A Vibro-Haptics Smart Corset Trainer for Non-Ideal Sitting Posture

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a vibro-haptics feedback based smart corset to stimulate humans to be in ideal posture by monitoring the spline in thoracic vertebrae of T5-T12 levels, and provide a vibrotactile stimuli to human's skin at lumbar L3 level. A corset contains a microcomputer, sensors and an actuator was implemented on 12 participants for 2 cases to determine its efficiency. In the first case, tactile stimuli was not provided to the participants, while in the second case tactile stimuli was ensured. The results showed once the vibro-tactile stimuli was represented to the participants, their posture regime improved significantly with a value of 53.13±23.14 %. Moreover, it was also observed that their non-ideal postural duration significantly decreased. These results suggest that the corset provides vibro-tactile feedback that encourage humans in seated posture to beneficial postural habits while using computers.