Measuring contact area, force, and pressure for bioengineering applications: Using Fuji Film and TekScan systems

Bachus, Kent N.; DeMarco, Alyssa L.; Judd, Kyle T.; Horwitz, Daniel S.; Brodke, Darrel S.

doi:10.1016/j.medengphy.2005.07.022

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Volume 28, Issue 5 , Pages 483-488, June 2006

Measuring contact area, force, and pressure for bioengineering applications: Using Fuji Film and TekScan systems

Kent N. Bachus
- Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Utah Orthopaedic Center, 590 Wakara Way, A0100, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Utah Orthopaedic Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 801 587 5200; fax: +1 801 587 5211.
Alyssa L. DeMarco
- Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Utah Orthopaedic Center, 590 Wakara Way, A0100, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
- MEA Forensic Engineers & Scientists Ltd., Richmond, BC, Canada
Kyle T. Judd
- Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Utah Orthopaedic Center, 590 Wakara Way, A0100, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
Daniel S. Horwitz
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Utah Orthopaedic Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
Darrel S. Brodke
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Utah Orthopaedic Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA

Received 10 September 2004; received in revised form 20 July 2005; accepted 26 July 2005. published online 23 September 2005.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to compare the TekScan I-Scan™ Pressure Measurement System with two methods of analysis involving the Fuji Film Prescale Pressure Measuring System in estimating area, force and pressure. Fuji Film and TekScan sensors were alternately placed between a cylindrical peg and a finely ground steel base plate, and compressed with known forces. All Fuji stains were digitally scanned and analyzed. The Erase method of Fuji Film analysis consisted of manually removing portions of the image judged by the user to be outside the perimeter of the stain. The second method of Fuji Film analysis, termed the Threshold method, used the threshold tool to analyze only those pixels that were stained from loading. The TekScan system utilized special matrix-based sensors interfaced with a Windows™ compatible desktop computer that was equipped with specialized data acquisition hardware and analysis software.

The data from this study did not support the hypothesis that all three methods would have accuracies within ±5% of a known value, when estimating area, force and pressure. Specifically, the TekScan system was found to be more accurate than either of the Fuji Film methods when estimating area and pressure.

Keywords: Area, Force, Pressure, TekScan, Fuji Film