• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.1393-1401
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• 2010

In this experimental study, we have examined the correlation between a human carpal motion and a surface electromyogram. The carpal motion patterns have been identified and the main muscles involved in the carpal motion have been determined by investigating the anatomical structure of a carpal. The torque acting against the carpal motion has been applied by using a device for carpal rehabilitation training, and the surface electromyogram signal corresponding to the torque at the main muscles has been measured. The root-mean-square (RMS) magnitude of the surface electromyogram signal has been calculated and used to analyze the correlation between the surface electromyogram signal and carpal motion. The experimental results have proved that for carpal torque values below $0.1\;N{\cdot}m$, the RMS magnitude of the surface electromyogram signal is linearly proportional to the carpal torque magnitude and that the carpal torque magnitude is linearly proportional to the cross-sectional area of the carpal muscles. Further, the analysis of the contribution of each muscle to the carpal motion has shown that the contribution of the most dominant muscle is consistently 60%. These three results can be applied to develop more sophisticated devices or robots for carpal rehabilitation training.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.661-662
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• 2009

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.334-335
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• 2010

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2011

This paper examines the dynamic characteristics of a human carpal muscle through theoretical analysis and experiment. The carpal muscle was modeled as a 1-DOF vibration system and vibration response due to a ramp function force was calculated. The electromyogram signal corresponding to the muscle excitation force was measured, and the excitation force function of an envelope curve from the electromyogram signal was extracted. The ramp input function of electrical stimulation to the carpal muscle was applied by using a device for functional electrical stimulation, and the angular displacements corresponding to steady state response were measured. Theoretical calculations of the vibration response displacements were compared with the experimental results of the angular displacements, and have shown a good agreement with the result that is linearly proportional to the excitation force magnitude. As a result, the relationship between the input current of the electrical stimulation and the excitation force magnitude was inferred. The result was shown that it can be applied to develop rehabilitation training devices.