• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.257-267
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• 2023

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to fabricate a prototype robotic simulator for dental education, to test whether it could simulate mandibular movements, and to assess the possibility of the stimulator responding to stimuli during dental practice. Materials and methods. A virtual simulator model was developed based on segmentation of the hard tissues using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data. The simulator frame was 3D printed using polylactic acid (PLA) material, and dentiforms and silicone face skin were also inserted. Servo actuators were used to control the movements of the simulator, and the simulator's response to dental stimuli was created by pressure and water level sensors. A water level test was performed to determine the specific threshold of the water level sensor. The mandibular movements and mandibular range of motion of the simulator were tested through computer simulation and the actual model. Results. The prototype robotic simulator consisted of an operational unit, an upper body with an electric device, a head with a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and dentiforms. The TMJ of the simulator was capable of driving two degrees of freedom, implementing rotational and translational movements. In the water level test, the specific threshold of the water level sensor was 10.35 ml. The mandibular range of motion of the simulator was 50 mm in both computer simulation and the actual model. Conclusion. Although further advancements are still required to improve its efficiency and stability, the upper-body prototype simulator has the potential to be useful in dental practice education.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.30 no.1_2
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• pp.49-63
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• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study is investigating the changes of treatment plan and comparing skin dose with or without the skin flash. To investigate optimal applications of the skin flash, the changes of skin dose of each plans by various thicknesses of skin flash were measured and analyzed also. Methods and Material : Anthropomorphic phantom was scanned by CT for this study. The 2 fields hybrid IMRT and the 6 fields static IMRT were generated from the Eclipse (ver. 13.7.16, Varian, USA) RTP system. Additional plans were generated from each IMRT plans by changing skin flash thickness to 0.5 cm, 1.0 cm, 1.5 cm, 2.0 cm and 2.5 cm. MU and maximum doses were measured also. The treatment equipment was 6MV of VitalBeam (Varian Medical System, USA). Measuring device was a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor(MOSFET). Measuring points of skin doses are upper (1), middle (2) and lower (3) positions from center of the left breast of the phantom. Other points of skin doses, artificially moved to medial and lateral sides by 0.5 cm, were also measured. Results : The reference value of 2F-hIMRT was 206.7 cGy at 1, 186.7 cGy at 2, and 222 cGy at 3, and reference values of 6F-sIMRT were measured at 192 cGy at 1, 213 cGy at 2, and 215 cGy at 3. In comparison with these reference values, the first measurement point in 2F-hIMRT was 261.3 cGy with a skin flash 2.0 cm and 2.5 cm, and the highest dose difference was 26.1 %diff. and 5.6 %diff, respectively. The third measurement point was 245.3 cGy and 10.5 %diff at the skin flash 2.5 cm. In the 6F-sIMRT, the highest dose difference was observed at 216.3 cGy and 12.7 %diff. when applying the skin flash 2.0 cm for the first measurement point and the dose difference was the largest at the application point of 2.0 cm, not the skin flash 2.5 cm for each measurement point. In cases of medial 0.5 cm shift points of 2F-hIMRT and 6F-sIMRT without skin flash, the measured value was -75.2 %diff. and -70.1 %diff. at 2F, At -14.8, -12.5, and -21.0 %diff. at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd measurement points, respectively. Generally, both treatment plans showed an increase in total MU, maximum dose and %diff as skin flash thickness increased, except for some results. The difference of skin dose using 0.5 cm thickness of skin flash was lowest lesser than 20 % in every conditions. Conclusion : Minimizing the thickness of skin flash by 0.5 cm is considered most ideal because it makes it possible to keep down MUs and lowering maximum doses. In addition, It was found that MUs, maximum doses and differences of skin doses did not increase infinitely as skin flash thickness increase by. If the error margin caused by PTV or other factors is lesser than 1.0 cm, It is considered that there will be many advantages in with the skin flash technique comparing without it.