Knutson Robert G, Whitten Justin, Graham David, Shankwitz Craig, Pew Corey A
Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59715.
Montana State University.
J Med Device. 2024 Jun 1;18(2):021005. doi: 10.1115/1.4065514. Epub 2024 May 30.
Trips and falls are a major concern for older adults. The resulting injury and loss of mobility can have a significant impact on quality of life. An emerging field of study, known as Perturbation Training, has been shown to reduce injury rates associated with trips and falls in older adults. Treadmills traditionally used for Perturbation Training are large, expensive, and immobile, forcing users to travel long distances to receive care. A portable treadmill would serve a larger portion of the at-risk population than current methods. We developed a portable, low-cost, twin-belt perturbation treadmill capable of high-intensity Perturbation Training. Belt speeds are controlled by a custom mechanical and software interface, allowing operators with no programming experience to control the device. The treadmill can accommodate users up to 118 kg and provides a maximum acceleration and speed of 12 m/s and 3.3 m/s, respectively, under full load. The total weight is 180 kg, and the treadmill can be moved like a wheelbarrow, with handles in the back and wheels in the front. The prototype was validated with mechanical and human participant testing, showing it as a viable device for Perturbation Training. In this paper, we will go over the design, fabrication, and validation processes used to create the Portable Perturbation Treadmill.
绊倒和跌倒是老年人的一个主要担忧。由此导致的受伤和行动能力丧失会对生活质量产生重大影响。一个新兴的研究领域，即扰动训练，已被证明可以降低老年人绊倒和跌倒相关的受伤率。传统上用于扰动训练的跑步机体积大、价格昂贵且固定不动，这使得使用者要长途跋涉才能接受治疗。与现有方法相比，便携式跑步机将能服务更多的高危人群。我们开发了一种便携式、低成本的双带扰动跑步机，能够进行高强度的扰动训练。皮带速度由定制的机械和软件接口控制，使没有编程经验的操作人员也能控制该设备。该跑步机可容纳体重达118千克的使用者，在满载情况下，最大加速度和速度分别为12米/秒和3.3米/秒。总重量为180千克，跑步机可以像独轮车一样移动，后面有把手，前面有轮子。该原型通过机械测试和人体受试者测试得到了验证，表明它是一种用于扰动训练的可行设备。在本文中，我们将详细介绍用于制造便携式扰动跑步机的设计、制造和验证过程。
