Discussion of Errors and Improvements

There are several potential errors that could lead to inaccurate interpretations of the experiments.  They include the following variations in variables:

1.   Inconsistent starting neutral position:  There was some difficulty in keeping the neutral position before putting the weights on and measuring the force.  Because the plastic tube kept bending, it became­ fatigue and therefore may have actually been pass neutral before the next experiment began.  For this reason, additional force may have been added which could have resulted in inaccurate measurements.  Having just a ruler to mark where neutral is crude.

2.   Measurement Errors: The Newton gauge’s accuracy to measure small forces is limited.  Trying to determine a 2N force as being reliable is subject to errors when changes are about the same.

3.   Statistic Errors: Only one set of measurements were made using the Spine Simulator and Grid Backpack.  It is obvious that more repeated experiments are recommended in order to confirm the results and conclusions.