• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.8-19
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• 2013

One of the important issues for structural and electrical specifications in developing a robot is to determine lengths of links and motor specifications, which need to be appropriate to the purpose of robot. These issues become more critical for a gait rehabilitation robot, since a patient wears the robot. Prior to developing an entire gait rehabilitation robot, designing of a 1DOF assistive knee joint of the robot is considered in this paper. Human gait motions were used to determine an allowable range of knee joint that was rotated with a linear type actuator (ball-screw type) and links. The lengths of each link were determined by using an optimization process, minimizing the stroke of actuator and the total energy (kinetic and potential energy). Kinetic analysis was performed in order to determine maximum rotational speed and maximum torque of the motor for tracking gait trajectory properly. The prototype of 1 DOF assistive knee joint was built and examined with a impedance controller.

• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.43-58
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• 2023

This article is a spinoff of a doctoral study that was completed at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) in 2018 on provision of information services to persons with visual and physical impairments in public university libraries in Kenya. The article examined how ICTs such as internet, e-resources and e-databases, word processing, websites and more were being used in public university libraries to provide access to information by visually and physically impaired persons. Data were collected from the visually and physically impaired students, University Librarians, Systems librarians, staff from disability departments and library staff who provided services to visually and physically impaired persons. The findings revealed that the visually and physically impaired persons in most of the libraries could not access information owing to lack of the necessary assistive and adaptive technologies and weak institutional support and framework. The study recommend that the libraries improve assistive technology infrastructure, embrace new assistive technologies such as telepresence robots, virtual realities and more, and put in place enabling policies and capacity building programmes for library staff to enable them to provide services to persons with impairments.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.200-205
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out how gait training with shoulder-back assistive device affects dynamic and static balance, gait of patients with stroke and to help improve body alignment, balance, and gait ability in stroke patients. Methods: Measurements were taken of the 20 subjects before intervention without shoulder-back assistive device, after intervention with device, and follow up after an hour compared. Berg balance scale used to evaluate dynamic balance; wii balance board was used to measure static balance; and gait ability were measured by timed up and go test and 10-meter walk test. To analyze the results, a one-way repeated measures analysis of variance was implemented to compare the measurements. Results: The results showed that, after wearing the shoulder-back assistive device, the subjects' dynamic balance statistically significantly improved; no statistically significant difference was observed in static balance, although their balance ability was enhanced; and their increase in gait ability was statistically significant. Conclusion: This study proved that gait training combined with a shoulder-back assistive device positively impacted dynamic and static balance, gait of patients with stroke.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.664-673
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• 2015

The assistive devices for disabled people are being highlighted even in industrial aspects through the policy and support for disabled people, enactment of regulation for the improvement of accessibility of disabled, technological innovation and product development. Recently, internet access with the sense of touch and hearing and utilizing electronic publishing contents and e-mailing are being convenient through the product of ICT development such as screen reader for visually impaired people, braille display, screen enlarger, text converter and others. Even so, in rapidly changing digital media smart era, the accessibility of visually impaired people is still poor and assistive devices and alternative formats are in need of improvement. Therefore, in aspect of the research and development innovation, this study proposes the implementation directions for improvement of accessibility by analyzing the current situation and structure of alternative formats and assistive devices for visually impaired people. As a result, in the future, various types of digital information are expected to be converted into a customized and realistic forms and distributed through a dedicated disability products or smart devices.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.99-109
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• 2013

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the current state of training in assistive technology(AT) for pediatric physical therapists(PPTs) and pediatric occupational therapists(POTs), in addition, investigate therapists' preferred training methods and contents. The eventual purpose was to suggest the essential fundamental factors to adapt the assistive technology in clinics. METHODS: The subject of this study were 167 therapists(98 PPTs and 69 POTs) who work at general hospitals, welfare center, facilities for the disabled, and special education school in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. Frequency analysis and Chi-squared test were used. RESULTS: Significant numbers of PPTs(66 therapists, 67.3%) and POTs(50 therapists, 72.5%) answered that they had received training in AT. More than 48% answered no training experience or low adequacy in each classification scheme for questions. The most difficulty in the training was indicated by lack of education opportunity(90 therapists, 53.9%). The most required device training was seating and position device training(43 therapists, 21.9%) for PPTs and orthosis and prosthesis device training(29 therapists, 21.0%) for POTs. In assistive technology service, PPTs needed evaluation to AT device training(69 therapists, 35.2%) and POTs needed evaluation to disabilities for AT training(41 therapists, 29.7%). Both therapists answered that the most effective training is continuous education(52 therapists, 31.1%) and college education(48 therapists, 28.7%). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that PPTs and POTs need more opportunities for training in AT. For effective clinical app lication of AT, there should be continuous education such as on-the-job training, mentoring program, technical manual, and college education.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.165-171
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• 2017

We suggested the novel actuator mechanism to apply to wearable assistive system for the improvement of quality of life of the elderly or the people with disability using it. Characteristics of metal-hydride (MH) actuator is investigated in the novel actuating concept. The hydrogen equilibrium pressure increases when hydrogen is desorbed by heating a SMH alloys, whereas by cooling that alloys, the hydrogen equilibrium pressure decreases and hydrogen is absorbed. However, there are too long times in heat transfer mechanism to apply the assistive and rehabilitative device. In this study, 3 different SMH module were designed and characteristics of heat transfer in each SMH module were investigated based on the heat simulation.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2010

Research and development of Assistive Technology (AT) for blind people is primarily focused on assisting mobility and improving access to information. Some particularly useful devices for aiding access to information and communication are DAISY players used with talking books, screen readers for reading screens, video magnifiers to aid low vision, Braille displays, and Braille PDAs. These essential devices have been successfully commercialized and have assisted many visually impaired people. Assistive technology devices for visually impaired people are called sensory substitution devices, because these devices substitute tactile or auditory functions for visual functions. The tactile interfaces of sensory substitution devices such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs have a bimorph type of piezoelectric actuator that forms a Braille (pin) of the Braille cells by moving up and down. KGS Corporation of Japan has more than 80% share of the worldwide market for these Braille cell actuators. Commercializing it for the first time in the world. This paper reviews the various endeavors in Japan in the research and development of tactile displays, such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs. Furthermore, it discusses sensory substitution devices that use tactile displays, focusing especially on the rotating Braille display we have developed.

• 재활복지
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.25-45
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• 2014

The present report aims to examine the assistive technology(AT) service operating system for the Disabled in Sweden, and will give it to NHIS(National Health Insurance Service) to manage of policy for AT service operating system. The user of AT is around 10% of the Disabled in Sweden which is introduced the AT service system to support the independence for the Disabled. To provide AT service, the role of the Ministry of Health(planning and regulation, controling Handisam and Hi as a subsidiary), County councils(providing and follow up medical AT service, operating AT service center) and Municipalities(providing general AT service) in Sweden is decentralized strictly. Specially, all the AT device is lent freely and recycled suitably for persons with Disabilities, moreover nurses, physical therapist and occupational therapist has a qualification for prescription of AT device . This finding will be the basis to improve Assistive Technology Operating System in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.505-512
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• 2022

In this study, a 3D printed assistive device was applied to X-ray examinations to diagnose human diseases. Based on the results of evaluating the device, statistical and regression analyses were conducted to evaluate its clinical utility and purchase intention, respectively. In the experiment, 90 radiologists performed X-ray examinations on patients who agreed with the use of the assistive device in oblique view X-rays of the lumbar spine, and then statistical analyses were undertaken with a traditional aid and factor analysis. The non-standardized coefficient values of the multiple regression analysis performed by setting the purchase intention of the 3D printed device as the dependent variable and the 3D printed device and traditional aid calculated by factor analysis as independent variables were 0.893 (p<0.001) and 0.269 (p<0.001), indicating statistically significant results. The results show that the 3D printed assistive device proposed in this study has higher clinical utility than traditional aids used in oblique view X-rays of the lumbar spine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.26 no.6_3
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• pp.1315-1323
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• 2023

Rehabilitation assistive devices not only assist the rehabilitation therapy and daily life of the disabled and the elderly, but also assist the labor of their caregivers, so various functions are required to improve their quality of life. In this study, a design method considering its practicality is introduced for an active rehabilitation assistive device that can perform both standing and walking assistance by driving various actuators. For this purpose, the force required to assist standing was calculated using statics with the body segmentation method. Also, the overturning stability of the device was verified for various physical conditions and postures. The actuator in the active rehabilitation assistive device was operated by a patient using a graphical user interface in an embedded computer and a touch panel for easy usage. The detailed design was performed for implementation through the help of 3D-CAD and the finite element analysis, and a prototype was produced. Finally, it was proven that the design goal was satisfied by experimental validation.