Floor Lift Research Articles

A preliminary biomechanical assessment and user perceptions of a motorized lifter for patient transfer

ABSTRACT A “no-lift” policy in healthcare discourages manual patient lifting to reduce worker injuries. This study explores modifications to a floor lift (NEAR-1) to align with this policy. NEAR-1 features a shorter lower lifting arm and a redesigned sling, enabling patients to (a) transfer in a sitting position, unlike a floor lift’s semi-reclining position, and (b) feel more in control by removing the sling’s rotational degree of freedom and letting the patient’s feet rest on the lifter base. The device also reduced patient weight-bearing, compared to sit-to-stand lifts. Biomechanical analysis was done to map the risk to the nurses and capture the patient’s experience with the modified lift (NEAR-1). Thirteen subjects carried out patient transfer tasks using both the NEAR-1 and the manual transfer approach, and this comparison will provide the baseline data for future systematic reviews. From the results, NEAR-1 significantly reduced the L5-S1 compression, the mediolateral shear forces, and the anteroposterior shear forces, with the exception of the muscle activities in the lower back, the shoulder, and the biceps. Moreover, patients felt safer and more comfortable with the device. Overall, the NEAR-1 lifter presents a biomechanically beneficial and user-friendly option for patients with limited weight-bearing capability.

The Role of Bone Tacks in Sinus Floor Lift Surgery: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: Maxillar atrophy is a prevalent condition associated with diminished bone volume, which precludes the conventional placement of dental implants. Sinus floor lift is a surgical procedure that aims to address this atrophy through the insertion of a graft within the sinus cavity. A multitude of techniques have been documented in the international literature for the management of the sinus bone window, though each approach has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Methods: The present study is a retrospective analysis of traditional sinus floor lift surgery, comparing the outcomes of two surgical approaches: placement of a collagen membrane over the maxillary lateral bone window with or without bone tacks. The study enrolled a total of 48 consecutive patients. Twenty-four patients underwent sinus floor lift surgery, with the placement of a collagen membrane over the maxillary lateral bone window without bone tacks (control group). The remaining 24 patients underwent the same procedure, but with bone tacks (study group). All patients received an amoxicillin 875 mg + clavulanic acid 125 mg administration for six days and underwent Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) before the sinus floor lift surgery and six months later before the implant surgery. The parameters measured on the preoperative Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scan included residual bone, the preoperative thickness of the lateral bone in the center, and the distance between the lateral wall and the medial wall of the sinus. Only the bone height increment was measured on the postoperative CBCT scan. Postoperative complications and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score were also recorded. A statistical analysis was performed, and the correlation between the parameters was evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient. A comparison of the mean of the parameters between the treatment group and the control group was conducted using the t-test. Results and Conclusions: The study group was found to have superior outcomes in terms of bone height increment (p = 0.001) and VAS after 7 days (p = 0.11) compared to the control group. The novel application of bone tacks on the collagen membrane over the bone window following sinus elevation surgery was associated with superior outcomes in terms of bone height and reduced pain at seven days, as measured by the VAS, with no postoperative complications.

Biomechanical Parameters of Implants Placed with Osseodensification Versus Implants Placed with Under-drilling Osteotomy Techniques in Posterior Maxilla: A Comparative Clinical Study

BACKGROUND: To facilitate better implant survival rates in areas with clinically low bone density, osteotomy techniques that provide higher implant stability and improve bone quality are often recommended. The most widely used are under-drilling (UD) and osseodensification (OD). In the UD technique, the diameter of the final osteotomy drill is narrower that the diameter of the placed implant, whereas in the OD technique, special drills that rotate counter-clockwise to condense and densify the bone are used. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two different implant osteotomy methods – UD versus osseodensification (OD) in terms of implant stability during the period of osseointegration in the posterior maxillary region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective randomized clinical study included 22 patients who received a total of 37 implants in the posterior maxillary region. They were divided into two groups: In 11 patients, 18 implants were placed using the under-drilling method (UD), while the other 11 patients received 19 implants using the osseodensification method (OD). Within the OD group, 10 implants were placed in areas with the initial height that was insufficient to accommodate implants with a minimal length of 8 mm. In these areas, crestal sinus elevation without bone graft use was performed simultaneously with implant placement, according to the osseodensification protocol proposed by the manufacturer. All implants were placed in a dual-stage manner – completely covered with soft tissue and uncovered 4 months later, at the time of second-stage surgery. The implant stability was determined by measurement of implant stability quotient (ISQ) with instrument that utilizes the method of resonance frequency analysis (RFA) to discover implant stability. The ISQ represents a value on a scale between 0 and 100, with values above 65 indicating high implant stability. ISQ values were measured at two timepoints: At the time of implant placement and at the time of their uncovery. Statistical analysis was performed with Prism 9 statistical program for Mac. The data were analyzed using one-sample t-test, Wilcoxon, and paired two-way ANOVA test. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The differences between the primary implant stability ISQ values in the UD and osseodensification (OD) groups were not statistically significant. The secondary implant stability was statistically significantly higher in the osseodensification group (p < 0.001) There were no statistically significant differences between secondary implant stability values in implants placed with and without crestal sinus floor lift within the osseodensification group. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of the study, the conclusion is that osseodensification method of implant osteotomy (OD) results in higher secondary implant stability values that the under-drilling method (UD), which has clinical relevance regarding long-term implant survival. It should be a preferred method of choice for osteotomy in areas with clinically low density of bone due to its predictability and effectiveness.

Total Pelvic Floor Lifting: A New Approach for the Anatomic Repair of Pelvic Floor Hypermobility and Vaginal Laxity in Parous Women.

Recent years have seen a steady increase in the information available regarding pelvic floor changes after childbirth. Obstetric trauma, to which all structures of the urogenital sphere are subjected, can affect different anatomical areas, including the vagina, perineum, deep pelvic floor muscles, and sphincter. Main complaints of parous women with regard to their pelvic floor are vaginal laxity, a wide introitus, and increased mobility of the uterus. Unilateral pectineal suspension is a novel method for surgical correction of the sequelae of vaginal birth-giving such as uterine hypermobility and perception of loose tissue, restoring a natural anatomy when conservative therapy has failed. Since the method is not ablative and does not interfere with anatomical structures, subsequent pregnancies and deliveries remain possible. Furthermore, there is no mesh application, adding to the safety aspects of this unique approach. The surgical technique is straightforward and can be adopted by laparoscopically trained surgeons without problems. The procedure consists of five clearly defined steps, which makes it easily reproducible. Unilateral pectineal suspension restores the pelvic floor and the vagina, with a single suture lifting the sagging structures back to their original position. If needed and according to the patient's choice, a short perineum associated with a wide introitus can be corrected in the same session by perineoplasty, resulting in a total aesthetic reconstruction of the female genital anatomy.

Does calibration pose improve scapular kinematic repeatability in functional tasks?

Tracking scapular motion can be challenging. More research is needed to determine the best practices for scapular measurement in multi-planar tasks. The purpose of this study was to compare the repeatability of scapular kinematics during a functional task protocol calculated from different calibration procedures. It was hypothesized that select poses would improve repeatability in specific tasks. The torso, humerus, and scapula were tracked with optical motion capture in two sessions for ten pain-free participants. Scapular calibrations were completed in five poses: neutral, maximum elevation, 90° abduction, hand to contralateral shoulder, and hand to back. Each participant completed eight functional tasks (Comb Hair, Wash Axilla, Tie Apron, Overhead Reach, Side Reach, Forward Transfer, Floor Lift, Overhead Lift). Scapular angles were calculated with five different calibration procedures and extracted at 30° increments of humeral elevation in each task. Mean difference, limits of agreement, intraclass correlations, and minimal detectable change (MDC) were calculated for each task and elevation level. The inclusion of different calibration poses did not markedly improve outcomes over the maximum elevation double calibration for most tasks. Using this calibration procedure, median MDCs were 10.0° for upward rotation, 13.7° for internal rotation, and 9.8° for tilt.

Research Progress of Maxillary Sinus Cyst and Maxillary Posterior Dental Region Implantation

The loss of single or multiple teeth in the maxillary posterior region usually leads to alveolar bone resorption, atrophy, and maxillary sinus cavity gasification, resulting in insufficient vertical bone height of the maxillary posterior alveolar bone, which brings great difficulties to tooth implantation. Maxillary sinus floor lifting is an important method to solve the posterior maxillary bone mass deficiency, which can be divided into internal lifting and external lifting. In order to avoid the occurrence of complications such as maxillary sinus mucosa perforation and facilitate the selection of surgical methods, it is particularly important to accurately understand the anatomical characteristics of maxillary sinus before surgery. Maxillary sinus cyst is the most common benign disease of maxillary sinus. It has always been considered as an absolute contraindication for maxillary sinus floor elevation bone grafting, which seriously restricts the possibility of maxillary sinus bone increment. This article reviews the research progress of maxillary sinus cyst and maxillary posterior dental implantation at home and abroad.

A Study of Two Novel Techniques for One-stage Closure of Chronic Oroantral Fistula and Sinus Floor Lift.

This study aimed to compare two novel techniques for chronic oroantral fistula (OAF) closure combined with maxillary sinus floor elevation. Ten patients who had implant installation needs but suffered from a chronic OAF were enrolled in the study from January 2016 to June 2021. The technique applied involved OAF closure and simultaneous sinus floor elevation by either a transalveolar or lateral window approach. Bone graft material evaluation results, postoperative clinical symptoms and complications were compared between the two groups. Student's t -test and χ 2 test were used to analyze the results. In this study, 5 patients with a chronic OAF were treated with the transalveolar approach (group I), and 5 were treated with the lateral window approach (group II). The alveolar bone height was significantly higher in group II than in group I ( P ＜0.001). The pain at 1 day ( P =0.018) and 3 days ( P =0.029) postoperatively and facial swelling at 7 days ( P =0.016) postoperatively were obviously greater in group II than in group I. There were no severe complications in either group. The techniques combined OAF closure with sinus lifting to reduce surgical frequency and risks. The transalveolar approach resulted in milder postoperative reactions, but the lateral approach could provide more bone volume.

Near-1: the evaluation of usability and task load demand of a motorized lifter for patient transfer

Purpose Despite the proven benefits of motorized lifting devices in reducing the physical stresses experienced by nurses during patient transfers, the low adoption of these devices remains limited. The study aimed to assess the perceptions of nurses regarding the new motorized lifting device (NEAR-1) in terms of their perceived workload and usability during patient transfers. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of nurses (n = 45) and students (n = 6) when performing patient transfers from bed to wheelchair and vice versa using the NEAR-1 compared to an existing floor lift, walking belt, and manual transfer. Participants filled out surveys evaluating the perceived task demands and usability of the NEAR-1, as well as open-ended interviews. Results The use of the NEAR-1 significantly reduced the mean of all NASA-TLX constructs (p < 0.001) when compared to manual transfer. When comparing with other existing lifting devices, the NEAR-1 (24.4 ± 3.0) recorded the lowest overall score of NASA-TLX perceived workload, followed by the existing floor lift (26.1 ± 11.6), a robotic-assisted transfer device (28.3 ± 6.8) and mechanical floor lift (31.5 ± 9.3). The participants recorded a usability score of 76.86, indicating positive perceptions of the nurses towards the technology. Conclusions Overall, the NEAR-1 has the potential to reduce the physical stresses on nurses and decrease the likelihood of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The NEAR-1 may represent a promising new intervention for transferring patients that is capable of minimizing the nurses’ perceived workload in clinical and non-clinical settings. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: The NEAR-1 motorized lifting device reduced perceived workload for nurses while handling and transferring patients between a bed and wheelchair. The nurses recorded a usability score of 76.86 for the NEAR-1, reflecting their positive perceptions towards the technology. The new device has the potential to reduce the physical stress on nurses and decrease the incidence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Defining repeatability for scapulothoracic and thoracohumeral motion during the novel work-related activities and functional task (WRAFT) protocol

Upper limb motion can be challenging to measure and analyze during work or daily life tasks. Further, humeral angle calculation method substantially influences angle outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the repeatability of scapular and humeral kinematics and compare thoracohumeral angle calculation during a work-related and functional task (WRAFT) protocol. Thirty healthy young adults completed the WRAFT protocol (Comb Hair, Wash Axilla, Tie Apron, Overhead Reach, Side Reach, Forward Transfer, Floor Lift, and Overhead Lift) on two separate occasions. Peak humeral angles and select scapular angles were extracted for each task. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), standard error of measurement, and minimal detectable change (MDC) were examined. Humeral angles were compared using the XZY and ZXY rotation sequences and “true” axial rotation for incidence of gimbal lock and amplitude coherence. Results showed that for scapular kinematics, elevation-based WRAFTs produced overall better ICC scores (0.23–0.90) compared to those tasks primarily driven by lateral humeral motion (0.02–0.84). MDCs ranged from 7°–78°, suggesting some tasks demonstrated good repeatability (Comb Hair, Overhead Reach, Floor Lift), while others had very high variability (Side Reach, Tie Apron). Amplitude coherence for thoracohumeral angles was best for ZXY for all tasks except the Comb Hair and Tie Apron, for which XZY is recommended. “True” axial rotation demonstrated good coherence for all but Tie Apron. The WRAFT protocol may be used for functionally relevant scapular and humeral kinematic assessment for select task and posture combinations.

Modified internal sinus elevation for patients with low residual bone height: A retrospective clinical study.

We have modified the internal sinus elevation by combining it with the sinus mucoperiosteum stripping procedure, which further increases the indications for the internal lift. Similar long-term clinical follow-up studies and three-dimensional finite element analyses are rare. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of the modified internal sinus floor elevation method in patients with low residual bone height using a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model and report on the long-term outcomes. Overall, 99 implants were placed in 86 patients. All patients were followed-up for 3-24 months. The modified internal sinus floor elevation was dynamically simulated using a 3D finite element model, and the stress of the sinus membrane was measured. In trial group A (modified internal sinus floor elevation group), 57 implants were placed in 52 patients. The sinus floor height was lifted by 6.5 mm (95%confidence interval (CI): 6.2-6.8). The perforation rate was 8.8%, and the implant survival rate was 96.5%. In control group B (external sinus floor elevation group), 42 implants were placed in 34 patients. The sinus floor height was lifted by 8.8 mm (95%CI: 8.4-9.3). The perforation rate was 14.3%, and the implant survival rate was 100%. In trial group A, compared with the control group B, perforation decreased by 5.5% (odds ratio = 0.50 and 95%CI: 0.14-1.78; p = 0.282), and the sinus floor lift height was 2.3 mm lower (95%CI, 1.8-2.9; p < 0.001). The finite element analysis showed that the peak stress of the sinus membrane increased with an increase in height elevation and degree of membrane separation. Our findings indicate the positive clinical outcomes in patients with low RBH associated with the modified internal sinus elevation procedure.

Improving the efficiency of applying the method of slab and floor lifting

Currently, in relation to the problem of erecting buildings and structures using the method of lifting of slabs and floors, there is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of the organizational and technical solutions in the process of construction and assembly works. This publication reviews the process of construction and installation works by lifting the slabs and floors with an analysis of all the advantages of this method over others. It also reviews the factors that affect the effective use of this method. Basing on the analysis of the method of slab and floor lifting, this paper will justify the necessity of creating tools to enable choosing the most effective organizational and technical solutions when using this method, and optimizing the processes of using this method for works performance. We suggested to use “complex index for efficiency of applying the method of lifting slabs and floors”, represented by a discrete index, which allows to determine the efficiency of organizational and technical solutions in applying the method of lifting slabs and floors. A whole range of factors affecting the formation of a “ complex index of efficiency application of the method of lifting slabs and floors” have been studied and proposed. In addition, for mathematical representation of the “complex index of efficiency of application of the method of lifting slabs and floors”, we used the method of modeling of multifactor systems, which is presented in this dissertation. The performed studies are preconditions for the formation of a model that will allow us to determine the effectiveness of the organizational and technical solutions in the application of the method of lifting slabs and floors, as well as give appropriate recommendations that will increase the efficiency of production for construction and installation works.

A novel lineage of osteoprogenitor cells with dual epithelial and mesenchymal properties govern maxillofacial bone homeostasis and regeneration after MSFL

Bone regeneration originates from proliferation and differentiation of osteoprogenitors via either endochondral or intramembranous ossification; and the regeneration capacities decline with age and estrogen loss. Maxillary sinus floor lifting (MSFL) is a commonly used surgical procedure for guiding bone regeneration in maxilla. Radiographic analysis of 1210 clinical cases of maxilla bone regeneration after MSFL revealed that the intrasinus osteogenic efficacy was independent of age and gender, however; and this might be related to the Schneiderian membrane that lines the sinus cavity. In view of the particularity of this biological process, our present study aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of MSFL-induced bone regeneration. We first established a murine model to simulate the clinical MSFL. By single-cell RNA-sequencing and flow cytometry-based bulk RNA-sequencing, we identified a novel Krt14+Ctsk+ subset of cells that display both epithelial and mesenchymal properties and the transcriptomic feature of osteoprogenitors. Dual recombinases-mediated lineage tracing and loss-of-function analyses showed that these Krt14+Ctsk+ progenitors contribute to both MSFL-induced osteogenesis and physiological bone homeostasis by differentiating into Krt14–Ctsk+ descendants which show robust osteogenic capacity. In addition, we detected a similar population of Krt14+Ctsk+ cells in human samples of Schneiderian membrane, which show a highly similar osteogenic potential and transcriptomic feature to the corresponding cells in mice. The identification of this Krt14+Ctsk+ population, featured by osteoprogenitor characteristics and dual epithelial–mesenchymal properties, provides new insight into the understanding of bone regeneration and may open more possibilities for clinical applications.

Analysis of preliminary efficacy on pelvic floor lifting technique in laparoscopic extralevator abdominoperineal excision for rectal cancer

目的： 探讨盆底提升技术在腹腔镜肛提肌外腹会阴联合切除术（ELAPE）治疗直肠癌的初步疗效。 方法： 采用回顾性队列研究方法，收集2017年1月至2020年12月潍坊市人民医院肛肠外科收治的60例行腹腔镜ELAPE低位直肠癌患者的临床资料。按照手术方式的不同，分为联合盆底提升技术的腹腔镜ELAPE组28例（盆底提升组）和传统腹腔镜ELAPE组32例（传统组）。两组患者临床基线资料的比较，差异无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。比较两组患者的手术时间、术中出血量、术中标本穿孔率、淋巴结获取数目、环周切缘阳性率、术后排便时间、盆腔引流管拔除时间、尿潴留、术后住院时间和术后并发症情况。 结果： 与传统组比较，盆底提升组手术时间缩短[（225.7±26.7）min比（281.9±66.8）min，t=4.166，P=0.004]，术中出血量减少[（125.7±60.2）ml比（204.4±188.7）ml，t=2.111，P=0.002]，术后尿潴留发生率降低[7.1%（2/28）比28.1%（9/32），χ(2)=4.390，P=0.036]。而两组术中标本穿孔率、淋巴结清扫数目、术后环周切缘阳性率、术后排粪时间、盆腔引流管拔除时间、术后住院时间和术后并发症差异均无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。 结论： 盆底提升技术可缩短腹腔镜ELAPE的手术时间及减少术中出血量，且更好地保护低位直肠癌患者术后的排尿功能，降低尿潴留发生率，术后短期疗效良好。.

Osteotome sinus floor elevation with concentrated growth factor and simultaneous implant placement with or without bone grafting: a retrospective study

The aim of this study was to compare the clinical effects of osteotome sinus floor elevation (OSFE) combined with concentrated growth factor (CGF) and simultaneous implant placement with or without bone grafting in the maxillary posterior region, where the residual bone height (RBH) was 4–6 mm. A total of 44 patients who underwent OSFE combined with CGF and the simultaneous placement of 60 implants (group A, 31 implants with bone grafting; group B, 29 implants without bone grafting) were included in this retrospective study. The clinical indicators of implants were observed for 24 months. Sinus floor lift height was 6.02 ± 0.99 mm in group A and 5.81 ± 0.72 mm in group B (P = 0.360) after surgery. There was no significant difference in the vertical bone resorption between the two groups at 24 months (P = 0.097). Postoperative pain at 14 days (visual analogue scale) was significantly greater in patients with bone grafting when compared to those without bone grafting (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in marginal bone loss (MBL) between the two groups (P = 0.707 for MBL during the first 12 months, P = 0.922 for MBL during months 12–24). The implant success rate was 100% with or without bone grafting. The technique of OSFE with CGF, either with or without bone grafting, is safe and reliable in patients with RBH 4–6 mm.

Posterior rehabilitation using 3D-printed dental implants and synthetic regenerative membranes

Aim: To describe through a clinical case report the surgical sequence of rehabilitation with 3D-printed implantsassociated with maxillary sinus floor lift with synthetic regenerative materials, including biphasic bioceramic.Case Report: Patient had an agenesis of the upper left premolars (#12 and #13), a vertical bone deficiencycaused by maxillary sinus’ pneumatization, and a horizontal alveolar resorption around the missing teeth area.During the surgical procedures, incisions, detachment, and osteotomy were performed in the lateral region ofthe maxillary sinus. The sinus membrane was detached and lifted 10 mm. Then, a thick poly(dioxanone)-basedsynthetic resorbable membrane (Plenum) was inserted and adapted inside the sinus to protect the sinus membrane.After the osteotomies with sub-instrumentation, 3D-printed implants (Plenum) were installed in the #12 area(3.5mm x 11.5 mm; 30N) and #13 area (4.0mm x 10mm; 20N). The maxillary sinus was entirely filled with abiphasic bioceramic,HA/B-TCP (70:30) 500-1000 um (Plenum) and covered by the same synthetic resorbablemembrane. Connective tissue graft from the palatal area was positioned internally to the flap and stabilized withsutures to improve the vestibular tissue architecture. The entire surgical wound was sutured, and the tissuesstabilized. No complications occurred in the postoperative period. Conclusion: The use of synthetic regenerativememberane and 3D-printed implants seems to be a promising option in areas of deficient bone remnants. KEYWORDSDental Implants; 3D Printing; Maxillary Sinus; Sinus Floor Augmentations; Tissue Grafting.

A complete MATLAB based application with GUI to learn GRAFCET

This paper deals with an application developed with MATLAB at the Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France, for any user to be able to learn GRAFCET with numerical experiments without any automation hardware or real system. It has been designed during the COVID’19 lockdown to be easy to use for students with weak experience with computer programming (assuming few hours already spent on MATLAB) and assuming to have followed the basic course on logic systems and GRAFCET for a few hours. The user defined parts of the application is concerned with few MATLAB script files (with existing examples) to define his/her own input/output variables and his/her own GRAFCET. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows to play with two examples: A simple toy example with 5 input/output variables where the user can learn how to translate his/her ”paper” GRAFCET solution into this application and how to use the GUI to run simulations for final GRAFCET evaluations. The second available system is a 4 floor lift based on 30 input/output variables which is a more complex example to focus to evaluate the user. For each example a digital twin is also available (its development is not a part of the user work) to update the state of underlying continuous variables and logic measures needed for the evolution inside the GRAFCET based on the state of the system actions updated by the GRAFCET. Other digital twin of systems and/or user defined GRAFCET may be added in the application.

Clinical and Ergonomic Comparison Between a Robotic Assisted Transfer Device and a Mobile Floor Lift During Caregiver-Assisted Wheelchair Transfers.

The robotic assisted transfer device was developed as an updated lift technology to reduce adjustments in posture while increasing capabilities offered by transfer devices. The purpose of this study was to compare the trunk biomechanics of a robotic assisted transfer device and a mechanical floor lift in the transfer of a care recipient by a caregiver during essential transfer tasks. Investigators enrolled 28 caregiver/care recipient dyads to complete 36 transferring tasks. Surface electromyography for the back muscles and motion data for trunk range of motion were collected for selected surfaces, phase, and direction tasks using a robotic assisted transfer device and a mechanical floor lift. Robotic assisted transfer device transfers required significantly smaller range of trunk flexion (P < 0.001), lateral bend (P < 0.001), and axial rotation (P = 0.01), in addition to smaller distance covered (P < 0.001), average instantaneous velocity (P = 0.01), and acceleration (P < 0.001) compared with a mobile floor lift. The robotic assisted transfer device transfers required significantly smaller peak erector spinae (left: P = 0.001; right: P < 0.001) and latissimus dorsi (right: P < 0.001) and integrated erector spinae left (P = 0.001) and latissimus dorsi right (P = 0.01) electromyography signals compared with the floor lift. The robotic assisted transfer device provides additional benefits to mobile floor lifts which, coupled with statistically lower flexion, extension, and rotation, may make them an appealing alternative intervention.

Comparison of trunk mechanics and spatiotemporal outcomes in caregivers using a robotic assisted transfer device and a mobile floor lift

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare trunk mechanics, distance covered, and average instantaneous velocity and acceleration recorded with caregivers performing transfer tasks using a research mannequin with both a prototype robotic assisted transfer device (RATD) and a mobile floor lift. Design: Cross-Sectional. Setting: Biomechanics Lab and Human Engineering Research Laboratories. Participants: Caregivers (N = 21). Intervention: Robotic Assisted Transfer Device. Outcome Measures: Range of flexion-extension, lateral bend, and axial rotation; distance covered; average instantaneous velocity and acceleration. Results: Caregivers performing transfers using the RATD as compared to when using the moble floor lift reported significantly smaller range of trunk flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation, and reported lower pelvic based distance covered and slower average instantaneous velocity and acceleration (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The design and usability of a RATD indicates design driven mobility advantages over clinical standard mobile floor lifts due to its ability to expand the workspace while further reducing risk factors for low back pain. While the concept is promising, further testing is required to address limitations and confirm the concept for clinical applications.

Functional Data Representation of Inertial Sensor-based Torso-Thigh, Knee, and Ankle Movements during Lifting.

This study examined the goodness-of-fit of using a sigmoid function to characterize time-series angular displacement trajectories during two-handed anterior lifting. Twenty-six participants performed two-handed anterior lifting with a low (4.5 kg) vs. high (22.7 kg) load at floor vs. knee lifting height. A sigmoid function with three parameters was fit to the torso-thigh included angle, knee flexion-extension (F-E), and ankle F-E angles in the sagittal plane obtained from body-worn inertial sensors. Mean ± SD RMSE between measured vs. fitted trajectories were 3.6 ± 2.9°, 3.9 ± 4.2°, and 2.7 ± 2.8° for the torso-thigh included angle, knee F-E, and ankle F-E angles, respectively. Findings suggest that the sigmoid function adequately describes the trajectory shape of two-handed lifting kinematics. Functional representations facilitate data aggregation and feature extraction in large time-series datasets encountered in inertial-based motion analysis and machine learning applications.

Usability and task load comparison between a robotic assisted transfer device and a mechanical floor lift during caregiver assisted transfers on a care recipient

Introduction The RATD represents a novel methodology to reduce strain, manoeuvring, and cognitive load a caregiver experiences when conducting transfers on a mannequin. However, caregivers who used this new technology report suggested adjustments regarding the robot’s human machine interface and shape as to improve transfer efficiency and comfort for care recipients. The purpose of this study was to test a redesigned RATD and compare its ergonomics during a transfer to those of a mechanical floor lift. Methods This was cross sectional protocol. As opposed to prior research which used a mannequin, caregivers in this study (N = 28) partnered with, and transferred, a mobility device user (N = 28) at three unique surfaces. Information about task demand and usability was collected from surveys after use of each device at each surface. Results Results indicated reduced physical demand (p = .004) and discomfort frequency (p = .01) in caregivers conducting the transfers with the RATD compared to the mechanical floor lift. Care recipients reported no significant differences between both transfer devices. Critiques with the interface, the harness and sling, and the robot’s rigidity indicated more work is needed before introducing this technology to a larger market. Conclusions: The RATD represents a promising new intervention for transferring and handling care recipients who use wheelchairs. However, while caregivers report reduced physical demand and discomfort, more work is required to advance the ease of the human machine interface, the amount of space allowed for the robot to operate, and the ability of the care recipient to operate the technology independently. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Caregivers report significant physical and mental stress while transferring clients in and out of a wheelchair. Clinical standard transfer equipment is limited in the space which it can be used. Robots, particularly those portable and powered, have the ability to not only make the transfer experience safer, but also expand the applications this equipment can provide.