muscles (biceps and brachioradialis) were reduced during the simulated task when wearing the assistive device. These results are congruent with expectations, with the assistive device that supports the upper limb movement, providing practical assistance. The results highlight the importance of evaluating muscle output for the developed wearable assistive device to support the assistive movement. Lastly, the musculoskeletal simulation system could reduce the resource-intensive, and time consumed with the experimental testing could be achieved

Preliminary Study on Muscle Force Estimation using Musculoskeletal Model for Upper Limb Rehabilitation with Assistive Device for Home Setting

Post-stroke rehabilitation using assistive device has the potential to cover the need for improvement of the upper limb functionality. Moreover, using a biomechanical model to estimate the muscle activity during the rehabilitation training could improve the training module as well as help understand the target muscle during the motion of body part while using the assistive device. In this study, the author has focused on using a musculoskeletal model of the right arm to estimate the individual muscle force by simulating the movement of the right arm while using the developed assistive device. A developed upper limb assistive device has been investigated for its potential as a rehabilitation device for persons with physical disability of upper limb motion. The muscle force estimation is based on an inverse dynamic method, improved with additional constraints of the joints in order to obtain the muscle’s activity from motion capture data. The acquired muscle force data could be used to improve the arm assistive device in rehabilitation training for home setting purpose

Accelerated Production of White Pepper Using Integrated Mechanical and Enzymatic Solutions in an Automated Machine

The enzyme from Aspergillus versicolor A6 under solid state fermentation using agricultural waste as substrates were successfully produced by our group. Laboratory scale enzymatic retting for white pepper production was conducted using crude pectinase enzyme preparation found that decortications of green matured pepper berries were achieved after five days which is comparable to other commercial enzymes. Microbial specification and quality analyses found that retted berries meet the standards set by the International Pepper Community. This study presents a design and development of a machine which integrated mechanical and enzymatic solutions in the decortications of pepper pericarp to improve efficiency the production of white pepper berries as compared to conventional water retting method