Abstract—This study aimed to estimate the impedance values of an originally made, artificial rubber phantom attached with one elastic gel sheet using Physion MD (Doctor of Medicine). The electromagnetic characteristics of the material were similar to human body. In previous studies, specially designed bioelectrical impedance acquisition systems and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) methods were used to independently and repetitively measure bioelectrical impedance and serial cross-sectional images of the trunk, forearms, upper arms, lower legs, and thighs of healthy adult men. Bioelectrical impedance was significantly correlated to muscle and fat volumes measured by MRI. Based on this relationship, the estimated values of muscle and fat could also be calculated from the bioelectrical impedance. However, past methodologies have various limitations. In this current, subsequent research, only impedance values were measured, while varying superficial variables (e.g., attaching gel sheets, changing electrode types, and changing the insertion depth of needle-shaped electrodes) This present study indicates that bioelectrical impedance analysis for this rubber phantom including the version with specific gel sheets attached and the version containing normal saline solution is a promising physical simulator, and may be useful for the prediction of not only virtual muscle volume, however, also diverse inner body conditions.

Index Terms—Artificial rubber phantom, gel sheet, normal saline, Physion MD, bioelectrical impedance.

The authors are with National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Department of Information Technology and Human Factors, Robot Innovation Research Center 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8560 Japan (email: s.kawakura@aist.go.jp).

Cite: Shinji Kawakura, Yoshihiro Nakabo, and Kiyoshi Fujiwara, "Measurement and Evaluation of the Bioelectrical Impedance of a Rubber Humanoid Phantom Wrapped with Gel Sheets," International Journal of Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 155-163, 2018.