• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.65-72
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• 2009

This paper presents a vision based localization method for indoor mobile robots using the types of vertices from a monocular image. In the images captured from a camera of a robot, the types of vertices are determined by searching vertical edges and their branch edges with a geometric constraints. For obtaining correspondence between the comers of a 2-D map and the vertex of images, the type of vertices and geometrical constraints induced from a geometric analysis. The vertices are matched with the comers by a heuristic method using the type and position of the vertices and the comers. With the matched pairs, nonlinear equations derived from the perspective and rigid transformations are produced. The pose of the robot is computed by solving the equations using a least-squares optimization technique. Experimental results show that the proposed localization method is effective and applicable to the localization of indoor environments.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.203-213
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• 2023

In medical ultrasound imaging systems, Side lobes may appear if signals outside the imaging point are not completely removed during receive focusing. If the time signal of the side lobe overlaps with the time signal (main lobe) from the image point, it is difficult to completely remove it using filter processing in the time domain. However, In the receive focusing process, when time-channel signals are Fourier-transformed, the main lobe and side lobe signals are spatially separated in the spectral domain. Therefore, the side lobes can be suppressed by multiplying the image with magnitude weights, which are determined by the magnitudes of the main and side lobes calculated in the spectral domain. In addition, when the main lobe and the side lobe spectrum are adjacent, the distance weight was applied based on the distance between them. In a 5 MHz ultrasound imaging system using a 64-channel linear transducer, point reflector and speckle images with cysts of various brightness were synthesized and weights were applied to the ultrasound image. Using computer simulations, we confirmed that the side lobes were greatly reduced without affecting the spatial resolution in the point reflector image, and the contrast was significantly improved in the cyst image with computer simulations.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.191-205
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• 2020

This study examined the possibility of utilizing next-generation technology, such as Virtual Reality or AI robots, in the long-term care facilities for the elderly. For the study, the Focus Group Interview was conducted in three different groups of 14 participants (care workers, social workers, and directors of long-term care facilities for the elderly). The analysis revealed a total of three topics, eight categories, and 26 sub-categories. The main results of the study showed that the use of next-generation technology could assist the psychological and emotional stability, provide curiosity and interest, and relieve the desire for physical activity for the elderly. In addition, for long-term care services staff, it could provide useful services for the elderly with physical constraints, facilitate effective management of the elderly roaming around, and enhance emotional support services. Finally, it could also help directors of long-term care facilities promote their services, educate staff, and keep up with current trends. Participants expressed concerns about the introduction of new technologies, but they generally expected that the application of next-generation technology would be positive for the elderly as well as for care workers and directors of long-term care facilities. Therefore, the use of next-generation technology in long-term care facilities for the elderly will also help develop gerontechnology.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 2019

Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation on the thermal boundary resistance(TBR) of an aluminum(Al)/silicon(Si) interface was performed in the present study. The constant heat flux across the Si/Al interface was simulated by adding the kinetic energy in hot Si region and removing the same amount of the energy from the cold Al region. The TBR estimated from the sharp temperature drop at the interface was independent of heat flux and equal to $5.13{\pm}0.17K{\cdot}m^2/GW$ at 300K. The simulation result was experimentally confirmed by the time-domain thermoreflectance technique. A 90nm thick Al film was deposited on a Si(100) wafer using an e-beam evaporator and the TBR on the film/substrate interface was measured using the time-domain thermoreflectance technique based on a femtosecond laser system. A numerical solution of the transient heat conduction equation was obtained using the finite difference method to estimate the TBR value. Experimental results were compared to the prediction and discussions on the nanoscale thermal transport phenomena were made.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.284-290
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• 2013

This study analyzed the geometric, compressive, cutting and friction properties of oriental melons in order to design a gripper capable of soft handling and a cutter for cutting oriental melon vine among the end effector of oriental melon as a preliminary step for developing the end effector of the robot capable of harvesting oriental melons in protected cultivation. As a result, the average length, diameter at the midpoint, weight, volume and roundness of the oriental melons were 108 mm, 70 mm, 188 g, 333 mL and 3.8 mm. Nonlinear regression analysis was performed on the equation $W=L^a{\times}D_2^b$ with variation of the length (L) and diameter (D2) of the weight (W) of the oriental melons. As a result, it was shown that there was a correlation between a of 2.0279 and b of -0.9998 as a constant value. The average diameter of the oriental melon vine was 3.8 mm, and most vines were distributed within a radius of 5 mm from the center. The average yield value, compressive strength and hardness of the oriental melons were $36.5N/cm^2$, $185.7N/cm^2$ and $636.7N/cm^2$, respectively. The average cutting force and shear strength of the oriental melon vines were $2.87{\times}10^{-2}\;N$ and $5.60N/cm^2$, respectively. The maximum friction coefficient of the oriental melons was rubber of 0.609, followed by aluminium of 0.393, stainless steel of 0.177 and teflon of 0.079. It was considered possible to apply it to the size of the gripper and cutter, turning radius, dynamics of drive motor and selection of materials and their quality in light of the position error and safety factor according to the movement when designing end effector based on the analyzed data.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.399-405
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• 2020

Recently, it is difficult to produce uniform scions and rootstocks with high quality in a greenhouse due to weather extremes. The closed transplant production system is useful for producing scions and rootstocks with desirable morphological characteristics by environment control regardless of weather outside. In this study, we investigated transpiration rates and growth of cucumber and tomato scions and rootstocks grown under different light intensity conditions for precise irrigation control in a closed transplant production system. Hanging system to measure continuously the weight of plug tray consisting of seedlings and substrate with load-cell was installed in each growing bed. Using this system, we confirmed initial wilting point of cucumber and tomato seedlings, and conducted subirrigation when moisture content of substrate was not below 50%. The irrigation time of cucumber scions and rootstocks were 7 and 6 days after sowing, respectively. In tomato scions and rootstocks grown under PPF (photosynthetic photon flux) 300 μmol·m^-2·s^-1, the irrigation time were 5, 8, 11, and 13 days after sowing. Increasing light intensity increased transpiration rates and differences of transpiration rates by light intensity was higher in tomato seedlings. The growth of cucumber and tomato seedlings was promoted by increasing light intensity, especially, hypocotyl elongation and stem thickening was affected by light intensity. Cumulative transpiration rate of plug tray in cucumber and tomato seedlings was increased by increasing light intensity, and daily transpiration rate per seedling was regressed by 1st-order linear equation with high correlation coefficient. Estimation of transpiration rates by weighing continuously plug tray of vegetable seedlings can be useful to control more accurately irrigation schedule in a closed transplant production system.