• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.315-320
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• 2016

In this study, we developed a response time measuring apparatus for fencing which can use fencing athlete's own electric sword and connectors. The measuring apparatus designed to be connected to upper back of dummy body and it's position can be changed by spinning itself. And it operates like a closed circuit composed of dummy helmet, the apparatus, reel signal connection, connector and electric sword of athlete. This measuring apparatus can provide response time to athlete immediately which response time is measured from the time of indicating random signal of light and sound to the time of attacking dummy by athlete. we carried out pilot test for couch and athlete of national fencing team and could validate availability of this system.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.295-303
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• 2016

Rehabilitation of upper limb motor function of hemiplegic patient must maintain interest and demand a device for a quantitative evaluation of rehabilitation training. In this paper, we developed the device that is composed of arm cradle, handle, and balance ball for rehabilitation exercise. We have performed experiment for validity as to whether to use the rehabilitation device when tilting the upper extremity training device developed to measure changes in the EMG signal to the main upper limb muscles for 7 healthy volunteers. We have analyzed muscle activation signals on agonist and antagonist as a reference in the muscle contraction and relaxation in the upper limb extension and flexion when the balance-handle device is tilted to front-rear and left-right. The experimental results showed that a tendency of muscle activation of biceps, triceps, and deltoid used in upper limb motor function of hemiplegic patients from extension and flexion evaluation items of Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA). These results may be helpful for rehabilitation training for upper limb motor function of hemiplegic patients by utilizing a developed unit.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2016

Reliable recording and analysis of peripheral nerve activity is important to recognize the user's intention for controlling a neuro-prosthetic hand. In this paper, we present a peripheral nerve recording system that consisted of an intrafascicular multi-electrode array, an electrode insertion device, and a multi-channel neural amplifier. The 16 channel multi-electrode array was stably implanted into the sciatic nerve of the rat under anesthesia using the electrode insertion device. During passive movements and mechanical stimuli, muscle and cutaneous afferent signals were recorded with the multi-channel neural amplifier. Furthermore, we propose a spike sorting method to isolate individual neuronal unit. The muscle proprioceptive units were classified as muscle spindle afferents or Golgi tendon organ afferents, and the skin exteroceptive units were categorized as slow adapting afferents or fast adapting afferents. Experimental results showed that the proposed method could be applicable to record and analyze peripheral nerve activity in neuro-prosthetic systems.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2009

This study was tried to analyze the diagnosis of patients with cerebral infarction by sequence modeling that was one of data mining analysis method and find out previous disease or complication of patients with cerebral infarction. Mass data that the diagnosis code of cerebral infarction was 163 in 2000 to 2007 were extracted from A hospital's database and then the data mart was constructed for analysis. Total 2,267 patients illnesses were diagnosed as cerebral infarction and 32,692 cases related diagnosis were extracted. Sequence modeling in Clementine 12.0 program was used to analyze diagnosis of patients with cerebral infarction and 8 meaningful rules were found in this paper. This result could be used as a basic data to make secondary cerebral infarction prevention program and to prevent complication of cerebral infarction.

• Journal of Computing Science and Engineering
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.237-245
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• 2011

The use of technology within the home has gained wide spread acceptance as one possible approach to be used in addressing the challenges of an ageing society. A number of rudimentary assistive solutions are now being deployed in real settings but with the introduction of these technology-orientated services come a number of challenges, which to date are still largely unsolved. At a fundamental level, the management and processing of the large quantities of data generated from multiple sensors is recognised as one of the most significant challenges. This paper aims to present an overview of the types of sensor technologies used within Ambient Assisted Living. Subsequently, through presentation of a series of case studies, the paper will demonstrate how the practical integration of multiple sources of sensor data can be used to improve the overall concept and applications of Ambient Assisted Living.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2011

A communication is one of the most important factors for the human beings. Therefore, people who have some problems in communication need an Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) intervention to live in the human societies and several AAC systems have been developed to help the people. Lately, smart-phone is widely used to people as a communication device which can connect between persons. It can provide many useful methods and Apps to the user. If the AAC system is unified to the smart-phone, it is very effective device to the people with disabled because they can reduce the excessive expense and easily accommodate themselves to the AAC system. In this paper, an AAC program which is installed in the smart-phone or tablet PC is introduced. It has basic AAC solutions and can send SMS message to other people. We expect that the developed device can help the communication of the people with disabled and solve the social isolation of the disabled person.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2011

In this paper, the lumped element model parameter estimation method and its implemented estimation software for fabricated floating mass transducers of IMEHDs have been presented so that the estimated parameter values could be compared with the designed ones and applied to predict the output performance when the transducers were implanted into human ears. The presented method is based on the sequential quadratic programming (SQP) for estimating parameters in the transducer's lumped model and has been implemented by the use of LabVIEW graphical language. Using the implemented estimation software, the accuracy of parameter estimation has been verified and our implemented estimation method has been evaluated by the comparison of the estimated transducer parameter values with the designed ones for a practically fabricated floating mass transducer for IMEHDs.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2011

Estimating algorithm of physical activity energy expenditure and physical activity intensity was implemented by using a tri-axial accelerometer motion detector of the SVM(Signal Vector Magnitude) of 3-axis(x, y, z). A total of 10 participants(5 males and 5 females aged between 20 and 30 years). The ActiGraph(LLC, USA) and Fitmeter(Fit.life, korea) was positioned anterior superior iliac spine on the body. The activity protocol consisted of three types on treadmill; participants performed three treadmill activity at three speeds(3, 5, 8 km/h). Each activity was performed for 7 minutes with 4 minutes rest between each activity for the steady state. These activities were repeated four weeks. Algorithm for METs, kcal and intensity of activities were implemented with ActiGraph and Fitmeter correlation between the data.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.117-124
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to identity the types of leisure and to examine the quality of life according to them and suggest the basic resources about leisure on elderly chronic stroke. The subject of this study was elderly chronic strokes(n=80) in Gwang Ju. A total of 80 questionnaires from subjects were analyzed. The social leisure activity shows more clear and positive purpose and more higher quality of life than private leisure. But it also has limited time and require more money. Elderly chronic stroke presents passive and limited leisure activity and shows low satisfaction about leisure. But the leisures that needed more physical movements show higher quality of life. So leisure activity program which is able to support and assist the limited body function will be helpful to increase the quality of life of elderly chronic stroke.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.239-244
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• 2014

This research was carried out for the purpose of providing basic data to establish a policy for improving health and medical service inequality in the disabled's households, by analyzing it according to composed groups through the application of data about the panel survey of the employment for the disabled, from 2010 to 2012. The results of analysis showed that as for Gini's coefficient, disabled women, the disabled without participation in economic activities, the disabled in their 40s, physically handicapped people and severely disabled people had more and more inequality in expenditure of health care expenses, and inequality in North Gyeongsang Province continued to be on the rise. As for the entropy coefficient, disabled women, the disabled without participation in economic activities, the mentally disabled and severely disabled people had more and more inequality in consumption of health care, and the inequality got severe in Ulsan and North Gyeongsang Province. And as for the decomposition of factors by composed group, inequality in health care expenses were higher inside a group than between groups. Based on these results, research limitations and implications were suggested.