University of Michigan

Gmi Engineering & Management Institute

Donna Fry-Welch

Henry C Kowalski

Lucinda Pfalzer

A system for measuring the forces which are applied by a limb of a living being, particularly the hand, wrist, and forearm of a human being, employs a plurality of cable members for conducting the forces exerted in a variety of directions to a single force transducer. In addition to permitting a significant reduction in cost for the apparatus of the invention, the use of a single transducer ensures that all forces are correlated in magnitude with respect to one another, thereby greatly reducing the problems associated with system calibration. The apparatus aspect of the invention permits readings of plural motions and forces to be taken, which readings can be delivered to a recording device, such as a computer for storage, analysis, and cross-correlation of the resulting data with itself and with extrinsic data. The invention therefore is useful in determining the presence of cumulative trauma disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, and can assist in identifying individuals and groups of individuals, illustratively on the basis of job function, which are at high risk of developing this condition.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Donna Fry-Welch