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This study investigated the correlation between the neck disability index (NDI) and visual analogue scale (VAS), which are indicators of neck pain, shoulder joint range of motion (ROM), and muscle strength in women with a slight forward head posture. This study was carried out on 42 female college students attending Uiduk University in Gyeongju, Korea. The neck pain and disability index for each subject was measured using VAS and NDI, respectively. Two physiotherapists measured the shoulder joint ROM and muscle strengths of the subjects using a goniometer and a dynamometer, respectively. External rotation, internal rotation, and abduction of the shoulder joint were measured for each subject. A significant negative correlation between neck pain and shoulder joint ROM in external rotation and the muscle strength of the shoulder joint in abduction was found in the subjects. In addition, a significant positive correlation was observed between ROM in external rotation and muscle strength in abduction. This study showed a significant negative correlation between neck pain and ROM in external rotation as well as between neck pain and the muscle strength in abduction.

We present fabrication of flexible tactile sensing module with NiCr strain gauge as sensing element and interconnecter for signal treatment by polymer MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) technologies using polyimide materials. The tactile sensor array is composed of 16 x 16 sensing elements with 2 mm x 2 mm cell size and its overall size is 4 cm x5 cm. Both the tactile sensor array and interconnecter are placed in the sensing module during the fabrication process. The fabricated tactile sensing module is measured continuously in the normal force range of 0-1N with tactile sensor evaluation system. The variation of resistance is relatively increased linearly in the range of 0-0.6N and saturated after 0.6N. The variation rate of resistance is approximately 3%/N in the linear range. In addition, the flexibility of the sensing module is adequate to be placed on any curved surface like cylinder because the matrix consists of polymer and metal thin film.

A flexible tactile sensing module with NiCr strain gauges as sensing elements was fabricated by polymer MEMS technology using polyimide materials where the one was the photo-definable polyimide precursor and the other was nonphoto-definable. The unit sensor cell size of 32×32 tactile sensor array was 1mm × 1mm cell and its overall size was 5.5cm × 6.5cm. Especially, both the tactile sensor arrays and the pluggable terminals as flexible flat cable were fabricated on the same polymer substrate easily to be connected the sensor array with a PCB board. The fabricated tactile sensing module was measured continuously in the normal force range of 0~1N with tactile sensor evaluation system. The value of resistance was relatively linear with normal force in the overall range of 0~1N. However, the variation of resistance was decreased by more than 0.6N. The variation rate of resistance was 2.0%/N in the range of 0~0.6N and 1.5%/N in the range of 0.6~1N. Image display was identified corresponding by distribution of applied force. The flexibility of the sensing module was adequate to be placed on any curved surface as a cylinder.