| This research presents a methodology for obtaining reach envelope information of individuals for seated reaches and can be easily adapted to diverse target populations. The proposed method makes use of electromechanical position sensors for capturing a stream of reachable points from a seated individual while performing simple, predefined reach tasks in the workspace of their upper extremity reflecting the dynamic nature of functional reach. The contribution of this method lies in the approach to obtaining the reach envelope which is solved as a problem in Reverse Engineering. The reach volume is modeled as a free form surface using non-uniform rational B-Spline surfaces which envelopes all such points that the subject has reached.; The proposed method can be used to study different functional anthropometric variables like standing/seated reaches, grasp or finger tip reach limits by changes made only in the experimental setup with the computational algorithms remaining the same. Results from initial trials in unrestrained and two restrained seated reach experiments on right-handed able bodied individuals are presented and show our method to be quick and reliable. The advantages of this method make it well suited for arm reach capability studies involving elderly or disabled populations, particularly wheeled mobility device users. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
