Functions, rules and models: three complementary techniques for analyzing strength data

Isokinetics systems are now a leading technology for assessing muscle strength and diagnosing muscle injuries. These systems are very expensive, for which reason they should be put to the best possible use. However, the computer interfaces that now come with isokinetics systems only provide a simple graphical display of the strength data, that is, do not interpretate the data. This paper presents the first phase of the I4 (Interface for Intelligent Interpretation of Isokinetie Data) project, which output two computer systems: ISODEPOR and ISOCIH. Both applications provide simple and effective interaction with the LIDO Isokinetics Machine, implementing expertise in the assessment of the data through a knowledge representation mechanism that includes functions, rules and isokinetic models. The main difference between the applications is that while ISODEPOR was built for sports physicians, ISOCIN was built for blind physicians, accounting for their specific impairments.