Ming-Chang Jeng

Bio: Ming-Chang Jeng is an academic researcher from National Central University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Poison control & Taguchi methods. The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 10 publications receiving 481 citations.

Psychological Benefits of Virtual Reality for Patients in Rehabilitation Therapy

Abstract: Context: Whether virtual rehabilitation is beneficial has not been determined. Objective: To investigate the psychological benefits of virtual reality in rehabilitation. Design: An experimental group underwent therapy with a virtual-reality-based exercise bike, and a control group underwent the therapy without virtual-reality equipment. Setting: Hospital laboratory. Patients: 30 patients suffering from spinal-cord injury. Intervention: A designed rehabilitation therapy. Main Outcome Measures: Endurance, Borg’s rating-of-perceived-exertion scale, the Activation–Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD-ACL), and the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire. Results: The differences between the experimental and control groups were significant for AD-ACL calmness and tension. Conclusion: A virtual-reality-based rehabilitation program can ease patients’ tension and induce calm. Keywords: bicycling exercise, spinal-cord injury, endurance, simulator Rehabilitation is an opportunity to help people reduce the impact of motor limitations. Physical therapy, especially for patients suffering from spinal-cord injury, is usually an important part of the treatment program in rehabilitation for disabled people. 1 Physical therapy is a long-term and tedious treatment, however, so stimulating patients’ motivation is always a major concern. In recent years, improvements in computer technology have made virtual reality (VR) popular and available in various therapies 2 such as pain reduction, 3–5 stress reduction, skill training, 6 telerehabilitation, 7 and rehabilitation. 8 Virtual rehabilitation is an application that integrates VR with rehabilitation and represents the provision of therapeutic interventions locally or at a distance, using VR hardware and simulations. The high flexibility and programmability of VR enable a therapist to set a variety of controlled stimuli, monitor patients’ responses in the virtual rehabilitation, and offer clinical assessment and rehabilitation options that are lacking in traditional methods. 9,10 Patients are situated in a lifelike but virtual environment, allowing all activities to be carried out safely. 11 VR is a promising technology in rehabilita

An approach for mechanical property optimization of fused deposition modeling with polylactic acid via design of experiments

Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to present the influences of several production variables on the mechanical properties of specimens manufactured using fused deposition modeling (FDM) with polylactic acid (PLA) as a media and relate the practical and experimental implications of these as related to stiffness, strength, ductility and generalized loading. Design/methodology/approach A two-factor-level Taguchi test matrix was defined to allow streamlined mechanical testing of several different fabrication settings using a reduced array of experiments. Specimens were manufactured and tested according to ASTM E8/D638 and E399/D5045 standards for tensile and fracture testing. After initial analysis of mechanical properties derived from mechanical tests, analysis of variance was used to infer optimized production variables for general use and for application/load-specific instances. Findings Production variables are determined to yield optimized mechanical properties under tensile and fracture-type loading as related to orientation of loading and fabrication. Practical implications The relation of production variables and their interactions and the manner in which they influence mechanical properties provide insight to the feasibility of using FDM for rapid manufacturing of components for experimental, commercial or consumer-level use. Originality/value This paper is the first report of research on the characterization of the mechanical properties of PLA coupons manufactured using FDM by the Taguchi method. The investigation is relevant both in commercial and consumer-level aspects, given both the currently increasing utilization of 3D printers for component production and the viability of PLA as a renewable, biocompatible material for use in structural applications.