Visualisation technology for physical exercise

Art and science are separate yet interrelated. In order to feel something, an artist relies on their body’s sense organs. Using a chair as an example, one is conscious of the sensation of the skin in contact with the chair but cannot feel blood vessels being crushed, the lungs being compressed or an uneven load on the spine. Indeed, designing a chair requires scientific methodology. This line of thinking underpins the work of Professor Yoshihiro Shimomura, Humanomics Lab, Design Research Institute, Chiba University, Japan. He is conducting joint research with more than 120 institutions in the fields of medical devices, automobiles, home appliances, and environment design and lifestyle related to energy. He is working on several projects developing visualisation technology for physical exercise. In his design work he places emphasis on physiological functions in order to examine the nature of health, fatigue and comfort, and create designs that go beyond appearance and aesthetic appeal, boasting real meaning. A key project the team is currently working on concerns the development of an alternative method to surface electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle vibrations called mechanomyography (MMG). The researchers are developing a technology that allows users to observe the spatial distribution between muscles and can be applied in different ways. Patients can use the technology to monitor their muscle activity and work on their rehabilitation.