• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2012

The technique for estimation of sound source direction is one of the important methods necessary for various engineering fields such as monitoring system, military services and so on. As a new approach for estimation of sound source direction, this paper propose the bio-mimetic localization sensor based on mechanically coupling structure motivated by hearing structure of fly, Ormia Ochracea. This creature is known for its outstanding recognition ability to the sound which has large wavelength compared to its own size. ITTF (Inter-Tympanal Transfer Function) which is the transfer function between displacements of the tympanal membranes on each side has the all inter-tympanal information dependent on sound direction. The peak and notch features of desired ITTF can be generated by using the appropriate mechanical properties. A example of estimation of sound source direction using generated ITTF with monotonically changing notch and peak patterns is shown.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.41-66
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• 2008

This study investigated the effects of traditional percussion improvisation to hearing-impaired college students who are under stress. For the research, between 21 to 22 years old four hearing-impaired college students, who could do lip reading, were chosen. In quantity program, improved version of college student stress measuring method which invented by Gyoung-gu Jun and Gyo-hyeon Kim(1991) were applied, and graphs has been used for analysis. In quality program, for reliability, the researcher and two music therapists observed and analysed it. The period of research was from Dec 26, 2007 to Feb 21, 2008. There were total twenty sessions and two sessions were assigned for each week. One was 40 minutes individual session, and the other one was 50 minutes group session. Even though auditory function is critical in music playing or listening, this study showed the positive results of the therapeutic use of music on stress management for college students with hearing impairment. Future studies are important to continue to investigate the effectiveness of music therapy for hearing impaired clients who are under stress with various age range.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.178-188
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: The influence of musical aptitude on cognitive test performance in musicians is a long-debated research question. Evidence points to the low performance of nonmusicians in visual and auditory cognitive tasks (working memory and attention) compared with musicians. This cannot be generalized to all nonmusicians, as a sub-group in this population can have innate musical abilities even without any formal musical training. The present study aimed to study the effect of musical aptitude on the working memory and selective attention. Subjects and Methods: Three groups of 20 individuals each (a total of 60 participants), including trained-musicians, nonmusicians with good musical aptitude, and nonmusicians with low musical aptitude, participated in the present study. Cognitive-based visual (Flanker's selective attention test) and auditory (working memory tests: backward digit span and operation span) tests were administered. Results: MANOVA (followed by ANOVA) revealed a benefit of musicianship and musical aptitude on backward digit span and Flanker's reaction time (p<0.05). Discriminant function analyses showed that the groups could be effectively (accuracy, 80%) segregated based on the backward digit span and Flanker's selective attention test. Trained musicians and nonmusicians with good musical aptitude were distinguished as one cluster and nonmusicians with low musical aptitude formed another cluster, hinting the role of musical aptitude in working memory and selective attention. Conclusions: Nonmusicians with good musical aptitude can have enhanced working memory and selective attention skills like musicians. Hence, caution is required when these individuals are included as controls in cognitive-based visual and auditory experiments.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.178-188
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: The influence of musical aptitude on cognitive test performance in musicians is a long-debated research question. Evidence points to the low performance of nonmusicians in visual and auditory cognitive tasks (working memory and attention) compared with musicians. This cannot be generalized to all nonmusicians, as a sub-group in this population can have innate musical abilities even without any formal musical training. The present study aimed to study the effect of musical aptitude on the working memory and selective attention. Subjects and Methods: Three groups of 20 individuals each (a total of 60 participants), including trained-musicians, nonmusicians with good musical aptitude, and nonmusicians with low musical aptitude, participated in the present study. Cognitive-based visual (Flanker's selective attention test) and auditory (working memory tests: backward digit span and operation span) tests were administered. Results: MANOVA (followed by ANOVA) revealed a benefit of musicianship and musical aptitude on backward digit span and Flanker's reaction time (p<0.05). Discriminant function analyses showed that the groups could be effectively (accuracy, 80%) segregated based on the backward digit span and Flanker's selective attention test. Trained musicians and nonmusicians with good musical aptitude were distinguished as one cluster and nonmusicians with low musical aptitude formed another cluster, hinting the role of musical aptitude in working memory and selective attention. Conclusions: Nonmusicians with good musical aptitude can have enhanced working memory and selective attention skills like musicians. Hence, caution is required when these individuals are included as controls in cognitive-based visual and auditory experiments.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.389-404
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• 2019

The present study aims to examine the relationship between self-reported sensory impairment and cognitive function among older adults in Korea. Drawn from the 2017 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs Korean Older Persons, a total of 10,082 adults aged 65 and over were included in analyses. Results from hierarchial multiple regression analysis show that those who reported greater subjective discomfort about vision, hearing, and oral function were more likely to have poor cognitive function. Results from hierarchial logistic regression analysis show. Results from logistic regression analysis show that having hearing and oral discomfort increased the a risk for dementia. Findings suggest that it is necessary to manage sensory function of the elderly at the government level and to develop self-evaluation tools to monitor changes in sensory function for older adults. Future research should target finding effective ways to improve health of older adults.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.17-33
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• 2000

Purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between Sung-Jung' concept of Sasang Constitutional Medicine and Brain. So, After studying the meaning of Sung-Jung' concept of Sasang Constitutional Medicine, I made a comparative study through the structure, function, development of Brain. The conclusions were as follows. 1. Human's brain acts a rational, control his actions. and It manage human body's physiology and pathology. and It perceive his surroundings, express his emotion through comprehension, synthesis, judgement about information from various fields. and It's abnormality bring about a spiritual, bodily injury. Therefore, human's brain have many correlation with Sung-Jung' concept of Sasang Constitutional Medicine. 2. Neocortex' function have many correlation with Sung' concept of Hearing-Sight-Smell-Taste (聽視嗅味=sensation=a highly mental capacity) through Ear-Eye-Nose-Mouse(耳目鼻?). 3. Limbic-system'function have many correlation with Jung' concept of Sorrow-Anger-Pleasure-Joy(哀怒喜榮=emotion) through Lung-Spleen-Liver-Kidney(肺脾肝腎) 4. Brain-stem' function have many correlation with vitalistic concept through Qui of Sorrow - Anger - Pleasure - Joy(哀怒喜樂之氣)' rise and fall. 5. Relation of emotions and diseases through Limbic system and Autonomic nervous system have many correlation with relation of Sung-Jung and diseases of Sasang Constitutional Medicine 6. Left-hemisphere' function that has superior power of verbal, analysis, logicality, consideration have many correlation with tendency of Soeumin and Taeumin. and Right-hemisphere' function that has superior power of emotion, non-verbal, imagination, spatial perception have many correlation with tendency of Soyangin and Taeyangin.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.454-468
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• 2019

Background: Supporting the elderly population is presented as a social issue, and it affects age discrimination, which forms a negative perception and avoids the elderly. Since age discrimination lowers the quality of life of the elderly and hinders social unity, it may be important to research related factors. This study examined the physical function as a factor that influences discrimination experiences and aimed to identify the relationship between physical function factors and discrimination experiences. Methods: In this study, we analyzed 20,225 elderly from the 2014 and 2017 survey of living conditions and welfare needs of Korean older persons, conducted nationwide among older than 65 years. Physical function factors are activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, sight discomfort, hearing discomfort, chewing discomfort, and leg strength as factors of interest. We performed multivariable logistic regression that reflected survey characteristics, adjusting for socio-demographic factors, health related factors, and social-support factors. Results: The number of elderly who faced discrimination experiences was 1,175 (5.8%). The results showed that the odds ratio of facing a discrimination experience in the dependent group was significantly higher compared to the independent group when being transferring out of the room (4.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50-10.88) and difficulty in hearing (1.25; 95% CI, 1.05-1.49). Even with respect to chewing ability, which was significant in models 1 and 2, they face more discrimination experiences (1.30; 95% CI, 1.11-1.53). Conclusion: These research results indicate that an important strategy for preventing age discrimination is to understand the physical function conditions of the elderly and promote the physical functions of the elderly related to transferring, hearing, and chewing; it is necessary to develop a practical intervention plan that considers these aspects.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.167-179
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• 1999

The hearing mechanism is a complicated system. Sound is generated by a source that sends out air pressure or power. The pressure or power makes the sound waves. These waves reach the eardrum, or tympanic membrane, which vibrates at a rate and magnitude proportional to the nature of the sound waves. The tympanic membrane transforms this vibration into the mechanical energy in the middle ear, which in turn converts it to the hydraulic energy in the fluid of the inner ear. The hydraulic energy stimulates the sensory cells of the inner ear which send neuroelectrical impulses to the central auditory nervous system. The passive perception of auditory information starts just here. The listener gives attention to the speech sound, differentiates the sound from background noise, and integrates his experience with similar sounds. The listener then puts all of these aspects of audition into the context of the moment to identify the nature of sound. This has a major role in human communication. This paper provides an overview of the nature and characteristics of sound, the structure and function of the auditory system, and the way in which sound is processed by the auditory system.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1996 no.11
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• pp.114-117
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• 1996

In this study, remote articulation training system which connects the hearing disabled trainee and the speech therapist via B-ISDN is introduced. The hearing disabled does not have the hearing feedback of his own pronunciation, and the chance of watching his speech organs' movement trajectory will offer him the self-training of articulation. So the system has two purposes of self articulation training and trainer's on-line checking in remote place. We estimate the vocal tract articulatory movements from the speech signal using inverse modelling and display the movement trajectory on the sideview of human face graphically. The trajectories of trainees' articulation is displayed along with the reference trajectories, so the trainee can control his articulating to make the two trajectories overlapped. For on-line communication and ckecking training record, the system has the function of video conferencing and transferring articulatory data.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.430-440
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze the degree of depression, cognitive function, communication ability, and the quantitative electroencephalogram (EEG) in elderly individuals with hearing loss and to investigate their inter-relationship. Hearing-impaired elderly participants, aged 60 years or older (37 men and 26 women) who visited the S Hearing Rehabilitation Center in Y City from June 20, 2020, to September 3, 2020, participated voluntarily after a recruitment announcement.The participants' overall characteristics, depression, and cognitive functions were evaluated with a structured questionnaire. The Word Recognition Score (WRS) was evaluated with an audiometer using the Korean Standard Monosyllabic Word Lists for Adults (KS-MWL-A). The quantitative EEG was measured with dry electrodes using a 2-channel EEG on the frontal lobes Fp1 and Fp2. The results are summarized as follows: Communication ability showed a positive correlation with the left-right symmetry of the frontal lobes (**p<.01) and a negative correlation with right-brain mental distraction and stress (*p<.05). In the difference WRS test for each group, the left-right symmetry of the frontal lobes (**p<.01) showed the greatest correlation with communication ability. Our results suggest that the left-right symmetry of the frontal lobes can be a biomarker indicative of the communication ability of older people with hearing impairments.