• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.37-40
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• 2021

This paper presents a design of a speech to sign language converter for deaf and hard of hearing people. The device is low-cost, low-power consumption, and it can be able to work entirely offline. The speech recognition is implemented using an open-source API, Pocketsphinx library. In this work, we proposed a context-oriented language model, which measures the similarity between the recognized speech and the predefined speech to decide the output. The output speech is selected from the recommended speech stored in the database, which is the best match to the recognized speech. The proposed context-oriented language model can improve the speech recognition rate by 21% for working entirely offline. A decision module based on determining the similarity between the two texts using Levenshtein distance decides the output sign language. The output sign language corresponding to the recognized speech is generated as a set of sequential images. The speech to sign language converter is deployed on a Raspberry Pi Zero board for low-cost deaf assistive devices.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2009

Recently, the interest on walking assistances in order to assist aged people has increased due to the increase of the aged. However, most walking aid systems have a weakness for a slope because they don't have power. So, they have a weak point which makes users difficult to move when they are weak in the legs. That is why the interest on walking assistances with power has increased. The use of the walking aid systems should be easy because most users are old people. Thus, we produce module to grasp walking intent of users by using various sensors such as potentiometer, FSR(Force Sensing Resistance) Sensor and Stretch Sensor and calculate the response time to the module. Firstly, the response time of handlebar which is a kind of potentiometer is 420ms and Resilience of it is 140ms. Secondly, the response time of handlebar which use FSR Sensor is 320ms and Resilience of it is 220ms. Finally, the response time of the Stretch Sensor is 160ms and Resilience of it is 140ms. The performance of Stretch Sensor is the best among the three kind of sensors.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 2016

By developing rider robot using omni wheel drive, a usability test for 6 people was conducted after finding out inconvenient factors and ways of improvement. The results of this research are as follows. First, we researched inconvenient factors captured by object of experiment using a rider robot who is living in the dormitory. It showed that the disabled showing 1.6 of satisfaction degree felt more inconvenient for normal people showing 4 of satisfaction degree. It was found that the height of seats is 10 centimeters higher, which caused inconvenience for moving. Second, each of the disabled and normal people showed 2.33 and 2.62 of satisfaction degree below the average for seats, back of a seat, armrest, footrest, security belts. However, for the revised design both of them showed 3.5 of satisfaction degree over the average. Third, most people felt this robot is quite expensive and said they would purchase it if subsidized by the government. Therefore, based on inconvenient factors and ways of improvement found in this research, further study needs to be conducted so as to improve the quality of life of the disabled.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.287-294
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• 2016

Based on upper limb torque by different angles of a back, distance between crank axis and chest and angles of hand-grips, this research is to develop variable hand bikes. By doing so, it is to offer guidance for its design. For this research three normal persons took part in the experiment. Results are as follows. First, upper limb torque was found to be the highest at 50 degree of a back and muscle endurance was shown to be the highest at 80 degree of a back. It means that as a back of a chair gets lower the speed and efficiency becomes better, which contradicts the subjective fact that K-type hand bikes would show the highest speed. Second, among types of grips of hand bikes 45 degree ones have been shown to be the ones with the highest torque. This is due to proper distribution of power of joints in arms, elbows, and shoulders. Third, in case of distance of 45cm between crank axis and chest, it has shown the most efficient torque. This is because of the effect of gravity and exhaustion when handling.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2011

The functional loot orthoses, when wearing shoes, are in the direct contact with bottom of foots to improve and recover the correctness of abnormal lower limb musculoskeletal imbalance and the primary role of foot and also, it can act to keep the balance and weight of body and support the weakened region, so that it is very helpful to keep body balance for the standing position. In this paper, it was researched that foot orthoses which is accommodable for the function of impact absorption including the gait stability affect on the balanced performances of body in according to the formation and the material of foot part. Taking into account the balanced performances by using the sway velocity, the estimation and comparison of the effects on the balanced performances by each formation and material for foot orthoses was evaluated into significant values(p<0.006) in only the eye-opening posture with Firm state, In this posture, the static process performed by each foot formation reveals in order of normal foot(p<0.010), flat foot(p<0.000) and hollow foot(p<0.003) and then, on the base of each formation of foot part, the result that analyze the effects of the materials of foot orthoses on the balance performance appeared showing that soft materials is more effective on the normal foot and, on the other hand, rigid materials is more effective in balancing on flat foot and hollow foot.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.455-462
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• 2022

This study was conducted to find ways to utilize human-centered IT in caring for elderly people who live alone. Through focus group interviews with experts, this study investigated the problems with delivery system, and ethical issues. Problems such as lack of trust, supplier-centered care, and uniform service provision were derived as major problems in the delivery system. These findings indicate that IT should be used as an auxiliary means of face-to-face services and to be controllable and convenient. Issues such as "guaranteeing the right to self-determination," "protecting privacy," "sufficiently guaranteeing the right to know," and "encompassing blind spots" were raised as important ethical issues related to human-centered IT utilization. Based on the research results, this study presented the necessity of designing user-centered information technology and the necessity of developing ethical indicators for the use of human-centered technology.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.389-396
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• 2012

Objective: The aim of this study is to design an auto showering system regarding bed type for old people or bedridden patients. Background: The rapid growth concerning the aging population leads to an increase in elderly bedridden patients living in senior care centers and hospitals where care givers have difficulty bathing older people with limited mobility. Method: In this study, a showering equipment for experiment was based on anthropometric and researching existing products. The nozzle position was optimized by showering tests and simulations using showering equipment. Results: The problems regarding the existing products were analyzed and the nozzle position was optimized through showering tests. The number, position, and spraying angle of the nozzle were optimized through showering simulations. The automatic showering system concerning bed type was designed by considering their results. Conclusion: When designing an automatic showering system, the most important design element involves determining the position of nozzle and angle of water injection and the number of nozzles. The system was developed by applying the results through user centered-research. Application: The user centered-research for developing products was applied directly in order to develop automatic baths, showering products etc. Furthermore, it was also available to be applied towards senior friendly products.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2013

As it is changing into aging society, rehabilitation, welfare and sports industry markets are being expanded fast. Especially, the field of vital signals interface to control welfare instruments like wheelchair, rehabilitation ones like an artificial arm and leg and general electronic ones is a new technology field in the future. Also, this technology can help not only the handicapped, the old and the weak and the rehabilitation patients but also the general public in various application field. The commercial bio-signal measurement instruments and interface systems are complicated, expensive and large-scaled. So, there are a lot of limitations for using in real life with ease. this thesis proposes a wireless transmission interface system that uses EMG(electromyogram) signals and a control module to manipulate hardware systems with portable size. We have designed a hardware module that receives the EMG signals occurring at the time of wrist movement and eliminated noises with filter and amplified the signals effectively. DSP(Digital Signal Processor) chip of TMS320F2808 which was supplied from TI company was used for converting into digital signals from measured EMG signals and digital filtering. We also have used PCA(Principal Component Analysis) technique and classified into four motions which have right, left, up and down direction. This data was transmitted by wireless module in order to display at PC monitor. As a result, the developed system obtains recognition success ratio above 85% for four different motions. If the recognition ratio will be increased with more experiments. this implemented system using EMG wrist direction signals could be used to control various hardware systems.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.225-239
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• 2010

A high prevalence of farmer's work-related musculo-skeletal disorders (MSDs) have been reported in precedent studies. Risk factors - physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic risk factor etc. - in farm-work were identified by previous studies. To prevent farmers from exposing to them and reduce, Agricultural Safety Technology were introduced and used on farm. The purpose of this study is to review and summarize the agricultural safety technology on farm in Korea. According to strategy principles, this technology is classified as four criteria - workload reduction by reducing awkward posture, workload reduction by using manual material handling aids, Comfort improvement by protecting worker from hot, cold environment and work efficiency improvement by workplace redesign and cultivation modification. This technology includes transporting tools, working cloth, personal protective equipment, and pesticide-proof Clothing. Anthropometric study of Korean farmers was also carried out to support the development of equipment and clothes. In long terms, it needs to precaution activity from risk factors by using cultivation modification and working improvement. Although working condition gets better and workload reduce by this technology, it required customized safety technology in each crops - rice cultivation, horticulture and livestock farming. And farmers should use the assistive technology and participate voluntarily in ergonomic intervention program.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.688-701
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• 2020

In this study, a total of 68 domestic and international papers were selected from 1993 to August 2020 in order to examine the research trends related to artificial intelligence for the visually impaired. The papers were compared and analyzed by the number of papers published by year, research method, research topic, keyword analysis status, research type, and implementation method. As a result of the study, the number of papers during the study period seemed to increase steadily. But in the case of domestic research, It can be seen that it has become active since 2016. As for research methods, development research accounted for 89.7% of both domestic and foreign research. Keywords was in Visually Impaired, Deep Learning, and Assistive Device order in domestic research. And it was in Visually Impaired, Deep learning, Artificial intelligence order in foreign research. There was a difference in the frequency of words. Research type were Design, development and implementation both in domestic and foreign. Implementation method were in System 13.2%, Solution 7.4%, App. 4.4% order in domestic research, and it was in System 32.4%, App. 13.2%, Device 7.4% order in foreign research. As for the applied technology of the implementation method, were in YOLO 2.7%, TTS 2.1%, Tensorflow 2.1% order in domestic research, and it was used in CNN 8.0%, TTS 5.3%, MS-COCO 4.3% order in foreign research. The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the trends of artificial intelligence-related research targeting the visually impaired, to immediately know the current status of domestic and foreign research, and to present the direction of artificial intelligence research for the visually impaired in the future.