[Purpose] The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of an automated stride assistance device on gait parameters and energy cost during walking performed by healthy middle-aged and young females. [Subjects and Methods] Ten middle-aged females and 10 young females were recruited as case and control participants, respectively. The participants walked for 3 minutes continuously under two dif...

the index is excellent by the malmquist index as extended to productivity measurement. the index developed here is defined in terms of input cost rather than input quantity distance functions in supply chain. therefore, we propose productivity change is decomposed into overall efficiency and cost technical change. these decompositions provide a clearer situation of the root sources of supply ch...

BACKGROUND A powered knee-ankle-foot orthosis was developed to provide restriction of knee flexion during stance phase and active flexion and extension of the knee during swing phase of gait. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine its effect on the physiological cost index, walking speed and the distance walked in people with poliomyelitis compared to when walking with a knee-an...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether hemiplegic patients can propel a leg-pedalling wheelchair and whether it is easier and faster for them to pedal the wheelchair using both legs alternately than to propel an ordinary wheelchair with their unaffected hand and leg. DESIGN Within-subject comparison. SUBJECTS Subjects comprised 10 hemiplegic in-patients (8 males, 2 females), aged 63.7 (SD 12.7) yea...

BACKGROUND Robotic devices are expected to be widely used in various applications including support for the independent mobility of the elderly with muscle weakness and people with impaired motor function as well as support for nursing care that involves heavy laborious work. We evaluated the effects of a hybrid assistive limb robot suit on the gait of stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation....

preventive maintenance scheduling of generating units is addressed as a long-term scheduling in power system studies aiming to increase the reliability incorporating cost reduction. it consists of knowing which generating units should be shut down for regular safety inspection. in this paper, a new formulation of preventive maintenance scheduling associated with cost reduction index (cri) is pr...

The index is excellent by the Malmquist index as extended to productivity measurement. The index developed here is defined in terms of input cost rather than input quantity distance functions in supply chain. Therefore, we propose productivity change is decomposed into overall efficiency and cost technical change. These decompositions provide a clearer situation of the root sources of supply ch...