• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2014

The purpose of this document is to provide basic data helpful in selecting seating device material by examining the affects of polyurethane foam material on seating pressure. In order to achieve this study objective, four seats, 6cm in height, were produced in hardness of: 13, 28, 25, and $45kg/cm^2$. To measure the sitting pressure distribution (depending on the characteristics of the produced seats), 10 healthy subjects participated in the experiment. XSENSOR was used a measuring device, and each seat was mounted on a wheelchair simulation. By analyzing the obtained data with Average Pressure(AP), Peak Pressure(PP,), and Contact Area(CA), the sitting pressure was measured for five minutes on each seat. This experiment showed the following results: There were significant differences between the AP, PP, and CA in the seat material (p<0.5). While the hardness of $18kg/cm^2$ showed low pressure, the hardness of $45kg/cm^2$ showed high pressure. This study also showed that seat material made of polyurethane should be considered when selecting seats. If polyurethane foam is used in seat recommendations, it will be recommended to use $18kg/cm^2$ for the proper hardness of the seat material.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2017

This study was to develop the balance insole system for detecting and improving the muscle imbalance of left and right side in lower limbs. We were to verify the validation of balance insole system by analyzing the strategy of muscular activities and foot pressure according to sound feedback. We developed the balance insole based FSR sensor modules for estimating the muscle imbalance using detecting foot pressure. The insole system was FPCB have 8-spot FSR sensor with sensitivity range of 64-level. The participants were twenty peoples who have muscle strength differences in left and right legs over 20%. We measured the muscular activity and foot pressure of left and right side of lower limbs in various gait environment for verifying the improvement effect of muscle imbalance according to sound feedback. They performed gait in slope at 0, 5, 10, 15% and velocity at 3, 4, 5km/h. The result showed that the level of muscle imbalance reduced within 30% for sound feedback of balance insole system contrast to high level of muscle imbalance at 169.9~246.8% during normal gait for increasing slope and velocity. This study found the validation of balance insole system with sound feedback stimulus. Also, we thought that it is necessary to research on the sensitivity of foot area, detection of muscle imbalance and processing algorithm of correction threshold spot.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2017

The hybrid acoustic sensor for implantable hearing aid has the structure in which a sound pressure based acoustic sensor (ECM) and a vibration based acceleration sensor are combined. This sensor combines the low frequency sensitivity of an acoustic sensor with the high frequency sensitivity of an acceleration sensor, allowing the acquisition of a wide range of sound from low to high frequency. In this paper, an acceleration sensor for use in a hybrid acoustic sensor has been proposed. The acceleration sensor captures the vibration of the tympanic membrane generated by the acoustic signal. The size of the proposed acceleration sensor was determined to diameter of 3.2 mm considering the anatomical structure of the tympanic membrane and the standard of ECM. In order to make the hybrid acoustic sensor have high sensitivity and wide bandwidth characteristics, the aim of the resonance frequency of the acceleration sensor is to be generated at about 3.5 kHz. The membrane of the acceleration sensor derives geometric structure through mathematical model and finite element analysis. Based on the analysis results, the membrane was implemented through a chemical etching process. In order to verify the frequency characteristics of the implemented membrane, vibration measurement experiment using external force was performed. The experiment results showed mechanical resonance of the membrane occurred at 3.4 kHz. Therefore, it is considered that the proposed acceleration sensor can be utilized for a hybrid acoustic sensor.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.89-103
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• 2015

The purpose of this research attempted to developed the Community Reintegration support Program(H-CRsP) on patients with Spinal Cord Injury(SCI) and identity the effect. To assess the effectiveness of a Hospital based H-CRsP with a comprehensive team approach for treating inpatients with Spinal Cord Injury(SCI), offered by the Korea National Rehabilitation Hospital. Participants with SCI were recruited from the Korean National Rehabilitation Hospital. Twenty-five participants who met inclusion criteria were provided with a H-CRsP. A H-CRsP with modules related to the training of daily living skills, driving, vocations and school support activities, leisure or recreational activities, peer counseling, sexual rehabilitation, and others support activities. The 25 enrolled patients had been treated with average of 6.1 programs 2 times a week for over 2 or 3months. COPM, HADS, WHOQOL-BREF, AD-R were administered before the treatment(pre-test) and also at the time of discharge(post-test) to compare the treatment outcomes in the 25 program participants. Measured level of community integration by CIQ at discharge. The data were analyzed by such statistical methods as frequency and paired t-test analysis. Significant improvements were found on the Occupational Performance and Satisfaction, Acceptance of Disability, Quality of Life score in the COPM, AD-R, WHOQOL-BREF (p<0.05). In addition, 10 of the 25 patients returned to home, work or school. These results demonstrated the effectiveness of the H-CRsP in helping patients with SCI return their communities to which they belong. It considered development of the variety of programs and prepare systematically related system.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate caretakers' demands and request in electric wheelchairs. The survey included the usability questionnaire (safety, operability, satisfactions) which were selected by opinions of caretakers and specialist of rehabilitation for electric wheelchairs. The survey also included questionnaires consisting of such questions as to demographic information, care experience, care time, and care burden, and demand for folding electric wheelchairs. Participants were fifty caretakers of electric wheelchair users. Caretakers' average age was 54.54years, and the average duration of their care experience was 80.98 months with average care time 9.80 hours per day. In safety and operability, most of participants were mostly satisfied. However, in satisfaction of weight and clean of electric wheelchairs was dissatisfied. They reported that the biggest problem of electric wheelchairs were too heav and difficult to control and that the greatest difficulty in helping electric wheelchair users was helping them with transfer to and from the wheelchair. They also need their prefer to develop folding electric wheelchairs. In this study, caretakers emphasized necessity of development light, easy to storage and clean electric wheelchairs. In conclusion, it is required to develop folding electric wheelchairs to reflect caretaker's opinions.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of rehabilitation therapy with natural recovery in patients who had dysphagia due to stroke. Swallowing functions were examined on a total of 98 patients with stroke-caused dysphagia based on a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) for 8 weeks. The each group was evaluated with DOSS, DSS and FOSS to assess swallowing ability in the first week and re-evaluated in the $8^{th}$ week during the session for investigating the recovery status. The author compared the above initial data and follow-up data using a Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Wilcoxon's Signed Rank test, ANCOVA to confirm statistically controlling for the effects of other continuous variables, performed by IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0 for windows. There was statistically significant recovery in the experimental group except measure of DOSS (p>0.05). In the control group, it showed improvement in all the scales(p<0.05). After terminating each session, the comparison of the two group of patients showed statistical significant differences in DSS and FOSS(p<0.05). These results suggest that possibility of natural neurologic recovery has positive effects on early stage of dysphagia caused by stroke.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2014

Binaural interaction can recognize the same intensity sound by stimulating two ears alternatively, and it can be record auditory brainstem responses (ABR). However, We needs to be researched about binaural interaction in asymmetric binaural acoustic stimulation. 17 normal young hearing university students were participated. Clicks were presented at the intensity of 90 dB nHL to one ear and the click intensity was increased from 0 to 90 dB nHL with a separation of 10 dB to another ear, simultaneous. BI waveform was obtained by subtracting the sum of the asymmetrically evoked potentials from the binaurally evoked potentials; i.e. BI = B - (L + R). Latency and amplitude was measured 'peak to following trough' of IV-V complex of BI waveform. Threshold of BIC (t-BIC) was obtained using amplitude depend on stimulus intensities (paired sample t-test). Latency shifted in 4.65, 4.63, 4.57, 4.58, 4.62, 4.6, 4.48, 4.36, 4.23 ms for peak, 5.57, 5.51, 5.51, 5.59, 5.61, 5.55, 5.44, 5.28, 5.19 ms for trough, and amplitude shifted in .0.32, -0.3, -0.34, -0.32, -0.42, -0.53, -0.54, -0.61, $-0.67{\mu}V$ from 0 to 90 dB nHL in every 10 dB, respectively. t-BIC was observed 40 dB nHL(p=.001).

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.647-650
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• 2014

Assessment and rehabilitation of patients with unilateral visual neglect has been one of the fields that require assistive technology. Paper-and-pencil tests, including the LBT (Line Bisection Test), have been one of the most commonly used visual neglect assessment methods used in a clinical setting. The key motivation of this study was to establish a computer-based real-time assessment system for the hemi-neglect patients without altering the conventional paper-and-pencil based user tools. A digital penbased assessment and rehabilitation system, the ePen System, could eliminate the manual assessment time while maintaining measurement accuracy. As a result, the proposed system may assist rehabilitation specialists to assess and diagnose patients with unilateral visual neglect. This system can be applied to a range assessment and rehabilitation modalities based on a pen and paper. It can also be applied to various patients such as those with Parkinson's disease, stroke sufferers, or those who have experienced different forms of brain lesions.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.198-206
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• 2022

Objective: This study was to investigate the effect of a lumbar stabilization exercise program accompanied by proprioceptive stimulation in women in their 20s with low back pain. Design: A randomized controlled trial Methods: A total of 30 women in their 20s with low back pain were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. Both groups performed a lumbar stabilization exercise program, and only the experimental group applied for a stabilization exercise program with proprioceptive stimulation. The exercise program lasted 60 minutes at a time, 3 times a week, for 4 weeks. The measurement tools used were the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Korean version of the Oswestry Disability Index (K-ODI), the lumbar alignment, and the transverse abdominis(TrA) muscle thickness and contraction ratio. Results: Both groups showed statistically significant differences in NRS, K-ODI, and muscle thickness before and after the experiment (p<0.05). The lumbar alignment and contraction ratio at the time of contraction of TrA in the experimental group was statistically significantly increased, and there was also a significant difference in the difference between the two groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: The lumbar stabilization exercise program with proprioceptive stimulation reduced pain, improved low back pain induced dysfunction, and increased TrA muscle thickness and contraction ratio. Therefore, it can be an effective therapeutic exercise program for women in their 20s with LBP.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.421-429
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the effects of arch support taping on static balance, static/dynamic foot contact area, and ground reaction force during walking according to the types of elastic tapes with mechanical elasticity differences. Design: Cross-sectional study Methods: Twenty-six participants selected for flexible flat feet through the navicular drop test were randomly assigned to non-taping, Dynamic-taping, and Mechano-taping conditions. Static balance and foot contact area were compared in the standing posture according to arch support taping conditions, and foot contact area and ground reaction force were compared during walking. Results: There was no significant difference in static balance according to the taping condition in the standing position, but the foot contact area in the Mechano-taping condition showed a significant decrease compared to the non-taping condition (p<0.05). The foot contact area during walking significantly decreased in the Dynamic-taping and Mechano-taping conditions (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the ground reaction force. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, it was confirmed that among the types of elastic taping, arch support taping using dynamic taping and Mechano-taping has the effect of supporting the arch with high elastic recovery. Any type of elastic tape can be used for arch alignment in flexible flat foot.