姿勢為身體各肢段在空間中相對位置。臨床上，凡是會增加關節承受應力的姿勢統稱為不良姿勢；而正確的姿勢能降低關節所承受應力。本研究針對常見之頸、背不良姿勢進行探討。當脊椎長時間維持在不正常的曲線下，易引發頸、背骨骼肌肉系統問題，現代人往往因工作或娛樂上的需求，必須長時間維持在固定的姿勢如久坐、久站，很少有機會改變姿勢讓肌肉骨骼重新舒展，且部份正常人亦經常習慣性不自覺的處於不良姿勢下。本研究目的為發展一可攜帶式的姿勢監測器，以聲音回饋訊號幫助習慣性姿勢不良使用者主動地維持在適當的姿勢。

　　本研究發展之姿勢監測器包括軟式Flex sensor及自行製作的Data logger。Data logger配合Flex sensor監測使用者姿勢變化時，所造成的脊椎曲線變化，當使用者姿勢不良，超過設定的臨界值時，發出警告音提醒使用者調整其姿勢，進而達到姿勢監測、訓練目的。Data logger採用低功耗元件，包括MSP430F169微控制器、運算放大器、升壓型電源供應、RS-232通訊介面IC、蜂鳴器，已初步符合一般可攜帶式裝置標準，系統並可記錄使用者使用期間的姿勢變化。目前可攜帶型姿勢監測器，能提供有姿勢不良習慣之正常人長時間使用，以偵測並提醒改善其不良姿勢習慣。現階段姿勢監測器搭配Flex sensor能偵測、比較使用者每次貼附使用時，由sensor反映出之不同電壓值，以代表使用者於不同姿勢下形成之脊椎曲線，而非絕對的脊椎曲線角度值，因此需讓使用者每次開始使用前，自行提供設定一欲維持之姿勢給姿勢監測器，做為參考比較標準。若未來搭配能提供絕對脊椎曲線角度值且同時保有Flex sensor軟式高彈性塑膠薄片材質且低成本特性之感測器，則本系統可提供之臨床應用將更廣泛。

　The posture is defined as the relative orientations among body segments. Clinically, a good posture could decrease the joint stress, while a faulty posture would increase the joint stress. The continual abnormal spinal curves induced by prolonged faulty neck and back postures might cause the postural pain syndrome, postural dysfunction and even musculoskeletal system disorders. Moreover a number of healthy person maintain his/her own body in abnormal posture habitually and unconsciously. The aim of this study was to develop a portable posture monitoring device by applying an audio-feedback signal to promote the active correction of the abnormal posture and to prevent continue deteriorated.

　The device includes a self-developed microcontroller based data logger powered by batteries and using the flexible sensors (FLX-01) on the spine to monitor the user posture during daily activities. This system used a pre-set angle threshold, provided by the subject under an appropriate posture, to remind the subject adjusting to a suitable posture by audio warning once the threshold is violated. The data logger adopts low power components, including MSP430F169 microcontroller, operation-amplifier IC, step-up power supply module, RS-232 interface IC and buzzer. The power consumption and size of the data logger can fit in the portable instrument specification. The posture information could be stored in the nonvolatile memory and linked with a recorded time stamp. Presently, the developed system can detect the subject’s postural change and remind the subject adjusting to a suitable posture by audio warning. This system could be used to progressively correct abnormal postural for subject with habit faulty posture. The use of flex sensor reflects the value of voltage change related to the relative differences of spinal curve between various postures not the quantitative absolute spinal angle. In order to overcome this limitation, in this study, subject is required to provide an appropriate posture as a reference prior to each usage. In the future, a senor could measure the real angle of spinal cure, along with the flexible, thin and low cost features of the sensor used in this study, could provide more useful information for the clinical applications.

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