Inventors:
Shigeru Dohno - Osaka-shi, JP
Shingo Yuasa - Sunnyvale CA, US
Akihiko Saito - Shijonawate-shi, JP
Assignee:
MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD. - Kadoma-shi
International Classification:
A61N001/18
Abstract:
An improved human motion applicator assures a quick and sufficient amount of displacement given to a part of a human body. The applicator includes a support adapted to be fifted on the part of the human body. The support carries at least one electro-active elastic actuator in a force-transmitting relation to the human part. The actuator includes a dielectric core and a pair of electrodes on opposite of the core for receiving a driving DC voltage thereacross. The elastic actuator has a length and elastically deforms in the lengthwise direction to exert a stretching force to the human part to a greater extent as the driving DC voltage increase. The applicator also includes a controller which applies the driving DC voltage of varying levels to the elastic actuator, thereby generating a varying motion-inducing force to be applied to the part of the human body.