Posture Improvement Support System and Posture Improvement Support Method

Abstract

To provide a posture improvement assisting system, a posture improvement assisting method, and a program for assisting a user in acquiring a habit of spontaneously finding worsening of his / her posture and improving the posture.SOLUTION: The posture improvement assisting system comprises: a supporting device 30 which supports a pelvis 20 of a user U to stabilize a relative position of the pelvis 20 with respect to an object seen by the user U; a sense stimulation giving unit which generates a sense stimulation area to give sense stimulation to the user U; and a condition change unit which changes the condition of the sense stimulation giving unit and thereby moves the sense stimulation area. The sense stimulation giving unit gives sense stimulation previously set in accordance with a posture of the user U whose pelvis 20 is supported by the supporting device 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a posture improvement support system, a posture improvement support method, and a program for improving a user's posture.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for determining a seat shape that is less burdensome on a seated user with respect to the posture of the seated user.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle seat having a seat back whose backrest support surface shape is deformable, a plurality of air bags disposed on the back side of the support surface portion of the seat back and changing the support surface shape by taking in and discharging air, and control means for controlling the intake and discharge of air to the plurality of air bags. The control means can introduce air into each of the plurality of air bags in a state before sitting and set each air bag to a predetermined internal pressure state, and controls the intake and discharge of air to each air bag according to the ratio of the internal pressure difference between the air bags when sitting in this state so as to obtain a backrest support surface shape corresponding to the sitting posture state specific to the seated person. A vehicle seat is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose the aspect of making the user aware of a change (deterioration) in posture. Therefore, there was a problem that it was difficult to support a user with a bad posture to get into the habit of improving their posture to a good posture.

[0006] This disclosure is made to solve such problems and aims to provide a posture improvement support system, posture improvement support method, and program that help users spontaneously become aware of poor posture and develop habits to improve their posture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A posture improvement support system according to one embodiment includes a support device that supports the pelvis so that the relative position of the user's pelvis with respect to an object the user is looking at remains constant, a sensory stimulation application unit that generates a sensory stimulation area that provides sensory stimulation to the user, and a condition changing unit that moves the sensory stimulation area by changing the conditions of the sensory stimulation application unit, wherein the sensory stimulation application unit provides preset sensory stimulation according to the posture of the user whose pelvis is supported by the support device.

[0008] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the posture improvement support method, the pelvis is supported by a support device so that the relative position of the user's pelvis with respect to the object the user is looking at remains constant, and the sensory stimulation area is moved by changing the conditions of the sensory stimulation application unit that generates a sensory stimulation area that provides sensory stimulation to the user, thereby providing a preset sensory stimulation according to the posture of the user whose pelvis is supported by the support device.

[0009] Furthermore, the program according to one embodiment supports the user's pelvis with a support device so that the relative position of the user's pelvis with respect to the object the user is looking at remains constant, moves the sensory stimulation area by changing the conditions of the sensory stimulation application unit that generates a sensory stimulation area that provides sensory stimulation to the user, and causes the computer to execute a process that provides a preset sensory stimulation according to the posture of the user whose pelvis is supported by the support device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] This disclosure makes it possible to provide a posture improvement support system, a posture improvement support method, and a program that help users spontaneously become aware of poor posture and develop habits to improve their posture. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating good and bad posture. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the configuration of the posture improvement support system according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This figure shows the changes in the posture of users utilizing the posture improvement support system shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the visibility of the display screen according to the user's posture. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the configuration of the posture improvement support system according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 6] Figure 5 shows the first flowchart illustrating a method for supporting posture improvement using the posture improvement support system. [Figure 7] Figure 5 shows a second flowchart illustrating a method for supporting posture improvement using the posture improvement support system. [Figure 8] This figure shows a modified example of a support device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiment 1 Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. Also, for clarity, the following description and drawings have been simplified as appropriate.

[0013] In the following explanation, the horizontal direction in which the user U, whose pelvis 20 is supported by the support device 30, faces is defined as the front-to-back direction (depth direction), the horizontal direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction is defined as the left-to-right direction, and the direction connecting the top and bottom is defined as the up-and-down direction. Within the front-to-back direction, the direction in which the user U, whose pelvis 20 is supported by the support device 30, faces is defined as the front, and the opposite direction is defined as the rear. Furthermore, the direction around the axis extending in the front-to-back direction is defined as the roll direction, the direction around the axis extending in the left-to-right direction is defined as the pitch direction, and the direction around the axis extending in the up-and-down direction is defined as the yaw direction.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the human spine has a serial link structure in which vertebrae are continuously connected. From the head 10 to the buttocks, the cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae, lumbar vertebrae, sacrum, and coccyx are arranged in series. As shown on the right side of Fig. 1, when the spine of a person in an ideal posture is viewed from the side, it shows an S-shaped curve (physiological curve) bent forward and backward. On the other hand, as shown on the left side of Fig. 1, when the spine of a person with kyphosis is viewed from the side, it shows a C-shaped curve with a stronger posterior curvature of the thoracic vertebrae.

[0015] In the case of a person whose position of the pelvis 20 is defined while taking a sitting posture, a semi-standing posture, etc., when the head 10 deviates from the ideal position (for example, the height position of the head 10 becomes lower), angular changes occur in each joint of the spine with respect to the ideal posture. This angular change induces kyphosis. Also, when taking an ideal posture, the pelvis 20 tilts forward, but when kyphosis occurs, the pelvis 20 tilts backward.

[0016] By the way, positive emotions are said to enhance a person's sensitivity to happiness. There is previous research suggesting that positive emotions are derived from good postures and negative emotions are derived from bad postures.

[0017] For example, a forward head posture that causes kyphosis can be cited as a bad posture. In this posture where the head 10 is positioned forward of the trunk, excessive muscle tension occurs in the head extensor muscles and the upper trapezius muscles to support the weight of the head, which becomes a factor for discomfort such as shoulder stiffness. In VDT (Visual Display Terminals) work, it is a long-term task of staring at an object in a sitting posture for a long time and keeping the viewing point constant. Therefore, the head 10 is likely to be fixed in the forward position. The abnormal position of the head 10 becomes the starting point of an abnormal movement chain from the body extremities, changes the spinal alignment, and as this alignment abnormality persists, it spreads to the whole body as compensatory and compensatory movements. Such an abnormal position of the head 10 becomes a factor not only for negative emotions but also for physical discomfort.

[0018] For example, there is a known technology for calculating the VDT work load of a user performing VDT work and constructing physical work conditions that prompt breaks and reduce the burden on the eyes. Physical work conditions refer to, for example, the relative height between the chair on which a user performing VDT work sits and the display used for VDT work. In order to rest the user's eyes, it is conceivable to operate the display so that its height is lower than the position of the user's eyes. However, due to the movement in the direction of lowering the line of sight, there is a risk that the neck will tilt forward and the hunchback will worsen. Also, when changing the physical work conditions in the direction of reducing the tension of the user's muscles, the effects of reducing muscle load and fatigue can be expected, but this does not necessarily improve the user's posture. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to improve a bad posture such as a forward head posture to a good posture using such technology.

[0019] Since a user performing VDT work works while looking at a display, it is considered that the user's posture is within a certain range. Since there are users who take a good posture and users who take a bad posture within this certain range, in order to guide all users to a good posture, it is necessary to make the users aware of the deterioration of their posture and change the current posture.

[0020] Therefore, the posture improvement support system 1 according to the present embodiment has a sensory stimulus application unit that generates a sensory stimulus area for applying a sensory stimulus to the user U, and the sensory stimulus application unit applies a preset sensory stimulus according to the posture of the user U whose pelvis 20 is supported by the support device 30. As a result, it is possible to support the user U to spontaneously notice the deterioration of the posture and form a habit of improving the posture.

[0021] Referring to Figure 2, the configuration of the posture improvement support system 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the posture improvement support system according to Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, the details of the posture improvement support system 1 will be described using as an example a case in which a user U, whose pelvis 20 is supported by a support device 30, performs VDT work by operating a keyboard 50 placed on a desk 33 while looking with their eyes 11 at the display unit 41 of a display 40 positioned in front of them. As shown in Figure 2, the posture improvement support system 1 according to this embodiment includes a support device 30, a display unit 41 of a display 40, and a viewing angle control film 44 provided on the display unit 41.

[0022] The support device 30 supports the user U's pelvis 20 so that the relative position of the user U's pelvis 20 with respect to the display unit 41 remains constant. The support device 30 only needs to be shaped and sized to support at least the user U's pelvis 20. The support device 30 shown in Figure 2 is a chair equipped with a backrest 31 that supports the user U's back and waist, and a seat 32 that supports the buttocks. Therefore, the user U is in a seated position.

[0023] The display 40 is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like. The display 40 includes a display unit 41 having a rectangular display screen 42. The display unit 41 is a specific example of an object that user U views. The display unit 41 shown in Figure 2 is the display unit 41 of a personal computer (PC), but it may also be the display unit 41 of a tablet terminal, smartphone, television, etc. The display unit 41 is positioned above a desk 33 placed in front of user U so that the display screen 42 faces user U's eyes 11.

[0024] The display 40 includes a condition changing unit 43, such as a display stand, which can change the conditions for at least one of the position and angle of the display unit 41. The condition changing unit 43 can change the vertical position and pitch angle of the display unit 41, for example, based on instructions from the user U. The user U can manually change the conditions of the display unit 41 according to the height and direction of their line of sight by moving the condition changing unit 43. The display unit 41 may also be provided so that its position in the front / back / left / right directions and its angle in the roll and yaw directions can be changed by the condition changing unit 43. Furthermore, the condition changing unit 43 only needs to be capable of changing at least one of the position and angle of the display unit 41 to suit individual users U, and may be, for example, a spacer (for example, a thick book) that can adjust the height of the display unit 41.

[0025] The display unit 41 is provided with a viewing angle control film 44 that can limit the viewing angle θ, covering the display screen 42. The viewing angle control film 44 is a specific example of a sensory stimulation component. The viewing angle control film 44 is also called a louver film, anti-peeping film, or privacy filter, and is an optical film that can narrow the viewing angle θ by controlling the directionality of the transmitted light.

[0026] The viewing angle control film 44 is attached to and fixed to the display unit 41 so as to limit the vertical viewing angle θ to a predetermined range when the user U views the display unit 41 from a front direction perpendicular to the center of the display screen 42. The viewing angle control film 44 fixed to the display unit 41 is integrated with the display unit 41, and the condition for at least one of its position and angle is changed by the condition change unit 43.

[0027] The light emitted from the display unit 41 is restricted from dispersion in the vertical and diagonal directions by the viewing angle control film 44. The viewing angle control film 44 generates a sensory stimulus area outside the viewing angle θ that provides an unpleasant visual stimulus to a user U who is in an unfavorable posture. Here, unpleasantness refers to the discomfort felt by the user U when they cannot see the display unit 41, which would cause stress if not viewed. A specific example of such a display unit 41 is one that outputs a display such as the screen during work when the user U is performing VTD work.

[0028] Specifically, when the display unit 41 equipped with the viewing angle control film 44 is viewed from within the viewing angle θ, the user U can see the entire display screen 42. On the other hand, when the display unit 41 equipped with the viewing angle control film 44 is viewed from outside the viewing angle θ, the user U cannot see at least one of the vertical ends of the display screen 42. In this way, at least a portion of the display screen 42 cannot be seen from the vertical or diagonal directions that are offset from the front. If at least a portion of the display screen 42 cannot be seen, the user U will feel uncomfortable.

[0029] The smaller the field of view θ, the narrower the visible range. Therefore, the smaller the field of view θ, the higher the sensitivity of the viewing angle control film 44 to the display. The field of view θ should be limited to, for example, ±24° in the vertical direction (perpendicular to the central axis of the display screen 42) when the front direction is set to 0°. The field of view control film 44 can provide visual stimuli to the user U such that the visibility of the display screen 42 differs depending on the user U's posture relative to the display unit 41.

[0030] A method for supporting posture improvement using such a posture improvement support system 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the changes in the posture of user U using the posture improvement support system shown in Figure 2. Note that Figure 3 shows user U, the seat 32, and the display unit 41 to which the viewing angle control film 44 is attached, and other figures are omitted. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the visibility of the display screen 42 according to the posture of user U. Note that Figure 4 shows user U's eyes 11 and the display unit 41 to which the viewing angle control film 44 is attached, and other figures are omitted.

[0031] In the posture improvement support method according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3(a), first, user U sits on the support device 30 facing the display unit 41. This allows the support device 30 to support user U's pelvis 20 so that the relative position of user U's pelvis 20 with respect to the display unit 41 remains constant. With the pelvis 20 supported by the support device 30, user U adopts a good posture when operating the keyboard 50 in front of them.

[0032] Next, user U, who is in good posture, uses the condition change unit 43 to change the conditions of the display unit 41 so that the display screen 42 can be viewed from the front, in accordance with the height and direction of their line of sight. The conditions of the display unit 41 are changed manually, for example, by user U. At this time, the sensory stimulation area moves as the conditions of the display unit 41 are changed. The display unit 41, which is provided with the field of view angle control film 44, should be positioned at a location and angle where the visibility of the upper edge of the display screen 42 decreases when user U, who is in good posture, lowers the height of their head 10 and hunches over.

[0033] In other words, by changing the conditions of the display unit 41 so that a user U with good posture can view the display screen 42 from the front, a good posture range can be set, which represents the acceptable height range of the user U's head 10. In this case, the good posture range is the range set by the user U. Along with this, the field of view control film 44 can achieve the position and angle conditions for generating a sensory stimulation area corresponding to the set good posture range. It is preferable to set the good posture range each time the user U sits down, for example. Then, the user U starts VDT work.

[0034] A good posture is one that minimizes strain on the user's body. One specific example of a good posture is a seated position where the user's spine forms an S-shaped curve, the knees are bent at approximately a right angle, and both feet are flat on the floor. On the other hand, if the user shifts from such a good posture to a hunched back, the height of the head 10 will drop by, for example, several centimeters to 10 centimeters, as shown in Figure 3(b).

[0035] Here, Figure 4 illustrates the visibility of the display screen according to the user U's posture. Figure 4(a) shows how the display screen 42 appears at the height of the head 10 (eyes 11) of user U who is in a good posture after starting VDT work. As shown in Figure 4(a), when user U, who is in a good posture within the good posture range, looks at the display unit 41 equipped with the viewing angle control film 44, the display screen 42 will be seen within the viewing angle θ. Therefore, user U can see the entire display screen 42. Thus, the visibility of the display screen 42 is high.

[0036] On the other hand, Figure 4(b) shows how the display screen 42 appears relative to the height of the head 10 (eyes 11) of user U who has adopted a poor posture after starting VDT work. For example, if user U hunches over, the height of the head 10 relative to the display unit 41 becomes lower, resulting in a poor posture. As shown in Figure 4(b), when user U, who has adopted a poor posture, looks at the display unit 41 equipped with the viewing angle control film 44, the display screen 42 will be viewed from a diagonally downward direction outside the viewing angle θ. Therefore, user U cannot see the upper edge of the display screen 42. Consequently, the visibility of the display screen 42 decreases, causing user U discomfort. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4(c), if user U's head 10 (eyes 11) drops below the height shown in Figure 4(b) due to a worsening of hunching over, the visibility of the display screen 42 decreases even more significantly, increasing user U's discomfort. This makes it possible to more reliably make user U aware that their posture has deteriorated.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3(c), user U, experiencing discomfort due to the reduced visibility of the display screen 42, notices that their posture has worsened. Noticing this, user U corrects their posture by raising their head 10 to a higher position than shown in Figure 3(b) in order to alleviate the discomfort. In this way, a kinetic chain occurs starting with the movement of raising the head 10 so that the line of sight is within the field of view θ, thereby guiding user U to a good posture.

[0038] According to this embodiment, it is possible to support user U in spontaneously noticing poor posture and developing habits to improve it. When user U's posture improves in this way, it is possible not only to induce positive emotions in user U, but also to prevent physical ailments caused by poor posture.

[0039] In this embodiment, an example was described in which a sensory stimulation area that provides an unpleasant visual stimulus to a user U with poor posture is placed outside the field of view θ. However, as long as a pre-set visual stimulus can be provided according to the posture of the user U, the function and placement of the sensory stimulation area can be appropriately changed according to the purpose of the VTD work. For example, the sensory stimulation area may provide pleasure instead of discomfort, or the sensory stimulation area may be placed inside the field of view θ instead of outside the field of view θ.

[0040] Specifically, it is preferable to position a sensory stimulation area that provides visual stimuli that bring pleasure to user U who is in good posture within the field of view θ. As a result, when user U in poor posture looks at the display unit 41 equipped with the field of view control film 44, the visibility of the display screen 42 decreases. On the other hand, when user U in good posture looks at the display unit 41 equipped with the field of view control film 44, the visibility of the display screen 42 is high, and user U experiences pleasure. With this configuration, in order to obtain pleasure, the user will try to maintain the height position of their head 10 within the range of good posture, thus guiding user U to adopt a good posture.

[0041] Here, "pleasure" refers to the feeling of satisfaction that user U experiences when they are able to view the display unit 41, which they do not feel stressed by not viewing, but which reduces stress when they do view it. A specific example of such a display unit 41 is a display unit 41 that outputs images of beautiful natural scenery, for example. When user U views such a display unit 41, their stress is reduced compared to the normal state of viewing a display unit 41 that does not display anything, and therefore user U experiences pleasure.

[0042] Embodiment 2 Referring to Figure 5, the posture improvement support system 100 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the posture improvement support system according to Embodiment 2. In this embodiment, similar to Embodiment 1, the details of the posture improvement support system 100 will be described using as an example a case in which a user U, whose pelvis 20 is supported by a support device 30, performs VDT work by operating a keyboard 50 placed on a desk 33 while looking with their eyes 11 at the display unit 41 of a display 40 positioned in front of them. However, unlike the posture improvement support system 1 according to Embodiment 1, the display unit 41 of the posture improvement support system 100 is not provided with a viewing angle control film 44.

[0043] As shown in Figure 5, the posture improvement support system 100 according to this embodiment includes a support device 30, a display 40, a camera 60, and a control unit 80. The support device 30 has the same configuration as in Embodiment 1, so its description is omitted.

[0044] The posture improvement support system 100 may include a keyboard 50. The keyboard 50 and the display 40 are connected to a PC on which user U is working in a communicative manner. The keyboard 50 is one specific example of an input unit that receives input operations from user U. The posture improvement support system 100 only needs to have at least one input device such as a keyboard 50, mouse, touch panel, physical buttons, or microphone as an input unit. When the keyboard 50 receives an input operation from user U, it transmits the content of the input operation to the control unit 80. For example, the keyboard 50 may receive input operations for selecting a setting mode or detection mode in the control unit 80, input operations for setting a good posture range, input operations for driving the condition change unit 43, and so on.

[0045] The display unit 41 of the display 40 uses the display screen 42 to output a display corresponding to the image signal sent from the control unit 80. In this embodiment, the display unit 41 is both a specific example of an object that user U looks at and a specific example of a sensory stimulation unit. The display unit 41 is configured to provide pre-set visual stimuli according to user U's posture. For example, the display unit 41 generates a sensory stimulation area that provides visual stimuli that cause discomfort to user U with poor posture. Here, discomfort is the same as in Embodiment 1, which is the discomfort that user U feels when they cannot see the display unit 41, which causes stress if they do not look at it.

[0046] The display 40 includes a condition changing unit 43, such as a display stand, which can change the conditions for at least one of the position and angle of the display unit 41. In this embodiment, the condition changing unit 43 operates in response to an instruction signal sent from the control unit 80. The condition changing unit 43 may be driven by a built-in drive unit such as a motor, or by an external drive unit such as a motor. The operation of the condition changing unit 43 allows the conditions of the display unit 41 to be changed, and the sensory stimulation area to be moved accordingly.

[0047] In a drive configuration where user U provides an operation instruction to the condition change unit 43, the conditions on the display unit 41 are changed semi-automatically. Here, user U's operation refers to the operation of the keyboard 50 or a dedicated controller by user U. Semi-automatic means that the sensory stimulation area moves automatically in response to user U's operation. In a drive configuration where the target condition identification unit 83, described later, provides an operation instruction to the condition change unit 43, the conditions on the display unit 41 are changed automatically. These drive configurations may be used individually or in combination.

[0048] Camera 60 is a specific example of a posture detection unit that detects the posture of user U. Camera 60 images user U, whose pelvis 20 is supported by the support device 30, at an orientation and angle that allows detection of the position of one or more specific parts of user U's upper body. In this embodiment, the height of the head 10 is used as the position of the specific part.

[0049] The camera 60 shown in Figure 5 is located near the center of the top of the display unit 41 and is positioned to face the user U. However, it is not limited to a camera 60 built into the display unit 41; it may also be an external camera 60 attached to the display unit 41, or a camera 60 installed in the environment. For example, it may be positioned to capture images of the user U from the side. The image data generated by the camera 60 may be a still image or a video. The camera 60 transmits the captured image data to the control unit 80.

[0050] The type and number of cameras 60 are not particularly limited. Furthermore, if data that can be processed by the control unit 80 is available, the posture improvement support system 100 may detect the user U's posture using sensors other than the cameras 60. For example, the posture improvement support system 100 may be equipped with at least one of the following sensors as a posture detection unit: the cameras 60, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, etc.

[0051] Next, the control unit 80 will be described in detail. In this embodiment, the control unit 80 is implemented by a PC on which user U works. The control unit 80 has the hardware configuration of a normal computer, comprising a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory), storage devices such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), an input / output interface for connecting peripheral devices such as a display 40, and a communication interface for communicating with devices outside the device.

[0052] The control unit 80 includes a posture information acquisition unit 81, a good posture setting unit 82, a target condition identification unit 83, a posture determination unit 84, and a storage unit 85. The control unit 80 analyzes the posture of user U based on image data, sets a good posture for user U in setting mode, and detects the current posture of user U in detection mode.

[0053] The posture information acquisition unit 81 receives image data from the camera 60. Based on the received image data, the posture information acquisition unit 81 extracts the positions of specific parts of the upper body of user U to acquire user posture information indicating the posture of user U. For example, the positions of components of the head 10 (face), such as the outline of the head, eyes 11, ears, nose, and mouth, may be extracted as the height position of the head 10. In this way, the posture information acquisition unit 81 acquires user posture information indicating the posture of user U as determined by the height position of the head 10.

[0054] In setting mode, the posture information acquisition unit 81 outputs user posture information obtained based on the received image data to the good posture setting unit 82. In setting mode, the timing of receiving image data may be determined by, for example, user U's input operation (e.g., pressing a setting button), or by setting a timer in advance. In detection mode, the posture information acquisition unit 81 receives image data from, for example, the camera 60 at predetermined intervals, and each time it acquires user posture information based on the received image data, it outputs the acquired user posture information to the posture determination unit 84.

[0055] The good posture setting unit 82 sets a good posture range calculated for each user U based on user posture information. The good posture setting unit 82 sets the result of calculating a predetermined tolerance range that includes user posture information as the good posture range. In this embodiment, the good posture range represents the tolerance range of the height position of the user U's head 10.

[0056] If recommended posture information, described later, is already stored in the storage unit 85, the good posture setting unit 82 may refer to the recommended posture information and set a good posture range based on the user posture information. When referring to the recommended posture information, for example, a notification regarding the comparison result of comparing the user posture information and the recommended posture information may be output to the notification means described later. If the user U, who has received the notification regarding the comparison result, changes their posture as necessary, the good posture setting unit 82 resets the good posture range using the user posture information updated in accordance with the change in posture.

[0057] Furthermore, when referring to recommended posture information, the user posture information and recommended posture information may be combined based on weights set for each of them, for example, and the combined result may be set as the good posture range. The weights can be set arbitrarily, such as 70% for user posture information and 30% for recommended posture information.

[0058] Alternatively, the good posture setting unit 82 may set a good posture range calculated based on recommended posture information read from the storage unit 85, instead of the user posture information. In this case, the good posture setting unit 82 sets the result of calculating a predetermined tolerance range including the recommended posture information as the good posture range. The good posture setting unit 82 may also set a good posture range based on the recommended posture information by referring to the user posture information. When referring to the user posture information, for example, a notification regarding the comparison result of comparing the user posture information and the recommended posture information may be output to a notification means described later.

[0059] Furthermore, when referring to user posture information, the user posture information and recommended posture information may be combined based on weights set for each of them, for example, and the combined result may be set as the good posture range. The weights can be set arbitrarily, such as 30% for user posture information and 70% for recommended posture information.

[0060] Furthermore, if the difference between the recommended posture information and the referenced user posture information exceeds a predetermined threshold, the user posture information may be prioritized, and the good posture range may be set based on the prioritized user posture information. This reduces the possibility of mismatches in the good posture range due to individual differences that cause such differences. In addition, a notification indicating that the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold may be output by the notification means described later. User U, upon receiving this notification, can become aware that they are adopting a posture different from the recommended posture. Therefore, such a notification can help raise awareness of posture improvement.

[0061] In setting mode, the good posture setting unit 82 outputs the set good posture range to the target condition identification unit 83 and the storage unit 85.

[0062] The target condition identification unit 83 identifies the target conditions for the display unit 41 to generate a sensory stimulation area corresponding to the good posture range. In this embodiment, the target conditions represent the target conditions for the position and angle of the display unit 41. Once the good posture range is set, the arrangement of the sensory stimulation area is determined from the geometric positional relationships and the characteristics of the arrangement of the display unit 41. Therefore, the target condition identification unit 83 identifies the target conditions associated with the good posture range.

[0063] The target condition identification unit 83 outputs an instruction signal to the condition change unit 43 (drive unit) to change the conditions of the display unit 41 based on the identified target conditions. Specifically, the target condition identification unit 83 controls the drive unit by an amount corresponding to the instruction signal. Based on the instruction from the target condition identification unit 83, the condition change unit 43 changes the conditions of the display unit 41 to match the target conditions. As a result, the sensory stimulation area moves, and the display unit 41 can achieve the position and angle conditions for generating a sensory stimulation area corresponding to the good posture range.

[0064] Here, the target conditions identified in the target condition identification unit 83 may be notified to the user U using a notification means described later. In this case, the notification means may output the target conditions, or it may output notifications regarding the target conditions, such as notifications corresponding to the difference between the current conditions and the target conditions regarding the position and angle of the display unit 41. Specific examples of notifications corresponding to the difference between the current conditions and the target conditions include the intensity of sounds such as alarm sounds output from the speaker, and changes to the display on the display screen 42. The user U, upon receiving a notification regarding the target conditions, may refer to the notification and manually or semi-automatically change the conditions of the display unit 41 to match the target conditions.

[0065] The posture determination unit 84 determines the user U's posture based on whether the user posture information falls within the good posture range. The posture determination unit 84 compares the good posture range read from the storage unit 85 with the user posture information obtained from the posture information acquisition unit 81, for example, at predetermined intervals when user posture information is obtained. If the user posture information falls within the good posture range, the posture determination unit 84 determines that the user U is in good posture and controls the display unit 41 to display in a standard format that provides high visibility for the display screen 42. Furthermore, if the posture determination unit 84 determines that the user U is in good posture, it outputs a notification regarding the determination result, including information indicating that the user is in good posture, to the notification means as needed.

[0066] On the other hand, if the user posture information is outside the range of good posture, the posture determination unit 84 determines that the user U is in a bad posture and controls the display unit 41 to display in a way that reduces the visibility of the display screen 42. Based on the control by the posture determination unit 84, the display unit 41 reduces the visibility of the display screen 42 by changing, for example, the brightness, luminance, saturation, contrast, etc., of at least a part of the display screen 42. When the visibility of the display screen 42 is reduced, the user U feels uncomfortable. Also, if the posture determination unit 84 determines that the user is in a bad posture, it outputs a notification regarding the determination result, including information that the user is in a bad posture, to the notification means as needed.

[0067] Here, for example, a user U with slightly poor posture may continue to maintain the same posture even if the visibility of the display screen 42 is somewhat reduced. Therefore, the magnitude of the visual stimulus may be changed according to the posture of user U who is in a poor posture, or according to the elapsed time while user U is in a poor posture. This makes it easier for changes in vision to occur.

[0068] When the size of the visual stimulus is changed according to the user U's posture, the posture determination unit 84 may control the display unit 41 so that the visibility of the display screen 42 differs according to the difference between the user posture information and the good posture range when the user posture information is outside the good posture range. For example, the posture determination unit 84 controls the display unit 41 so that the brightness of the display screen 42 decreases as the user posture information moves further away from the good posture range.

[0069] If the magnitude of the visual stimulus is changed according to the elapsed time while the user U is in an unfavorable posture, the posture determination unit 84 should control the display unit 41 so that the visibility of the display screen 42 differs according to the elapsed time from the start of measurement while the user U is determined to be in an unfavorable posture. The start of measurement can be set arbitrarily. For example, the posture determination unit 84 controls the display unit 41 so that the brightness of the display screen 42 decreases by a predetermined amount at predetermined time intervals from the start of measurement.

[0070] By controlling the display unit 41 in this way, the more the user U's posture deteriorates, or the longer the time passes, the smaller the visual stimulus becomes, and the greater the decrease in the visibility of the display screen 42, thus gradually increasing the user U's discomfort. This suppresses the visual adaptation caused by continuously providing a constant level of visual stimulus, and makes the user U more reliably aware that their posture has deteriorated.

[0071] This method of changing the magnitude of sensory stimuli, such as visual stimuli, can be applied not only when the user U's posture changes, but also when the user U's posture does not change. Therefore, even for users U who maintain a certain posture, such as one that is only slightly poor, it can be made more effectively aware of the deterioration of their posture, and support increased awareness of posture improvement. The magnitude of the sensory stimuli may be changed to decrease the magnitude of the sensory stimuli as described above, or it may be changed to increase the magnitude of the sensory stimuli as needed.

[0072] The storage unit 85 is composed of, for example, memory. The storage unit 85 stores various programs read by the control unit 80, and information and data used in various processes executed by the control unit 80. For example, the output destination of user posture information differs between the setting mode and the detection mode, and the storage unit 85 stores information defining the output destination of user posture information for each mode. The storage unit 85 may also store various calculation results in the control unit 80, such as the good posture range set by the good posture setting unit 82, and data input to the control unit 80. Furthermore, the storage unit 85 may have recommended posture information used for setting the good posture range in the good posture setting unit 82 pre-stored in it.

[0073] The recommended posture information is information indicating the recommended posture (height position of the head 10) for each user U, under the condition that the pelvis 20 is supported by the support device 30 so that the relative position of the user U's pelvis 20 with respect to the display unit 41 remains constant. The recommended posture information may be information that has been registered in advance for each user U, or it may be information that has been identified based on a database of recommended posture data and the user U's physique. Here, the recommended posture data may be data that associates, for example, information indicating a good posture for a person whose pelvis 20 is supported by the support device 30 with information indicating a person's standard physique.

[0074] Body size refers to height, weight, etc., and these may be measured values ​​or estimated values ​​derived from parts of user U's body. User U's body size can be input to the posture improvement support system 100, for example, through user U's input operations. As another method for acquiring user U's body size, for example, the posture improvement support system 100 may be equipped with a sensor capable of measuring user U's body size (e.g., camera 60 or another camera, weighing scale, etc.), and user U's body size may be measured using the sensor.

[0075] The posture improvement support system 100 may further include notification means. If the posture improvement support system 100 includes notification means, the notification means notifies the user U of the comparison results in the good posture setting unit 82, the target conditions in the target condition identification unit 83, and the judgment results in the posture judgment unit 84, etc. Furthermore, when the conditions of the display unit 41 are changed automatically, notifications by the notification means may be used to draw attention to safety during operation. As notification means, for example, a display using at least a part of the display screen 42, lighting or flashing a lamp provided at any position, sounding from a speaker provided at any position, or a combination thereof can be used.

[0076] Next, referring to Figures 6 and 7, the posture improvement support method using the posture improvement support system 100 will be explained, focusing on the processing in the control unit 80. Figure 6 is a first flowchart showing the posture improvement support method using the posture improvement support system shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a second flowchart showing the posture improvement support method using the posture improvement support system shown in Figure 5.

[0077] User U can select the setting mode, for example, when the good posture range is not set or when the good posture range needs to be reset while the posture improvement support system 100 is running, and can switch between the setting mode and the detection mode by input operations via the keyboard 50. In the posture improvement support method according to this embodiment, when the control unit 80 is in setting mode, it sets the good posture of user U according to the flowchart shown in Figure 6. Also, in the posture improvement support method according to this embodiment, when the control unit 80 is in detection mode, it detects the current posture of user U according to the flowchart shown in Figure 7.

[0078] In the posture improvement support method according to this embodiment, first, user U sits on the support device 30 facing the display unit 41. This allows the support device 30 to support user U's pelvis 20 so that the relative position of user U's pelvis 20 with respect to the display unit 41 remains constant. With the pelvis 20 supported by the support device 30, user U adopts a good posture when operating the keyboard 50 in front of them.

[0079] As shown in Figure 6, in step S101, the camera 60 detects the posture of user U, whose pelvis 20 is supported by the support device 30. In this step, image data of user U, whose pelvis 20 is supported by the support device 30, is transmitted from the camera 60 to the control unit 80.

[0080] In step S102, the posture information acquisition unit 81 acquires user posture information indicating the posture of user U by extracting the height position of the head 10 as the position of a specific part of the upper body of user U based on the image data received from the camera 60. In this step, the acquired user posture information is output to the good posture setting unit 82.

[0081] In step S103, the good posture setting unit 82 sets a good posture range calculated for each user U based on user posture information, or a good posture range calculated based on recommended posture information corresponding to user U that has been previously stored in the storage unit 85. In this step, when setting a good posture range based on user posture information, the recommended posture information may be referred to, and when setting a good posture range based on recommended posture information, user posture information may be referred to. Furthermore, in this step, if necessary, the notification means notifies user U of the comparison result obtained by comparing the user posture information and the recommended posture information.

[0082] In step S104, the target condition identification unit 83 identifies the target conditions for the display unit 41 to generate a sensory stimulation area corresponding to the good posture range. Once the target condition identification unit 83 identifies the target conditions associated with the good posture range, it outputs an instruction signal to the condition change unit 43 to change the conditions of the display unit 41 based on the identified target conditions. In this step, if necessary, the notification means provides notification to the user U regarding the target conditions.

[0083] In step S105, based on the instructions of the target condition identification unit 83, the condition change unit 43 automatically changes the conditions of the display unit 41 to match the target conditions. As a result, the sensory stimulation area moves, and the display unit 41 can achieve the position and angle conditions for generating a sensory stimulation area corresponding to the set good posture range.

[0084] If user U manually or semi-automatically changes the conditions on the display unit 41 by referring to a notification regarding the target conditions, step S105 may be omitted. Also, when resetting the good posture range, the system may return from step S104 or S105 to step S101 and repeat the series of steps until an appropriate good posture range can be set. Alternatively, the system may be tested to confirm whether the good posture range is set as expected by user U. During the test run, it is advisable to check whether the function of the sensory stimulation unit is activated when user U intentionally assumes an unfavorable posture after the good posture range has been set.

[0085] Next, as shown in Figure 7, when user U switches the control unit 80 from setting mode to detection mode and starts VDT work, in step S201, similar to step S101, the camera 60 detects the posture of user U with their pelvis 20 supported by the support device 30. The image data of user U with their pelvis 20 supported by the support device 30 is transmitted from the camera 60 to the control unit 80.

[0086] In step S202, similar to step S102, the posture information acquisition unit 81 extracts the height position of the head 10 as the position of a specific part of the upper body of user U based on the image data received from the camera 60, thereby acquiring user posture information indicating the posture of user U. In this step, the acquired user posture information is output to the posture determination unit 84.

[0087] In step S203, the posture determination unit 84 determines the user U's posture based on whether the user posture information falls within the good posture range. If the posture determination unit 84 determines that user U has a good posture (user posture information is within the good posture range, step S203: YES), the display unit 41 is controlled so that the display screen 42 is in its standard display mode, and the process returns to step S201. On the other hand, if the posture determination unit 84 determines that user U has a poor posture (user posture information is outside the good posture range, step S203: NO), the process proceeds to step S204, and the display unit 41 is controlled so that the display screen 42 is in a display mode with reduced visibility. In step S203, if necessary, the notification means notifies user U of the determination result, including information indicating that the posture is good or that the posture is poor.

[0088] In step S204, based on control by the posture determination unit 84, the display unit 41 changes the brightness, saturation, contrast, etc. of at least a part of the display screen 42, thereby reducing the visibility of the display screen 42. That is, when the user posture information falls outside the good posture range, the display screen 42 changes from the standard display form to a display form with reduced visibility. This provides a visual stimulus (sensory stimulus) to the user U looking at the display unit 41. After that, the process returns to step S201 and the series of steps are repeated until the user U requests that the detection mode be stopped.

[0089] Here, we consider the case where, in step S204, the display unit 41 is controlled so that the brightness of the display screen 42 decreases as the user's posture information moves further away from the good posture range, thereby changing (reducing) the size of the visual stimulus according to the user U's posture. For example, when user U, who is in good posture within the good posture range, looks at the display unit 41, the visibility of the display screen 42 is high. On the other hand, when user U, who is in poor posture outside the good posture range, looks at the display unit 41, the visibility of the display screen 42 decreases, causing user U to feel uncomfortable. If the user's posture information moves further away from the good posture range due to worsening hunchback or other reasons, the visibility of the display screen 42 decreases even more, increasing user U's discomfort.

[0090] Next, consider the case where, in step S204, the display unit 41 is controlled so that the brightness of the display screen 42 decreases by a predetermined amount at predetermined time intervals from the start of measurement, thereby changing (reducing) the magnitude of the visual stimulus according to the elapsed time while the user is in a poor posture. For example, suppose the brightness of the display screen 42 is varied within the range of 0% (low visibility) to 100% (high visibility). When user U, who is in a good posture within the good posture range, looks at the display unit 41, the display unit 41 is controlled so that the brightness is at a normal value (e.g., 100%), and therefore the visibility of the display screen 42 is high. On the other hand, if the user posture information falls outside the good posture range, the display unit 41 is controlled so that the brightness decreases from a normal value (e.g., 100%) to a first value (e.g., 70%) when it is determined that user U is in a poor posture. Subsequently, the point at which the brightness drops to the first value is taken as the measurement start point, and the display unit 41 is controlled so that the brightness decreases by a predetermined amount (e.g., 1%) every predetermined time (e.g., 1 minute) from the measurement start point until the decrease in brightness stops when it reaches the second value (e.g., 50%). The first value, the second value, and the amount of change in brightness can be changed as appropriate. For example, the larger the difference between the user's posture information and the good posture range (the worse the posture), the smaller the first value (lower the brightness).

[0091] In any case, user U, who experiences discomfort due to the reduced visibility of the display screen 42, notices that their posture has worsened. Noticing that their posture has worsened, user U raises the height of their head 10 to correct their posture in order to alleviate the discomfort. In this way, a kinetic chain occurs that starts with the movement of raising the height of the head 10 to within the range of good posture, thereby guiding user U's posture to a good posture.

[0092] This embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the posture improvement support system 100 has a camera 60 as a posture detection unit, a good posture setting unit 82, and a target condition identification unit 83, so that the conditions of the display unit 41 corresponding to the good posture of user U can be automatically identified. Moreover, user U can easily recognize the identified conditions using the notification means. In addition, since the posture detection unit detects the height position of user U's head 10, the detection method is simpler compared to, for example, detecting the joint angles of the entire spine of user U. Therefore, it is easier to improve the accuracy of posture detection. Also, since the posture improvement support system 100 can be constructed with an inexpensive sensor (camera 60), the increase in cost can be suppressed.

[0093] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the posture improvement support system 100 has a condition changing unit 43 that changes the conditions of the display unit 41 based on the instructions of the target condition identification unit 83, thereby enabling the conditions of the display unit 41 to be automatically changed so that the sensory stimulation area is arranged as required.

[0094] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the posture improvement support system 100 has a posture determination unit 84, which allows it to automatically determine if the user U's posture has deteriorated and provide the user U with a visual stimulus. Therefore, the deterioration of the user U can be recognized more efficiently.

[0095] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the display unit 41 is controlled so that the size of the visual stimulus changes according to the posture of the user U who is in an unhealthy posture, or according to the elapsed time while the user U is in an unhealthy posture. As a result, it is possible to suppress the visual adaptation caused by continuously providing a visual stimulus of a constant size, and to make the user U more reliably aware that their posture has deteriorated.

[0096] In this embodiment, the posture improvement support system 100 can be realized, for example, by having the processor execute a computer program to perform the processing that the control unit 80 performs.

[0097] Programs can be stored and supplied to a computer using various types of non-transitory computer-readable media. Non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROMs (Read Only Memory), CD-Rs, CD-R / Ws, and semiconductor memory (e.g., mask ROMs, PROMs (Programmable ROMs), EPROMs (Erasable PROMs), flash ROMs, RAMs (random access memory)).

[0098] Programs may be supplied to a computer by various types of transient computer-readable medium. Examples of transient computer-readable medium include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. Transitory computer-readable medium can be supplied to a computer via wired communication channels such as electric wires and optical fibers, or via wireless communication channels.

[0099] Each component of the posture improvement support system 100 can be implemented not only through programming, but also, in whole or in part, through dedicated hardware such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) or FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays).

[0100] Embodiment 3 In this embodiment, a modified version of the support device 30 will be described. In the posture improvement support systems 1 and 100 described above, a chair was used as the support device 30, but the support device 30 is not limited to this. Other examples of the support device 30 include seats, wheelchairs, beds, floors, pillars, and walls, or other devices, furniture, or apparatus that allow the user U to assume a seated or semi-standing posture. Furthermore, if the relative position of the user U's pelvis 20 with respect to the object the user U is looking at remains constant, a white line or marker indicating the user U's standing position may also be used as the support device 30.

[0101] Here, the angle of the pelvis 20 is said to greatly affect the angle of the entire spine. For example, if the pelvis 20 is tilted backward, the spine will curve and induce a hunched posture. Therefore, it is preferable to support the user U's pelvis 20 with at least one of the support devices 30a to 30j that tilts the pelvis 20 in a direction approaching the tilt of the pelvis 20 when the user U is in an ideal posture. Figure 8 shows a modified example of the support device. Each of the support devices 30a to 30j shown in Figure 8 supports the pelvis 20 in such a way that it is easier for the user U's pelvis 20 to tilt forward.

[0102] When the pelvis 20 tilts forward, it becomes upright. This brings the user U's spine closer to an ideal posture with natural extension, thus suppressing kyphosis. Posture improvement support systems 1 and 100, which have one of the support devices 30a to 30j shown in Figure 8 instead of the support device 30, can further enhance the effect of suppressing kyphosis and help the user U maintain good posture.

[0103] First, the support devices 30a, 30b, and 30c have the function of directly supporting the user U's pelvis 20 to facilitate forward tilting. With the support devices 30a, 30b, and 30c, in addition to the pelvis 20 of user U when he is in a seated position using any of the support devices 30a, 30b, or 30c, it is possible to support a part (specific part) that is suitable for tilting the pelvis 20 forward.

[0104] Each of the support devices 30a, 30b, and 30c is a chair having a backrest portion 31 that supports the user U's waist or the user U's back and waist, and a seat portion 32 that supports the buttocks. The backrest portion 31 has a backrest surface 310 that faces the user U's back, and the seat portion 32 has a seat surface 320 that faces the user U's buttocks. The backrest portion 31 is provided with a contact portion 331 that contacts a specific part of the user U's back and waist, protruding from the backrest surface 310 toward the user U.

[0105] Support device 30a has a contact portion 331 on the backrest surface 310 of the backrest portion 31 that contacts at least the waist. Support device 30b has a contact portion 331 on the backrest surface 310 of the backrest portion 31 that contacts at least the back. Support device 30c has a contact portion 331 that contacts a specific area from the user U's back to the waist, and further has a pair of contact portions 332 that contact a specific area of ​​the user U's thighs from both the left and right sides in front of the user U's hip joint. Note that support device 30c does not necessarily have to have the contact portion 331.

[0106] Next, the support devices 30d to 30h have the function of indirectly supporting the user U's pelvis 20 to make it easier to tilt forward. With support devices 30d to 30h, extension of the hip joint of user U, who is in a seated position using any of the support devices 30d to 30h, can be promoted, and as a result, a kinetic chain starting from the hip joint extension movement occurs, making it easier for the pelvis 20 to tilt forward.

[0107] Support device 30d is a chair having a seat 32 with a narrow seat surface 320 that allows the user U to sit shallowly, so that the hip joint can be extended backward. Support device 30e is a chair having a seat 32 inclined forward such that the front part of the seat surface 320 is lower than the rear part. Support device 30f is a chair having elastic flexibility such that the seat surface 320 tilts in the pitch direction when the user U sits on the seat 32 due to the deformation of an elastic body 335 such as a spring or rubber interposed between the support part 334 that pivotably supports the seat 32 and the seat 32. Support device 30g is a chair having a seat 32 with a seat surface 320 formed at a higher position than usual so that the hip joint can be extended as gravity causes the lower limbs to move downward. The support device 30h comprises a chair having a seat 32 that supports the user U's buttocks, and a pressing part 336 that contacts the user U's knees to press them down from above. The pressing part 336 is a component fixed to the environment, such as a desk 33 used by the user U. The pressing part 336 presses the knees of the user U, who is seated on the seat 32, downward, and by pressing the knees, it lowers the lower limbs and promotes extension of the hip joint.

[0108] Next, the support devices 30i and 30j are pillars or walls that have the function of indirectly supporting the pelvis 20 to facilitate forward tilting. Support device 30i is a pillar erected on the floor. Support device 30i extends, for example, to the height of the user U's waist. Support device 30i is provided so as to protrude toward the user U from a side surface 341 facing the user U's waist and has a contact portion 342 that contacts the waist. Support device 30j is a wall erected on the floor. Support device 30j extends, for example, to a height exceeding the user U's head 10. Support device 30j has a wall surface 343 facing the user U's back. The wall surface 343 contacts the user U's back and waist.

[0109] These support devices 30i and 30j can also promote hip extension in user U who assumes a semi-standing posture using the support devices 30i and 30j. As a result, a kinetic chain starting from hip extension occurs, making it easier for the pelvis 20 to tilt forward.

[0110] Embodiment 4 In this embodiment, a modified version of the sensory stimulation application unit will be described. In the posture improvement support systems 1 and 100 described above, a field of view angle control film 44 or a display unit 41 that provides visual stimulation was used as the sensory stimulation application unit, but the sensory stimulation application unit is not limited to these. The sensory stimulation is not limited to visual stimulation, but may also be auditory stimulation, olfactory stimulation, or temperature sensation stimulation. The sensory stimulation may be at least one of visual stimulation, auditory stimulation, olfactory stimulation, and temperature sensation stimulation. Other examples of sensory stimulation application units include directional lights, directional speakers, odor emitters, and airflow generators.

[0111] When using a directional light as a sensory stimulation device, it is preferable to position and angle the directional light so that it can emit light downwards from the eyes of user U, who is in a posture within the range of good posture. The directional light restricts the range of light to a specific direction. As a result, the directional light can generate a sensory stimulation area that provides visual stimuli that are unpleasant to user U.

[0112] If a directional light has a directionality that directs downwards from the eyes of a user U who is in a good posture range, the light emitted by the directional light is light that user U does not want to see, such as dazzling light. Dazzling light is an example of a visual stimulus that user U finds unpleasant when viewed. In this case, user U, who is in a good posture range, can avoid seeing the unwanted light, but user U, who is in a posture outside the good posture range, will see the unwanted light and therefore experience discomfort. Here, discomfort refers to the discomfort that user U feels when they see light that causes stress.

[0113] When using a directional speaker as a sensory stimulation device, it is preferable to position and angle the directional speaker so that it can output sound towards the ears of a user U who is in a posture within a good posture range, or towards a position below the ears. The directional speaker restricts the range in which sound reaches in a specific direction. This allows the directional speaker to generate a sensory stimulation area that provides auditory stimulation to the user U.

[0114] If a directional speaker has a directivity that directs towards the ears of user U, who is in a good posture range, the sound output by the directional speaker is the sound that user U wants to hear. Specific examples of the sound that user U wants to hear include conversations during remote meetings, bird songs, etc.

[0115] The audio of the conversation in question is an example of an auditory stimulus that user U finds unpleasant if it is not heard. In this case, user U, who is in a posture within the range of good posture, can clearly hear the audio they want to hear, but user U, who is in a posture outside the range of good posture, will find it difficult to hear the audio they want to hear and will therefore experience discomfort. Here, discomfort refers to the discomfort that user U feels when they are unable to hear audio that would otherwise cause them stress.

[0116] Birdsong is an example of an auditory stimulus that user U finds pleasurable. In this case, user U, who is in a posture within the good posture range, can clearly hear the desired sound and therefore feels pleasure, but user U, who is in a posture outside the good posture range, has difficulty hearing the desired sound. Here, pleasure is the feeling user U experiences when they hear a sound that they do not feel stressed if they do not hear it, but which reduces stress when they do hear it.

[0117] If a directional speaker has a directivity that directs the sound downwards from the ears of a user U who is in a good posture range, the sound output by the directional speaker will be a sound that user U does not want to hear, such as a sound containing noise. A sound containing noise is an example of an auditory stimulus that user U finds unpleasant to hear. In this case, user U, who is in a good posture range, can avoid hearing the unwanted sound, but user U, who is in a posture outside the good posture range, will hear the unwanted sound and therefore experience discomfort. Here, discomfort refers to the unpleasantness that user U feels when they hear a sound that causes them stress.

[0118] In this way, the directional speaker can provide auditory stimuli that are pleasant or unpleasant to the user U by making the ease of hearing the sound different depending on the user U's posture relative to the display unit 41.

[0119] When using a scent-emitting device as a sensory stimulation device, for example, the nozzle of the scent-emitting device should be positioned and angled so that the scent can be emitted either above or below the nose of user U when the user is in a posture within a good posture range.

[0120] The odor-emitting device ejects a gas containing aromatic or odorous components from a nozzle in a specific direction. This allows the odor-emitting device to generate a sensory stimulation area that provides olfactory stimulation to user U.

[0121] When a scent-emitting device fills the area above the nose of a user U who is in a posture within the range of good posture, the scent emitted by the device is, for example, a fragrance. A fragrance is an example of an olfactory stimulus that user U finds pleasant when smelled. In this case, user U, who is in a posture within the range of good posture, can smell the fragrance and therefore feels pleasant, but user U, who is in a posture outside the range of good posture, cannot smell the fragrance. Here, pleasantness refers to the feeling user U experiences when they are able to smell a scent that they do not feel stressed by without smelling it, but which reduces stress when smelled.

[0122] When a scent-emitting device fills a space below the nose of a user U who is in a posture within the range of good posture, the scent emitted by the device is, for example, an odor. An odor is an example of an olfactory stimulus that user U finds unpleasant when smelled. In this case, user U, who is in a posture within the range of good posture, can avoid smelling the odor, but user U, who is in a posture outside the range of good posture, will smell the odor and therefore experience discomfort. Here, discomfort refers to the unpleasantness that user U feels when smelling an odor that causes stress.

[0123] In this way, the odor-emitting device can provide the user U with an olfactory stimulus that is pleasant or unpleasant, by changing the presence or absence of odor depending on the user U's posture relative to the display unit 41.

[0124] When using an airflow generator as a sensory stimulation device, it is preferable to position and angle the airflow outlet of the airflow generator at a location and angle that allows air to flow towards at least a part of the user U's body or towards the upper part of the user U's head 10 when the user U is in a posture within a good posture range.

[0125] The airflow generator directs a cool or warm airflow from its outlet in a specific direction. This allows the airflow generator to create a sensory stimulation area that provides temperature sensations to the user U.

[0126] When an airflow generator directs airflow to the upper part of the head 10 of a user U who is in a posture within the range of good posture, the airflow generated by the airflow generator may be cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter. These airflows are examples of temperature sensory stimuli that the user U finds pleasant when exposed to them. In this case, a user U in a posture within the range of good posture can be exposed to the airflow and therefore feels pleasant, but a user U in a posture outside the range of good posture cannot be exposed to the airflow. Here, pleasantness refers to the feeling of comfort the user U experiences when they are exposed to an airflow that would otherwise cause stress.

[0127] The upper part of the head 10 should ideally be the area from the user U's forehead to the top of their head. As mentioned above, the change in the height of the head 10 when the user U shifts from good posture to a hunched posture is only a few centimeters to about 10 centimeters. Because this change is small relative to the dimensions of the head 10, if airflow is directed over a wide area including the area below the upper part of the head 10, the airflow may continue to hit at least a portion of the head 10 even when the user U is hunched over, potentially preventing the provision of appropriate temperature sensation.

[0128] When an airflow generator directs airflow to at least a part of user U's body, the airflow generated by the airflow generator may be warm air in the summer and cold air in the winter. These airflows are examples of temperature sensation stimuli that user U may find unpleasant when exposed to them. Furthermore, the airflow generator may be configured to switch on / off a switch for generating airflow according to the determination result of the posture determination unit 84. For example, when the switch is OFF, the airflow generator does not generate an unpleasant airflow, and when the switch is ON, an unpleasant airflow is generated. Specifically, the switch may be turned OFF when the posture determination unit 84 determines that the user is in a good posture, and turned ON when the posture determination unit 84 determines that the user is in a poor posture.

[0129] In this case, user U, who adopts a posture within the range of good posture, can avoid being hit by the airflow, but user U, who adopts a posture outside the range of good posture, will be hit by the airflow and experience discomfort. Here, discomfort refers to the discomfort that user U feels when hit by an airflow that causes stress.

[0130] In this way, the airflow generator can provide the user U with a temperature sensation that is pleasant or unpleasant, by changing whether or not to direct the airflow at the user U depending on the user U's posture relative to the display unit 41.

[0131] These sensory stimulation units may be controlled, similar to Embodiment 2, to change the magnitude of the sensory stimulation according to the posture of the user U who is in a poor posture, or according to the elapsed time while the user U is in a poor posture. This can suppress sensory habituation caused by continuously providing sensory stimulation of a constant magnitude, and make the user U more reliably aware that their posture has deteriorated.

[0132] Furthermore, the sensory stimulation unit is not limited to those exemplified in the above embodiment. However, it is preferable that the sensory stimulation unit is something that does not need to be worn by the user U and that provides sensory stimulation in a way that does not impair work efficiency. For example, if a wearable device worn by the user U is cumbersome to wear and causes stress to the user U, there is a risk that the motivation to continue using the posture improvement support system will decrease.

[0133] Examples of major sensory stimuli that impair user U's work efficiency include visual stimuli that make it impossible to see the display on screen 42, auditory stimuli that make it impossible to hear the sound, auditory stimuli that are too loud to concentrate, olfactory stimuli that are too strong to concentrate, and temperature stimuli that are too hot (or too cold) to concentrate. Providing such excessively strong sensory stimuli can cause stress for user U and may prevent them from working.

[0134] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and may be modified as appropriate without departing from its spirit. Furthermore, this disclosure may be implemented by combining the respective embodiments as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0135] 1. Posture Improvement Support System 10 head 11th 20 Pelvis 30, 30a~30j Support equipment 31 Backrest 32 Seat area 33 Desk 40 displays 41 Display section 42 Display screen 43 Condition Change Section 44 Viewing Angle Control Film 50 keyboards 60 Cameras 80 Control Unit 81 Posture information acquisition unit 82 Good posture setting section 83 Target condition identification part 84 Posture determination section 85 Memory section 310 Backrest 320 seat cushion, 331, 332, 342 Contact area 334 Support part 335 Elastic body 336 Pressing part 341 Side view 343 Wall surface U User

Claims

1. A support device that supports the pelvis so that the relative position of the user's pelvis with respect to the object the user is looking at remains constant, A sensory stimulation application unit that generates a sensory stimulation region to provide sensory stimulation to the user, A condition changing unit that moves the sensory stimulation area by changing the conditions of the sensory stimulation application unit, It has, The sensory stimulation unit provides the preset sensory stimulation according to the posture of the user, whose pelvis is supported by the support device. The aforementioned object is the display unit of a display, The aforementioned sensory stimulation unit is a posture improvement support system, which is a viewing angle control film that limits the viewing angle of the display unit so that the visibility of the display screen of the display unit differs depending on the user's posture relative to the display unit.

2. The posture improvement support system according to claim 1, wherein the sensory stimulus is at least one of visual, auditory, olfactory, and thermal sensory stimuli.

3. The posture improvement support system according to claim 1, wherein the support device tilts the pelvis in a direction that approaches the tilt of the pelvis when the user assumes an ideal posture.

4. A posture detection unit for detecting the user's posture, A good posture setting unit sets a good posture range calculated for each user based on user posture information indicating the user's posture detected by the posture detection unit, or a good posture range calculated based on recommended posture information corresponding to the user that is stored in the storage unit in advance. A target condition identification unit for identifying target conditions for the sensory stimulation application unit to generate the sensory stimulation area corresponding to the good posture range, A notification means that outputs a notification regarding the aforementioned target conditions, A posture improvement support system according to claim 1, having the following features.

5. A posture detection unit for detecting the user's posture, A good posture setting unit sets a good posture range calculated for each user based on user posture information indicating the user's posture detected by the posture detection unit, or a good posture range calculated based on recommended posture information corresponding to the user that is stored in the storage unit in advance. A target condition identification unit for identifying target conditions for the sensory stimulation application unit to generate the sensory stimulation area corresponding to the good posture range, It has, The posture improvement support system according to claim 1, wherein the condition changing unit is driven by a drive unit controlled by the target condition identification unit, and changes the conditions of the sensory stimulation application unit to match the target condition based on instructions from the target condition identification unit.

6. The posture detection unit detects the height position of the user's head. This is the posture improvement support system according to claim 4 or 5.

7. The posture improvement support system according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising a posture determination unit that determines that the user is in an unfavorable posture when the user posture information is outside the range of good posture.

8. The posture improvement support system according to claim 7, wherein the posture determination unit controls the sensory stimulus application unit so that the magnitude of the sensory stimulus changes according to the difference between the user posture information and the good posture range, or according to the elapsed time from the start of measurement while the user is determined to be in a poor posture.

9. A condition changing unit that moves a sensory stimulation area that provides a preset sensory stimulus to the user according to the user's posture, which is supported so that the relative position of the user's pelvis with respect to the object the user is looking at remains constant, A sensory stimulation application unit that generates the aforementioned sensory stimulation region, It has, The aforementioned object is the display unit of a display, The aforementioned sensory stimulation unit is a posture improvement support system, which is a viewing angle control film that limits the viewing angle of the display unit so that the visibility of the display screen of the display unit differs depending on the user's posture relative to the display unit.

10. The posture improvement support system according to claim 9, further comprising a support device for supporting the pelvis.

11. The pelvis is supported by a support device so that the relative position of the user's pelvis with respect to the object the user is viewing remains constant. By changing the conditions of the sensory stimulation application unit that generates a sensory stimulation area to provide sensory stimulation to the user, the sensory stimulation area is moved. The sensory stimulation is provided according to the posture of the user, whose pelvis is supported by the support device, and the user is given a pre-set sensory stimulus. The aforementioned object is the display unit of a display, The aforementioned sensory stimulation unit is a viewing angle control film that limits the viewing angle of the display unit so that the visibility of the display screen of the display unit differs depending on the user's posture relative to the display unit, in a posture improvement support method.

Images