LipoTool - Mechanical design of a new caliper

4th meeting of young researchers at UP 1 2 4th meeting of young researchers at UP 4th meeting of young researchers at UP 3 IJUP Committee Adrián Silva Aurora Teixeira Elisa Keating Filipe Magalhães Georgina Silva Gonçalo Furtado Graciela Machado Hélder Bastos Helena Madureira Jorge Gonçalves Jorge Teixeira José Rodrigues Lima Laura Oliveira Luís Miguel Madeira M.ª Paula Santos Manuela Aguiar Marcela Segundo Maria José Oliveira Patrícia Antunes Paula Coelho Pedro Sousa Gomes Rita Faria Sofia Rodrigues Vitor Vasconcelos 4 4th meeting of young researchers at UP 4th meeting of young researchers at UP 5 Program Thursday, February 17th 09:00-09:30 Registration 9:30-11:00 Parallel Oral Sessions I A1 - Biological, Environmental & Health Sciences I p. 7 A2 - Biological, Environmental & Health Sciences II p. 15 A3 - Literature & Language Sciences p. 23 A4 - Engineering I p. 31 A6 - Communication Sciences I p. 39 11:00-11:30 Welcome Session – A1 11:30-12:30 Poster Session & Coffee Break 12:30-14:00 Lunch Break 14:00-15:30 Parallel Oral Sessions II A1 - Biological, Environmental & Health Sciences III p. 47 A2 - Biological, Environmental & Health Sciences IV p. 55 A3 - Psychology & Education Sciences I p. 63 A4 - Engineering II p. 71 A5 - Applied Physics p. 79 15:30-17:00 Poster Session & Coffee Break 17:00-18:30 Parallel Oral Sessions III A1 - Biological, Environmental & Health Sciences V p. 87 A2 - Biological, Environmental & Health Sciences VI p. 95 A3 - Geography, Sociology & Economics I p. 103 A4 - Engineering III p. 111 A5 – Law and Criminological Sciences p. 117 Friday, February 18th 9:00-10:30 Parallel Oral Sessions IV A1 - Biological, Environmental & Health Sciences VII p. 125 A2 - History, Visual & Cultural Studies I p. 133 A3 - Communication Sciences II p. 139 A4 - Engineering IV p. 147 A5 – Engineering V p. 155 A6 - Architecture p. 163 10:30-11:00 Poster Session & Coffee Break 11:00-12:30 Parallel Oral Sessions V A1 - Biological, Environmental & Health Sciences VIII p. 171 A2 - History, Visual & Cultural Studies II p. 179 A3 - Psychology & Education Sciences II p. 185 A4 - Engineering VI p. 193 A5 - Sport Sciences I p. 201 A6 – Agronomy & Chemistry I p. 211 12:30-14:00 Lunch Break 14:00-15:30 A1 - Workshop “The Researcher’s Checklist” 15:30-17:00 Poster Session & Coffee Break 17:00-18:30 Parallel Oral Sessions VI A1 - Biological, Environmental & Health Sciences IX p. 219 A2 - Communication Sciences III p. 225 A3 - Agronomy & Chemistry II p. 233 A4 - Geography, Sociology & Economics II p. 241 A5 - Sport Sciences II p. 249 6 4th meeting of young researchers at UP Abstract Book Index Oral Sessions Parallel Oral Sessions I Thursday, February 17th p. 7 Parallel Oral Sessions II Thursday, February 17th p. 47 Parallel Oral Sessions III Thursday, February 17th p. 87 Parallel Oral Sessions IV Friday, February 18th p. 125 Parallel Oral Sessions V Friday, February 18th p. 171 Parallel Oral Sessions VI Friday, February 18th p. 219 Posters Posters I Thursday, February 17th p. 259 Posters II Friday, February 18th p. 405 Index p. 553 4th meeting of young researchers at UP 151 LipoTool - Mechanical design of a new Calliper A. Monteiro1, T. Andrade1, T. Restivo1, M. R. Quintas1, C. M. Silva1 and T. Amaral2 1 IDMEC-Polo FEUP, Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Portugal. 2 Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal. The Measurement of body composition is highly relevant in health. For instance, it is a current procedure in the assessment of individual nutritional status, in the evaluation of body growth, in the analysis of the impact of disease and in body monitoring in sports. However, the existing calipers have experienced insufficient progress, suffering of different limitations and shortcomings, namely inconsistency in the data collecting process. In addition, since many reference calipers still require manual data recording, their operation is time consuming and may demand a second technician, even increasing the evaluation error. This novel wireless skinfold caliper was developed in order to address these issues. The device is based on the use of low cost and portable equipment. The developed prototype uses the general working principle of a typical skinfold calliper, integrating important additional elements for improving working characteristics, accuracy and measuring range. It comprises housing with a cylindrical part and a handle extension, one structure with two jaws with hinged end tips and a lever. The housing includes all the force transmission mechanical elements from the constant force actuator to the jaws, the sensing element, a power supply and the electronic system which is responsible for the management of the whole device and for establishing the communication with the software application residing in the remote station where data is recorded in an integrated database. This device has a novel mechanical design distinct from those available in the market. It uses a constant force actuator within the housing handle, which imposes a constant contact pressure between the end tip faces and the skinfold under measurement. It also offers an opening limit increase of the end tips. Electronic and mechanical features make it able of performing dynamic measurements. The device prototype was calibrated at CATIM and evaluated in health environment under UPorto protocol. This novelty justifies a patent submissions at National[1] and International[2] levels and has been also the reason for two awards in 2010 – 1st place Innovation in Nutrition Awards 2010 and FEUP Colheita 75. References: [1] Patent submission PT 105187, pending. [2] Patent submission PCT/IB2010/055701, pending.