• Information Systems Review
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.23-41
• /
• 2022

This case research investigates on how hearing aids, which is one of disability aids, is becoming a smart device, focusing on the case of Starkey Hearing Technologies(Starkey Inc.). Starkey, founded in 1967, has been a leader in innovating forms and functions of hearing aids, and has recently introduced the world's first hearing aid implemented with AI and biological sensors. In this study, history of disability aids, hearing aids(especially Starkey Inc.'s), smart wearable devices and smart earphones are compared. It has been found that recently, there has been a breakdown of boundaries between hearing aids and smart wearable devices in terms of their functions, since entertainment and life assistant functions are added to hearing aids. Based on this trend, the development model of disability aids and smart wearable devices are derived, and according social changes are discussed.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.63-68
• /
• 2013

Manual wheelchair is one of the most used assistant device in Korea and the size of the wheelchair is defined as KS P ISO 7176-5 which follows the ISO 7176-5 standard size. But the standard often doesn't fit to Korean people because the ISO was enacted by foreigners' body sizes. Actually the result of survey from the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards showd that the designated sizes of height, width, deep of seat except armrest and the height of backrest of a chair in the present KS P ISO 7176-5 are much bigger and the height of armrest is smaller than the sizes investigated by the survey. In case the disabled person has a long wheelchair use time everyday, the posture of user should be uncomfortable because the mismatched size should cause user's pelvis rotations, slouching pose and low stability. Also, inside of knee may touch the wheelchair seat and user can't keep a correct posture. In this paper, the body sizes of Korean disabled person were investigated and the correct wheelchair sizes for Korean people are provided.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.53-62
• /
• 2018

In this study, we developed a smart 1RM system for national health management and physical fitness, which enables quantitative 1RM measurement in various types of exercise using digital pulley technology, and to test the effect on training by using it. We developed the smart 1RM system, which is composed of portable muscle strength measuring device, Bluetooth communication based mobile phone data transmission and circuit diagram, and height adjustable system body. We recruited the 30 participants with 20th aged and divided into training and non-performing groups with 15 participants randomly. The participants performed 5 sets of elbow, lumbar, knee extension / flexion 10 times using smart 1RM system and the experimental period was 3 days a week for a total of 8 weeks. The experimental results showed that the maximum strength of the elbow, lumbar, and knee joints was significantly improved before and after maximal muscle strength training in the training group. Oxygen intakes during 1RM exercise mode showed 10.91% than endurance. To verify the validity of the smart 1RM maximal strength data, the reliability was 0.895 (* p <0.00). This study can be applied to the early rehabilitation treatment of the elderly and rehabilitation patients more quantitatively using the national health care.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.195-201
• /
• 2015

In this study, IT education contents have been developed based on the u-Learning approach for people with hearing impairment, focusing on allowing the user to learn from anywhere and anytime. Specifically, this study applies HTML5 to implementing IT education contents(JSP, Oracle) for the deaf because HTML5 enables the learner to access the contents through both web and mobile device on various platforms including android, Mac OS, and PC etc. The results of this study are as follows: First, the online computer courses are mostly supposed to be compatible with diverse types of mobile devices. However, some of the contents could not be run on applications residing in web and mobile devices because the contents tend to be developed using FLASH. HTML5 is the effective way to overcome the compatibility problem. Second, FLASH and HTML5 contents authoring tools have been compared in terms of their strong and weak points by applying the developed contents to those tools. The study also suggests that the future work would be needed in order to implement wide variety of event functions with HTML5. Lastly, design strategies enabling access through web and mobile devices have been analyzed in accordance with u-Learning design guidelines for the deaf and mobile application accessibility guidelines. However, in the latter case, the future work regarding design guidelines needs to be conducted to improve the educational accessibility depending on the level of impairment.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.271-277
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to develop a balance chair for improving pelvic correction and postural balance through postural balance training using tactile feedback by a vibration motor provided in real time according to the user's attitude. We built a body frame using mono cast(MC) Nylon, Touch thin film transistor(TFT) for user interface, a main control module using Arduino, a 9-axis acceleration sensor for user's posture determination, and a vibration module for tactile feedback. The prototype of the Balance Chair which surrounds the outside was made with cushion for sitting conformability. In order to verify the effectiveness of the postural balance training system using the built prototype, the muscle activity (% MVIC) of the left and right iliocostalis lumborum those are the main muscles of the spinal movement was measured with ten female subjects. And the balance ability before and after training was measured using Spine Balance 3D, a posture balance ability evaluation device. The muscular activities of the left and right iliocostalis lumborum showed the balance activation according to vibration feedback during exercise protocol and postural balance improved after balance exercise training using balance chair. This study could be apply to use the fundamental research for developing the various postural balance product.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.744-750
• /
• 2013

This study is to collect a basic data of how Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) procedure can influence to cardiac arrest patient with and without the Depth Device during the average transport time period. The data has achieved by comparing result sheet of CPR procedure by hands only versus with Depth Device by twenty 1st and 2nd class Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) from five different fire stations in city of Chong-Ju, and twenty Emergency Rescue major students who completed the BLS provide course. The experiment participators experienced loss of compression depth and rate increase over time. However, the CPR procedure with Depth Device shows that both EMT and students to allow maintaining both the compression depth and rate. The experiment leaves a positive result for CPR operators and considers being valuable domain for cardiac arrest patient.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.13 no.7
• /
• pp.947-953
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study was to manufacture a wrist brace using a computerized tomography system, clinical design software (MediACE 3D Program), and 3D printer. After acquiring the Dicom file of the upper limb with a computed tomography, the wrist brace was designed using the MediACE 3D Program to create a "stereolithography" file. The designed wrist brace was printed using a 3D printer. To verify the effectiveness of wrist assistive device manufactured by 3D printing technology, the stress distribution of the pressure and orthosis applied to bone and skin is represented by finite element analysis. It is expected that the wrist brace can be manufactured by reinforcing the part where the damage caused by pressure and breakage of the brace frequently occurs with the result of finite element analysis when producing the wrist brace.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2006.10c
• /
• pp.232-234
• /
• 2006

Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common diabetic complications. In clinical practices, nerve conduction velocity (NCV) has been used as a standard method for diagnosing diabetic neuropathy. However, it applies maximum of 100mA electric stimulus to nerves causing stress and pain to patients. In this study. as a non-invasive method, $TcpO_2$ was utilized to investigate the difference and relationship between $TcpO_2$ and $SpO_2$ of normal and diabetic neuropathy subjects. In addition, a new method of diagnosing diabetic neuropathy using $TcpO_2$ is suggested. 50 normal subjects and 50 diabetic patients with neuropathy diagnosed by NCV participated in this study. Parameters used in this study were $TcpO_2,\;TcpCo_2$, and $SpO_2$. As a result of the $TcpO_2$ measurements, statistical significances were found from $TcpO_2$ of hands and feet from normal and patients group (p<0.01). $SpO_2$ measured from index finger of normal and patient groups showed no statistical significance (p>0.05). On the other hand, $SpO_2$ measured from great toes of normal and patient group showed statistical significance (p<0.01). Correlation coefficient between $SpO_2$ of finger and $TcpO_2$ of hand was 0.400 (p<0.01) and $SpO_2$ of toe and $TcpO_2$ of foot was 0.471 (p<0.01). Both correlation values were statistically significant. Sensitivities and specificities of the $TcpO_2$ method were found to be 66 % and 92 %, respectively. If suggested $TcpO_2$ method is used periodically. prevention and early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy is possible.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.59-69
• /
• 2011

Purpose : The purposes of this study were to find correlations among Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale, walking velocity, walking asymmetry and balance ability. Methods : The study sample consisted of 50 stroke patients referred to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in the Sanggye Paik, Ilsan Paik, Seoul Paik, and Dobong Hospital. All subjects were ambulatory with or without an assistive device. All participants were assessed on Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale and walking velocity, walking asymmetry. The data were analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression. Results : The results revealed that upper extremity coordination, balance and pain items of Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale were significantly correlated with walking velocity and upper extremity and upper extremity motor and balance items of Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale were significantly correlated with walking asymmetry. Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale was not significantly correlated with Static Balance Index, Dynamic Balance Index and Weight Distribution Asymmetry Index. Their power of explanation regarding comfortable walking velocity and comfortable walking asymmetry were 60.3%, 42.5% respectively. Conclusion : These results showed that Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale is significantly correlated with walking velocity, asymmetry and not significantly correlated with balance ability. Therefore Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale is an appropriate assessment tool to predict walking ability of patients with stroke. Futher study about walking velocity and asymmetry by change of Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale is needed using a longitudinal study design.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.1-17
• /
• 2004

The purposes of this study were to find correlations among Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale, gait speed, and Timed Up & Go test (TUG) and to predict gait ability from subscales of Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale. The study population consisted of 30 stroke patients referred to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in the Bundang Jaesang General Hospital. All subjects were ambulatory with or without an assistive device. All participants were assessed on Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale and gait speed (m/s), TUG (s). The data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson product moment correlation analysis and stepwise multiple regression. The results revealed that all items of Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale, except passive joint range of motion were significantly correlated with gait speed and TUG. In particular, sensation score, lower extremity motor and coordination score have a significant correlation with gait speed and TUG (p<.05). The sensation score and lower extremity motor score were important factors in comfortable gait and maximal gait speed. Their power of explanation regarding comfortable gait and maximal gait speed were 63.0% and 65.0%, respectively. The sensation score and lower extremity coordination score were important factors in TUG. Their power of explanation regarding TUG was 55.0%. These results showed that Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale is significantly correlated with gait speed and TUG. Therefore Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale is an appropriate assessment tool to predict gait ability of patients with stroke. Further study about gait speed and TUG by change of Fugl-Meyer Assessment score is needed using a longitudinal study design.