• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.145-150
• /
• 2004

In this study for the prosthesis of the spatial and directional sensation for the blind, an ultrasonic scale system and an electronic compass system were developed. The ultrasonic scale utilizes 40 ㎑ sound for the detection of distance to the barrier and the spatial information is transferred to the blind by various sound interval, which is proportional to the distance. The electronic compass utilizes a magnetoresistor bridge for the detection of the magnetic field strength of earth in horizontal plane. The information for the direction of the earth's north is transferred by tactile stimuli by a vibrating motor band around upper head. Detection distance of the ultrasonic scale is ranged from 0.065 to 3.26 meters, and the detection angle resolution of the electronic compass is about 22.5 degrees. The integrated system of the ultrasonic scale and the electronic compass was developed. Distance information is converted to the location of the tactile stimulation along the clockwise direction by a vibrating motor according to the distance installed around upper head of the blind. The intent of this article is to provide an practical prosthetic tool of spatial and directional sensation for the blind. Daily practice of this system will improve the usefulness of this system.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
• /
• v.20 no.8
• /
• pp.795-800
• /
• 2014

In this paper, a vibrotactile pad system, T-mobile, is developed to provide vibrotactile cues for hand-held devices. A grooved and slim design is adapted to the back-side plane of the T-mobile, and the contact part consists of 12 vibrotactile panels which can operate independently and separately. To be isolated among vibrotactile actuators, the surface of the cover is divided into several pieces. Each vibrating module consists of a linear resonant actuator, a section of covering surface, and a vibration isolator. In order to provide spatial and directional information, sensory saltation and phantom sensation are applied to the T-mobile. To evaluate the developed device, two experiments were conducted to test whether directional information and spatial information can be successfully displayed by the device. Additionally, in order to find optimal stimulation by sensory saltation, an empirical test was conducted. As a result, spatial and directional information would be useful for displaying intuitive information for hand-held devices with vibrotactile feedback and reasonable near-optimal value for sensory saltation was obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.678-686
• /
• 2011

When one sensor cannot provide information by sensory deficit or loss, the sensory information can be provided by substituting other sensors for the defected sensor. This sensory substation might be influence on the deteriorated motion perception that consists of multi-sensory information such as visual, vestibular and somatosensory information. In this study, to investigate whether the additional sensation by sensory substitution could be integrated into the motion perception, we examined the effect of substituted postural sway sensation on the directional perception of body movement. Deteriorated motion perception by the reduced plantar sensation was enhanced under sensory substitution condition that provided the body sway information as the plantar vibratory stimulus. These results imply that the additional sensation might be integrated into and improve the motion perception.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.21-33
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study is to find applicabilities of human bioclimatic maps, using human thermal sensation(comfort) in summer, with microclimatic in situ data and computer simulation results at the study site of downtown Daegu. This includes the central business district(CBD) area and two urban parks, the Debt Redemption Movement Memorial Park and the 2.28 Park, for urban and landscape planning and design. Climatic data and urban setting information for the analysis of human thermal sensation were obtained from in situ measurement and the geographic information system data. As a result, the CBD had higher air temperature than the parks when the wind speed was low. Relative humidities were opposite to the air temperature. Especially, same directional streets with local wind direction had lower air temperature than streets perpendicular to the wind direction. The most important climatic variable of human thermal sensation in summer was direct beam solar radiation. Also, creating shadow areas would be the most relevant method for modifying hot thermal environments in urban areas. The most effective method of creating shadow patterns was making a tree shadow over a pergola, and the second best one was making a tree shadow on the front of north directional building walls. Moreover, how to plant trees for creating shadow patterns was important as well as what kind of trees should be planted. The results of human thermal sensation were warm to very hot at sunny areas and neutral to warm at shaded ones. At the sunny areas, wide, squared shape areas had a little bit higher thermal sensation than those of narrow streets. The albedo change of building walls 0.15 and ground surface 0.1 could change 1/6 of a sensation level at the shaded areas and 1/3 at the sunny ones. These microclimatic approaches will be useful to find appropriate methods for modifying thermal environments in urban areas.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.20-27
• /
• 1998

Among many kinds of introduced free flaps, scapular freeflap is one of the most popularly using modalities in fasciocutaneous defect coverage with minimal donor defect and easier procedure and constant vascular patterns of the donor. Many surgeons who had experience of this flap pointed out deficit of the reliable sensation of the transplanted flap is the main shortcoming of the scapular free flap. If we can subjugate that point, scapular free flap is the most excellent procedure in such a cases as heel pad reconstruction and hand reconstruction which are relatively important to have skin with protective sensation. Author performed anatomical literature review, 10 cadaveric dissections and 12 clinical dissections. In surgical anatomical aspect, the upper six dorsal rami of the thoracic nerves have medial branches which pierce Longissimus thoracis and Multifidus muscle with small cutaneous twigs which pierce Latissimus dorsi and Trapezius muscle. Among that cutaneous twigs, several twigs distribute to the skin of the back from midline to lateral aspect which territory is identical to scapular free flap. We analysed clinical experiences of that sensory bearing scapular free flap surgical anatomy and one year follow-up studies with several results. 1) Two to three cutaneous twigs which pierced from the Trapezius muscle over the scapular free flap region. 2) Each twigs has two to four nerve fascicles with small artery. 3) The nerve distributed to the ordinary scapular free flap and large enough size and pedicle length to neurorrhapy with various recipient site nerves. 4) The inconvenience of this procedure is the vascular pedicle and nerve pedicle have opposite directions, vascular pedicle of that comes from lateral direction from subscapular vessels, but nerve pedicle comes from medial direction from trapezius muscle. Author can found constant cutaneous nerve branches which come from piercing the Trapezius. This nerves are helpful for protective sensation in transplanted scapular free flap. We can't had enough follow-up and evaluation of the nerve function of this procedure, we need continuous research works to application of this procedure. The in conveniences come from directional differences of pedicle can solve with longer harvest neural pedicle and change direction of the neural pedicle.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.290-298
• /
• 2013

A walking navigation system (usually known as a locomotion interface) is an interactive platform which gives simulated walking sensation to users using sensed bipedal motion signals. This enables us to perform navigation tasks using only bipedal movement. Especially, it is useful for the certain VR task which emphasizes on physical human movement, or accompanies understanding of the size and complexity of building structures. In this work, we described system components of VR walking system and investigated several types of walking platform by literature survey. We adopted a MS Kinect depth sensor for the motion recognition and a treadmill which includes directional turning mechanism for the walking platform. Through the integration of these components with a VR navigation scenario, we developed a simple VR walking navigation system. Finally several technical issues were found during development process, and further research directions were suggested for the system improvement.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.144-154
• /
• 2001

Dysfunction of the inferior alveolar nerve indicated by various degree of numbness of the lower lip and chin is one of the few drawbacks of mandibular osteotomy, especially Bilateral Sagittal Split Ramus Osteotomy(BSSRO) and genioplasty. Although it has been recorded throughout the history of this techniques, it is true etiology poorly understood. In this study, 22 consecutive patients under class III malocclusiion impression and undergoing orthognathic surgery(BSSRO only 11 case, BSSRO with genioplasty 11 case) were studied using 4 neurosensory test(static light touch, directional discrimination, two-point discrimination, pin pressure nociception) with post OP 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, On control group, 10 members without trauma and nerve damage history, nerve test was accomplished. We concluded majority of patients return of sensation during post operative 24 weeks. Althought immediate nerve deficit are 92.2%, 97.2% 88.9% these are recovered to 25%, 35.72%, 10.71% at 24 weeks. Nerve recovery rate increased prominently between post 4 weeks and 8 weeks. There is no statistically difference about neurosensory deficit among the chin area. Neurosensory deficit more severe when the BSSRO with genioplasty group than the only BSSRO group. Immediate neurosensory deficit is larger left side than right side but after 6 months, there is no significantly difference between left side and right side. Static light touch and pin pressure nociception are more sensitive method of neurosensory deficit than two point discrimination.