Project Title:
Nonstandard Functional Limb Trajectories
12.07-2040
911238
Nonstandard Functional Limb Trajectories
Moco, Inc.
P.O. Box A
Scituate
MA
02055
Ruth A.
Maulucci
617-545-2040
JSC
NAS9-18692
253
12.07-2040
911238
Abstract:
Nonstandard Functional Limb Trajectories
The goals of this project are to investigate experimentally the effect of nonstandard
conditions on functional limb movements and to use the acquired data to develop generalized
theoretical models. The project objectives are to examine functional limb movements,
such as reaching, kicking, or ambulating, under such nonstandard conditions as limb
loading, muscle fatigue, external perturbations, path obstacles, and environmental
changes. The innovation's focus is on movements that are embedded in non-ideal circumstances
commonly found in natural daily living activities, and in the culmination of a mathematical
model that will permit empirical results to be generalized for unique situations.
The work should prove relevant to human factors for space crews since the biomechanical
data encompasses crew performance in spaceflight conditions and the dynamic model
can serve as an applied design model for enhancing human productivity in space. The
results will be implemented in an interactive software system with which design engineers
can examine the effects of different nonstandard conditions on limb trajectories.
The software system resulting from this project will have commercial application
for design engineers who must consider human factors, specifically limb trajectories,
in their designs. The results will also have applications in rehabilitation, where
arm loading and fatigue are concerns in therapeutic intervention and perturbations
and path obstacles are issues in prosthetics and orthotics.
limb trajectories, nonstandard, functional tasks, biomechanical data, dynamic mode,
interactive software, human performance, productivity