[DESCRIPTION]
[invention Title]
MEASURING SYSTEM AND THE METHOD OF TRAIN RIDE COMFORT USING BIOELECTRICAL SIGNALS
[Technical Field]
The present invention relates generally to a system and method for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals, and, more particularly, to a system and method for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals which, when a train is tilted, measures and analyzes various types of bio-electrical signals generated by the human body, so that the measured and analyzed bio-electrical signals can be used as data for evaluating the comfort of riding in the tilted train.
[Background Art]
Generally, it is essential to bring trains used for public transportation up to a specific or higher level of riding comfort in the light of the final evaluation of the operating speed of the train and the quality of passenger transportation.
In this case, the comfort of a ride which is felt by a human riding in a train is formed through the combination of a variety of factors, such as vibration, noise, temperature, humidity, illuminance, personal space, the material quality of a seat, the height of a ceiling, the view and ventilation, which can be emotionally felt by the human. It is however practically impossible to quantitatively evaluate the comfort of riding in a train with all the above factors taken into account .
Accordingly, a method of quantitatively evaluating vibration acceleration measured in a train in the form of a human' s sensitivity thereto is used as a general method of measuring the comfort of riding in a train.
In this case, the evaluation of riding comfort in the railway field is defined in standards such as ISO, UIC and CEN. In these standards, the comfort of riding in railway vehicles is evaluated using statistical methods and effective values. Furthermore, in addition to the above standards, the "riding comfort index" which has been used for a long time in Europe and was proposed by Sperling has been used to evaluate the comfort of riding in railway vehicles .
However, the above-described methods of evaluating riding comfort do not propose any standards for riding comfort in curved portions, and also quantitatively determine riding comfort not based on a method using the human body as a reference model but based on environmental factors inside a train. Accordingly, there is a significant difference between the riding comfort measured by any of the above- described methods and the riding comfort felt by a train's driver or passenger. As a result, the above-described methods are problematic in that the evaluation of the comfort of riding in trains using them has low reliability.
[Disclosure] [Technical Problem]
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals, which is capable of performing ergonomic modeling in order to develop the technology for evaluating the comfort of riding in a train and, through the ergonomic modeling, evaluating the comfort of riding in a tilted train using the bio-electrical signals of the human body that can be measured.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals, which is capable of evaluating riding comfort through computer simulation and experimental analysis using the bio-electrical signals and applying the evaluation results to improving the comfort of riding in a train.
[Technical Solution]
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a system for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals, comprising bio-electrical signal measurement means for measuring bio- electrical signals of a target passenger who is riding in a train; and data processing means for collecting the bio- electrical signals from the bio-electrical signal measurement means and analyzing the collected bio- electrical signals in order to evaluate riding comfort .
Here, the bio-electrical signal measurement means includes a bio-electrical signal measurement unit for measuring the bio-electrical signals of the target passenger, an Analog/Digital (A/D) conversion unit for converting analog bio-electrical signals measured by the bio-electrical signal measurement unit into digital bio- electrical signals, a signal transmission unit for transmitting the digital bio-electrical signals to the data processing means, and a first control unit for monitoring the bio-electrical signal measurement unit and controlling transmission of the digital bio-electrical signals to the signal transmission unit.
In particular, the bio-electrical signal measurement unit includes a first electrode for measuring an ElectroCardioGram (ECG) , a second electrode for measuring Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) , and a third electrode for measuring an ElectroMyoGram (EMG) .
Meanwhile, the data processing means includes a signal reception unit for receiving digital bio-electrical signals transmitted by the bio-electrical signal measurement means, a memory unit for storing the digital bio-electrical signals received by the signal reception unit and an analysis program configured to analyze the digital bio-electrical signals, a second control unit for analyzing the digital bio-electrical signals received by the signal reception unit in order to evaluate the comfort of riding in the train, and a display unit for displaying analysis results of the digital bio-electrical signals analyzed by the second control unit .
Here, the system may further include a key input unit for inputting conditions used for analyzing the digital bio-electrical signals. Furthermore, the data processing means may be any one of a Personal Computer (PC) and a notebook computer.
Meanwhile, the bio-electrical signal measurement means may include a signal transmission unit for transmitting the bio-electrical signals, the data processing means comprises a signal reception unit for receiving the bio-electrical signals transmitted by the signal transmission unit, and the signal transmission unit and the signal reception unit are formed of transmission and reception modules capable of remote wireless communication.
Additionally, the present invention provides a method of measuring the comfort of riding in a train, including a first step of measuring, through bio-electrical signal measurement means, ECG, GSR, and EMG signals, which are bio-electrical signals of a target passenger who is riding in a train; a second step of receiving the ECG, GSR, and EMG data measured by the bio-electrical signal measurement means, and analyzing the received ECG, GSR, and EMG data over time in order to evaluate a degree of change, a degree of awakening and a degree of muscle fatigue in a nervous system of a human body,- and a third step of displaying analysis results of the data.
[Advantageous Effects]
According to the present invention, there is an advantage in that ergonomic modeling is performed in order to develop the technology for evaluating the comfort of riding in a train and bio-electrical signals, such as an ElectroCardioGram (ECG) , a Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) and an ElectroMyoGram (EMG) , are detected from the human body through the ergonomic modeling, so that the comfort of riding in a train can be more accurately evaluated through computer simulation and experimental analysis.
Furthermore, there is an advantage in that the bio- electrical signals of the human body which are used to evaluate the comfort of riding in a tilted train can also be used as reliable data for improving the comfort of riding therein .
[Description of Drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the construction of a system for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows the average RR intervals of an ECG according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a graph showing the average RR intervals of the ECG according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a table showing the number of events and the total event areas of a GSR according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a graph showing the numbers of events and the total event areas of a GSR according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a table showing the numbers of zero crossings and the magnitudes of an EMG according to the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a graph showing the numbers of zero crossings of an EMG according to the present invention; and
FIG. 8 is a graph showing the magnitudes of an EMG according to the present invention.
[Best Mode]
The characteristics of a system and method for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio- electrical signals according to the present invention can be understood from embodiments which will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the construction of a system for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals according to the present invention, FIG. 2 shows the average RR intervals of an ECG according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a graph showing the average RR intervals of the ECG according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a table showing the numbers of events and the total event areas of a GSR according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is a graph showing the numbers of events and the total event areas of a GSR according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a table showing the numbers of zero crossings and the magnitudes of an EMG according to the present invention, FIG. 7 is a graph showing the numbers of zero crossings of an EMG according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a graph showing the magnitudes of an EMG according to the present invention.
Referring first to FIG. 1, the system for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals according to the present invention evaluates bio- electrical signals measured from a target passenger, checks the association with the tilting of a train, and evaluates riding comfort based on bio parameters. This system for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals according to the present invention includes bio-electrical signal measurement means 100 for measuring the bio-electrical signals of a target passenger and data processing means 200 for collecting the bio-electrical signals from the bio-electrical signal measurement means and converting the bio-electrical signals into data used for evaluating riding comfort.
The bio-electrical signal measurement means 100 includes a bio-electrical signal measurement unit 110 for measuring the bio-electrical signals of the target passenger, an Analog/Digital (A/D) conversion unit 120 for converting the analog bio-electrical signals measured by the bio-electrical signal measurement unit 110 into digital bio-electrical signals, a signal transmission unit 130 for transmitting the digital bio-electrical signals to the data processing means 200, and a first control unit 140 for monitoring the bio-electrical signal measurement unit 110 and controlling the transmission of the digital bio- electrical signals to the signal transmission unit 130.
Meanwhile, the data processing means 200 includes a signal reception unit 210 for receiving the digital bio- electrical signals transmitted by the signal transmission unit 130 of the bio-electrical signal measurement means 100, a memory unit 220 for storing the digital bio- electrical signals received by the signal reception unit 210 and an analysis program configured to analyze the digital bio-electrical signals, a second control unit 230 for analyzing the digital bio-electrical signals received by the signal reception unit 210 in order to evaluate the comfort of riding in a train, a display unit 240 for displaying the analysis data of the digital bio-electrical signals analyzed by the second control unit 230, and a key input unit 250 for inputting conditions for analyzing the digital bio-electrical signals . Here, a Personal Computer (PC) or a notebook computer may be used as the data processing means 200.
Furthermore, the signal transmission unit 130 and the signal reception unit 210 are formed of known transmission and reception modules capable of remote wireless communication. Accordingly, it is preferred that the bio- electrical signal measurement means 100 be installed and operated within the train and the data processing means 200 be installed and operated at a remote control center.
Meanwhile, the bio-electrical signal measurement means 100 measures the bio-electrical signals of the target passenger. The bio-electrical signals which can be measured from the human body and can be used as factors for measuring the comfort of riding in a train include ECG, GSR, and EMG signals. First, an ECG is a recording of minute electrical changes generated when the heart or the myocardia (muscular tissues constituting the heart) contracts. The number of pulsations of the heart of the human body is controlled based on the antagonism of a sympathetic nerve and a parasympathetic nerve by the nervous system. Accordingly, the measurement of RR intervals on an ECG is an important factor that enables the excited state of the human body to be detected in riding comfort analysis.
Next, there are two types of GSR: one that has resistance measured for an active GSR and is transmitted by the human body, and the other that is measured in the human body itself for manual GSR and generated by the human body. The degree of awakening of the human body through the GSR is an important factor that can determine the degree of awakening through the number of events and the sum of event areas (triangular areas up to peaks) in a specific interval .
Furthermore, an EMG is a surface EMG, and is the sum of Motor Unit Action Potentials (MUAPs) of many motor units constituting one muscle. Generally, in order to measure the degree of muscle fatigue using the EMG, the amplitude is increased and the cycle is extended. From the point of view of the frequency, the low frequency property thereof is increased when compared with the existing normal state. This can be analyzed using the number of zero crossings and the average magnitude of signals from the viewpoint of time-series analysis. The ECG, GSR and EMG signals, which are bio- electrical signals, are measured using the bio-electrical signal measurement unit 110 of the bio-electrical signal measurement means 100. For this purpose, the bio-electrical signal measurement unit 110 includes a first electrode 112 for measuring an ECG, a second electrode 114 for measuring GSR, and a third electrode 116 for measuring an EMG. The bio-electrical signals are measured in the form of a minute amount of current flowing through the skin. Here, in the case where the first to third electrodes 112 to 116 are not all included, only one of the first to third electrodes 112 to 116 may be deformed into an adequate form, be attached to the human body of the target passenger, and be used to sequentially measure the ECG, GSR and EMG.
Furthermore, the present invention includes a first step of measuring the bio-electrical signals (the ECG, GSR, and EMG signals) of a target passenger who is riding in a train using the bio-electrical signal measurement means, a second step of receiving the ECG, GSR, and EMG data measured by the bio-electrical signal measurement means, and analyzing the received ECG, GSR, and EMG data over time in order to evaluate the degree of change, the degree of awakening, and the degree of muscle fatigue in the nervous system of the human body and a third step of displaying the analysis results of the data, and is used to measure the comfort of riding in the train using the bio-electrical signals .
A process of measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals according to the present invention is described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.
In this case, the bio-electrical signal measurement means 100 is installed inside a train. The bio-electrical signals measured by the bio-electrical signal measurement means 100 are transmitted to the data processing means 200 provided in the control center of a remote place, and are then processed therein.
Meanwhile, the measurement of the bio-electrical signals using the bio-electrical signal measurement means 100 is performed by checking a tendency over time. Each piece of ECG, GSR or EMG data, which is measured bio- electrical signals, is divided into minute units and integrated into hour units by, for example, the data processing means 200, thereby analyzing data pertaining to nine hours a day. Accordingly, the tendency of each of the bio parameters over time is analyzed based on data covering a measurement period of several days.
That is, the ECG, GSR and EMG data, which is bio- electrical signals in an analog form, is measured using the first to third electrodes 110, 114, and 116.
The measured bio-electrical signals are converted into the digital bio-electrical signals through the A/D conversion unit 120. The digital bio-electrical signals are received by the data processing means 200 via the signal transmission unit 130 under the control of the first control unit 140.
Meanwhile, the data processing means 200 receives the ECG, GSR, and EMG data, which is digital bio-electrical signals, through the signal reception unit 210 and analyzes the received ECG, GSR, and EMG data using an analysis program.
The analysis results are displayed on the display unit 240, so that a state can be checked at the control center .
In the case of the ECG, with regard to a change in the nervous system of the human body checked through RR intervals, the RR intervals had a tendency to increase and then decrease as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this case, in the light of the fact that a normal healthy person has RR intervals of 700 to 800 ms, the nervous system of the human body was stabilized after a lapse of 3.5 to 4.5 hours since the target passenger started riding in the train.
It can be seen that, in the case of the human body model of the target passenger, the RR intervals decreased after a lapse of 3.5 to 4.5 hour since the passenger started riding in the train and the human body itself was greatly influenced by the sympathetic nerve. Meanwhile, in the case of the GSR, it can be seen that only manual GSRs were taken into consideration and, after a lapse of approximately 8 to 9 hours since the passenger started riding in the train, the number of events and a measured event area had a very sensitive response, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
That is, the number of events increased at least 50 times or more and the measured event area increased approximately 1500 times or more. Accordingly, in the case of the human body model of the target passenger, the degree of awakening based on the GSR values had a tendency to sharply increase and become sensitive after a lapse of 8 to 9 hours.
Furthermore, in the case of the EMG, the degree of muscle fatigue in the leg muscles can be evaluated. The number of zero crossings (for checking a low frequency property) and the magnitudes of signals were measured as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8. FIGS. 6 to 8 show a tendency for the number of zero crossings to decrease as the transit hour lengthens.
FIGS 6 to 8 also show a tendency for average magnitudes to increase, thus resulting in an increased EMG as in the result of the proposed theory, and the number of zero crossings linearly decreased. In contrast, the magnitudes sharply increased after a lapse of 8 to 9 hours at a point of time when the degree of awakening was increased.
As described above, when a train is being operated, bio-electrical signals, such as ECG, GSR and EMG signals, are detected from the human body of a target passenger who is riding in the train, and the degree of change, the degree of awakening and the degree of muscle fatigue in the nervous system of the human body are measured based on the measured bio-electrical signals . Accordingly, the bio- electrical signals can be used to comprehensively determine the comfort of riding in current trains, etc.
In particular, by using the bio-electrical signals, more accurate analysis depending on the characteristics of a train can be performed through experimental analysis in order to overcome the limitations of the existing statistical and uniform riding comfort measurement methods. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that the bio- electrical signals can be used as reliable data for improving the comfort of riding in a train.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, the range of rights of the present invention is not limited thereto. The range of rights of the present invention covers the equivalents which substantially fall within the embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications within a range which does not depart from the spirit of the present invention. [industrial Applicability]
The present invention relates to a system and method for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio- electrical signals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for measuring the comfort of riding in a train using bio-electrical signals, which, when a train is tilted, measures and analyzes various types of bio-electrical signals generated by the human body, so that the analyzed bio-electrical signals can be used as data for evaluating the comfort of riding in the tilted train.