Design of an innovative assisting device for knee osteoarthritis

Fong Gong Wu, Hsien Chi Kuo

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is usually found in weight-bearing joints. Since medial knee joints bear most of the loading during gait, osteoarthritis is especially common in these joints. For early osteoarthritis patients, unloading or increasing muscle strength through exercise is the most fundamental healing approach. The use of assistive devices during exercise can relieve pain and thus increase patient motivation or improve on the duration. However, long-term use of assistive devices may cause discomfort or even side effects and in turn make matters worse. Hence, the purpose of this study includes (1) Developing an innovative assistive device that reduces medial knee loading; (2) Aiming for this device to relieve knee pain caused by OA; (3) Aiming for this device to be free of knee and peripheral muscle movement restrictions and thus increase comfort. To design an innovative assistive device, this research obtains design criterions through reviewing existing products and expert focus groups. Design concepts are generated in co-design activities following these criterions and eventually converged into one final design with morphological charts. Finally, prototypes are built according to the final design. The results of the experiments show that this innovative assistive device can significantly reduce medial knee loading on both legs, and that the satisfaction scores of design criterions are able to reach an acceptable level.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationUniversal Access in Human-Computer Interaction
Subtitle of host publicationHuman and Technological Environments - 11th International Conference, UAHCI 2017 Held as Part of HCI International 2017, Proceedings
EditorsMargherita Antona, Constantine Stephanidis
PublisherSpringer Verlag
Pages117-125
Number of pages9
ISBN (Print)9783319586991
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017
Event11th International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction, UAHCI 2017, held as part of the 19th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCI 2017 - Vancouver, Canada
Duration: 2017 Jul 92017 Jul 14

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume10279 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Other

Other11th International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction, UAHCI 2017, held as part of the 19th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCI 2017
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityVancouver
Period17-07-0917-07-14

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Theoretical Computer Science
  • General Computer Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Design of an innovative assisting device for knee osteoarthritis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this