JP6553921B2 - Balance ability measuring method and balance ability measuring apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a balance ability measuring method and a balance ability measuring apparatus for measuring a balance ability in a standing position of a subject.

  Conventionally, for example, it has been effective to evaluate the balance ability of a human body in grasping changes in physical strength and exercise ability accompanying aging, physical ability in the event of a disorder, etc., for example, JP-A-7-250823 ( As in Patent Document 1), an apparatus for measuring the balance ability by detecting the position of the center of gravity in the standing position has been proposed. Such a balance ability measuring device has a structure in which, for example, the corners of the detection plate are supported by load detection means such as load cells, and when the subject stands on the detection plate, the load detection means The barycentric position is detected in a planar manner from the detection result.

  In addition, as a method for evaluating the balance ability of the subject, in addition to the evaluation method for keeping the upright posture in the eye open state or the eye closed state, for example, the body axis is inclined as much as possible There is also an evaluation method called cross test to evaluate whether it can be produced with a certain degree of magnitude. And the balance ability evaluation based on the fluctuation | variation of a gravity center position like the cross test is implemented by measuring the displacement of a gravity center position with the balance ability measuring apparatus as described in patent document 1. FIG.

  By the way, the evaluation of the balance ability by the cross test is to measure the range in which the subject can tilt the body axis while maintaining the stretched posture, and in order to correctly evaluate the balance ability, the sole of the subject Must be maintained in a predetermined ground state. The movable range of the center of gravity is largely different depending on the grounding state of the sole even in the same subject, and for example, when moving the center of gravity forward, the entire sole is kept in the grounded state This is because the range in which the position of the center of gravity can be displaced is largely different between the case and the case where the eyelid is in the floating state of the toe.

  However, the balance ability measuring device described in Patent Document 1 merely detects the displacement of the center of gravity position, and does not take into consideration any change in the ground contact state of the sole of the subject. There was a problem that the evaluation could not be performed accurately.

  In addition, in the balance ability measuring device of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-176467 (patent document 2), foot pressure distribution is displayed on a plane together with the center of gravity position. However, in the balance ability measuring device of Patent Document 2, the purpose of measuring the foot pressure distribution is only to confirm whether the foot is in contact with the ground, and relates the displacement of the center of gravity position to the change of the foot pressure distribution. There was even no technical idea that it should be measured. Therefore, in the balance ability measuring apparatus of Patent Document 2, it was sufficient to display the foot pressure distribution in a planar manner, but in planar display, it was difficult to grasp the relationship with the displacement of the center of gravity position.

JP-A-7-250823 JP 2013-176467 A

  The present invention has been made in the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the problem to be solved is to specify the condition for the grounding condition of the sole and then measure the amount of change in the center of gravity movement amount. It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel balance ability measurement method and balance ability measurement apparatus that can measure the examiner's balance ability more accurately.

  Hereinafter, the aspect of this invention made | formed in order to solve such a subject is described. In addition, the component employ | adopted in each aspect as described below is employable by arbitrary combinations as much as possible.

That is, the first aspect of the present invention is a method for measuring balance ability, which continuously measures the position of the center of gravity when the subject is standing, and calculates the foot pressure distribution when the subject is standing. When continuously measuring and measuring the amount of displacement of the center of gravity position together with the amount of change in the foot pressure distribution in the same direction as the direction of displacement of the center of gravity position, the amount of change in the foot pressure distribution is determined in advance. It is characterized in that it is measured as an area change amount from a reference area of pressure distribution .

According to the balance ability measurement method having the structure according to the first aspect of the present invention, the foot pressure distribution in the same direction as the displacement direction of the center of gravity position is added to the displacement amount of the center of gravity position of the subject. By measuring the amount of change, the balance ability of the subject can be more accurately evaluated. That is, by grasping whether or not the movement of the center of gravity of the subject is performed in a correct measurement posture with the sole grounded, for example, a large center of gravity position can be obtained by an erroneous measurement posture in which a part of the sole is lifted. Even when displacement is measured, the problem of overestimating the balance ability can be avoided. In addition, by measuring the amount of change in foot pressure distribution as an area change amount or area change rate from a preset reference area for a foot pressure action region greater than or equal to a predetermined value, for example, the center of gravity position is moved back and forth and left and right In addition, it is possible to easily grasp how much the ground contact area of the sole has changed when the center of gravity is moved in each direction.

  The foot pressure distribution can be measured, for example, by detecting the foot pressure acting on each area divided into grids or the like as a load value, but for example, a foot pressure action area having a predetermined value or more should be detected. It can also be measured by In the case of measuring the foot pressure distribution in which the foot pressure acting in each area is detected as a load value as in the former case, it is also possible to obtain the barycentric position based on the obtained measurement value of the foot pressure distribution. . In addition, as a method of using the detection result of the ground contact state of the foot for evaluation of the balance ability, for example, if the displacement amount of the same center of gravity position is larger, the balance ability is higher In addition to the ground contact condition of the sole in addition to the evaluation of the balance ability, as in the evaluation, the threshold is set to the ground contact area and the ground contact ratio of the sole, and only when there is a ground contact area and the ground contact ratio above the threshold. It is also possible to evaluate as an effective displacement amount of the center of gravity position.

A second aspect of the present invention, in, balanced capacity measuring method according to the first aspect, the displacement amount of the center-of-gravity position, is the also you measure the positional displacement amount from a reference centroid position set in advance.

  According to the second aspect, the center of gravity is moved, for example, in the front, rear, left, and right directions by measuring the amount of displacement of the center of gravity as a position displacement from a specific reference center of gravity position set in advance. It can be easily grasped how much it could move in each direction from the reference position.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the balance ability measuring method described in the first or second aspect, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure distribution are measured as an average value of both feet. It is.

  According to the third aspect, the balance ability of the whole body of the subject can be measured to evaluate the balance ability.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the balance ability measuring method described in any one of the first to third aspects, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure distribution are targeted one by one. To measure.

  According to the fourth aspect, it is possible to grasp the balance ability, wrinkles, etc. of the subject one by one, and to be able to evaluate in more detail. For example, when there is an injury due to an injury on either the left or right foot, etc., the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure distribution are measured for each foot. It is also possible to grasp the difference in balance ability.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the balance ability measuring method described in any one of the first to fourth aspects, at least one of a displacement speed and a displacement acceleration is measured for the displacement of the center of gravity position. .

  According to the fifth aspect, the displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the center-of-gravity position can also be used as one of determination data of the ability and state of the body. For example, with age, displacement velocity and displacement acceleration also tend to decrease, and they may decrease with the degree of disability, and reference can be made to daily physical condition grasping and management. And it becomes possible to determine the ability and state of the body more effectively by referring together with the displacement of the center of gravity. Note that the displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the center of gravity position change along with the displacement of the center of gravity position, but, for example, from the initial position (reference position) to the maximum center of gravity displacement point is continuously measured, stored and output. The maximum value, average value, etc. may be measured and stored or output.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the balance ability measuring apparatus, a pressure distribution sensor comprising a plurality of pressure detection cells disposed on a measurement surface on which a subject puts his foot in a standing position, and a detection signal of the pressure distribution sensor Is detected by the center of gravity detecting device that detects the position of the center of gravity of the subject, the foot pressure region detecting device that detects the foot pressure action region of the subject by the detection signal of the pressure distribution sensor, and the center of gravity detecting device. A center-of-gravity displacement calculation device for continuously obtaining a displacement amount of the center-of-gravity position of the subject, and the center-of-gravity displacement amount in the foot pressure action region detected by the foot pressure region detection device A foot pressure action region change amount calculation device for obtaining a change amount of the foot pressure action region in the same direction as the displacement direction of the center of gravity position obtained by the calculation device as an area change amount from a preset reference area of the foot pressure distribution ; , The center of gravity displacement A display device for externally displaying the amount of displacement of the center of gravity position obtained by the device and the amount of change of the foot pressure action region obtained by the foot pressure action region change amount computing device; .

According to the balance ability measuring device structured in accordance with the sixth aspect of the present invention, the position of the center of gravity of the subject and the action area of the foot pressure are detected by the detection signal of the pressure distribution sensor. From the detection result, the displacement amount of the gravity center position and the variation amount of the foot pressure action region in the displacement direction of the gravity center position are obtained. Therefore, the subject can grasp not only the displacement amount of the center-of-gravity position but also the change amount of the foot pressure action area, and the balance ability can be more accurately evaluated from the measurement result. Also, by determining the amount of change in the foot pressure distribution as the amount of change in area from a preset reference area, for example, when moving the center of gravity in the front, back, left, and right, when the center of gravity is moved in each direction It is possible to accurately determine how much the area has changed.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the balance ability measuring device described in the sixth aspect, the gravity center displacement amount calculation device calculates the displacement amount of the gravity center position from the reference gravity center position set in advance, The reference barycentric position is determined based on the detection signal of the foot pressure acting area detected by the foot pressure area detecting device.

  According to the seventh aspect, by determining the displacement amount of the gravity center position as a displacement amount from a specific reference gravity center position set in advance, for example, when moving the gravity center position in each of the front, back, left, and right directions, It is possible to accurately determine how much each position can be moved in each direction from the position.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the balance ability measuring device described in the seventh aspect, the center-of-gravity displacement calculation device detects the full width dimension of the foot pressure action region in the center-of-gravity displacement direction. The center of gravity position is obtained based on a detection signal of the foot pressure acting area detected by the device, and the width direction size ratio of the displacement of the center of gravity position from the reference center of gravity position with respect to the total width dimension of the foot pressure acting area. The amount of displacement of

  According to the eighth aspect, when measuring the balance ability using the displacement amount of the center of gravity position, in addition to the ground contact state of the subject's sole, the physique such as the height of the subject is also affected. However, by obtaining the displacement amount of the center of gravity position as a size ratio to the size of the subject's foot, it is possible to reduce the error of the evaluation due to the physical difference, and it becomes possible to evaluate the balance ability with higher accuracy.

Ninth aspect of the present invention is a balanced capacity measuring device according to the sixth-eighth of any one of the embodiments, in the area change amount calculation unit for the foot pressure acting area changes of the foot pressure distribution A reference area of the foot pressure distribution when determining the amount is determined based on a detection signal of the foot pressure acting region detected by the foot pressure region detecting device.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the balance ability measuring apparatus according to any one of the sixth to ninth aspects, wherein the right / left distinction device for obtaining a right foot detection area and a left foot detection area by a detection signal of the pressure distribution sensor. The barycentric position detection device separately detects the barycentric position in the right foot detection area and the left foot detection area determined by the left / right distinction device, and the foot pressure area detection device separately performs the foot pressure action. It detects the area.

  According to the tenth aspect, since the center of gravity position and the foot pressure action area are detected for the left and right feet, respectively, the change in the contact area of the left and right feet (change in the foot pressure action area), the displacement of the center of gravity position, It may be possible to grasp the balance on the left and right more accurately.

  An eleventh aspect of the present invention is the balance ability measuring device according to any one of the sixth to tenth aspects, wherein, in the display device, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the foot pressure acting area Are displayed in a mutually related manner.

  According to the eleventh aspect, since the correlation between the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure action area is displayed in an easily comprehensible manner, the balance ability can be grasped simply and accurately. Can.

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the balance capacity measuring device described in any one of the sixth to eleventh aspects, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure acting region are: It is displayed as measurement information over time.

  According to the twelfth aspect, it is possible to easily confirm how the position of the center of gravity is displaced with time and to easily confirm how the foot pressure acting area has changed with time. And change the measurement posture of the subject over time.

  The thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the balance ability measuring device according to any one of the sixth to twelfth aspects, wherein the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the variation amount of the foot pressure acting area are: It is displayed with each axis value on orthogonal two-dimensional coordinates.

  According to the thirteenth aspect, since the relation between the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure action area is displayed in an intuitively graspable manner, the balance ability can be further easily grasped. Become.

  According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the balance ability measuring device according to any one of the sixth to thirteenth aspects, the displacement of the gravity center position of the subject detected by the gravity center detection device A center-of-gravity displacement rate calculation device for obtaining at least one of the displacement speed and displacement acceleration of the center-of-gravity position based on the amount is provided.

  According to the fourteenth aspect, the displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the center of gravity position can be used as one of determination data of the ability and state of the body, and the ability of the body can be obtained by referring together with the center of gravity displacement amount. It is also possible to determine the state and the state more effectively.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to measure the amount of displacement of the center of gravity when the subject is standing, together with the amount of change in the foot pressure distribution in the same direction as the direction of displacement of the center of gravity, to evaluate balance ability, etc. become. Therefore, for example, it is possible to easily grasp whether or not the subject's center of gravity moves in a correct posture with the sole touched down, and a large displacement of the center of gravity is measured due to an incorrect posture. In such a case, the problem of overestimating the balance ability can be avoided, and the balance ability of the subject can be more accurately evaluated.

The top view which shows the balance capability measuring apparatus as 1st embodiment of this invention. The longitudinal cross-sectional view which expands and shows a part of balance ability measuring apparatus shown in FIG. The disassembled perspective view of the balance ability measuring apparatus shown in FIG. The disassembled perspective view of the pressure distribution sensor which comprises the balance capability measuring apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the foot pressure distribution as a measurement example of the balance ability measuring apparatus shown in FIG. 1, Comprising: The foot pressure distribution figure of an upright state. The figure which shows the detection result of the foot pressure action area | region corresponding to foot pressure distribution shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows foot pressure distribution as a measurement example of the balance ability measuring device shown in Drawing 1, and is a foot pressure distribution chart in the state where a body axis was leaned forward. The figure which shows the detection result of the foot pressure action area | region corresponding to foot pressure distribution shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows foot pressure distribution as a measurement example of the balance ability measuring device shown in Drawing 1, and is a foot pressure distribution chart in the state where a body axis was leaned backward. The figure which shows the detection result of the foot pressure action area | region corresponding to foot pressure distribution shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows foot pressure distribution as a measurement example of the balance capability measuring apparatus shown in FIG. 1, Comprising: The foot pressure distribution figure in the state which inclined the body axis to the right. The figure which shows the detection result of the foot pressure action area | region corresponding to foot pressure distribution shown in FIG. The figure which shows the example of a display of the measurement result of the balance ability measuring apparatus shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a balance ability measuring device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The balance ability measuring device 10 has a structure in which a personal computer 14 as display means is connected to the measuring device body 12, and the measuring device body 12 has upper and lower covers 16 as shown in FIGS. , 18 has a structure in which the pressure distribution sensor 20 is accommodated. In the following description, the longitudinal direction refers to the vertical direction in FIG. 1 and the lateral direction refers to the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 unless otherwise specified.

  More specifically, the upper cover 16 has a substantially rectangular frame shape with a window portion 22 and is formed of a hard synthetic resin or the like. Further, in the present embodiment, the height of the front portion (rear portion) of the periphery of the window portion 22 in the upper cover 16 is lower than that of the other portions, so that the subject is easily placed on the measurement surface without looking ing.

  The lower cover 18 has a substantially rectangular plate shape, and is formed of a highly rigid synthetic resin material, a metal material, or an elastic body reinforced with fibers. In the present embodiment, the lower cover 18 is made of a stainless steel metal plate and has a large deformation rigidity. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a buffer rubber layer 24 is fixed to the lower surface of the lower cover 18. Thus, the buffer rubber layer 24 is interposed between the hard lower cover 18 and the floor when the measuring device body 12 is placed on the floor, so that the floor is prevented from being damaged. In addition, the sound when placed on the floor is reduced or avoided. The detection accuracy of the pressure distribution sensor 20 described later may be enhanced by forming the lower cover 18 of a conductive metal material and connecting the ground wire and grounding it.

  The upper cover 16 and the lower cover 18 are vertically stacked and fixed to each other at a plurality of locations on the outer peripheral portion by fixing bolts 26. A space is formed between the upper cover 16 and the lower cover 18 There is.

  A pressure distribution sensor 20 is disposed in a space between the upper cover 16 and the lower cover 18. As shown in FIG. 4, the pressure distribution sensor 20 has a structure in which the elastomer sheet 30 a is superimposed on one surface of the dielectric layer 28 and the elastomer sheet 30 b is superimposed on the other surface of the dielectric layer 28. Have.

  The dielectric layer 28 is formed of an electrically insulating elastomer such as rubber or resin, and has a plate shape or a sheet shape, and has elasticity or flexibility as well as being elastically deformable. In particular, it can be easily deformed in the thickness direction. In addition, as a material for forming the dielectric layer 28, for example, silicone rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer rubber, acrylic rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, chlorinated polyethylene, urethane rubber, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, Polyurethane resin, polystyrene resin, polyvinyl chloride-polyvinylidene chloride copolymer, ethylene-acetic acid copolymer, etc. are suitably adopted. Further, the dielectric layer 28 may be a foam, and the foam is not necessarily limited to one that exhibits a homogeneous phase by closed cells as long as the necessary dielectric constant and flexibility are ensured. It may have a non-uniform phase such as the formation of air bubbles. Further, the thickness, the forming material, and the like of the dielectric layer 28 are appropriately set in accordance with the relative dielectric constant and the flexibility required in the pressure detection unit 38 described later.

  The elastomer sheet 30a and the elastomer sheet 30b are formed of substantially the same material and shape, and are electrically insulating sheets formed of a rubber elastic body or a polymer elastomer. In the present embodiment, the elastomer sheet 30a and the elastomer sheet 30b are substantially rectangular in plan view. It is assumed. Furthermore, on the elastomeric sheets 30a and 30b, a pair of connection pieces 32 and 33 protruding to the outer periphery is provided side by side on one side on the periphery. The material for forming the elastomer sheets 30a and 30b is not particularly limited, but, for example, silicone rubber, ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber, natural rubber, styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer rubber, acrylic Rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, chlorinated polyethylene, urethane rubber, polyester resin, polyether urethane resin, polycarbonate urethane resin, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, phenol resin, acrylic resin, polyamide imide resin, Polyamide resins, nitrocellulose, modified celluloses and the like are preferably employed. In addition, the elastomer sheets 30a and 30b of the present embodiment are transparent or translucent for easy understanding, but may not be transparent.

  Furthermore, an electrode 34a is formed on the lower surface of the elastomer sheet 30a, and an electrode 34b is formed on the upper surface of the elastomer sheet 30b. Each of the electrodes 34a and 34b is formed of rubber or elastomer mixed with conductive metal or conductive filler, and has a thin strip shape extending linearly. In addition, the electrodes 34a and 34b are formed in parallel with each other in parallel, and the electrodes 34a and the electrodes 34b extend in a mutually inclined manner, and in the present embodiment, extend in a direction substantially orthogonal to each other There is. In the following description, in the xy plane of the orthogonal two axes on the elastomer sheets 30a and 30b, the electrodes 34a extending back and forth substantially parallel to the y axis are sequentially arranged from the left 01x, 02x, 03x,. The electrodes 34b extending to the left and right substantially parallel to the x-axis are referred to as 01y, 02y, 03y,.

  Furthermore, the elastomer sheets 30a and 30b extend to the outside of the region (pressure-sensitive portion 42) where the electrodes 34a and 34b are disposed, and wires are respectively provided on the outside of the electrodes 34a and 34b of the elastomer sheets 30a and 30b. 36a and 36b are printed with a conductive material. The wire 36a extends from one end of the electrode 34a to one connection piece 32, and the wire 36b extends from one end of the electrode 34b to the other connection piece 33. The wirings 36a and 36b can be obtained, for example, as a wiring pattern printed by conductive ink on the surfaces of the elastomer sheets 30a and 30b. Furthermore, the electrodes 34a and 34b can also be formed by printing on the elastomer sheets 30a and 30b in the same manner as the wires 36a and 36b using a conductive ink formed of a conductive elastomer. In addition, the elastomer sheets 30a and 30b are fixed to each other by an adhesive, a double-sided tape, or the like at the outer peripheral end outside the arrangement area of the electrodes 34a and 34b and the formation area of the wires 36a and 36b.

  The elastomer sheet 30a and the elastomer sheet 30b having such a structure are overlapped from the upper and lower sides of the dielectric layer 28. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 1, the electrode 34a of the elastomer sheet 30a and the electrode 34b of the elastomer sheet 30b are disposed to cross each other so as to face each other with the dielectric layer 28 interposed therebetween. A capacitor is formed at the intersection of the electrode 34a and the electrode 34b with the dielectric layer 28 interposed therebetween, and the pressure detector 38 is formed by such a capacitor. In FIG. 1, for ease of understanding, the pressure distribution sensor 20, the electrodes 34a and 34b, the wirings 36a and 36b, and the pressure detection unit 38 are all shown in a transparent state.

  At a crossing portion (pressure detection unit 38) of the electrodes 34a and 34b, when pressure is applied in the stacking direction of the dielectric layer 28 and the elastomer sheets 30a and 30b, the dielectric layer 28 is deformed and the distance between the electrodes 34a and 34b Becomes shorter, the capacitance of the corresponding portion changes. Therefore, it is possible to detect the pressure exerted on each pressure detection unit 38 by detecting the change in capacitance in each pressure detection unit 38 using the sensor controller 40 comprising an electrical control device. Thus, the pressure sensitive part 42 is configured. That is, each intersection (the pressure detection unit 38) of the electrodes 34a and 34b can function as a capacitive pressure detection element (cell).

  Note that the pressure-sensitive unit 42 of the present embodiment is a capacitive sensor in which 1024 pressure detectors 38 are two-dimensionally arranged in 32 columns × 32 rows. Further, the area of the pressure sensitive portion 42 is larger than the area of the sole of a person, and it is possible to stand on the pressure sensitive portion 42. In FIG. 1, the pressure distribution sensor 20 is virtually illustrated by a thin line for easy understanding.

  The pressure distribution sensor 20 is disposed between the upper cover 16 and the lower cover 18, and the outer peripheral portion outside the pressure sensing portion 42 is sandwiched by the upper and lower covers 16 and 18, and the pressure sensing portion 42 is exposed upward through the window portion 22 of the upper cover 16, and the upper surface of the pressure-sensitive portion 42 forms a measurement surface. The upper surface (measurement surface) of the pressure-sensitive portion 42 exposed in the window portion 22 is preferably covered and protected by a flexible protective sheet 44 formed of rubber or elastomer (see FIG. 2). .

  The wire 36 a is detachably connected to the connector 46 a of the sensor controller 40, and the wire 36 b is detachably connected to the connector 46 b of the sensor controller 40. The pressure distribution sensor 20 includes the pressure sensing unit 42. Is detachably connected to the sensor controller 40.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the sensor controller 40 is connected to the electrodes 34a and 34b via connectors 46a and 46b, respectively, and a power supply circuit 48 for supplying operating voltage as a power supply device. And a detection circuit 50 for electrostatic capacitance detection as measurement means. The power supply circuit 48 is configured to selectively supply power to 01x to 32x of the electrode 34a and 01y to 32y of the electrode 34b, and under control of the central processing unit (CPU) 52, 1024 parts of the capacitor are configured. A periodic waveform voltage is scan-wise applied as a measurement voltage to each intersection (pressure detection unit 38).

  And the detection signal of the electrostatic capacitance detected under such a voltage action is sequentially detected by the detection circuit 50, and the detected value is stored in a RAM (Random Access Memory) 54. Note that the detection of the capacitance by the detection circuit 50 is performed, for example, by obtaining the capacitance value using the impedance obtained from the current value.

  Further, ROM (read only memory) 56 stores characteristic data of a capacitor formed of the intersections of the electrodes 34a and 34b, and the CPU 52 eliminates the influence of the wiring resistance based on the specific data. From the detected capacitance value determined as described above, a compression force which is an external force exerted on the intersection of the electrodes 34a and 34b is determined. In FIG. 1, the sensor controller 40 including the power supply circuit 48, the detection circuit 50, the CPU 52, the RAM 54, and the ROM 56 is simply illustrated as a functional block for easy understanding.

  Therefore, it is possible to separately detect the pressure acting on each pressure detection unit 38 by scanning the capacitance in each of the 1024 pressure detection units 38 formed by the intersections of the electrodes 34 a and 34 b constituting the capacitor. As a whole, a two-dimensional pressure distribution is made detectable.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the sensor controller 40 is connected to the personal computer 14 as display means by wire or wireless, and data of measurement results are transmitted from the sensor controller 40 to the personal computer 14. It is displayed on the screen. The personal computer 14 also functions as a device for instructing the user how to measure the balance ability using still images, moving images, characters, voices, and the like. Therefore, it is possible to easily measure the balance ability.

  The balance ability measuring apparatus 10 having such a structure is used for measuring and evaluating the balance ability of the body. Below, the measuring method of balance ability and its evaluation method are demonstrated based on a specific example.

  That is, a person who intends to measure the balance ability using the balance ability measuring apparatus 10 (hereinafter, a subject) first switches a power switch (not shown) of the measurement apparatus body 12 from OFF to ON, The 12 pressure distribution sensors 20 and the sensor controller 40 are shifted to a measurable standby state, and the personal computer 14 is activated to input age and sex according to the instructions. By inputting the age and sex of the subject in this way, it becomes possible to evaluate the measurement result of the balance ability of the subject with respect to the average value in the same gender and age.

  Next, the subject rests in an upright state (initial position) with both feet in contact with the pressure-sensitive portion 42 of the measurement apparatus main body 12. Thereby, the sensor controller 40 measures the foot pressure distribution (see FIG. 5) in the initial standing position of the subject based on the detection result of the pressure detection unit 38, and the sensor controller 40 measures the pressure on the upper surface (measurement surface) of the pressure sensing unit 42. Calculate the positions of the front and rear ends and left and right ends of the foot. That is, based on the detection signal of the pressure detection unit 38 that detects the foot pressure equal to or higher than the threshold value, the sensor controller 40 identifies the pressure detection units 38 located at the front and rear ends and the left and right ends on the upper surface of the pressure sensing unit 42. The positions of the front and rear ends and the left and right ends of the foot are specified.

  In the present embodiment, the reference barycentric position, which is a reference when determining the displacement amount of the barycentric position, is the intersection of the end of the foot and the left end, the leg in the initial standing position as described above. It is determined by calculating the positions of the front and rear ends and the left and right ends. However, the method for setting the reference barycentric position is merely an example, and can be obtained, for example, as follows. That is, first, in each measurement posture in which the body axis is tilted to the maximum in each of the initial standing position and the front, rear, left, and right directions, the pressure detection unit 38 that detects a foot pressure equal to or higher than the threshold is specified. Next, from the pressure detection units 38 positioned at the front and rear ends and the left and right ends specified in each of the identified initial standing position and each measurement posture in which the body axis is inclined, the pressure positioned most outward in each of the front, rear, left and right The detection unit 38 is specified, and the maximum groundable area for the pressure-sensitive unit 42 on the sole is specified based on the position of the pressure detection unit 38. Then, the intersection point of the left and right straight line passing through the end of the specified maximum touchable area and the upper and lower straight line passing through the leftmost end can be determined, and this intersection point can be used as the reference center of gravity position. In this case, in order to determine the amount of displacement of the center of gravity position, before taking each measurement posture of the initial standing position and the cross test with the body axis inclined in the front, rear, left and right directions, It is desirable to take a measurement posture, and in short, it is desirable to perform measurement twice in the posture in which the body axis is inclined in each of the initial standing position and the front, rear, left, and right directions.

  In addition, the rear end of the subject's foot is taken as the origin (distance 0%) when measuring the distance in the longitudinal direction, and the distance from the origin to the front end of the foot is set to 100%, while the left end of the left foot is The distance from the origin to the right end of the right foot is set to 100% as the origin (distance 0%) when measuring the distance in the left-right direction.

  Furthermore, the sensor controller 40 determines the barycentric position on the pressure-sensitive section 42 in the initial standing position based on the measured pressure distribution, and determines the distance from the preset reference barycentric position to the measured barycentric position by In the direction and the left and right direction, it is calculated as a ratio to the entire width dimensions (the distance between the front and rear ends of the foot detected in the initial standing position and the distance between the left and right ends) of the foot pressure distribution in the initial standing position. Thereby, the amount of displacement of the center of gravity position in the initial standing position from the reference center of gravity position is calculated by the sensor controller 40. As described above, the sensor controller 40 has a function as a center of gravity detection device that detects the center of gravity position based on the detection result of the pressure detection unit 38, and the displacement of the center of gravity position based on the detection result of the center of gravity position of the subject. It also has a function as a center-of-gravity displacement calculation device for calculating the amount.

  Further, the sensor controller 40 as a foot pressure area detection device detects a foot pressure action area based on a detection signal of the pressure detection unit 38 that detects a foot pressure equal to or higher than a threshold. Furthermore, by detecting the foot pressure acting area on the pressure sensing unit 42, the pressure detecting sections 38 located at the front and rear ends and the left and right ends of the foot pressure acting area are detected. The front and rear full width (maximum front and rear length) dimension and the left and right full width (maximum left and right width) dimensions are respectively determined. Assuming that the electrode 34a has left and right axis values and the electrode 34b has upper and lower axis values, in the initial standing position of this embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the front end of the pressure acting area is 27y, the rear end is 04y, the left end is 04x, and the right end is The foot pressure action area has a total width of 23 and a total width of 22 in the front and rear direction in terms of the number of pressure detection parts 38.

  Furthermore, the sensor controller 40 detects the number of pressure detection units 38 (pressure detection units 38 colored in gray in FIG. 6) that have detected a pressure equal to or higher than the threshold value in the initial standing position, and the detection results are displayed in the initial standing position. Set to the size of the ground contact area (reference area). The method for setting the reference area is merely an example. For example, the number of pressure detection units 38 that have detected a pressure equal to or higher than the threshold value even in each measurement posture in which the initial standing position and the body axis are tilted back and forth and right and left, In other words, the maximum number (maximum area) of the pressure detection units 38 that detect foot pressure in the cross test can be set as the reference area. When setting the reference area as the maximum number of pressure detection units 38 that detect pressure in each measurement posture, it is desirable to perform measurement in each measurement posture twice, so that the reference by the first measurement is performed. In addition to setting the area, it is possible to measure the amount of displacement of the center of gravity, the amount of change in the contact area of the sole, and the like by the second measurement.

  When the measurement in the initial standing is completed, the personal computer 14 instructs the subject to tilt the body axis forward while keeping the soles on the ground. When the subject tilts the body axis forward, the position of the center of gravity moves forward from the initial standing position. Therefore, the sensor controller 40 continuously measures the movement of the position of the center of gravity so that the body axis The amount of displacement of the center of gravity due to the forward tilt of is obtained. In the present embodiment, the displacement amount of the gravity center position is measured as the displacement amount from the reference gravity center position in the initial standing position, and the displacement amount of the gravity center position can be measured accurately. As described above, the sensor controller 40 as the center-of-gravity displacement amount calculation device continuously obtains the displacement amount of the center-of-gravity position from the continuous detection result of the center-of-gravity position.

  In addition, the pressure distribution on the sole changes as the body axis tilts forward. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, a large pressure acts on the front part (toe) of the sole, and the ground contact area of the front part increases, while the pressure acting on the rear part (heel) of the sole decreases. The ground contact area at the rear is reduced.

  By the way, in order to accurately evaluate the balance ability when tilting the body axis, it is necessary for the subject to tilt the body axis while keeping the sole in contact with the ground. For example, in order to accurately evaluate the balance ability, the amount of displacement of the center of gravity when tilting the body axis forward varies greatly depending on whether the heel is grounded even in the same subject. This is because it is important for the subject to perform measurement in a correct posture with the heel touching the ground.

  Here, in the balance ability measuring device 10, the sensor controller 40 as the foot pressure action area change amount computing device obtains the change amount of the foot pressure distribution based on the continuous detection result of the pressure distribution (foot pressure distribution). It is possible to distinguish between the case where the examinee leans the body axis forward with the eyelids grounded and the case where the body axis leans forward in the toe standing state with the eyelids floating. There is. That is, since the ground contact area (foot pressure action region) of the sole becomes smaller in the toe standing state where the heel is lifted, the ground contact area of the sole is measured as the number of pressure detection units 38 that detect the pressure in the forward tilt posture. Thus, the amount of change in foot pressure distribution can be measured as the amount of change from the reference area of the ground contact area, and the transition to the toe standing state can be grasped. The foot pressure action area changes in the same direction as the displacement direction of the gravity center position according to the displacement of the center of gravity position due to the tilting of the body axis, so by measuring the amount of change of the entire foot pressure action area The amount of change in the foot pressure action area in the same direction as the displacement direction of the position is measured.

Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the number of pressure detection units 38 (pressure detection units 38 colored in gray in FIG. 8 ) that have detected the pressure is the size of the ground contact area in the forward tilt posture. Measure and calculate the ratio to the size (reference area) of the ground contact area in the initial standing position. As described above, the balance capacity measuring apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment measures the displacement amount of the gravity center position together with the change amount of the foot pressure distribution in the same direction as the displacement direction of the gravity center position. The sensor controller 40 also functions as a foot pressure action region change amount calculation device that calculates the change amount of the pressure action region in the pressure sensing unit 42.

  Then, when the contact area in the posture in which the body axis is inclined forward is smaller than the threshold set in advance in the ratio to the reference area, it is determined that the subject is in the toe standing posture. Thereby, for example, the measurement result of the displacement amount of the center of gravity position in the toe standing posture is invalidated, or the subject is urged by the notification means such as sound, light, or screen display to ground the entire sole. Thus, the balance ability of the subject can be more accurately evaluated.

  Similarly, with regard to the posture in which the body axis is tilted backward as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and the posture in which the body axis is tilted right as shown in FIGS. While confirming based on the amount, the displacement amount of the center of gravity is measured in order. In the posture in which the body axis is tilted backward, the pressure on the toe side decreases, and the contact area on the toe decreases, while in the posture in which the body axis leans right, the pressure on the left foot decreases, and the contact area on the left foot It becomes easy to decrease. The measurement in each posture is completed when the subject whose posture is instructed by the personal computer 14 rests on the pressure sensing unit 42 for a predetermined time. 6, 8, 10, and 12, the pressure detection unit 38 colored in gray indicates the foot pressure action region in the detection result in each measurement posture.

  Furthermore, with regard to the foot pressure distribution when the body axis is inclined to the left, in general, results are substantially symmetrical with respect to the foot pressure distribution in the posture in which the body axis is inclined to the right shown in FIGS. Although not shown here, the amount of displacement of the center of gravity position and the amount of change of the foot pressure action area are similarly measured when the vehicle is leaned to the left. In addition, when there is an impairment in the motor function of either the left or right foot, a remarkable difference occurs in the foot pressure distribution between the right tilt and the left tilt of the body axis. Also in order to confirm, it is desirable to measure about the case where the body axis is inclined to the left and right.

  Then, when the measurement is completed for the posture in which the body axis is tilted back and forth and left and right, the change amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure action area, which are measurement results, are displayed as display means as shown in FIG. It is displayed on the screen of the personal computer 14. In addition, although the screen display as shown in FIG. 13 was illustrated as a display method of a measurement result, the reading of the evaluation result by an audio | voice, the display of 5-step evaluation of balance ability based on a measurement result, etc. are shown, for example. It can be employed alone or in combination with the screen display.

  That is, in FIG. 13, the displacement amount in the back and forth direction of the barycentric position when the subject tilts the body axis back and forth shows the correlation with the change amount with respect to the reference area of the ground area of the sole. It is shown as. According to this, it is easily grasped that the ratio of the contact area of the sole to the reference area decreases as the position of the center of gravity of the subject is displaced to the front and back outside in the longitudinal inclination. Also, if the threshold is set to the ratio of the ground area of the sole to the reference area, and the detection result of the center of gravity is valid only when the ground area larger than the threshold is secured, As the change is less likely to affect the assessment of balance ability, balance ability can be properly assessed.

  In addition, a side illustration 62 showing the side of the foot is shown below the front and rear graph 60 on the screen of the personal computer 14. The side surface illustration 62 has the heel side end arranged at the same position as the left end of the front and rear graph 60 and the toe side end arranged at the same position as the right end of the front and rear graph 60 on the left and right sides of the screen of the personal computer 14. Thus, it can be easily understood that the horizontal axis of the front-rear graph 60 corresponds to the front-rear length of the foot. Furthermore, in the front and back graph 60, a broken line is displayed at the measurement lower limit of 20% and the upper limit of 80% of the front-rear distance from the heel to the front-rear length of the foot. Since the extension to reach to the end, it is possible to easily grasp the range of the center-of-gravity position of the subject in the longitudinal direction of the foot by the illustration. Further, in the present embodiment, in the side illustration 62 of the foot indicating the position of the center of gravity when tilting back and forth, the area from the measurement lower limit to the measurement upper limit is color-coded with other areas and can be visually grasped by differences in color. It has become.

  Further, in FIG. 13, the amount of displacement in the lateral direction of the center of gravity when the body axis is inclined to the left and right is also shown as a left and right graph 64 showing the correlation with the amount of change of the contact area of the sole against the reference area. There is. According to this, it is possible to intuitively understand that the ratio of the ground contact area of the sole with respect to the reference area decreases as the center of gravity shifts to the outside of the left and right during the left-right inclination.

  Further, below the left and right graphs 64 on the screen of the personal computer 14, there is shown a planar illustration 66 that shows the soles of both feet in a plane. In the plane illustration 66, the left end of the left foot is arranged at the same position as the left end of the left and right graph 64 on the left and right of the screen of the personal computer 14, and the right end of the right foot is arranged at the same position as the right end of the left and right graph 64. It is easily understood that the horizontal axis of the left and right graph 64 corresponds to the vertical width. Furthermore, in the left and right graph 64, a broken line is displayed at the measurement lower limit of 20% and the upper limit of 80% of the horizontal distance from the left end of the left foot to the standing width of the foot. Since the extension to reach to the end, it is possible to easily grasp the range of the center of gravity of the subject in the lateral direction of the foot by the illustration. Further, in the present embodiment, in the plane illustration 66 of the foot indicating the position of the center of gravity at the time of left and right inclination, the area from the measurement lower limit to the measurement upper limit is color-coded with other areas and can be visually grasped by the color difference. It has become.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure distribution (ground contact area) are measured as an average value of both the left and right feet, and the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the foot pressure are also measured for the left and right feet. The amount of change in the distribution is measured separately, and the left and right balance can be easily grasped. In this embodiment, in addition to the measurement result of the average value of both left and right feet, the measurement result for each left and right foot is also displayed. It can also be shown. In the front and rear and left and right graphs 60 and 64 in FIG. 13, the measurement results of the average value of the left and right feet are shown as “whole” and the measurement results of each left and right feet are shown as “left” and “right”. It is done.

  Then, the subject can evaluate his / her balance ability based on the display of the measurement result. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, for example, in these measurement results, when the displacement width of the center of gravity position is 50% or more with respect to the size of the foot, the balance ability is normal or more with respect to the reference value. evaluate. On the other hand, when it is 50 to 30%, it is evaluated as slightly inferior to the standard value, and when it is 30 to 15%, it is evaluated as inferior from the standard value, and is further 15% or less Can be recognized as caution, and the necessity and extent of improvement can be recognized. However, such evaluation criteria are changed and set as necessary. Specifically, when evaluating the balance ability of the elderly and the sick, and athletes with excellent physical ability. Needless to say, the evaluation criteria are different from those when evaluating the balance ability.

  In the display device of the present embodiment, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the ground contact ratio of the sole are displayed, but the gravity center displacement rate to obtain at least one of the displacement velocity of the gravity center position and the displacement acceleration A calculation device may be provided to simultaneously display the displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the gravity center position obtained by the gravity center displacement ratio calculation device. Although the displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the center of gravity position change with the center of gravity displacement, for example, it continuously measures, stores and outputs from the initial position (reference position) to the maximum center of gravity displacement point. Alternatively, the average value or the like may be measured and stored or output. Further, since the displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the center of gravity position can be calculated by time differentiation of the displacement amount of the center of gravity position, the center of gravity displacement ratio computing device may be configured by the sensor controller 40 in this embodiment, for example.

  By measuring and displaying the displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the center of gravity in this manner, the displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the center of gravity can also be used as one of determination data of the ability and state of the body. In other words, the displacement speed and displacement acceleration of the center of gravity position tend to decrease with aging and may change depending on the degree of disability, and can also be referenced for daily physical condition grasp and management . Then, by referring to the displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the gravity center position together with the gravity center displacement amount, it becomes possible to more effectively determine the ability and the state of the body.

  By the way, when the body axis is swung back and forth while properly grounding the sole, the front and back range in which the center of gravity can be located is generally 15 to 85% with respect to the maximum front and rear length of the foot. Because it is also possible to determine the degree of general health by measuring at the same time, by limiting the measurement range to this range in advance, it is possible to facilitate arithmetic processing and to miniaturize the device accordingly, and the measurement results. The improvement of the reliability can be achieved. Similarly, even when the body axis is shaken to the left and right, generally the left and right range where the center of gravity can be located is in the range of 20 to 80% with respect to the maximum left and right standing width, so You can go. Note that the measurement range in the longitudinal direction of the center of gravity position is limited to 20 to 80% of the maximum longitudinal length of the foot, and the measurement range in the lateral direction of the center of gravity position is 30 relative to the maximum lateral width of the foot If it is limited to ˜70%, it is possible to more advantageously realize a reduction in processing load and downsizing of the apparatus. In the present embodiment, the displacement amount of the center of gravity within a range of 20 to 80% with respect to the front and rear length and the standing width of the foot is an effective measurement result.

  In addition, the measurement result can be stored in a storage device incorporated in the personal computer 14 or another storage device, or the measurement result as shown in FIG. 13 can be printed by a printer not shown. . If it is not necessary to save the measurement result, the measurement result can be discarded and the process can enter a standby state where the next measurement is performed.

  According to the balance ability measuring apparatus 10 having the structure according to this embodiment, not only the displacement of the center of gravity when the posture of the subject is changed, but also the change of the ground contact area of the sole is measured. Thus, it is possible to evaluate the balance ability of the subject more accurately as compared with the case where the balance ability is evaluated only from the displacement amount of the center of gravity position. That is, when movement of the center of gravity occurs due to tilting of the body axis, measurement is performed in the correct measurement posture in which the entire surface of the sole is grounded to the pressure sensitive portion 42 by measuring the contact area of the sole. And to what extent a correct measurement posture is realized. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the balance ability from being overestimated in practice by floating the eyelids at the time of anteversion, floating the toes at the time of backward inclination, and standing one foot at the time of left inclination and right inclination. It becomes possible to grasp the balance ability more accurately.

  Furthermore, since the displacement amount of the gravity center position is determined as the displacement amount from the preset reference gravity center position, and the reference gravity center position is determined based on the action area of the foot pressure detected by the pressure detection unit 38. In addition, it is possible to prevent an error from occurring in the measurement result due to the position where the subject stands in the pressure-sensitive unit 42, and the balance ability can be stably measured.

  In particular, the measurement result of the displacement of the center of gravity is obtained by calculating the displacement of the center of gravity as the ratio of the length of the center of gravity to the length of the front and rear width Can be easily evaluated while taking into account the difference in the size of the subject's legs, and thus the difference in the size of the subject. That is, even if a subject with a small physical size has equivalent balance ability to a subject with a large physical size, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position becomes smaller, so the measurement result of the displacement amount of the center of gravity position If the comparison is made as an absolute value, the balance ability of the subject having a small physique will be underestimated. Therefore, the amount of displacement of the center of gravity is a relative value with respect to the size of the foot having a correlation with the physique, and the balance ability is evaluated based on the relative value, thereby preventing variation in the evaluation of the balance ability due to the physique difference and more accurate. Evaluation can be made. The present invention also relates to a configuration in which the longitudinal length dimension and the lateral width dimension of such a foot pressure action area are determined, and the displacement amount of the center of gravity position is determined as the dimensional ratio to the longitudinal length dimension and the lateral width dimension. It can be realized as another invention.

  Furthermore, the amount of change in the sole contact area at the time of body axis tilting is not determined as an absolute value of the area but as a ratio to the sole contact area (reference area) in the initial standing position. Therefore, in a small-sized test subject having a small reference area and a large-sized test subject having a large reference area, a difference does not easily occur in the measurement result of the contact area change, and the evaluation of balance ability based on the measurement result is stabilized. It can be carried out.

  Further, the sensor controller 40 has a function as a left / right distinction device that distinguishes the pressure acting area (left foot detecting area) of the left foot and the pressure acting area (right foot detecting area) of the right foot from the detection result of the pressure distribution sensor 20 Thus, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the pressure action region can be obtained separately for each of the left foot detection region and the right foot detection region. According to this, it is possible to confirm the balance such as the muscle strength of the left and right legs, for example, it is also possible to confirm the degree of functional recovery from the balance of the left and right legs in rehabilitation when one leg is injured.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 13, a graph area in which the horizontal axis is the ratio of the distance from the foot rear end or foot left end to the center of gravity to the foot length or standing width, and the vertical axis is the ratio of the sole contact area to the reference area In addition, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the contact area measured at the same time are displayed over time. In this way, on the display screen of the measurement result, the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure action region are displayed in a mutually related manner, so that the movement of the center of gravity position is performed in an appropriate measurement posture. It is possible to easily grasp whether or not it is a thing. In addition, the measurement results are displayed as graphs with each axis value on the orthogonal two-dimensional coordinates as measurement information over time over a predetermined time, so that the movement of the center of gravity and the change in the measurement posture over the entire measurement time are graphed, etc. It can be easily grasped from.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited by the specific description. For example, the specific structure of the pressure distribution sensor is not particularly limited, and various known structures such as a surface pressure sensor using a strain gauge can be employed. Moreover, it is also possible to employ | adopt a load cell etc. which are described in patent document 1, for example as a gravity center sensor which detects a gravity center position separately from the pressure distribution sensor which detects a foot pressure action area | region.

  Further, the number, arrangement, and shape of the electrodes 34a and 34b and the pressure detection unit 38 are not particularly limited. Furthermore, although the part exposed from the window part 22 of the pressure sensing part 42 which comprises a measurement surface may be suitably changed in a shape or an area, a test subject can put a leg in the standing position on the pressure sensing part 42. Size and shape. Although not particularly necessary in the present invention, a footprint or the like may be displayed on the measurement surface to encourage the user to get on the measurement surface.

  Further, in the embodiment, the detection device, the arithmetic device, and the left / right discrimination device are all configured by the sensor controller 40 built in the measurement device main body 12, but these are externally attached to the measurement device main body 12. For example, an arithmetic device that calculates the displacement amount of the center of gravity position, the area change amount of the foot pressure action region, and the like is configured by the personal computer 14 that is externally attached to the measuring device main body 12 and connected to the sensor controller 40. You may make it.

  Further, the displacement of the center of gravity position and the area of the foot pressure action region need to be continuously measured over a certain period of time, but are not necessarily measured continuously, for example, at predetermined time intervals. You may make it measure intermittently.

  In addition, when calculating the amount of change in the foot pressure action region in the same direction as the displacement direction of the center of gravity position, the displacement direction of the center of gravity position is designated to the subject in advance, and the center of gravity position in the specified displacement direction is determined. It is also possible to measure the amount of displacement and the amount of change in the foot pressure action region. Furthermore, as the amount of change in the foot pressure action area, the distance between both ends of the foot pressure detected in the specified displacement direction is regarded as the reference distance, which is the reference area, and pressure detection is performed in the displacement direction It is also possible to regard the amount of change in the distance between the two ends of the foot pressure to be treated as the amount of change in area, which is the amount of area change, and to evaluate the partial lifting of the sole at the ratio of the amount of change in distance to the reference distance.

  In the above embodiment, the displacement of the position of the center of gravity from the reference position of the center of gravity is determined as a proportion of the total width of the foot pressure acting area. For example, the actual displacement of the position of the center of gravity is determined as an absolute value. May be. The center-of-gravity displacement calculation device obtains the total width dimension of the foot pressure action region in the center-of-gravity displacement direction based on the detection signal of the foot pressure action region detected by the foot pressure region detection device, and The configuration in which the displacement amount of the center of gravity position is obtained by the ratio of the displacement amount of the center of gravity position from the reference gravity center position to the entire width dimension of the pressure acting area is necessarily adopted as a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Instead, the present invention can be realized as another invention.

  In addition, the display device may process and display the measurement result in real time, or may store measurement data and display it as a measurement result after completion of the measurement.

10: balance ability measuring device, 12: measuring device body, 14: personal computer (display device, 20: pressure distribution sensor, 38: pressure detecting unit, 40: sensor controller (gravity detecting device, foot pressure area detecting device, gravity displacement) Amount calculation device, foot pressure action region change amount calculation device, right / left distinction device), 42: pressure sensitive part (measurement surface)

Claims (14)

Continuously measure the center of gravity position of the subject in the standing position, continuously measure the foot pressure distribution in the standing position of the subject, and determine the displacement amount of the center of gravity position as the displacement of the center of gravity position. in measuring with the amount of change in foot pressure distribution in the same direction as the direction,
A method for measuring balance ability, characterized in that the change amount of the foot pressure distribution is measured as an area change amount from a preset reference area of the foot pressure distribution . Wherein the displacement of the gravity center position, the balance capacity measuring method according to 請 Motomeko 1 you measured as a positional displacement amount from a reference centroid position set in advance.   The balance ability measuring method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a displacement amount of the center of gravity position and a change amount of the foot pressure distribution are measured as an average value of both feet.   The balance ability measuring method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure distribution are measured for each foot.   The balance ability measuring method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of a displacement speed and a displacement acceleration is measured for the displacement of the center of gravity position. A pressure distribution sensor comprising a plurality of pressure detection units disposed on a measurement surface on which a subject stands upright and on which feet are placed;
A center-of-gravity detection device for detecting the position of the center of gravity of the subject based on the detection signal of the pressure distribution sensor;
A foot pressure area detecting device for detecting a foot pressure acting area of the subject based on a detection signal of the pressure distribution sensor;
A center-of-gravity displacement amount computing device for continuously obtaining a displacement amount of the subject's centroid position detected by the centroid detection device;
In the foot pressure action area of the subject detected by the foot pressure area detection device, the change amount of the foot pressure action area in the same direction as the displacement direction of the gravity center position determined by the gravity center displacement amount computing device A foot pressure action area change amount calculation device which is obtained as an area change amount from a reference area of a foot pressure distribution set in advance ;
And a display device for externally displaying the displacement amount of the gravity center position obtained by the gravity center displacement amount calculation device and the change amount of the foot pressure action region obtained by the foot pressure action region change amount computation device. Balance capacity measuring device characterized by.   The center-of-gravity displacement amount calculation device calculates a displacement amount of the center-of-gravity position from a preset reference center-of-gravity position, and the reference center-of-gravity position of the foot pressure action region detected by the foot pressure region detection device The balance ability measuring apparatus according to claim 6, which is determined based on the detection signal. The said gravity center displacement amount calculating apparatus,
Obtaining the full width dimension of the foot pressure action region in the direction of center of gravity displacement based on the detection signal of the foot pressure action region detected by the foot pressure region detection device,
The balance capacity measuring device according to claim 7 , wherein the displacement amount of the center of gravity position is obtained as a width-direction size ratio of the displacement amount of the gravity center position from the reference gravity center position with respect to the full width dimension of the foot pressure acting region. In the foot pressure action area change amount computing device ,
The reference area of the foot pressure distribution when determining the amount of change in the area of the foot pressure distribution is determined based on a detection signal of the foot pressure action region detected by the foot pressure region detection device. The balance ability measuring device according to any one of the preceding claims.   A right-and-left distinction device that obtains a right foot detection region and a left foot detection region based on a detection signal of the pressure distribution sensor, and the center-of-gravity detection device is separately provided in the right foot detection region and the left foot detection region obtained by the left / right distinction device. The balance ability measuring device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the foot pressure area detecting device separately detects the foot pressure acting area while detecting the barycentric position. In the display device,
The balance capacity measuring device according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein a displacement amount of the center of gravity position and a change amount of the foot pressure action region are displayed in a mutually related manner.   The balance ability measuring apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure action area are displayed as measurement information over time.   The balance ability measuring apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 12, wherein the displacement amount of the center of gravity position and the change amount of the foot pressure acting area are displayed with axis values on orthogonal two-dimensional coordinates.   14. A barycentric displacement ratio calculation device for obtaining at least one of displacement velocity and displacement acceleration of the gravity center position based on the displacement amount of the gravity center position of the subject detected by the gravity center detection device is provided. The balance capacity measuring device according to any one of the above.