It has been a long-standing problem in the engineering design of bra for optimal support and shaping due to the difficulty of quantifying the hyper-elastic properties of human breasts. The objective of this study is to determine an optimal approach to obtain the non-linear properties of breast soft tissues and the corresponding deformations during motions. The Mooney-Rivlin material parameters of the breasts in-vivo were verified through an optimization process that involved iteratively changing the material coefficients with the integration of static and dynamic finite element models. Theoretical equations of a rigid-flexible coupled system during the motion of forward-leaning were established with gravitational, centrifugal and Coriolis forces to simulate the dynamic deformation of the flexible breasts. The resultant, optimally generated, coefficients of the Mooney-Rivlin hyperelastic material type for the breast were found. This new set of breast material coefficients was verified by finite element analysis of the breast deformation during forward-leaning and running movement. The method proposed in this study provides an effective way to determine the breast properties for predicting breast deformation and analysis of the bra-breast contact mechanism and thus, improving the design of bras.

Purpose. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of various acutherapies on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) relief in the elderly. Methods. Five databases were accessed from inception to July 2017 for searching randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acutherapy for KOA relief in the elderly. Data were pooled after trial quality assessment for meta-analysis. Outcomes were the scores of knee pain, knee stiffness, and physical function accessed by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) Index. Results. 17 RCTs including 4774 subjects were included. The results indicated that acutherapy significantly affected knee pain (standardized mean difference, i.e., SMD = - 0.73, [95% CI, -0.98 to -0.47], P <0.001), knee stiffness (SMD = -0.66, [95%CI, -0.85 to -0.47], P <0.001), and physical function (SMD = -1.56, [95%CI, -2.17 to -0.95], P<0.001) when compared with control condition without intervention of any acutherapy. Moreover, acutherapy was more effective than corresponding sham (placebo) intervention applied on nonacupoints (SMD = -0.16, [95% CI, -0.32 to -0.01], P = 0.04). However, no significant differences were found on treatment effects between acutherapy and sham acutherapy at the same acupoints (SMD= - 0.09, [95%CI, -0.40 to 0.21], P = 0.55). Conclusions. Acutherapy was an effective approach for KOA relief in the elderly. The selection of acupoints position could be a crucial factor that influences the treatment efficacy of acutherapy.

To precisely achieve a series of daily finger bending motions, a soft robotic finger corresponding to the anatomical range of each joint was designed in this study with multi-material pneumatic actuators. The actuator as a biomimetic artificial joint was developed on the basis of two composite materials of different shear modules, and the pneumatic bellows as expansion parts was restricted by frame that made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). A simplified mathematical model was used for the bending mechanism description and provides guidance for the multi-material pneumatic actuator fabrication (e.g., stiffness and thickness) and structural design (e.g., cross length and chamber radius), as well as the control parameter optimization (e.g., the air pressure supply). An actuation pressure of over 70 kPa is required by the developed soft robotic finger to provide a full motion range (MCP = 36°, PIP = 114°, and DIP = 75°) for finger action mimicking. In conclusion, a multi-material pneumatic actuator was designed and developed for soft robotic finger application and theoretically and experimentally demonstrated its feasibility in finger action mimicking. This study explored the mechanical properties of the actuator and could provide evidence-based technical parameters for pneumatic robotic finger design and precise control of its dynamic air pressure dosages in mimicking actions. Thereby, the conclusion was supported by the results theoretically and experimentally, which also aligns with our aim to design and develop a multi-material pneumatic actuator as a biomimetic artificial joint for soft robotic finger application.

Female breasts are regarded as a factor reflecting women’s morphological beauty. An appropriate bra can fulfill aesthetic needs, thus boosting self-esteem. This study proposed a method to analyze young women’s breast-bra morphological variations between two identical bras with different bra cup thicknesses. The 3D surface scan data of 129 female students who were braless and wore a thin bra (13 mm) and a thick bra (23 mm) were analyzed. Integral sections of the breasts and bra were cut at a fixed thickness of 10 mm, and slice maps were derived. Morphological parameters were extracted in braless and the two bra conditions. The variations in breast-bra shape caused by different thicknesses of bra cups were evaluated by quantifying breast ptosis, gathering, and breast slice area. The results showed that the thin bra lifted the breasts by 2.16 cm, whereas the thick bra decreased breast separation, gathering the breasts and moving them 2.15 cm laterally towards the center of the chest wall. Moreover, prediction models constructed using the critical morphological parameters were used to characterize breast-bra shape after wearing the provided bras. The findings lay the groundwork for quantifying the breast-bra shape variation caused by different bra cup thicknesses, allowing young females to choose optimally fitting bras to achieve their desired breast aesthetics.