ParaCom An IoT based affordable solution enabling people with limited mobility to interact with machines

There are many people in this world who don’t have the ability to communicate with others due to some unforeseen accident. User’s who are paralyzed and/or suffering from different Motor Neuron Diseases (MND) like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Primary Lateral Sclerosis etc, by making them more independent. Patients suffering from these diseases are not able to move their arms and legs, lose their body balance and the ability to speak. Here we propose an IoT based communication controller using the concept of Morse Code Technology which controls the smartphone of the user. This paper proposes a solution to give the user ability to communicate to other people using machine as an intermediator. The device will require minimal inputs from the user.

Immediate effect of stabilization exercises versus conventional exercises of the trunk on dynamic balance among trained soccer players

Background: Trunk stability is key in controlling body balance and movements. Trunk Stabilization Exercises (TSE) and Conventional Trunk Exercises (CTE) are performed to improve dynamic balance. The authors have previously reported that dynamic balance was improved by a 12-week and 6-week TSE program. However, there is a dearth of research on its immediate effect on dynamic balance in trained soccer players. Objective: To compare the immediate effeect of TSE with that of CTE on dynamic balance in trained soccer players. Methods: Forty-eight male soccer players (24.60 ffi 1.38 years) participated in this crossover study, wherein each participant took part in three exercise sessions: TSE, CTE, and No Exercise control (NE), each consisting of three steps: pre-test, intervention and post-test, with an interval of one week between each exercise condition. To assess dynamic balance, the Y Balance Test-Lower Quarter (YBT-LQ) score in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions was measured before and 5 minutes after each intervention. Results: The YBT-LQ composite score was significantly improved after TSE (0.51) as compared to CTE (0.22) and NE (0.04) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in TSE and CTE conditions, YBT-LQ scores of the posterolateral and posteromedial directions significantly improved at the post-test (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Both TSE and CTE are effective in immediately improving dynamic balance; however, TSE showed greater improvement as compared to the latter. Immediate improvements in the posteromedial and posterolateral directions of the YBT-LQ were demonstrated after performing the TSE and CTE.

Static Body Balance in Children and Expert Adults Ballroom Dancers: Insights from Spectral Analysis of Shifts

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in maintaining body balance (influence of different sensorial sub-systems) in a representative sample of active Dance Sport competitors (children and adults). Methods: Overall, 13 children and 15 high-level adults sport dancers underwent a static equilibrium test on a force platform, in which 17 different parameters were examined, including a spectral analysis of shifts using an FFT algorithm that can assess the contribution of different somatic-sensory systems on maintaining body balance. Results: Younger subjects rely on their somatic-sensory reactions to maintain their balance, while adults rely more on the vestibular system, according to shifts’ spectral analysis. No differences were noted between the male and female participants. Conclusions: Children predominantly use the somatic-sensory system in body balance, while adults make more use of the vestibular system. According to these results and due to the trainability phases, exercises that challenge the somato-sensorial system are recommended to train balance in young dancers, while exercises that challenge the vestibular system are recommended in adult dancers which who have not developed exceptional somato-sensory balance abilities during their growth and training history.

Association of Foot Sole Sensibility with Quiet and Dynamic Body Balance in Morbidly Obese Women

An important health-related problem of obesity is reduced stance stability, leading to increased chance of falling. In the present experiment, we aimed to compare stability in quiet and in dynamic body balance between women with morbid obesity (n = 13, body mass index [BMI] > 40 Kg/m2, mean age = 38.85 years) and with healthy body weight (lean) (n = 13; BMI < 25 Kg/m2, mean age = 37.62 years), evaluating the extent to which quiet and dynamic balance stability are associated with plantar sensibility. Quiet stance was evaluated in different visual and support base conditions. The dynamic task consisted of rhythmic flexion—extension movements at the hip and shoulder, manipulating vision availability. The plantar sensibility threshold was measured through application of monofilaments on the feet soles. The results showed that the morbidly obese, in comparison with the lean women, had higher plantar sensibility thresholds, and a reduced balance stability in quiet standing. Mediolateral stance stability on the malleable surface was strongly correlated with plantar sensibility in the obese women. Analysis of dynamic balance showed no effect of obesity and weaker correlations with plantar sensibility. Our results suggest that reduced plantar sensibility in morbidly obese women may underlie their diminished stance stability, while dynamic balance control seems to be unaffected by their reduced plantar sensibility.

Medium-term Results of Body Balance Trainings in Primary School-Aged Children with Generalized Joint Hypermobility and Symptomatic Mobile Flat Foot: Cohort Study

Background. Mobile flat foot etiology and its correlations with postural imbalance remain topical issues for now, especially in children with generalized joint hypermobility. Additionally, it is poorly known that complaints prevail in children with mobile flat foot and joint hypermobility, and whether existing complaints are associated with foot deformation.Objective. The aim of the study is to estimate medium-term effects of body balance trainings on the height of longitudinal arch of the foot and on the complaints structure in primary school-aged children with generalized joint hypermobility.Methods. The study included 114 primary school-aged children (7–11 years old) with mobile symptomatic flat foot who were divided into four groups: I — control group of children who did not perform training; II — children who performed standard complex of rehabilitation exercises recommended for flat foot; III — children who performed a specially designed complex of exercises for body balance training; IV — children exercised on unstable platform. The foot examination included: clinical assessment of feet shape and position (FPI-6 scale), visual and manual mobility tests, computer scanning with calculation of anthropometric indices (basic anthropometric parameters were calculated from scanned foot images). Clinical evaluation of balance was carried out according to the BESS (Balance Error Scoring System) scale and computer pedobarometry. Assessment of complaints structure was carried out according to the Oxford Child Foot Condition Questionnaire.Results. Children of control group significantly increased the number of errors in performing tests compared to the baseline data (p = 0.034) according to the BESS scale. No statistically significant changes were obtained in children of the second group (p = 0.08). Total number of errors committed by children of third and fourth groups on unstable platform decreased by 2.9 times and 3.4 times, respectively (p = 0.022 and p = 0.044). Decrease in partial load on medial longitudinal arch of foot in step cycle in average by 2.0–3.5 times compared to baseline parameters was revealed in children of third and fourth groups. Moreover, children of third and fourth groups have shown improvement in parameters regarding the shape and position of the feet by average of 1.3–1.7 times higher compared to the parameters of the feet of children performing standard complex of rehabilitation exercises (p = 0.036).Conclusion. This study has shown the efficacy of body balance training in increasing the height of longitudinal arch of the foot and good dynamics in the structure of complaints in primary school-aged children with generalized joint hypermobility and symptomatic mobile flat foot.

Training to Improve the Landing of an Uninjured Leg in Crutch Walk Using AR Technology to Present an Obstacle

A patient who unexpectedly sustains a lower leg injury often uses crutches for walking, to both assist the patient and prevent further injury until a full recovery is made. In this study, a novel crutch walk training system was developed; a head-mounted display (HMD) was introduced to present a virtual obstacle for trainees using crutches. Through repetitions of the training, it was expected that the trainees would improve their overall body stability. Healthy subjects participated in experimental training exercises using the developed training system. As a result, the participants acquired the skill of walking well with crutches without losing their body balance significantly, even in the event of facing a virtual obstacle, during the five training sessions.

Effect of hearing aids on body balance function in non-reverberant condition: A posturographic study

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of hearing aids on body balance function in a strictly controlled auditory environment. Methods We recorded the findings of 10 experienced hearing aid users and 10 normal-hearing participants. All the participants were assessed using posturography under eight conditions in an acoustically shielded non-reverberant room: (1) eyes open with sound stimuli, with and without foam rubber, (2) eyes closed with sound stimuli, with and without foam rubber, (3) eyes open without sound stimuli, with and without foam rubber, and (4) eyes closed without sound stimuli, with and without foam rubber. Results The auditory cue improved the total path area and sway velocity in both the hearing aid users and normal-hearing participants. The analysis of variance showed that the interaction among eye condition, sound condition, and between-group factor was significant in the maximum displacement of the center-of-pressure in the mediolateral axis (F [1, 18] = 6.19, p = 0.02). The maximum displacement of the center-of-pressure in the mediolateral axis improved with the auditory cues in the normal-hearing participants in the eyes closed condition (5.4 cm and 4.7 cm, p < 0.01). In the hearing aid users, this difference was not significant (5.9 cm and 5.7 cm, p = 0.45). The maximum displacement of the center-of-pressure in the anteroposterior axis improved in both the hearing aid users and the normal-hearing participants.