• Title/Summary/Keyword: Assistive

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Development of an Active Gait Assistive Device with Haptic Information (햅틱 연동 능동 보행보조장치 개발)

  • Pyo, Sang-Hun;Oh, Min-Kyun;Yoon, Jung-Won
    • Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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    • v.21 no.6
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    • pp.553-559
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    • 2015
  • The purpose of this research is to develop a gait assistive device to enhance the gait stability and training efficiency of stroke patients. The configuration of this device is mainly composed of a motored wheel and a single cane whose lower end is attached to a motored wheel frame. A patient can feel haptic information from continuous ground contact from the wheel while walking through the grip handle. In addition, the wheeled cane can avoid using excessive use of the patient's upper limb for weight support and motivate the patient to use a paralyzed lower limb more actively. Moreover, the proposed device can provide intuitive and safe user interaction by integrating a force sensor and a tilt sensor equipped to the cane frame, and a switch sensor at the cane's handle. The admittance control has been implemented for the patient to change the walking speed intuitively by using the interaction forces at the handle. A hemi-paretic stroke patient participated in the walking assistive experiments as a pilot study to verify the effectiveness of the proposed haptic cane system. The results showed that the patient could improve walking speed and muscle activations during walking with a constant speed mode of the haptic cane. Moreover, the patient could maintain the preferred walking speeds and gait stability regardless of the magnitude of resistance forces with the admittance control mode of the haptic cane. The proposed robotic gait assistive device with a simple and intuitive mechanism can provide efficient gait training modes to stroke patients with high possibilities of widespread utilizations.

Development of Indoor Locomotion Assistive Robot, Ball-Chair, for the Elderly (고령자를 위한 실내 이동 보조 로봇 볼체어의 개발)

  • Kim, Woo-Yong;Kim, Jung-Yup
    • Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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    • v.38 no.7
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    • pp.799-807
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    • 2014
  • This paper describes the development of an indoor locomotion assistive robot, Ball-Chair, comprising a novel drive system. This robot facilitates locomotion assistive operation in narrow spaces, in which common wheelchairs cannot move easily. The Ball-Chair has two main features: its structural feature and driving mechanism. The exoskeleton frames of the Ball-Chair have been designed with octagonal shapes resembling a circle, for minimizing its volume and weight. Additionally, all its driving parts (including the ball) are mounted within of the robot to enhance its safety. The Ball-Chair features a reverse ball-mouse driving mechanism comprising two driving omni-wheels in the x- and y-axes. By controlling the speed of each omni-wheel, a holonomic driving system that can facilitate omnidirectional locomotion has been achieved using only two wheels. The effective movement of the Ball-Chair in any direction within narrow indoor spaces was experimentally verified. The paper outlines the development procedure in detail.

Current Situation of Assistive Devices and Appliances Provision for Persons with Cerebral Palsy in Korea (국내 뇌성마비 환자에서의 장애인보조기구 지원현황)

  • Kim, Seong Woo;Jeon, Ha Ra;Shin, Ji Cheol;Cha, Jun Min;Youk, Taemi;Kim, Jiyong
    • Health Policy and Management
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.145-150
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    • 2018
  • Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the current state of the assistive devices and appliances provision system for cerebral palsy patients registered with brain disability. Methods: From 2003 to 2013, we analyzed the records of cerebral palsy patients who had assistive devices and appliances provisioned at least once in their lives based on National Health Information Database. Patients with cerebral palsy were divided into three groups: infants and toddlers, school age and adolescence, and adults. Results: Data on short leg plastic orthoses, ankle joint orthoses, and wheelchair were mainly analyzed. The types of ankle joint orthoses divided into three categories: limited, $90^{\circ}$ limited, and Klenzac. Limited ankle joint orthoses was most frequently supported of the three in all age groups. Powered wheelchair and scooter were most supported to adult patients. When the re-supply duration was evaluated, the duration was suitable to the duration on guideline of regulation of re-supplement according to the related laws in adult patients but not in infants/toddlers and school age/adolescence as the actual re-supplement duration was much shorter than the reference value. Conclusion: This study confirmed the pattern of assistive devices and appliances supply differed depending on the age of cerebral palsy patients.

Comparisons of Pflugbogen's Biomechanical Characteristics to Develop Interactive Ski Simulator (체감형 스키 시뮬레이터 개발을 위한 플루크보겐 동작의 운동역학적 비교)

  • Koo, Do-Hoon;Lee, Min-Hyeon;Kweon, Hyo-Sun;Hyun, Bo-Ram;Eun, Seon-Deok
    • Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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    • v.24 no.3
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    • pp.189-199
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    • 2014
  • The purpose of this study was to compare pflugbogen's biomechanical characteristics between on the ski simulator and snowed ski slope to develop interactive ski simulator. Nine ski instructors(sex: male, age: $29.6{\pm}5.4yrs$, height: $176.0{\pm}5.6cm$, body mass: $76.0{\pm}14.0kg$) belong to Korean Ski Instructors Association participated in this research. 24 Infrared cameras for snowed ski slope experiment and 13 infrared camera for ski simulator experiment were installed near by path of pflugbogen. The participants did pflugbogen on the snowed ski slope and the ski simulator both. During the experiment, the participants weared motion capture suit with infrared reflective makers on it, and plantar pressure sensors in ski boots, so that ski motion and plantar pressure data were collected together. Displacement of COG(center of gravity) movements, trunk flexion/extension angle, adduction/abduction angle, and plantar pressure data were significantly different between on the simulator and ski slope. However, percentage of time of COG movement in the phases during medial/lateral and anterior/posterior movement were not significantly different. Findings indicate that the difference between two groups occurred because the ski simulator's drive mechanism is different from ski motion on the slope. In order to develop the ski simulator more interactively for pflugbogen, the ski simulator's drive mechanism need to be reflected 3D motion data of pflugbogen on the slope that were purposed in this research.

Design Guideline of Height-adjustable Wash Basin for Persons with Disability (고령자 및 장애인용 높이조절 세면기의 설계 가이드라인)

  • Bae, Ju-Hwan;Moon, Inhyuk
    • Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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    • v.11 no.4
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    • pp.349-354
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    • 2017
  • In this study, we proposed a design guideline of height-adjustable wash basin which is an assistive product for personal hygiene for persons with disability. We performed biomechanical assessments using both of conventional and prototype height adjustable wash basin. Total five elderly subjects (all male, age $68.6{\pm}4.3yrs.$, height $169.8{\pm}5.7cm$, weight $70{\pm}7.7kg$) participated for the assessment test. Each joint angles were measured by using a 3D motion capture system when subjects use wash basins, and the lumbar moment of each subjects was estimated based on a human body model. From the assessment results, a design guideline which has the range of the height from 652[mm] to 1162[mm] was proposed. Then additional assessment tests with five healthy subjects ($25.8{\pm}1.8yrs.$, $175.5{\pm}5.8cm$, $74{\pm}15.7kg$) were performed in order to verify effectiveness of the design guideline. The results showed a height-adjustable wash basin applied the proposed design guideline was effective to reduce the lumbar moment.

Development of Assistive Software for color blind to Electronic Documents (전자문서용 색각 장애 보정 소프트웨어 개발)

  • Jang, Young-Gun
    • The KIPS Transactions:PartB
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    • v.10B no.5
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    • pp.535-542
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    • 2003
  • This study is concerned with an assistive technology which reduces color blinds´s confusion when they access electronic documents including color objects in their computers. In this study, 1 restrict the assistive technology would apply to windows operating system, 256 color mode and implement to minimize color distortion which occurs in multi window environments because of color approximation process. As a basic palette, I use a 216 colors web safe palette which the Christine proposed as a standard for color blind, expand it to 256 colors to apply all computer displays using Microsoft Windows as its operating system and implement it as windows application. To test its effectiveness, I use a simulator for dichromats, as results of the test, the developed color vision deficiency correction S/W is effective to reduce the confusion. It is more effective to use the implemented S/W in both of design and client process for electronic documents.

A Study on Improvement of Assistive Technology Device Support System for the Work Disabled in Korea (보조공학기기 지원제도 개선 방안에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Mi-Jung;Nam, Se-hyun
    • Journal of Digital Convergence
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    • v.19 no.12
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    • pp.523-530
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    • 2021
  • The study is purposed to investigate the current status of assistive technology devices(ATDs) and to explore ways to improve the ATDs support system for work. As a method, domestic and foreign systems were investigated to derive implications can be applied in Korea based on the analysis framework that compromised Gilbert and Terrell's policy analysis model and research purpose. Next, a survey was conducted on 202 disabled supported ATDs for Work. They were looking for a job or working. We would like to suggest a plan as follows. First, it is necessary to improve the support process centered on consumers. Second, the expansion of items and supplementation of the quality management system should be considered. Third, it is urgent to expand the application qualifications. Finally, the foundation for improvement should be continuously laid. We expected the direction of improvement of the support system will be established.

The Research of People with Disabilities Satisfaction about Loading Wheelchair while Boarding on Vehicle (장애인의 차량 탑승 시 휠체어 수납에 대한 만족도 조사)

  • Rhee, K.M.;Lee, J.H.;Lee, S.C.
    • Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.1-6
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    • 2009
  • In this paper, when wheelchair user get into the vehicle, we have thorough grasp of the problems of loading wheelchair and give effect to suggest conceptual design in relation to develop manufactured goods. We choose 50 participants with disabilities who manual wheelchair or motor scooter users are able to drive own's vehicle, and the method practice in the direct survey. There are some limitations in this study especially in terms of the sampling population. The 88%(n=44) of the participant replied to the driver with disabilities need assistive devices for loading manual wheelchair. They prefer a system that robot arm brings the wheelchair out of the trunk to the driver's seat door.

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