• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.591-599
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• 2016

Among the employer-supported subscribers to the National Health Insurance Service, 6,797 people with mild disabilities with western ages of 20 and up and who received health checkups were investigated. Of these 6,797 people, 3,186 and 3,611 received health checkups in 2009 and 2013, respectively. Those people who were diagnosed with physical handicaps, brain lesions, visual impairment, hearing impairment, intellectual disabilities, mental disorders, kidney disorders or other disorders according to the classification standard for people with disabilities were classified into disability groups of the 3rd through 6th degrees. The purpose of this study was to examine the dangerous influence of obesity of people with mild disabilities on their hyperglycemia, hypertension and high cholesterol. The items measured in this study were abdominal obesity, body mass index, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. To look for connections between the obesity level and at-risk groups for each disease, cross tabulation and multinomial logistic regression analyses were utilized. Higher levels of abdominal obesity and BMI were found among those who were male, were younger and had higher incomes. The risks of abdominal obesity and BMI were higher in the abnormal groups for each disease. In 2009, the obesity group whose BMI was higher had a 1.51-fold higher risk of hypertension than the normal group. The abdominal obesity group had a 1.59-fold higher risk of high cholesterol, a 1.26-fold higher risk of hypertension and a 1.54-fold higher risk of hyperglycemia than the normal group. In 2013, the obesity group whose BMI was higher had a 1.72-fold higher risk of high cholesterol and a 1.43-fold higher risk of hypertension than the normal group. Those with abdominal obesity had a 1.59-fold higher risk of hyperglycemia than the normal subjects. As the risk of obesity was higher in those with disabilities than in those without disabilities, the former should be encouraged to undergo health checkups on a regular basis, and the coverage of the health checkups should be extended to keep track of their illness. In addition, appropriate education and concern are both required to prevent obesity.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.309-338
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• 2010

In this paper, we studied the brain-computer interface (BCI). BCIs help severely disabled people to control external devices by analyzing their brain signals evoked from motor imageries. The findings in the field of neurophysiology revealed that the power of $\beta$(14-26 Hz) and $\mu$(8-12 Hz) rhythms decreases or increases in synchrony of the underlying neuronal populations in the sensorymotor cortex when people imagine the movement of their body parts. These are called Event-Related Desynchronization / Synchronization (ERD/ERS), respectively. We implemented a BCI-based mouse interface system which enabled subjects to control a computer mouse cursor into four different directions (e.g., up, down, left, and right) by analyzing brain signal patterns online. Tongue, foot, left-hand, and right-hand motor imageries were utilized to stimulate a human brain. We used a non-invasive EEG which records brain's spontaneous electrical activity over a short period of time by placing electrodes on the scalp. Because of the nature of the EEG signals, i.e., low amplitude and vulnerability to artifacts and noise, it is hard to analyze and classify brain signals measured by EEG directly. In order to overcome these obstacles, we applied statistical machine-learning techniques. We could achieve high performance in the classification of four motor imageries by employing Common Spatial Pattern (CSP) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) which transformed input EEG signals into a new coordinate system making the variances among different motor imagery signals maximized for easy classification. From the inspection of the topographies of the results, we could also confirm ERD/ERS appeared at different brain areas for different motor imageries showing the correspondence with the anatomical and neurophysiological knowledge.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.193-222
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• 2010

This questionnaire study examined the processes linking complexity of self-construal to self-positivity conceptualized as taking multiple perspectives, self-acceptance and self-regulation that, in turn, affect psychological well-being among people with an experience of life-crisis during adulthood due to physical disability or divorce. Data were drawn from 359 adult Koreans residing in Seoul metropolitan area, including the physically disabled, the divorced, and their counterparts without a life-crisis experience during adulthood for comparison. On average, the life-crisis experience group(LEG) had a higher independent selfconstrual and a lower interdependent self-construal than the comparison group(CG). As predicted, complexity of self-construal contributed to taking multiple perspectives that helps searching for meaning, and this, in turn, was found to foster self-acceptance and self-regulation. Through these variables except self-regulation, complex self-construal contributed to psychological well-being as manifested by a higher level of positive emotion and a lower level of depression. As expected, while taking multiple perspectives fostered positive emotion both directly and indirectly through self-acceptance among LEG and CG, only in LEG it directly reduced depression. The comparative approach employed in this study enabled to discern that taking multiple perspectives promotes psychological well-being in LEG by contributing to both meaning making and positive attitude, whereas it promotes psychological well-being in CG primarily by fostering positive attitude. Finally implications for this study were discussed and directions for future research were suggested.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2015

There have been sustained developments of advanced technologies using traffic safety facilities recently and techniques for identifying failure modes and devices which could result in fatal outcomes. The purpose of this research is aimed at improving the driving conditions in advance through analyzing the IT convergence, driving education, researches for vehicles, field of construction and robotics. The researchers evaluate on usability tests of the driving with 26 candidates through focusing on safety, convenience, efficiency, effectiveness. Using specialized LED panel to enhance driving performances of disabled people are for cautious road conditions like foggy weather or heavy rain. As a result, there were improvements in the driving conditions, and candidates reported this system was helpful. It allows them for maintaining proper driving all times and was especially informative for people with low vision or visually impaired. This system plays a pivotal role as a prevention mechanism not only for regular drivers but also for further delict of traffic violations or accident offenders who already have former record on tort.

• Informatization Policy
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.42-58
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• 2011

This paper starts from one question: what are the key factors of the web accessibility policy, which is significant for realizing equity in the web and enhancing human dignity in the information society. To find significant factors for complying with web accessibility, this paper analyzes panel data of 16 Korean local governments (for five years: 2004-2009) according to the research design which is based on the demand and supply balance model and consists of four variables : 'legal and institutional environment (including legal infrastructure)', 'financial foundation (fiscal self-reliance ratio)', 'policy inputs (amount of imformatization budget, employee of information experts)'and 'policy demand (internet usage rate, the number of disabled people and elderly people)'. From the results of this study, this paper can explain the mechanism and impact factors on the web accessibility policy of Korean local governments. Some factors are critical to improve web accessibility: (1) the importance of policy demand, (2) the importance of policy inputs, (3) the importance of legal and institutional environment. Finally, this paper concludes with some suggestions to enhance the web accessibility capacity for Korean local governments: (1) improve awareness on web accessibility, (2) develop a standard and invest R&D on web accessibility, (3) foster experts in web accessibility.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.351-356
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• 2018

Changes in vocal cords due to aging can change the frequency of speech, and the speech signals of the elderly can be automatically distinguished from normal speech signals through various analyzes. The purpose of this study is to provide a tool that can be easily accessed by the elderly and disabled people who can be excluded from the rapidly changing technological society and to improve the voice recognition performance. In the study, the gender of the subjects was reported as sex analysis, and the number of female and male voice samples was used equally. In addition, the gender analysis was applied to set the voices of the elderly without using voices of all ages. Finally, we applied a review methodology of standards and reference models to reduce gender difference. 10 Korean women and 10 men aged 70 to 80 years old are used in this study. Comparing the F0 value extracted directly with the waveform and the F0 extracted with TF32 and the Wavesufer speech analysis program, Wavesufer analyzed the F0 of the elderly voice better than TF32. However, there is a need for a voice analysis program for elderly people. In conclusions, analyzing the voice of the elderly will improve speech recognition and synthesis capabilities of existing smart medical systems.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2013

Objective : The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of the social support and social network on the quality of life of the elderly residing in a local community. Method : The subjects of this study were 75 healthy old men and women of 13 sites of welfare centers for the disabled and public health centers and senior welfare centers in Busan and Gyeongju. A survey was conducted with a questionnaire that include general characteristics, cognitive ability, social support, social network and quality of life. The analysis was made on 63 replies except 12 subjects who had been excluded by the subject selection criteria. Result : As a result of analyzing correlation of variables affecting life quality, there was positive correlation in contact frequency(p<.05), intimacy(p<.001), and social support(p<.001). Finally, it was analyzed that the variable of intimacy (p<.001) affected life quality of general aged people living in regional community. Conclusion : It was found that intimacy of general aged people living in regional community was a major variable to affect life quality. It could be identified that intimacy which is qualitative feature of social, relational network for the aged who live passive life was important.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.3499-3510
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• 2015

To cope with the increased demand on the intra-city transportation by urban rails, the introduction of the light rail transit (LRT) systems has been expedited in Korea due to the possible reduction of both the development and operation costs from adopting LRT systems. The LRT systems have so far been designed, constructed and operated based on the corresponding law and regulations. It has been conceived that fully complying with the existing guidelines may incur some extra costs on LRT. In addition, the present design of LRT stations seems to require unnecessarily long flow of passengers traffic, particularly for disabled people. In this paper, as an approach to solving the aforementioned issues, an introduction of 'LRT stops' has been studied where the stops are similar in concept to bus stops and are intended to replace the stations of a bigger scale in general. Specifically, necessary guidelines for design have been developed by modifying the existing ones to be fit with LRT stops. A design case was also presented to evaluate them. The effective use of the results reported here will provide an opportunity of cost reduction in connection with the construction and operation, and also let people benefit from convenient use of rails, thereby resulting in enhanced transportation welfare.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.91-120
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• 2017

This study aimed (a) to examine the association between chronic illness and multidimensional disability(i.e., psychological/emotional functions, activity capacity, and participation frequency) among older adults with disabilities, (b) to investigate the effect of formal and informal supports on multidimensional disability, and (c) to analyze the moderating effects of formal and informal supports on the association between chronic illness and multidimensional disability. This study used 2014 Korea Welfare Panel Study(the 9th wave) data and 450 older adults with disabilities aged 50 and over were selected as the study target. The research model was analyzed by structural equation modeling using IBM AMOS 22.0. Based on the ICF framework developed by WHO, health condition was measured by the level of chronic illness; psychological/emotional functions were measured by health satisfaction, self-esteem, and depression; activity capacity was measured by ADLs and IADLs; participation frequency was measured by the total number of social activities joined; formal support was measured by the total number of formal welfare services for people with disabilities utilized; informal support was measured by perceived social support. The findings showed that the level of chronic illness was negatively associated with psychological/emotional functions among the older adults with disabilities. The informal support positively affected psychological/emotional functions and activity capacity, whereas the formal support showed the opposite result. That is, the formal support negatively influenced activity capacity and showed a moderating effect on the association between the level of chronic illness and the psychological/emotional functions in a reverse way. Based on the results, practice and policy implications for alleviating disability level among the older adults with disabilities were discussed.

• Archives of design research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 2004

It was 1988 when people pay attention to an importance of the facilities for the handicapped, with Seoul Paralympics. In early 1990s, regular efforts were made to improve a physical environment for the handicapped, which results in reforming the Welfare Law for the Handicapped all over the surface. However, keeping pace with the expansion of the western universal design concept, it is required to evaluate a new concept in which way the facilities for the handicapped must be installed. That is, any physical environment, which regards the handicapped as an independent subject, tend to isolate them from normal people rather than satisfy their needs. making the handicapped feel more discriminated. All the facilities for the handicapped has to reflect a general idea that the facilities are opened for all the people including the handicapped. Being recently reformed and enacted in order to reflect this essential point, 'the raw of contributing to the convenience of the handicapped, aged men, pregnant women and nursing mother(1998)' even covers the aged men, pregnant women and nursing mother, not to mention of the handicapped. In addition, the law states clearly that all the handicapped can share all the facilities with the normal people, inducing the handicapped to more actively participate in society. Consequently, the handicapped are acquiring their rights by directly demanding for correction of varied discrimination. Though even more facilities have been provided, most of them are deficient in the quality, setting limits to the handicapped person's living field as well as social activities. Especially, most public buildings in our country rarely provide the adequate facilities for the handicapped, aged men, pregnant women and nursing mother. Therefore, this study is focused on developing the list of actual condition research that can effectively detect the inadequacy of facilities in public buildings. Then it will find the aspects to be improved in a systematic and scientific way to propose a practical method to improve the facilities in public buildings.