STRESS EVALUATION APPARATUS

摘要

In an evaluation process, a first muscle strength (i.e., muscle potential) of a first muscle responsible for a dorsiflexing action of the ankle joint of a leg manipulating an accelerator pedal is acquired using a first muscle potential sensor. A second muscle strength (i.e., muscle potential) of a second muscle responsible for a plantarflexing action of the ankle joint of the leg manipulating the accelerator pedal is acquired using a second muscle potential sensor. Then, on the basis of time-series variation of each of the muscle potentials acquired using the first and second muscle potential sensors, a synchronous activity level is calculated as an evaluation index. When the difference between the evaluation index and an evaluation standard pre-determined is not less than a prescribed value, it is evaluated that an occupant of a vehicle feels stress as a result of manipulating an in-vehicle information apparatus while driving the vehicle.

主权项

1. A stress evaluation apparatus mounted in a moving body to evaluate stress received by an occupant of the moving body, comprising:
a first acquisition section that acquires a first muscle strength showing a contracted state of a first muscle responsible for a dorsiflexing action of an ankle joint among muscles of the occupant; a second acquisition section that acquires a second muscle strength showing a contracted state of a second muscle responsible for a plantarflexing action of the ankle joint among the muscles of the occupant; a strength information generation section that generates strength information by associating the first muscle strength acquired by the first acquisition section with the second muscle strength acquired by the second acquisition section; and an evaluation section that evaluates, based on the strength information generated by the strength information generation section, the stress received by the occupant as a result of the occupant's manipulating an in-vehicle information apparatus with an upper limb of the occupant.