J O I N T M O B I L I T Y
A project targeted at joint
activity of both the disabled and society to offer the disabled suitable job
opportunity, and preventing and treating the low-back-pain, a civilization
disease on the increase, leading to disability sometimes, afflicting the spine,
the largest assembly of joints in our body, by manufacturing and
marketing the JM-belt, a simple universal selfmedication device as described in
a nutshell bellow (for
greater detail see appendix ii, v, vi and vii and the introductory pages I and
II.)
Description of the JM application
set, reg no. CZ 13625 Int. Cl. A 61 H 23/02
The
application set consists of two vibration units, fixation elastic belt and the
power supply unit.
Both
the vibration units are fastened reversibly to the elastic band worn round the
waist, on or under garment, to treat low-back pain or prevent it.
The
capsula of the vibration unit is formed by an empty bottle or rather tube and
its stopper, plug, a small plastic container widely used for vitamin tablets,
dietary supplements, effervescent medicaments, for diagnostic strips and
various laboratory supply material, and thrown away to the mixed waste, which
is very difficult to recycle, and an electric motor with and eccentrically
fitted load producing vibration (see appendix v).
There
are two version of the set: the mobile one (TYPE B) which is
supplied by a rechargeable Battery (NiCd cells etc.) - a specially
adapted charger is enclosed in the complete set,
and the AC/DC adaptor version
(TYPE A), for home or stationary use in particular (e g during the
sleep at night).
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS page numbers
I. Project's main features in brief 2-5
II. Description of the JM-project ( JM-work team and financing
structures, work units IA, IB,
IC, II, III and IV etc.) 6-27
III. Physiology of
treatment by JM-belt (a
comparison with
another system and clinical trial) 28-29
IV. Appendix (detailed pictures, clin. test report. etc.) i-x
A FEW POINTS
FEATURING THE JOINT-MOBILITY PROJECT
i. Low-back
pain is, no doubt, a typical civilization disease, whose incidence
has been increasing by the growing quantity of computer done work causing rigid
unphysiologial, ergonomically unfavourable overloading in the lower back area.
Nowadays, the young generation in particular is being exposed to various
temptations leading to stiff lengthy sitting in front of the computer display
or television screen: e g the Internet, real-time credit card virtual shops,
numerous network games, communication, e-mailing, sex-sites, research work by
students... The universal self-medication vibration system (abbr. USVS) offers
an easy-to-do semiactive build-up of muscles lining the backbone, which play an
important role in keeping it in good shape as the protective step, and
considerable relief of pains as the therapeutical self-medicated measure (see
appendix vi).
ii. Developing
and tuning up the USVS, a lot emphasis has been put on long-lasting reliability, i e ability to work in a
24-hour cycle because no commercially available device meets this essential
requirement.
iii. Good availability
of the in-put material and a construction procedure with simple standard
operation steps, creating an opportunity for the disabled, handicapped to
take part in the assembling process and marketing the finished product (an
important psychological point, still often neglected - to see more than
financial results of one's work, an uplifting feeling for this more or less
excluded community) as well (size, shape and weight of used tools and skills
demanded to properly work with them even at
reduced speed, limited access work area & space by a mobility
handicap, non-toxic materials etc. have been taken into consideration). The
Czech law improved its support for the handicapped e g by the Decree
Nr.115/1992 and the handicapped are eligible to take a government grant
amounting up to 100,000 Czech Crowns, which is to be spent on the special
equipment of the workplace set up in the disabled person's own household. It
may play a positive role in project budget and realization. Objective 3 as
defined in the Structural funds priorities, i e vulnerable groups in society,
of the Structural Funds, is being targeted by these measures since people
either physically (can take positions in the unit II and IV, see page 23 in particular) or mentally (unit e g III)
disabled have a very weak position in the labour market and are discriminated
against considerably (EQUAL). Further reading: 'Working for the reagions',
Regional Policy, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities,
p. 4, 22, Luxembourg 2001, Regulation
(EC) No 1784/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12
July 1999 on the European Social Fund
iv EU
member states have been supporting their handicapped citizens in many ways all
the time. On one hand there is a large number of superb grant programmes
focused on this double-dogged people (disease&social consequences) e g
EQUAL, HELIOS), on the other hand many a member state has recognized the
economic and social benefits of this wise attitude already, the legislative
cornerstone for these activities being laid down in the Article 26 of the EU
Charter, i e EU document 364/01 2000/C dealing with the integration of disabled
people. However, creating adequate jobs for this group and giving them an equal
opportunity on the labour market is a lengthy, hard, yet economically, socially
and ethically rewarding process (Lisboa March 2000, Nice, December 2000, Madrid
Declaration, March 23rd 2002 etc.).
v Both
above mentioned aspects of the project JOINT MOBILITY (i e public health
& social integration of the disabled) are quite well accepted by people
in general and might favourably contribute to the public relation of project
partners & cooperating, supporting
or sponsoring organizations as well. They contribute to the disability
mainstreaming policies as well.
vi The fixation
elastic band - the JM-belt of the vibration
self-medication set (as shown in pictures on page 1), measuring about 2 to 4 cm
in width, are quite suitable to carry inscriptions, logos etc, e g about the
sponsor & its activities, EU, WHO programmes. There is plenty of space
to place useful information on it, e g forming public awareness to dangers
of civilization diseases on the increase
e g smoking and alcohol consumption and promotion texts alike. Putting
on and taking off the band is easy, quick and simple. The vibrations and their
interference products are strong enough to wear the fixation band even on a
thick layer of garment.
vii Regarding
the marketing methods of the finished production, I have a dream, the Internet
seems to be a very convenient tool for this purpose, in particular since the
self-medication low-back-pain treatment set is relatively light, small, not
fragile (see appendix ii) and the resulting p&p costs thus acceptable for
delivering it even internationally, e g to the USA and within the EU (Europe in
12 lessons, Pascal Fontaine, p. 33, Office for Official Publications of the
European Communities, Luxembourg 2004). As regards virtual shopkeepers, the people
on the wheelchair are well-known to be outstanding Internet experts. This
job might be attractive for them because it is psychologically supportive,
giving them a natural chance to communicate and work nationally and
internationally, decreasing their social isolation. Naturally, the strict
rules, regulation, simply all the acquis communautaire concerning the
data protecction in the EU must be adhered to ('Dialogue with Citizens and
Business, Data protection in the European Union', page 7 to 11 in particular,
Office for Official Publications, Luxembourg 2000).
viii The on-line
real-time payment with a credit card is considered to be proven, safe and preferred by clients and Internet
shopkeepers at present. The unified EU postal service standards make it now
possible to deliver goods efficiently within the EU, which has been facilitated
by the introduction of the at that, and therefore the conventional cash on
delivery method may also be useful and reliable these days again. The project
promotes the e-commerce and takes advatage of it to a significant extent, as
one of its features ('Towards a knowledge-based Europe', p. 13 - .eu instead of
.com, in 2002, p 21 - eBusiness, European Office for Official Publications of
the European Communities, Luxembourg 2003).
ix A consumer
information leaflet inserted in the package might involve data on project
partners&sponsors, on the project itself, logos, enhancing the promotion,
branding and information spreading capability of the product. A short set of
instructions and instructive picture should focus on suitable physical training
and exercises to be performed in combination with using the JM-belt. Education
of people concerning civilization diseases must be taken seriously, without
missing an appropriate opportunity as in this case. See appendix x.
x The
market has been researched for several years to find building components both
of good quality and not expensive. Fortunately, this effort succeeded in a
really competitive final product: including in-put material costs, wages &
overheads its price could be fixed at half the usual price of similar
devices for selfmedication, at the highest. However, other similar devices
do not take advantage of the vibration interference phenomenon, which is one of
the innovative features of JOINT MOBILITY set and consist of one vibration unit
only in general.
xi The technical
solution and know-how of the USVS (i e Universal Self-medication Vibration
System) has been given the appropriate intellectual property protection (see
appendix iii - iv, i e certificate CZ13625 issued by the respective state
authority and according to the Article 17, Chapter II of the EU Charter, as
mentioned above it might be legally assumed as protected in the EU as well.
xii Last
but not least: The production process will take advantage of empty small
cylindrical plastic containers, which form the vibration unit shell or capsule,
along with their very tight plugs.
They
are being thrown away into the mixed household waste normally because only few,
one or two of them, are used up at the same time and disposed of. And those are
very widely used shapes of packing indeed, not only for vitamin and
effervescent tablets, food additives etc, but also laboratory testing systems, as diagnostic strips, sensibility
disks assessing antibiotic resistance etc (see appendix i). To recycle those
out of the mixed waste is rather a tough task and this method comes only the
second to the waste prevention, very wisely in the EU. Construction design of
USVS makes it possible to save a lot of energy, in comparison with the, in this
case only slightly probable, conventional recycling procedures, which need
additional energy supply to homogenize the waste, granulate it, create a new
mould, heat up material before injecting it etc. This means waste prevention by
better manufacturing methods, which is the first priority. JOINT MOBILITY takes
environmental-friendly manufacturing solutions seriously, justifying,
perhaps, to conclude this self-praising and boring section by a saying: 'think
globally - act locally', as rightly stressed by ecologists all the time since, even if very modestly, the project makes its own
contribution to reduce the 'for final disposal' waste by 20 %, a strategic goal
set for the years up to 2010 ('Choices for a greener future', p.17, Office for
Official Publications, Luxenbourg 2002).
PRELIMINARY
PROJECT STRUCTURING
A DISABLED
HELPED BY HEALTHIER ONES, JM-TEAM
I manufacturing unit, it has 3 subunits A,
B and C
II marketing unit and virtual shop
III dispatch unit, e g packaging & posting
orders either payed already or to be paid COD, mailing them
IV accountant
All of them
preferably disabled, the joint activity may be necessary for the unit III
(perhaps as hinted at below in article C, or family volunteers) to a certain
level (taking the packaged orders to the post etc.) in particular.
B MATERIAL,
EQUIPMENT, UP-DATING HARD&SOFT WARE
I small electric motors (tested Mabuchi,
similar Igarashi
II AC/DC adaptors (A version)
III rechargeable cells about 2,000mAh, chargers
(B version)
IV plastic containers with watertight
stoppers, before we are able to collect back empty ones left when their
contents have been used up (vitamins, effervescent tablets, analgesics,
additives etc., mainly sold in pharmacies)
V construction equipment e g soldering
pistols/guns, special scissors for cutting copper plate - the cooler wings,
suitable pliers for inserting the electric motor into the shell, an appropriate
sewing-machine for sewing together the elastic belt bearing vibration units
VI construction material e g insulated
cables, capacitors and diodes for the A
version, holders for 4 rechargeable cells size AA used in B version
VII information & computing technology
a hardware PCs, one for every unit, for unit
II a good, fast, network machine able to host the virtual Internet shop and
accepting real-time payments by credit cards and a fast loading promotion and
project information site, streamer to back-up data, power supply unit for an
occasional electricity drop-out, a user of this equipment may be blind - the
headphones and a voice generating card, ergonomically well designed keyboard
for people afflicted by e g muscular dystrophy (see appendix vii and iv as
well, three printers, one colour, interface for the internet access for every
PC - Intranet via Internet, seeking advice of an experienced IT expert or
company to find a suitable configuration seems practical at the very least.
b
software
for interactive creating and updating a virtual internet shop data, simple
spreadsheet for the accountant e g EXCEL, QUATRO, SYMPHONY or a special program
for book-keeping, inventory list for input material on store - e g DBASE,
FOXBASE application, voice generation if necessary for the blind.
C SERVICES
I telecommunication fees, internet access
charges, transport of parcels to the post, packaging if not volunteered,
postage for COD
II Paying an employment agency to find a suitable
team in cooperation with the Disability Association in the Czech Republic or
elsewhere, a software and internet company or adviser or expert to build the
Internet site, find good and cheap well compatible configuration for us, the
Internet or other media promotion - it is less costly than improvisation. Having at hand a sort of lifeline a person with working knowledge of economics,
English, accountancy, who should have its own car, mobile phone and Internet
access, to help out those disabled from time to time with transport, when
acting in person is necessary, who would have good communication skills and
patience and generosity to offer abt 2 hours a week to the
JM project @ EU5 per hour, except for the petrol costs and greater telecommunication
expenses, which shall be refunded to her or him and vice versa. Last but
not least - in greater detail please read chapters 'Preliminary Financial
Breakdown' page 7, and 'Work Flow Chart', page 21, 27.
D MISCELLANEOUS
i e SUNDRY ITEMS
toner
cartridges or ink ribbon ones for printers, paper, labels for printing address
of the customer, other office material, packaging material and boxes approved
by post, equipment repairs when something goes wrong etc. This section is
itemized in the following chapter in greater detail.
PRELIMINARY
FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN
E
& O E
Comment: In
order to save some paper, the budget refers to both options of the goods on
offer, i e the basic AB version and the economizing ABX together (for greater
detail see please the chapter 'Savings, Cuts and Funds'). To amend the grand
total of the budget so that it shows only the essential AB option the
following figure has to be subtracted: EU20 (clip connections) i e the rounded
grand total is EU28,000 in fact.
SAVINGS, CUTS
AND FUNDS
It is always
difficult to raise funds enough to launch this kind of projects. Applying for
them to various authorities, foundations etc. may be a feasible way how to
finance them form multiple resources. There are now many co-financing
modalities of this sort of a SME run by the disabled in place (Pascal Fontaine
'Europe in 12 lessons', e g p. 39, Luxembourg 2004).
First of all, there
are national authorities, grant agencies and foundations, that are to be
addressed.
However, as to my
knowledge, the Decree Nr. 115/1992 (page 2, 17, 19) lays down, that handicapped people are eligible
to take a government grant to purchase special equipment of their workplace,
when they work at home. This is quite frequently a successful route, for
wheelchair-users in particular. The sum in question equals EU3,000 approximately.
The unit II, IV and IA may take advantage of this grant.
Ministry for the
regional development should take care of activities improving the employment
rate of the most vulnerable section of society e g the disabled and support
small to middle size entrepreneurial activities. This project, as we think,
meets the criteria of such economical activity well and their support seems to
be rather important for the project to start.
Hardly any private
company here, however, would consent to
volunteer in this kind of project, I am afraid, let alone to be the first
giving a helping hand. The following only confirms our fears:
Regarding the
commercial sector of our economy I can report as follows: I have been in touch
with 3 targeted companies, which may take much more interest in this project
than other. Two of them selling and manufacturing pharmaceutic products and one
dealing in electronic and electric components. I received after a few reminders
either no answer or a negative one. I general, they do not expect this kind and
size of project to attract much publicity, and so they cannot capitalize on the
initial investment in terms of promotion and advertising (page 3).
WHO may help
considerably in many a way. Not only has the name of the JM-project drawn on
the WHO programme of this decade called similarly 'JOINT MOTION' for its
inspiration, but also its contents are in line with the preventive aims of this
WHO programme since the spine is the most complex assembly of joints in our
body and both disabled and their fellow human beings must act jointly here.
Every budget can be
cut down in some way. I would like to propose, if necessary, the following
cuts:
Instead of the
originally planned two versions A and B, both sets including the power supply
unit, yet another two alternatives would be manufactured and on offer. They
would have no power supply attached to them. The customer would make use of his
or her own options to provide for the power supply module. These version can be
called AX and BX. The respective number assembled might be 100 for either
subtype, which makes up 200 together, or in an even more saving manner 150 AXs
and 50BXs.
Summed up:
|
item |
explication,
reference etc. |
|
|
labour costs |
Ministry of Regional Development, support for
small to medium range entrepreneurial activities, anti-exclusion and
discrimination features of the project offering suitable employment
opportunity to the disabled in the region |
5573 |
|
AC/DC adaptors |
version AX and A instead of A only, i e 250 A
and 100 (X versions numbers may be e g 100 AX and 100 BX) AX i e without the
power supply module, AC/DC adaptor |
175 |
|
cells chargers |
versions BX and B instead of B only, i e 50 B
and 150 BX, together A+B+AX+BX equals 250+50+100+100 making up 500 again |
2700 |
|
pliers soldering pistol sewing machine scissors |
can be refunded under the provision of the
above mentioned Decree Nr. 115/1992 |
243 |
|
capaci-tors |
changing the production scope from A and B
versions to A, AX, B and BX means 250+100 A and AX which use the electric
circuit involving capacitors i e instead of original 300x2, 350x2 in this
version, @EU0.2, thus this figure is in red, i e increased costs by |
-20 |
|
diodes |
the same as above applies here: [email protected], i e
loss of |
-2.5 |
|
cell-holders |
50B and 100BX in comparison with 200, saving of
50 pieces @EU0.2 |
10 |
|
hardware PC No1, |
the Decree 115, as above mentioned may take
action well in this case since this JM-team member will probably be a
wheelchair user - their applications are quite often successful. |
2200 |
|
PC No 2,3,4 |
one for unit IV (accountant), one for unit III
- printing addresses (could be left out) and invoices or other package insert
information (special short version in member state languages later, physical
exercises to keep the backbone as fit as possible, first of all for the PC
and Internet users, professionals and laymen alike, one for subunit IA, this
would take action when another JM team member would prepare the designs for
printing on the belt before sewing - in the pilot stage it may be omitted.
The unit IV, this disabled might be very happy getting decree 115 grant if
not in the wheelchair, which is not very likely though. In my opinion, this
is not perfectly fair and right. Many badly disabled people suffering
from systemic afflictions can hardly leave their flats because of a whole
host of reasons: exhaustion, nausea and vomiting from time to time, problems
with walking in pain...and just among them we could find many lending
themselves to this sort of work. The statement 'wait and see' can be added only.
|
1500 |
|
Internet interface |
for the unit II, Decree Nr 115, pages 2, 17, 19, may be made use of - very probable when the
virtual shopkeeper would be a wheelchair-user |
400 |
|
the same for units IA, III and IV |
two of them can be possibly given up for the
pilot phase, for the accountant, i e unit IV Decree Nr 115 may be taken
advantage - the comment above. |
450 |
|
printer |
unit I, Decree 115 (page 2, 17, 19) |
500 |
|
printer |
for other units, reduction to unit IV,
accountant, Decree 155 |
330 |
|
monitors keyboards streamer etc. page12 |
the quality of the workplace of the member in
the unit II and perhaps IV must be met as strictly as possible. Decree 115,
page 2,
17, 19 |
|
|
soft ware |
costs may be covered, at least partly, by the
Ministry for Regional Development |
600 |
|
telecom- munic. |
the same as above, more on the page 14 |
3500 |
|
trade name register |
can be omitted in the pilot stage |
400 |
|
sundry |
can be reduced by |
150 |
|
T O T A L S A V I N G S in T H E
O R Y |
18 708.50 |
|
It would be not be
sensible to think, that this rounded up figure of EU19,000 can simply be
discounted from the grand total of the breakdown as presented above, but if
wise and well harmonized actions took place, I guess, 50 per cent of this sum
may be taken away from the budget, which makes 28,000 - 9,500.00 = EU18,500.00.
This sum is unlikely to be raised in the Czech republic alone.
Funding this
project may be very hard and it is certain to take several steps and a few
months. The multiple source funding in its countless co-financing modalities is
the only route to launch the pilot stage of the JOINT MOBILITY project. I am
sorry to write, that it is beyond my health capacity to do it nowadays.
A possible solution
to this problem, sort of project ignition, may be as follows:
There have to be,
in my opinion, two persons which should negotiate with authorities here and
abroad, harmonizing the complex task of financing: the person called
'coordination agent', page 15, 21, 27, 7, and his law adviser i e an experienced lawyer.
They might be appointed by the EC in cooperation with the Czech Disability
Forum (Chairwoman Mr Krasa). Their role is crucial to the destiny of JM
project. Thus they must be good at dealing with authorities on one hand and
honest and their actions transparent on the other hand. It my be a tough task
to choose them.
This period is not
covered in the JM timetable itself. Project timing schedule begins when
appropriate funding has been sorted out, after the ignition period.
Therefore this
vitally important period ('project's ignition') deserves specifying in this
place. The responsibility for it shall be delegated to the persons as mentioned
above. It is essential for them to have the starting sum of money, which may be
restricted to EU2,600, as given in the breakdown for the following items:
coordination agent, employment agency, registration fees for internet domain
and intellectual property, Petty Cash Book i e in EU: 500 + 200 + 500 + 500 +
900, as itemized on page 15 and further on. After they have finished their
work, the JM-team will be ready to take over from them. They are to present the
bill of their services to the accountant and the respective items of the
breakdown be properly discounted, so that the ledger is exact.
This is the reason
for the fact that rather a high sum has been allocted to the Petty Cash Book.
It presents, together with the above mentioned items, the vital finance to get
JM project started.
However, the
probability of raising this sum is wellnigh zero here.
STAFFING JM-TEAM
The JM-team
consists of 6 disabled members and 1 person, a coordinator (page 15, 7). His essential role in the project ignition
period is given in greater detail on page 21, 27.
The belt designer
(customized belt lay-outs, preparation for the design transfer onto the belt by
an appropriate printing method e g plotter, special laser printers or copies,
page 9) is listed in the subunit IA since he or she
must be in touch with units IA and unit II while creating the logos and other
patterns for the belt. However it may be more practical to establish another
subunit to the unit I, e g D in the future. So no salary for the
would be subunit ID is listed in the breakdown and in the following table as
well. He may be physically disabled, yet an artist or a gifted person, as to
the creative graphic art, good at arts and crafts.
All JM-team members
may be disabled. They should come from the Czech republic preferably, although
the participation of the disabled from other EU member state (e g unit IV, II)
would be welcome.
The disability type
and extent of JM-team members might vary considerably and this fact must be
observed when consigning them to the individual units.
Here are the
specification in greater detail:
The author is
neither included in the team nor can become a coordination agent. He is ready
to share his know-how or other knowledge useful for the JM-project with all the
JM-team by phone or post. He begs that the following explanation be taken into
account:
He is a severely
disabled person (classification by the respective authority) and on the
disability pension.
He has a PC with
286 processor about 15 year old without an Internet access.
He feels very sorry
that, because of unfavourable health, he will not be able to pay visits to the
JM-team members.
Having a standard
up-to-date PC and the Internet access would facilitate the information
exchange, yet expanding the budget of the hard first stage of the project may
be considered as wasting the rare resources, in his opinion, and so this
expenditure is not included in the budget.
TIMING
The project can
take off after thee appropriate both human and financial resources have been
found and the preparatory, ignition experts have successfully finish their task
as well.
The ignition period
experts are to present their bill to the unit IV i e accountant and pass on to
her or him all the necessary information pertaining to resources and financing
further steps i e purchasing the equipment, material, PCs, paying services of
Internet experts and other members of the team. The coordiantion agent will
stay in touch with the team after this, but his or her law adviser shall finish
his or her activity in that moment.
Roughly speaking,
the ignition period excluded, there are four periods, that can be distinguished
in the pilot stage of the project.
They can by
outlined as follows
|
units |
1st quarter |
2nd quarter |
3rd quarter |
4th quarter |
|
I
manuf |
++++++++++ |
++++?? |
|
|
|
II
market |
??+++ |
+++++++++ |
++++++++++ |
+++++++++2 |
|
III p&p |
|
?++++++++ |
++++++++++ |
++++++++++ |
|
IV
acc +1 |
++++++++++ |
+++++++++ |
++++++++++ |
+++++++++ |
remark: 1.
transfer of official documents from the preparatory i e 'ignition phase' agents
to the accountant
2.
marketing and markets: It would be
advisable that the main markets should be located outside the Czech republic,
in the first stage above all since we would be able to make our points as to
the integration of the disabled, prevention of the civilization disease on the
increase, ecological and social balance far more easier abroad.
AUDITS AND
MONITORING
Financial audits
should be carried out quarterly and monitoring be close in order to spend the
funds as economically as possible.
The first audit might
be less rigorous and partly serve as tutorial lesson since the JM-team just be
given some time to get accommodated to high standards of financial transparency
and data reliability and precision. The team must live up to these standards,
as further audits would be concerned.
The unit II and IV
as well should play the crucial role in the process of managing the project and
offer the auditors any information requested. So these JM-team members have to
meet some additional criteria as given on page 23,23, as to their honesty and responsiveness, and
thus a team formed by disabled people from different EU member states may be a
favourable solution to prevent unnecessary complication that are fairly likely
to appear just in this area.
The same rigorous
criteria applies to both agents working on fund raising and staffing before the
actual take off.
Monitoring the
individual production and trading steps, quality management has its limits
under the specific circumstances of the JM-project, first of all in the pilot
stage i e in the first year. The standard quality of finished products i e the
complete JM-belts must be guaranteed. Among other methods as e g visual control
I have developed a small hand-held battery stroboscope, which lends itself very
well to monitor the function of the vibration units by assessing the vibration
frequency in Hz. It may find its use in other areas of health care as well,
first of all in screening and deserves spending some time on exploring these
options, not possible with the routine up-to-date devices, even if technically
much more hi-tech and usually digital with a PC interface, not simply analoque
as this one. Now there are several ranges working from about 0.5 Hz up to 2
kHz. I have taken several months of experimenting to complete this device,
taking advantage of the newest electronic and optoelectronic semiconductor components
e g, CMOS NE 555, MOS-n-FET BUZ 11 LEDs with very high intensity of light
generated. I would be honoured if you asked me for supplying further technical
details of this solution. Another performance test may consist of measuring the
intensity of electric current through the vibration units by a cheap and simple
digital multimeter e g M830 B.
If the JM-belt and
the ideas behind the project found some favour in customers' eyes, I think, the
JM-team quality management might achieve e g the ISO EN 9001 criteria, the
individual standard operation procedures having been exactly identified and
described, among other requirements of these rigorous international norms, the
disability of its members making no difference in this respect.
WORK FLOW CHART
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒ placing orders e g by
Internet ▒
▒ C U S T O M E R
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┌─────────╢virtual
shop
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orders, │ ║marketing
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payments │
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ordering mate- ╔UNIT
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│ rial etc. ║│sewing belts │ ║│
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M A N U ║│
║LEDGER ║
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++++++++++│+++++++++++++++│+++.material
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+╚════════╤═════╝ │ .reserve .
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A C T U Ring ║│+
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│ finished goods
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│ packaged goods +
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│ COD or real time + │ │+
│ payment by a credit card +
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▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒│▒▒▒▒▒▒ via Internet +++++++++++++++++++++++
▒C U S T O M E R
▒ POST, ▒
▒ DELIVERing ▒
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Explanatory
remarks:
The
units inside the '++++' outlined area i e
IB, IC and III should be located not to far from each other because of
the transport and shipping costs involved.
On
the contrary, others may be placed in distant places from each other, even
different EU member states. The unit AI manufactures the JM-belts, which are
fairly light, so they can be sent by post or other appropriate means of
transport to either IC or directly to the unit III as completing the belts with
the vibration units is a simple and easy task.
All
the units communicate by post, e-mail, facsimile, telephone, the Internet, etc.
exchanging only their information, which can be performed very efficiently and
economically within the EU and so distance does not matter.
* for
further details please see pages 15, 7.
I
beg your lenience and forgiveness for the low quality of the chart.
COMPARISON BETWEEN JOINT MOBILITY AND TENS SYSTEMS IN THE CLINICAL TEST
AS SHOWN IN THE APPENDIX VI
i.Mechanical stimulation by vibration - vibratory stimulation or
analgesia, abbr VS (the units themselves vibrate at some 75 to 100 Hz, known to
cause good local analgesic effect, see Literature ref no 1) and interference
(this may range in between 1 to 4 Hz and can be easily achieved by choosing a
suitable pair of vibration units, whose frequency difference, as measured by
the handheld stroboscopic device, developed for this project, falls within
these limits. These slow waves have remote and general effects, probably
inducing increase in the endorphines levels, including warmth generation are
complex stimuli able to produce more than analgesic effects only, which is the
case of TENS (i e transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) and similar
systems: e g helping the strained paravertebral muscles build up symmetrically
(the systems using active electro stimulation can applied safely in healthy
subjects only since when there is the pathological contraction caused by pain
the electric stimulation brings about even more painful cramp and no
muscle-training strengthening effect as on the contrary it does on the other side
of the backbone resulting in a more pronounced asymmetrical scoliotic shape of
the painful area. When asymmetrical posture has already been fixed by organic
changes in the muscles, e g atrophy or a wedge-vertebra, the electric
stimulation methods, like TENS, tend to augment the existing pathology - they
build up the healthy muscles while the atrophy rests almost unchanged - the
very specific electric stimuli find little target tissue to trigger. Mechanical
stimulation boosts the blood supply of the treated area, including to the
hypoxemia, caused by stiff long sitting and ensuing compression of nerves and
blood vessels to a different degree, most sensitive structures such as annuli
fibrosi of the intervertebral discs (the nuclei pulposi are a little
bit better off, in this regard - perhaps because they are of absolutely
different ontologic/genetic and fylogenetic origins, the nuclei are since the
shark appeared on the earth, as a chorda spinalis derivative), nourished
not by capillary perfusion but only by oxygen penetration per continuitatem,
per diffusim from the surrounding structures. These features are
favourable for using the JM vibration system in primary and secondary
prevention of this backbone civilization disease, which regrettably not rarely
insidiously develops into a debilitating, disabling condition of the spine,
often beyond recovery. The analgesic properties of high freguency vibration has
not only been clinically proven in this particular condition e g low back pain
treated with the JM belt i e UHVS, see appendix vi but in the high freguency
VS, in general, see Literature ref no 8, 9 as well, and these findings are also
in good agreement with effects of mechanical stimulation of the analgetic
acupunture paths e g nr. 36, the stomach, or 4, intestine.
ii. If TENS
and similar systems should be properly used, the processor or otherwise formed
specific impulses must be conveyed to nerve fibres by rather exactly placed
electrodes, which are directly in touch with the skin and have to be fixed there
by an adhesive substance. Although the special alloys of electrodes and
formulas of the glue are almost always claimed to have been thoroughly
clinically tested and approved as hypoallergenic and causing no irritation,
these facts pertain to healthy subjects and a few months of testing at the
most. Yet this is not the case in low-back-pain patients, who often sweat
heavily in the afflicted region, where electrodes are to be inserted, in the
male sufferers this area is sometimes fairly thickly covered by hairs at that
and the electrodes do not safely stick to the skin even in healthy subjects,
and finally the treatment period is almost always longer than a few months, in
contrast to the testing period. It means troublesome fixing in practice though,
and as time passes on and the skin is continually exposed to the metallic alloy
of electrodes and adhesive substance, irritation or allergic side effects
either local or systemic may occur. From my own experience I can only confirm,
that e g Durogesic patches though perfectly manufactured caused after several
application skin irritation and tiny blisters. On the contrary, the JM
vibration system can by placed on a layer of clothes, without touching the
skin, it is simple and easy to put on and fix without needing precise
positioning (central nervous processes are involved because spacial analysis
shows that ipsilateral and contralateral effects of VS are statistically
equivalent, and VS reduces pain assessed by the VAS, i e visual analogue scale
in two or more dermatomes away, see Literature ref no 1 and 5). Again, these
features play an important role in flexible treating a chronic disorder and
preventing it.
Finally, there is
the third point worth considering the introduction of the JOINT MOBILITY system
into wider practice: it is yet another weapon to fight low-back pain and
ensuing spinal disabilities as well as preventing this fast spreading
civilization disease.
LITERATURE
a short selection
from the scientific literature on vibratory analgesia i e VA and other related
to the subject
There are only a
few links in the chapter 'Comparison between Joint Mobility and...' pointing to
this brief list of literature because the project documentation focuses mainly
on the logistic, organization, legislative and similar aspect not on the
scientific data. The above mentioned chapter, however, deals with a controlled
clinical trial and requires to give more information on the scientific data
concerning vibratory analgesia and VS.
The following list
of works may demonstrate that this topic i e vibration therapy is worth
detailed scientific research according to the principles of the Evidence Based
Medicine carried out in well designed studies i g multicentric prospective
randomized controlled trials.
This might be
possible only when enough JM vibration therapy belts have been manufactured as
one the most hopeful outcomes of this project. Not only should vibratory
analgesia be addressed in the studies but other conditions known to react
favourably to the VS from single cases i g sleeplessness or constipation should
also be paid fair attention to.
1. Roy E
A, Hollins M, Maixner W: Reduction of TMD pain by high-frequency vibration:
spatial and temporal analysis, Pain 2003, 101 (3): 267-74
2. Weerakkody
N S, Percival P, Hickey M W, Morgan D L, Gregory J E, Canny B J, Proske U:
Effects of local pressure and vibration on muscle pain from eccentric exercise
and hypertonic saline, Pain 2003, 105 (3): 425-435
3. Diego N
A, Field T, Sanders C, Hernandez-Reif M: Massage therapy od moderate and light
pressure and vibrator effects on EEG and heart rate, International Journal of
Neuroscience 2004, 114 (1): 31-44
4. Zhu Y,
Haldeman S, Hsieh C Y, Wu P, Starr A: Do cerebral potentials to magnetic
stimulation of paraspinal muscles reflect changes in palpable muscle spasms,
low back pain, and activity scores? Journal of Manipulative and Physiological
therapeutics 2000, 23 (7): 458-64
5. Yarnitsky
D, Kunin M, Brik R, Sprecher E: Vibration reduces pain in adjacent dermatomes.
Pain 1997, 69 (1-2): 75-77
6. Rhiner
M, Ferrel B R, Ferrel B A, Grant M M: A structured nondrug intervention program
for cancer pain. Cancer Practice 1993, 1 (2): 137-43
7. Guieu
R, Tardy-Gervet M F, Giraud P: Substance P-like immunoreactivity and analgesic
effects of vibratory stimulation on patients suffering from chronic pain.
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences 1993, 20 (2): 138-41
8. Guieu
R, Tardy-Gervet M F, Roll J P: Analgesic effects of vibration and
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation applied separately and
simultaneously to patients with chronic pain. Canadian Journal of Neurological
Sciences 1991, 18 (2): 113-9
9. Guieu
R, Tardy-Gervet M F, Blin O, Pouget J: Pain relief achieved by transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation and/or vibratory stimulation in a case of painful
legs and moving toes. Pain 1990, 42 (1): 43-8.