Table Cleaning Task by Human Support Robot Using Deep Learning Technique.

This work presents a table cleaning and inspection method using a Human Support Robot (HSR) which can operate in a typical food court setting. The HSR is able to perform a cleanliness inspection and also clean the food litter on the table by implementing a deep learning technique and planner framework. A lightweight Deep Convolutional Neural Network (DCNN) has been proposed to recognize the food litter on top of the table. In addition, the planner framework was proposed to HSR for accomplishing the table cleaning task which generates the cleaning path according to the detection of food litter and then the cleaning action is carried out. The effectiveness of the food litter detection module is verified with the cleanliness inspection task using Toyota HSR, and its detection results are verified with standard quality metrics. The experimental results show that the food litter detection module achieves an average of 96 % detection accuracy, which is more suitable for deploying the HSR robots for performing the cleanliness inspection and also helps to select the different cleaning modes. Further, the planner part has been tested through the table cleaning tasks. The experimental results show that the planner generated the cleaning path in real time and its generated path is optimal which reduces the cleaning time by grouping based cleaning action for removing the food litters from the table.

The effect of sit-stand schedules on office work productivity: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Sit-stand workstations have been introduced in the workplaces to address the adverse sedentary effect inherent to typical office jobs. Existing field or laboratory studies showed that standing interventions are not a detriment to work productivity or performance. The effect of gradient standing proportion on these measures is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: The current naturalistic pilot study aimed to examine the controlled sit-stand ratio effect on office performances. METHODS: Eleven musculoskeletal symptom free office employees from a large government agency volunteered in this study. They were all equipped with electronic sit-stand desks. Computer usage (N=11) and productivity (N=3) were collected using software and organizational metrics, respectively, for four typical workdays of four different sit-stand ratios (7 : 1, 3 : 1, 2 : 1, and 1 : 1). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant schedule effects on any computer usage measures. While not significant, time using computer, keystrokes, word count, and keyboard errors were all less as standing time increased. Sit-stand ratio and job productivity did not observe a clear cause and effect relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of time spent standing in typical office jobs might not affect computer usage and productivity. Further study with a larger sample is needed for a stronger evidence.

A Sitting Posture Monitoring Instrument to Assess Different Levels of Cognitive Engagement.

An office chair for analyzing the seated posture variation during the performance of a stress-level test is presented in this work. To meet this aim, we placed a set of textile pressure sensors both on the backrest and on the seat of the chair. The position of the sensors was selected for maximizing the detection of variations of user's posture. The effectiveness of the designed system was evaluated through an experiment where increasing stress levels were obtained by administering a Stroop test. The collected results had been analyzed by considering three different time intervals based on the difficulty level of the test (low, medium, and high). A transition analysis conducted on postures assumed during the test showed that participants reached a different posture at the end of the test, when the cognitive engagement increased, with respect to the beginning. This evidence highlighted the presence of movement presumably due to the increased cognitive engagement. Overall, the performed analysis showed the proposed monitoring system could be used to identify body posture variations related to different levels of engagement of a seated user while performing cognitive tasks.

Impact of Activity-Based Working and Height-Adjustable Desks on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Space Utilization among Office Workers: A Natural Experiment.

It has been reported that office environment is an important determinant of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) in office workers. However, the effect of changes in office environment (office renovation) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine PA, SB, and space utilization changes among office workers in response to office renovation. This study was a natural experiment at three offices of a single company in Tokyo, Japan. The participants were, 13 workers from one office in the renovation group (mean age: 37.9 ± 10.8 years, percentage of females: 23.1%) and 29 from two offices in the control group (mean age: 42.3 ± 11.2 years, percentage of females: 31.0%). In the renovation, introduction of activity-based working (ABW) and installation of height-adjustable desks (HAD) were adopted. The ABW office was designed to provide various shared workstations, enabling the workers to choose workstations depending on their task or mood. Accelerometer measurement and object detection method using artificial intelligence (AI) technology for video images were used to assess behavior and space utilization before and after the renovation. Two weeks after the renovation, significant improvements in SB (pre- to post-renovation improvements: 346.8 ± 28.6 to 321.2 ± 17.8 min/working-hours) and PA (total PA: 173.2 ± 28.6 to 198.8 ± 17.8 min/working-hours; and light-intensity PA: 130.4 ± 27.1 to 150.7 ± 31.0 min/working-hours) were observed. In addition, the results of the object detection analysis showed that the central aisle of the office and shared HAD workstations near the entrance or window were utilized more frequently than the other spaces. This study suggested that office renovation could improve SB and PA immediately after the renovation. Moreover, utilized spaces and HAD workstations could play an important role to enhance employees' activity in an ABW office.

Effects of a Dynamic Chair on Chair Seat Motion and Trunk Muscle Activity during Office Tasks and Task Transitions.

Employing dynamic office chairs might increase the physical (micro-) activity during prolonged office sitting. We investigated whether a dynamic BioSwing® chair increases chair sway and alters trunk muscle activation. Twenty-six healthy young adults performed four office tasks (reading, calling, typing, hand writing) and transitions between these tasks while sitting on a dynamic and on a static office chair. For all task-transitions, chair sway was higher in the dynamic condition (p < 0.05). Muscle activation changes were small with lower mean activity of the left obliquus internus during hand writing (p = 0.07), lower mean activity of the right erector spinae during the task-transition calling to hand writing (p = 0.036), and higher mean activity of the left erector spinae during the task-transition reading to calling (p = 0.07) on the dynamic chair. These results indicate that an increased BioSwing® chair sway only selectively alters trunk muscle activation. Adjustments of chair properties (i.e., swinging elements, foot positioning) are recommended.

Low cost self-made pressure distribution sensors for ergonomic chair: Are they suitable for posture monitoring?

BACKGROUND: Long sitting causes many health problems for people. Healthy sitting monitoring systems, like real-time pressure distribution measuring, is in high demand and many methods of posture recognition were developed. Such systems are usually expensive and hardly available for the regular user. OBJECTIVE: The aim of study is to develop low cost but sensitive enough pressure sensors and posture monitoring system. METHODS: New self-made pressure sensors have been developed and tested, and prototype of pressure distribution measuring system was designed. RESULTS: Sensors measured at average noise amplitude of a = 56 mV (1.12%), average variation in sequential measurements of the same sensor s = 17 mV (0.34%). Signal variability between sensors averaged at 100 mV (2.0%). Weight to signal dependency graph was measured and hysteresis calculated. Results suggested the use of total sixteen sensors for posture monitoring system with accuracy of < 1.5% after relaxation and repeatability of around 2%. CONCLUSION: Results demonstrate that hand-made sensor sensitivity and repeatability are acceptable for posture monitoring, and it is possible to build low cost pressure distribution measurement system with graphical visualization without expensive equipment or complicated software.

Use and physiological responses of portable dynamic office workstations in an occupational setting - A field study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the use of two types of dynamic workstations (Deskbike, activeLife Trainer) and their effects on physiological activation in an occupational setting. METHODS: 30 employees were given access to the devices for 28 days. Frequency and duration of borrowing and use was recorded by a Chipcard-system. Physiological activation (energy expenditure, heart rate) while working in a seated position and using the workstations was measured with the activity tracker Fitbit Charge HR. RESULTS: Participants used dynamic workstations on 40% of their working days for an average of 54.3 ±â€¯23.9 min per day. Energy expenditure and heart rate increased significantly while using the workstations compared to working seated. The Deskbike was used more frequently and resulted in greater heart rate elevation. CONCLUSION: Both types of dynamic workstations were used by the employees and had positive effects on physiological activation. The implementation of either type can be recommended.

Safer chairs for elderly patients: design evaluation using electromyography and force measurement.

A vast majority of patient fall events in hospitals involve the elderly. In inpatient care settings, despite the risk of fall, patients are encouraged to leave their bed, move around their room, and sit on their chair to progress in their healing. Despite the vital role of patient chair design in improving recovery, few studies have examined the ergonomic requirements of safe patient chairs. This study examined the impact of manipulating horizontal and vertical positions of armrests in a test chair on required physical effort during Stand-to-Sit-to-Stand (St-Si-St) transitions among 15 elderly women. Physical effort was measured using: (1) surface electromyography (sEMG); (2) force measurement by load cells; (3) video recording. Findings showed non-linear patterns of change in required physical effort due to changes in armrests' height and distance. It was also found that minimum effort is associated with armrests higher and farther apart than those in typical patient chairs. Practitioner Summary: Safe chairs are essential for inpatient recovery, yet their ergonomic features are not investigated. Impact of changes in chair armrests on required physical effort was examined using electromyography, force measurement and video recording. Armrests higher and farther apart than those in typical patient chairs may be safer for elderly patients.

Evaluating biomechanics of user-selected sitting and standing computer workstation.

A standing computer workstation has now become a popular modern work place intervention to reduce sedentary behavior at work. However, user's interaction related to a standing computer workstation and its differences with a sitting workstation need to be understood to assist in developing recommendations for use and set up. The study compared the differences in upper extremity posture and muscle activity between user-selected sitting and standing workstation setups. Twenty participants (10 females, 10 males) volunteered for the study. 3-D posture, surface electromyography, and user-reported discomfort were measured while completing simulated tasks with each participant's self-selected workstation setups. Sitting computer workstation associated with more non-neutral shoulder postures and greater shoulder muscle activity, while standing computer workstation induced greater wrist adduction angle and greater extensor carpi radialis muscle activity. Sitting computer workstation also associated with greater shoulder abduction postural variation (90th-10th percentile) while standing computer workstation associated with greater variation for should rotation and wrist extension. Users reported similar overall discomfort levels within the first 10 min of work but had more than twice as much discomfort while standing than sitting after 45 min; with most discomfort reported in the low back for standing and shoulder for sitting. These different measures provide understanding in users' different interactions with sitting and standing and by alternating between the two configurations in short bouts may be a way of changing the loading pattern on the upper extremity.

The effect of a dynamic chair on seated energy expenditure.

Dynamic sitting approaches have been advocated to increase seated energy expenditure with the view of lessening the sedentary nature of the task. This study compared energy expenditure (EE) and overall body discomfort on a novel dynamic chair with a standard office chair. Fifteen pain-free participants completed a DVD viewing task on both chairs in a randomised order. Energy expenditure and discomfort were collected simultaneously. Linear mixed models were used to analyse steady-state EE recorded on each of the chairs. Differences in discomfort were analysed using Wilkoxon Signed Rank Tests. Sitting on the novel dynamic chair significantly (p = 0.005) increased energy expenditure compared to a standard office chair. The discomfort experienced was mild overall, but was significantly greater on the dynamic chair (p = 0.004). Whilst the EE was seen to be significantly higher on the dynamic chair, the MET values are still below 1.5 METS. Thus, the use of a dynamic chair does not seem to be the most effective measure to prevent sedentary behaviour. Practitioner Summary: Sitting on a dynamic chair increased energy expenditure compared to sitting on a standard office chair among pain-free participants. Whilst the EE was seen to be significantly higher on the dynamic chair, the MET values are still below 1.5 METS (low level EE).

Pressure Mapping of a Standard Hospital Recliner and Select Cushions With Healthy Adults: A Comparative Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to compare the degree of pressure created when healthy adult volunteers sat on a hospital recliner chair in various positions and on various cushions. DESIGN: Comparative cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Thirty-four healthy subjects were recruited from the community, an urban city in a rural area of Eastern North Carolina. METHODS: Interface pressure measurements were taken by the investigators for each subject sitting on a standard hospital recliner under each of the following conditions: no cushion, foam cushion, nonadjustable air cushion, nonadjustable air/foam cushion, and adjustable air cushion. Subject positions, upright sitting and reclined, were randomly selected. Analyses consisted of data visualizations by investigators and univariate statistics. For each surface, mean pressure, peak pressure, and Pressure Area Index (PAI) were obtained and compared. Inferences were drawn from a repeated-measures analysis-of-covariance model. RESULTS: Subject position was not associated with any of the measures for each surface after adjusting for other variables (average pressure P = .1094, maximum/peak pressure P = .1318, PAI P = .4336). Subject weight, the type of surface, and their interaction do impact the results (average pressure, maximum/peak pressure, and PAI, P < .0001). The foam cushion had the highest mean and average interface pressures and the lowest PAI. The nonadjustable air and air/foam cushions performed most similarly to each other, showing lowest mean and average interface pressures and the highest PAI. CONCLUSION: Position of a hospital recliner chair in the 2 positions studied had no association with interface pressure outcomes; therefore, other methods of pressure redistribution need to be utilized by clinicians. Based on the results of this study, clinicians may need to reevaluate the type of cushion used in the acute hospital setting, as a standard foam cushion was found to increase interface pressures when compared to other cushions and a standard hospital recliner.

Does a dynamic chair increase office workers' movements? - Results from a combined laboratory and field study.

PURPOSE: Dynamic chairs have the potential to facilitate movements that could counteract health problems associated with sedentary office work. This study aimed to evaluate whether a dynamic chair can increase movements during desk-based office work. METHODS: Fifteen healthy subjects performed desk-based office work using a dynamic office chair and compared to three other conditions in a movement laboratory. In a field study, the dynamic office chair was studied during three working days using accelerometry. RESULTS: Equivocal results showed that the dynamic chair increased upper body and chair movements as compared to the conventional chair, but lesser movements were found compared to standing. No differences were found between the conditions in the field study. CONCLUSIONS: A dynamic chair may facilitate movements in static desk-based office tasks, but the results were not consistent for all outcome measures. Validation of measuring protocols for assessing movements during desk-based office work is warranted.

The impact of office chair features on lumbar lordosis, intervertebral joint and sacral tilt angles: a radiographic assessment.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine which office chair feature is better at improving spine posture in sitting. METHOD: Participants (n = 28) were radiographed in standing, maximum flexion and seated in four chair conditions: control, lumbar support, seat pan tilt and backrest with scapular relief. Measures of lumbar lordosis, intervertebral joint angles and sacral tilt were compared between conditions and sex. RESULTS: Sitting consisted of approximately 70% of maximum range of spine flexion. No differences in lumbar flexion were found between the chair features or control. Significantly more anterior pelvic rotation was found with the lumbar support (p = 0.0028) and seat pan tilt (p < 0.0001). Males had significantly more anterior pelvic rotation and extended intervertebral joint angles through L1-L3 in all conditions (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: No one feature was statistically superior with respect to minimising spine flexion, however, seat pan tilt resulted in significantly improved pelvic posture. Practitioner Summary: Seat pan tilt, and to some extent lumbar supports, appear to improve seated postures. However, sitting, regardless of chair features used, still involves near end range flexion of the spine. This will increase stresses to the spine and could be a potential injury generator during prolonged seated exposures.

Stand-Biased Versus Seated Classrooms and Childhood Obesity: A Randomized Experiment in Texas.

OBJECTIVES: To measure changes in body mass index (BMI) percentiles among third- and fourth-grade students in stand-biased classrooms and traditional seated classrooms in 3 Texas elementary schools. METHODS: Research staff recorded the height and weight of 380 students in 24 classrooms across the 3 schools at the beginning (2011-2012) and end (2012-2013) of the 2-year study. RESULTS: After adjustment for grade, race/ethnicity, and gender, there was a statistically significant decrease in BMI percentile in the group that used stand-biased desks for 2 consecutive years relative to the group that used standard desks during both years. Mean BMI increased by 0.1 and 0.4 kilograms per meter squared in the treatment and control groups, respectively. The between-group difference in BMI percentile change was 5.24 (SE = 2.50; P = .037). No other covariates had a statistically significant impact on BMI percentile changes. CONCLUSIONS: Changing a classroom to a stand-biased environment had a significant effect on students' BMI percentile, indicating the need to redesign traditional classroom environments.

A new method for calculating saddle seat height with an emphasis on optimal posture based on trigonometric relations.

INTRODUCTION: Based on the literature, the ergonomic saddle chair provides the most appropriate posture for users. Determination of the seat height is critical to establish the proper posture, carried out using various methods of anthropometry. This study aimed to develop a simple and applied method for determining the saddle seat height with an emphasis on appropriate posture. METHODS: In this study, anthropometric dimensions including weight, body height, popliteal height and seat height at 135° knee angle in 150 male and female dentists were measured. In the laboratory, to determine the 'acetabuloischial number', 25 male and female natural hip bones were measured. The mean saddle-chair height with knee angle of 135° was then compared by two different methods, field measurement and the new calculation method. RESULTS: The results showed a strong correlation between data gathered from the two different methods, the field measurement and the new calculation method (98%), and Cronbach's α from the intraclass correlation was equal to 0.994 (p < 0.05). This indicated that the two methods produced similar results. CONCLUSION: The new method can be applied to calculate the optimal height of the saddle seat based on body height and popliteal height.

Interest in Using Workplace Energy Expenditure Devices Among Primary Care Patients.

BACKGROUND: Workplace energy expenditure devices (WEEDs), such as bicycle desks and treadmill desks, can contribute to weight gain prevention and disease risk-reduction. Little is known about the extent to which adults with diverse health risk factors are interested in using WEEDs. METHODS: Primary care patients aged 18 to 65 years at 2 outpatient clinics in Central Pennsylvania completed a cross-sectional survey in April, 2014 to assess interest in using "a small pedaling device under the desk" and "walking on a treadmill with a desk attached" if these options were provided at no cost. Demographic and health risk factors were also assessed. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations of demographic and health risk factors with interest in using WEEDs. RESULTS: Among 240 patients, 106 (44.2%) reported interest in using WEEDs. Of these 106 patients, interest in using a bicycle desk (91.5%) was higher than interest in using a treadmill desk (65.1%), P < .001. Females were more likely than males to be interested in using a bicycle desk, and patients aged 18 to 44 years were more likely than those aged 45 to 65 years to be interested in using a treadmill desk. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that diverse patient populations may have interest in using WEEDs. Promoting use of WEEDs in primary care practices could help meet national standards for providing comprehensive, patient-centered care.

Using Sit-to-Stand Workstations in Offices: Is There a Compensation Effect?

PURPOSE: Sit-to-stand workstations are becoming common in modern offices and are increasingly being implemented in sedentary behavior interventions. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the introduction of such a workstation among office workers leads to reductions in sitting during working hours, and whether office workers compensate for any reduction in sitting at work by increasing sedentary time and decreasing physical activity (PA) outside work. METHODS: Office workers (n = 40; 55% female) were given a WorkFit-S, sit-to-stand workstation for 3 months. Participants completed assessments at baseline (before workstation installation), 1 wk and 6 wk after the introduction of the workstation, and again at 3 months (postintervention). Posture and PA were assessed using the activPAL inclinometer and ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer, which participants wore for 7 d during each measurement phase. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, the proportion of time spent sitting significantly decreased (75% ± 13% vs 52% ± 16% to 56% ± 13%), and time spent standing and in light activity significantly increased (standing: 19% ± 12% vs 32% ± 12% to 37% ± 15%, light PA: 14% ± 4% vs 16% ± 5%) during working hours at all follow-up assessments. However, compared with baseline, the proportion of time spent sitting significantly increased (60% ± 11% vs 66% ± 12% to 68% ± 12%) and light activity significantly decreased (21% ± 5% vs 19% ± 5%) during nonworking hours across the follow-up measurements. No differences were seen in moderate-to-vigorous activity during nonworking hours throughout the study. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that introducing a sit-to-stand workstation can significantly reduce sedentary time and increase light activity levels during working hours. However, these changes were compensated for by reducing activity and increasing sitting outside of working hours. An intervention of a sit-to-stand workstation should be accompanied by an intervention outside of working hours to limit behavior compensation.

Bringing research into a closed and protected place: development and implementation of a complex clinical intervention project in an ICU.

This article reports a Swedish research project designed to study the impact of a cyclic light system, sound absorbents, and selected interior design changes in rooms within an intensive care unit. The authors describe the limitations of many previously reported intensive care unit (ICU) design research projects, and believe that much more knowledge is needed, which reflects a multidisciplinary perspective. It is complicated to carry out intervention research in ICUs because of the condition of patients, family presence, staffing, and other issues. A combination of methodological approaches, close contact with the clinical field, secure funding, and clear communication within the multidisciplinary research team are of vital importance. The results from the authors' initial evaluation process are reported including patient interviews and data from medical records. The Medical Research Council's guideline for design and evaluation of complex interventions directed the actual project and forms the structure for this article.

Effect of a kneeling chair on lumbar curvature in patients with low back pain and healthy controls: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The concept of an ideal sitting posture is often used in practice but lacks a basis in evidence. OBJECTIVE: We designed a cross-sectional, comparative, matched study to determine the effects of chair and posture on lumbar curvature in 10 patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (CLBP; mean pain duration 24 ± 18 months) and 10 healthy matched controls. METHODS: Pelvic incidence, sacral slope and lumbar curvature were measured on computed radiographs by 2 blinded clinicians for subjects in 2 postures (upright vs slumped sitting) and on 2 chairs (usual flat chair vs kneeling chair). RESULTS: The reliability of measures was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient>0.9). As hypothesized, the expected sacral slope and lumbar lordosis changed between standing and sitting on a kneeling chair as compared with a usual chair (P<0.0001) and less in patients than controls (P=0.046) for lordosis only. In addition, as expected, changes were more pronounced with slumped than upright sitting (P<0.0001). An interaction between chairs and postures for lumbar lordosis (P=0.02) indicated more pronounced effects of the chair in slumped sitting. Therefore, lumbar lordosis was reduced less when sitting on a kneeling chair as compared with a usual chair. CONCLUSIONS: Although healthy subjects showed more reduction in lordosis between standing and sitting, the chair effect was found in both CLBP patients and healthy subjects.