Applications and performance of artificial intelligence models in removable prosthodontics: A literature review.

Purpose: In this narrative review, we present the current applications and performances of artificial intelligence (AI) models in different phases of the removable prosthodontic workflow and related research topics.

Study Selection: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases between January 2010 and January 2023. Search terms related to AI were combined with terms related to removable prosthodontics.

Investigation of variation factors in EMG measurement of swallowing: instruction can improve EMG reproducibility.

Variability in swallowing electromyography (EMG) has been reported to occur due to individual differences, even in studies with appropriate control of factors affecting EMG such as food type, properties, and posture. The increased variability broadens the confidence intervals of measures obtained from EMG, such as time and amplitude, and makes it difficult to detect differences in muscle activity. This makes it impossible to detect slight changes in swallowing function at an early stage, which is required for clinical examination.

Evaluation of musculoskeletal workload of manual operating tasks using a hydraulic jack based on ergonomic postural analysis and electromyography: A case study of non-professional young male users.

Background: Manual operations of the hydraulic jack device can become ergonomic stressors for the musculoskeletal system because of the required operational forces, muscle activities, or working postures. However, the usability of the hydraulic jack has not been fully explored for non-professional personnel.

Objectives: To evaluate the musculoskeletal loads during manual operations of a hydraulic jack based on the ergonomic postural analysis and electromyographyMETHODS:Nine men operated the lever of a hydraulic jack with three positions: parallel to and near (P-N), parallel to and far from (P-F), and orthogonal to the jack lever (O).

Contribution of Vibration, Tapping Sound, and Reaction Force to Hardness Perception During Indirect Tapping Using a White Cane.

This study aimed to identify the physical factors contributing to the perception of the hardness of objects tapped using white canes, which are commonly used by the visually impaired for autonomous walking. First, physical factors such as vibration tapping sounds and reaction forces were measured during the indirect tapping of rubber sheets with different hardness using a white cane. Second, we determined the relationship between the subjective hardness perceived by the visually impaired individuals and the physical factors through multivariate analysis.

Training System for White Cane Technique Using Illusory Pulling Cues Induced by Asymmetric Vibrations.

A white cane is conventionally used by visually impaired persons to assist their mobility. To learn its proper operation, training by an orientation & mobility specialist is necessary. However, because the number of specialists is limited, visually impaired persons often do not receive sufficient training.

Nutritional assessment in a maxillectomy patient from the preoperative period to definitive obturator insertion: A case report.

Patient: A 69-year-old Japanese male with squamous cell carcinoma of the right maxilla (T4M0N0) was referred to our department for a preoperative examination. An immediate surgical obturator was fabricated before surgery. He underwent surgical treatment, which included right subtotal maxillectomy and reconstruction with a split skin graft.

Assessing the Stiffness Perception of Acupressure Massage Beginning Learners: A Pilot Study.

Visually impaired licensed therapists must have the ability to perceive stiffness through their fingertips in the school for the blind. The teachers strive to provide careful introductory education based on a quantitative assessment of new students' basic stiffness perception. However, assessment materials to help teachers understand new students' stiffness perception are lacking.

Effects of Asymmetric Vibration Frequency on Pulling Illusions.

It is known that humans experience a haptic illusion, such as the sensation of being pulled in a particular direction, when asymmetric vibrations are presented. A pulling illusion has been used to provide a force feedback for a virtual reality (VR) system and a pedestrian navigation system, and the asymmetric vibrations can be implemented in any small non-grounded device. However, the design methodology of asymmetric vibration stimuli to induce the pulling illusion has not been fully demonstrated.

Effects of age and gender on swallowing activity assessed by electromyography and laryngeal elevation.

Background: Quantitative assessment of swallowing function is necessary to prevent swallowing impairment due to ageing. Though surface electromyography (EMG) has been widely used to measure swallowing activity, the relationship between EMG results and swallowing function is unclear.

Objective: This study examined the relationship between the temporal characteristics of muscle activity and laryngeal elevation (LE) during swallowing.

A pseudo-mastication sound presentation device to improve the texture of nursing care foods.

The texture of foods is affected by concurrent auditory sensations. To improve the texture of nursing care foods, we developed a pseudo-mastication sound presentation device based on electromyogram (EMG) signals from the muscles of mastication. EMG signals have enabled us to promptly present care recipients with pseudo-mastication sounds.

Corrosion Generation and Cleaning Effect on Surgical Instruments with Attached Radiofrequency Identification Tags in Long-Term Usage.

Faulty cleaning of surgical instruments may lead to corrosion damage and a higher risk of surgical site infection. We have developed a method in which each instrument has an attached radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag for individual management. However, because of the structure of the instruments, a risk of corrosion from poor cleaning exists; therefore, observation during long-term usage is necessary.

Buckling Force Variability of Semmes⁻Weinstein Monofilaments in Successive Use Determined by Manual and Automated Operation.

(1) Objective: This study was conducted with the objective of characterizing the variability of a force on a simulated skin surface using the Semmes⁻Weinstein monofilament test (SWMT). (2) Research Design and Methods: Two distinct experiments were performed to determine the effects of human hand motion variability on the monofilament buckling force, and to determine the monofilament's mechanical properties using a positioning stage. (3) Results: In manual operation (by human hand motion), the buckling force over the ten compressions decreased by over 10%, and the human hand motion variations during the SWMT may have impacted the buckling force.

Texture-dependent effects of pseudo-chewing sound on perceived food texture and evoked feelings in response to nursing care foods.

Because chewing sounds influence perceived food textures, unpleasant textures of texture-modified diets might be improved by chewing sound modulation. Additionally, since inhomogeneous food properties increase perceived sensory intensity, the effects of chewing sound modulation might depend on inhomogeneity. This study examined the influences of texture inhomogeneity on the effects of chewing sound modulation.

The effect of a crunchy pseudo-chewing sound on perceived texture of softened foods.

Elderly individuals whose ability to chew and swallow has declined are often restricted to unpleasant diets of very soft food, leading to a poor appetite. To address this problem, we aimed to investigate the influence of altered auditory input of chewing sounds on the perception of food texture. The modified chewing sound was reported to influence the perception of food texture in normal foods.

Application of metal hydride paper to simple pressure generator for use in soft actuator systems.

Metal hydride (MH) actuators have a simple structure and a number of features that make them attractive for use in rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology. The MH actuator provides a high power-to-weight ratio, high-strain actuation, human-compatible softness, and noiseless operation, while being environmentally benign. On the other hand, there remain technical challenges to be overcome to improve the MH actuator regarding its speed of operation and energy efficiency, given the low heat conductivity of the MH powder that is used as the pressure generator for soft actuation.

Evaluation of the variation in sensory test results using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments.

The purpose of this study is to examine the variability in sensory test of tactile results using Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM). At present, several methods for measuring the tactile sensitivity are clinically used in diabetic peripheral neuropathy screening. One of these methods is a touch test that uses a device with nylon SWMs, i.

A pilot study of a plantar sensory evaluation system for early screening of diabetic neuropathy in a weight-bearing position.

The purpose of this study is to develop smart equipment to quantify plantar tactile sensibility for the early diagnosis and tracking of peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes mellitus. In this paper, we offer a new testing system that is composed of a plantar tactile stimulation platform with a small moving contactor to stretch the skin tangentially, a response switch for each tactile stimulus, a motor control box, and a personal computer (PC) for psychophysical data processing. This quantitative sensory testing system has detailed measurements available and is easy to use compared with the conventional testing devices, such as von Frey monofilaments, pin-prick testing devices, and current perception threshold testers.

Measuring gait pattern in elderly individuals by using a plantar pressure measurement device.

Background: Hip fracture in the elderly is a serious problem, and solutions to prevent falls are needed.

Objective: This study focused on elucidating data critical to fall prevention by evaluating ambulatory function, and we achieved this by developing a plantar pressure measurement device to determine gait function.

Methods: Our device enables measurement of gait function in the unrestrained state by transmitting wireless data.

A system utilizing metal hydride actuators to achieve passive motion of toe joints for prevention of pressure ulcers: a pilot study.

This paper describes the influence of human toe movement on blood flow and the design of a toe joint passive motion system for preventing pressure ulcers. First, we measured lower extremity blood flow in the foot during active and passive motion of the toe to facilitate the design of new rehabilitation equipment. Also, the flexion and extension angles and the force of the toe joints were measured to determine appropriate specifications for the system.

H-reflex measurement and a simulation model for interpreting the effect of an auxiliary electrical stimulation on FES.

As reported by some researchers, human responses to Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) are likely to be affected by several factors, such as spasticity, muscle fatigue, nerve habituation and so forth. In our previous study, it has been shown that, an sub-threshold Auxiliary Stimulation (AS) to the Gastrocnemius, with current frequency ranged from 2000 to 6000Hz, could alleviate the symptom of spasticity and muscle fatigue caused by the stimulation to the Tibialis Anterior, enable comparatively stable and durable function restoration assistance. To understand the underlying neuromuscular processes elicited by the auxiliary electrical stimulation and its qualitative natures, we have measured the Hoffmann-reflex (H-reflex) in human soleus muscle before and after the AS in this study,, and proposed a mathematical model which takes into consideration not only the efferent but also afferent neural pathways, to interpret the effectiveness of the AS.

An experimental study on target recognition using white canes.

To understand basic tactile perception using white canes, we compared tapping (two times) and pushing (two times) methods using the index finger and using a white cane, with and without accompanying auditory information. Participants were six visually impaired individuals who used a white cane to walk independently in their daily lives. For each of the tapping and pushing and sound or no sound conditions, participants gave magnitude estimates for the hardness of rubber panels.

Preliminary design of a simple passive toe exercise apparatus with a flexible metal hydride actuator for pressure ulcer prevention.

In an aging society, social demands for home-based rehabilitation and assistive technologies by healthcare and welfare services are globally increasing. The progress of quality-of-life technologies and rehabilitation science is a very important and urgent issue for elderly and disabled individuals as well as for their caregivers. Thus, there is a substantial need to develop simple bedside apparatuses for both continuous exercise of joints and for power assistance for standing to prevent and manage disuse syndromes (e.

The effect of an auxiliary stimulation on motor function restoration by FES.

Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is a technology to generate neural activity in an artificial way to activate muscles. However, as reported by some researchers, the human responses to FES are likely to be affected by several factors, such as spasticity, muscle fatigue, nerve habituation and so forth. Consequently, the function restoration by FES is neither durable, nor stable.

Standardization of thresholding for binary conversion of vocal tract modeling in computed tomography.

Postoperative head and neck cancer patients suffer from speech disorders, which are the result of changes in their vocal tracts. Making a solid vocal tract model and measuring its transmission characteristics will provide one of the most useful tools to resolve the problem. In binary conversion of X-ray computed tomographic (CT) images for vocal tract reconstruction, nonobjective methods have been used by many researchers.

Prototype design of a wearable metal hydride actuator using a soft bellows for motor rehabilitation.

A bedside and home rehabilitation system for people with motor disabilities due to stroke or the aging process requires a human-compatible actuator with softness, low noise and a high power-to-weight ratio. To achieve these types of joint motor rehabilitation systems, we designed a wearable metal hydride (MH) actuator using a soft bellows. The purpose of the current study is the development the soft and light bellows made of a polymer laminate film for the MH actuator.