Thoracic ROM measurement system with visual bio-feedback: System design and biofeedback evaluation

• Published in: 2011 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Vol. 2011; pp. 1272 - 1274
• Main Authors: Ando, T., Kawamura, K., Fujitani, J., Koike, T., Fujimoto, M., Fujie, M. G.
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Biofeedback, Psychology - instrumentation; Biological control systems; Breathing Exercises; Current measurement; Diseases; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Feedback, Sensory; Humans; Prototypes; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - diagnosis; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - rehabilitation; Range of Motion, Articular; Read only memory; Real time systems; Reproducibility of Results; Respiratory Function Tests - instrumentation; Sensitivity and Specificity; Therapy, Computer-Assisted - instrumentation; Thorax - physiopathology; Treatment Outcome; Visualization
• ISBN: 9781424441211; 1424441218
• ISSN: 1094-687X; 1557-170X; 1558-4615
• DOI: 10.1109/IEMBS.2011.6090299

Patients with diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) need to improve their thorax mobility. Thoracic ROM is one of the simplest and most useful indexes to evaluate the respiratory function. In this paper, we have proposed the prototype of a simple thoracic ROM measurement system with real-time visual bio-feedback in the chest expansion test. In this system, the thoracic ROM is measured using a wire-type linear encoder whose wire is wrapped around the thorax. In this paper, firstly, the repeatability and reliability of measured thoracic ROM was confirmed as a first report of the developed prototype. Secondly, we analyzed the effect of the bio-feedback system on the respiratory function. The result of the experiment showed that it was easier to maintain a large and stable thoracic ROM during deep breathing by using the real-time visual biofeedback system of the thoracic ROM.