• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.259-265
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• 2014

The aims of this study are to investigate the walking intention detection of a rollator based on Infraed (IR) sensor measuring knee joint anterior displacement and leg muscle activities. We used Active Walker attached IR sensor to measure the knee joint anterior displacement and EMG signal of leg muscles(rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius) were taken by Delsys bagnli-8ch. Subjects were eight healthy males(age $23.7{\pm}0.5years$, height $175.4{\pm}2.3cm$, weight $70.6{\pm}5.6kg$) and they were involved in experiments which had been proceeded 30 minutes a week, during 3 weeks. This system indicates that the knee joint anterior displacement had the distinction increases according to the gait slope and velocity. We showed the increase of the femoral muscle activities along the anterior tilt and the increase of the crural muscle activities along the posterior tilt.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.363-375
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• 2015

Objective: This study aims to recognize the risk of current traffic systems and to investigate a method to decrease risk by doing exercise using an elastic-band and cognitive rehabilitation. Background: The existing traffic system usually focuses on the ordinary citizens, which may not be appropriate to the elderly. It may affect the cognition and walking speed of the elderly. This study tries to examine whether cognition and muscle training is appropriate to improve their vulnerability. Therefore this study will provide human ergonomics - based basic data in relation to the elderly to identify the risk of current signal system and to mitigate the risk. Method: A total of 30 elderly participants were divided into two groups: experimental and control groups. Experimental group (n=15) was trained to strengthen their muscles and to promote cognition, whereas control group (n=15) was not. The training was conducted twice a week for three weeks. To strengthen muscles, a yellow colored elastic-band was used, and a computer program for cognitive rehabilitation was used to develop cognition. In the experimental group, there were significant differences between pre and post exercises However, the control group didn't show any significant difference. The increase in cognition and walking speed was found in the experimental group, whereas there were no differences in the control group. Statistically there was no significant difference between the two groups. Results: The results of this study show that the exercise program using the elastic-band gave a positive effect on gait training thanks to the development of muscle power and balance. Conclusion: This study did not show any statistical difference or significant differences between the two groups, since time was restricted, we believe. Application: The results of the walking speed will help to prevent traffic collision.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.939-947
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• 2010

With the rising numbers of elderly and disabled people, the demand for welfare services using a robotic system and not involving human effort is likewise increasing. This study deals with a mobile-robot system combined with a BWS (Body Weight Support) system for gait rehabilitation. The BWS system is designed via the kinematic analysis of the robot's body-lifting characteristics and of the walking guide system that controls the total rehabilitation system integrated in the mobile robot. This mobile platform is operated by utilizing the AGV (Autonomous Guided Vehicle) driving algorithm. Especially, the method that integrates geometric path tracking and obstacle avoidance for a nonholonomic mobile robot is applied so that the system can be operated in an area where the elderly users are expected to be situated, such as in a public hospital or a rehabilitation center. The mobile robot follows the path by moving through the turning radius supplied by the pure-pursuit method which is one of the existing geometric path-tracking methods. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through the real experiments those are conducted for path tracking with static- and dynamic-obstacle avoidance. Finally, through the EMG (Electromyography) signal measurement of the subject, the performance of the proposed system in a real operation condition is evaluated.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.49-57
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 12-week elastic resistance exercise for the elderly on the magnitude of frequency and variability of ground reaction force signals. To this aim, total 12 elderly women aged in their 70 were participated in this study and asked to do a 12-week elastic resistance exercise program. FFT(fast Fourier Transform) was used to analyze the frequency domain analysis of the ground reaction forces's signals and an accumulative PSD (power spectrum density) normalized by support phase of walking was calculated to reconstruct the certain signals. To estimate the gait stability between the before and after exercise, values of variability were determined in a coefficient of variance. The magnitude of frequency and variability analysis for media-lateral signal revealed significantly less after exercise (p<.05). In contrast, variability of this signal's frequency that have used to evaluate the local stability during walking exhibited significantly greater after exercise(p<.05). In summary, magnitude frequency and variability of media-lateral ground reaction force's signal were significantly changed after a 12-week elastic resistance exercise.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.17-26
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• 2011

We have developed a wearable device that can convert sensor data into real-time step counts. Sensor data on gait were acquired using a triaxial accelerometer. A test was performed according to a test protocol for different walking speeds, e.g., slow walking, walking, fast walking, slow running, running, and fast running. Each test was carried out for 36 min on a treadmill with the participant wearing an Actical device, and the device developed in this study. The signal vector magnitude (SVM) was used to process the X, Y, and Z values output by the triaxial accelerometer into one representative value. In addition, for accurate step-count detection, we used three algorithms: an heuristic algorithm (HA), the adaptive threshold algorithm (ATA), and the adaptive locking period algorithm (ALPA). The recognition rate of our algorithm was 97.34% better than that of the Actical device(91.74%) by 5.6%.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2015

In this paper, a behavior notification system of the harness of a guide dog is implemented for a blind person to get helps for environmental and situational awareness while walking with the guide dog. IMU modules is attached on the guide dog's harness saddle and the acceleration sensor belt is mounted on its thigh. Gait estimation and behavior judgement are performed by recording and analyzing the outputs of the sensors. Performance analysis for seven different kinds of behaviors has been done. The seven different behaviors, which the guide dog recognizes, are descending stairs, climbing stairs, uphill, downhill, stop, flat road, and selective disobedience. Results for the performance analysis show that the average success rate of the behavior rule estimation of harness of the guide dog is 92.78% and the behavior notification system can be effectively used in real situations.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.534-541
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• 1998

We describe a 27-year-old man who developed gait disturbance and dysarthria 2 years after the onset of cardinal symptoms of Behcet's disease. Positron emission tomography with $^{18}F$-fluorodeoxyglucose revealed severe hypometabolisrn in the cerebellum, in accordance with cerebellar symptoms and signs of the patient. However, single-photon emission tomography with $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO and $^{99m}Tc$-ECD did not disclose significant perfusion abnormalities in the brain. Routine brain magnetic resonance imaging did not show signal abnormalities. The findings of imaging studies compared with neurological manifestations of the patient are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.250-253
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• 2012

We report a rare case of cerebellar liponeurocytoma with an unusually aggressive histopathology. A 49-year-old man presented with a four-month history of headache, vertigo, and progressive swaying gait. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a $3{\times}3.5cm$ sized relatively well-demarcated round mass lesion in the fourth ventricle, characterized by high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Postcontrast images revealed strong enhancement of the solid portion and the cyst wall. The patient underwent suboccipital craniectomy and tumor removal. The pathologic diagnosis was cerebellar liponeurocytoma. Adjuvant radiotherapy was offered due to concerns related to the high proliferative index (Ki-67, 13.68%) of the tumor. At the last routine postoperative follow-up visit (12 months), the patient complained of no specific symptom and there was no evidence of tumor recurrence. However, longterm follow-up and the analysis of similar cases are necessary because of the low number of reports and the short follow-up of cases.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.436-440
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• 2014

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology that may affect any organ in the body. The nervous system is involved in 5-16% of cases of sarcoidosis. Here, we report a case of intramedullary sarcoidosis presenting with delayed spinal cord swelling after laminoplasty for the treatment of compressive cervical myelopathy. A 56-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of upper extremity pain and gait disturbance. The patient had undergone laminoplasty for compressive cervical myelopathy 3 months previously. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large solitary intramedullary lesion with associated extensive cord swelling, signal changes, and heterogeneous enhancement of spinal cord from C2 to C7. Spinal cord biopsy revealed non-necrotizing granulomas with signs of chronic inflammation. The final diagnosis of sarcoidosis was based upon laboratory data, imaging findings, histological findings, and the exclusion of other diagnoses. Awareness of such presentations and a high degree of suspicion of sarcoidosis may help arrive at the correct diagnosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.513-516
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• 2014

We report a case of cervicomedullary compression by an anomalous vertebral artery treated using microsurgical decompression with intraoperative monitoring. A 68-year-old woman presented with posterior neck pain and gait disturbance. MRI revealed multiple abnormalities, including an anomalous vertebral artery that compressed the spinal cord at the cervicomedullary junction. Suboccipital craniectomy with C1 laminectomy was performed. The spinal cord was found to be compressed by the vertebral arteries, which were retracted dorsolaterally. At that time, the somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) changed. After release of the vertebral artery, the SSEP signal normalized instantly. The vertebral artery was then lifted gently and anchored to the dura. There was no other procedural complication. The patient's symptoms improved. This case demonstrates that intraoperative monitoring may be useful for preventing procedural complications during spinal cord microsurgical decompression.