A high speed pressure mapping system for non-invasive force distribution characterization

患有肌肉骨骼损伤的人平均可以活36年，这是所有疾病中对健康影响最长的。这使得识别伤害的开始，并最终预防这些伤害对加拿大和所有工业化国家至关重要。我们研究小组的一个主要目标是评估高负荷暴露对组织损伤的影响。生理急性负荷暴露期间的力测量提供了对施加负荷以及损伤或疾病如何开始的见解；然而，在绘制施加载荷的区域和记录与损伤进展相关的高强度集中的特定区域的能力方面存在重大障碍。压力映射技术是一种非侵入性技术，它利用薄而灵活的传感器来测量两个表面之间的界面压力。这些传感器可以显示有关感兴趣区域的力分布的独特信息，而不是通过单个称重传感器进行传统的总力测量。直到最近，压力测绘技术主要局限于围绕舒适和低负荷情况的调查。明显的压力采样率限制使得该技术在高速率加载事件中无法使用。压力测绘技术最近取得了重大进展，包括提高了高速采样率和提高了空间分辨率。因此，在高速率加载事件中，使这些装置成为评估损伤机制的有希望的选择。因此，该RTI提案要求为压力采样率高达20 kHz的多功能高速压力测绘系统提供资金。该系统由一个8端口集线器组成，能够连接8个不同的压力手柄，每个手柄连接一个压力映射传感器。该设备对于UBC至少六名研究人员的工作至关重要，他们需要在高速率加载事件中获得快速压力测绘。该系统将提供快速压力映射实验的能力，以完善与组织损伤和损伤力学相关的基本力追踪。成功获得所要求的高速压力测绘系统将支持定量损伤表征和损伤预防策略评估，以及进一步了解腰椎损伤、膝关节骨关节炎和神经疾病的力学。在其使用寿命内，拟议的设备将为大约90名高素质人员提供培训机会，包括研究生和本科生。学生将接受生物力学设计、实验研究方面的培训，并与临床和行业合作伙伴进行多学科合作。工业、卫生保健和政府政策需要这些关键技能来设计和开发新的伤害预防和临床管理流程。

Individuals live an average of 36 years with a musculoskeletal injury, the longest-lasting health impact of any disease. This makes the identification of injury initiation and, ultimately, the prevention of these injuries crucial for Canadians and all industrialized nations. A primary goal of our research team is to evaluate tissue injury in response to high-loading exposures. Force measurement during physiological acute loading exposures provides insight into the applied loads and how injuries or disease initiate; however, a significant barrier exists in the ability to map areas of applied load and document specific areas of high force concentration linking to injury progression. Pressure mapping technology is a noninvasive technique that utilizes a thin, flexible sensor to measure the interface pressure between two surfaces. These sensors can reveal unique information regarding force distributions across a region of interest rather than a traditional gross force measurement through a single load cell. Until recently, pressure mapping techniques have been mainly limited to investigations surrounding comfort and low-level loading scenarios. Significant pressure sampling rate limitations have made this technology unusable during high-rate loading events. Substantial advances in pressure mapping technology have recently been made, including increased high-speed sampling rates and improved spatial resolution. Thus, making these devices a promising option for evaluating injury mechanisms during high-rate loading events. As such, this RTI proposal is requesting funds for a versatile, high-speed pressure mapping system with pressure sampling rates up to 20 kHz. This system consists of one 8-port hub, with the ability to connect eight different pressure handles, with each handle connecting to a pressure mapping sensor. The proposed equipment is crucial to the work of at least six investigators at UBC requiring access to rapid pressure mapping during high-rate loading events. The system will provide the ability to rapidly experiment with pressure mapping to refine fundamental force tracing linking to tissue injury and injury mechanics. The successful acquisition of the requested high-speed pressure mapping system will support quantitative injury characterization and assessment for injury prevention strategies as well as enabling further understanding of the mechanics surrounding lumbar spine injury, knee osteoarthritis and neural disorders. Over it's lifetime, the proposed equipment will enable training opportunities for approximately 90 highly qualified personnel, including graduate and undergraduate students. Students will receive training in biomechanical design, experimental research and engage in multi-disciplinary collaborations with clinical and industry partners. Industry, health care and government policy require these critical skills for designing and developing new injury prevention and clinical management processes.