Whole-body vibration in the skeleton: development of a resonance-based testing device.
Whole-body vibration (WBV) has been demonstrated to have a strong influence on physiological systems, ranging from severely destructive to potentially beneficial. Unfortunately, the study of WBV in a controlled manner is commonly constrained by space and budgetary factors, particularly where vibration in the low frequency range is considered. In the work presented here, a small, low-cost device for performing WBV of the human skeleton is developed to assist in studies of vertical acceleration in a clinical setting. The device design consists of a spring-supported plate driven by an 18 N peak-force electromagnetic actuator, and the associated driving and monitoring electronics. Animal and human lumped-mass models have been coupled with a model of the loading device to seek a resonance response in the vicinity of 30 Hz. This approach minimizes the loading requirements of such a device, and thus a major component of the cost, yet can provide peak accelerations of 0.15 g at a frequency of 30 Hz in a small, lightweight package capable of use in a clinical or laboratory setting.
Fritton
J C
JC
Department of Orthopaedics, SUNY, USA.
Rubin
C T
CT
Qin
Y X
YX
McLeod
K J
KJ
D000054:Acceleration / Q000009:adverse effects; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000502:physiology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D014422:Turkeys; D014732:Vibration / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use