At the beginning of the summer, we were given our research problem and a couple of questions which we were going to try and answer. However, these problems were not our first concern for the summer. We had to start by learning a computer program, LabVIEW, so that our work would be made simpler. With the aid of LabVIEW, we would start the testing of our subjects. The information learned from this testing would hopefully help us to solve our initial questions. The research problem handed to us stated that nearly 1/3 of all community dwelling elderly people fall every year, and 5% of them break or fracture bones. We were told that little was known of why people fall. This poses the problem of an influx of hospital patients because of the aging of the baby boomer generation. In order to solve the problem, a few questions had to be answered. Is the high-speed power output of the knee joint more adversely affected by age than the power output at low speeds? We also wanted to know if the eccentric or the concentric function of the muscle was more rapidly affected with aging. These questions could not be answered without testing. Before the testing could begin, two programs had to be designed.

Using LabVIEW, a data acquisition and a data analysis program were designed. The acquisition program collects data and saves it to a file. It has inputs so that the user can set the sampling rate, number of buffers, start and stop channel, file input, and sampling time. There is a start button, which starts the data collection and outputs a tone so that the test subjects know when to begin. The analysis program opens the file, graphs the EMG signals, graphs the torque vs. knee angle, and gives the maximum and adjusted torque values. Using these programs, the magnitude of the Electro-Myo Graphic signals could be found as well as the maximum torque and the angle at which this torque was found.

After both of these programs were designed, the apparatus used to test subjects had to be constructed. This was done using a Cybex II Dynamometer and adapting it to our need. The output from the Cybex II was on to graphical paper and we needed it to be an electrical signal readable by computers. The Cybex II also needed to be outfitted with a pulley system in order to perform cyclic movement test on the subjects. This was implemented by first designing the pulley system on a CAD program. The pulley was then cut from aluminum and future supplies were purchased at a hardware store. We used aircraft cable, pulleys, and aluminum stock to create this system of pulleys. The final apparatus was then constructed and preliminary tests were run. The apparatus was tested for repeatability, error, and overall practicality and it passed all of our preset standards. Several practice subjects were tested and the apparatus functioned well within the needs of our research.

Two separate groups of female subjects were tested, young females from the age of 18 to 30 and older females from the age of 65-84. The younger females mainly came from fellow summer research programs on campus and the older females were recruited from aerobics and water aerobics classes. Both groups were given preliminary exams to ensure their safety during the testing. The subjects were then measured and had EMG electrodes attached to their dominant leg. The subjects were tested for maximum torque at three speeds and also for cyclic movement at approximately 10% of their maximum torque. The data from both the Cybex II and the electrodes were collected and recorded on the computer.

The data we collected from our research is still being analyzed and will be used to generate computer simulation of actual fall victims to further the knowledge of falling. This will someday hopefully lead to the prevention and rehabilitation of fall victims.