• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2001년도 춘계학술대회논문집B
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• pp.295-300
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• 2001

In recent years, as changing the habit of eating, the pathology in the colon grows up annually. For that reason, the colonoscopy is generalized. But it requires much time to acquire a dexterous skill to perform an operation. And the procedure is painful to the patient. Therefore, biomedical and robotic researchers are developing a locomotive colonoscope that can travel safely in colon. In this paper, we propose a novel design and concept of semi-autonomous colonoscope and two actuators for the micro robot. The micro robot comprises camera and LED for diagnosis, steering system to pass through the loop, pneumatic actuator and bow-shaped flexible supporters to control a contact force and to keep the space between colon wall and the actuator. For actuating mechanism, we suggest two models. One is based on the reaction force, and the other is impact force. In order to validate the concept and the performance of the actuators, we carried out the preliminary experiments in rigid pipes.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제34권6호
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• pp.789-795
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• 2010

본 논문은 자벌레 이동장치의 전, 후반부에 각각 여섯 개의 다리로 이루어진 고정장치를 사용하여 인체 내에서 원활하게 이동할 수 있는 대장내시경로봇을 제안하였다. 또한, 관탐사용 이동장치로 기 개발된 하나의 공압선을 이용한 자벌레 이동방식을 적용하여 공압선과 이동환경 사이의 마찰을 줄여주어 이동 성능을 높여주었다. 이동 성능을 평가하기 위하여 로봇을 직경 15mm, 길이 110~250mm 의 크기로 설계 및 제작 후, 아크릴 관과 죽은 돼지의 창자에서 이동실험을 수행하였다. 실험을 통하여 로봇은 곡관의 반경이 25mm 이상이면 이동이 가능함을 알 수 있었고, 직관의 경우 수평관에서 33mm/s, 수직관에서 12.1mm/s 의 이동 속도를 보여주었다. 결론적으로 하나의 공압선을 이용하여 구동되고 양단에 다리로 구성된 고정장치를 장착한 제안된 로봇은 대장내시경 로봇으로써 신뢰성이 높은 이동성능을 보여주었다.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정밀공학회 2006년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.55-56
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• 2006

This paper describes a new concept of the robot that can climb on the vertical plane. The engineering design problem of the main structure is presented and the experimental results regarding a new mechanism of climbing on the vertical wall are discussed. The locomotive motion of the robot is realized by using a series chain of two caterpillar wheels on which 24-suction pads are installed. White each caterpillar wheel rotates on the vertical plane surface, the vacuum pads are activated in sequence based on the sequential opening by specially designed mechanical valves. The detail design feature of the valve is also described in this paper. The overall size of the robot is around 460 mm in width and length, respectively, and 200 mm in height. Its mass is slightly over 14 kg. The main mechanical structure of the robot consists of driving motors, vacuum caterpillar system, steering part, vacuum pump and battery. The performance of the robot is verified on the vertical wall.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.406-413
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• 2014

to valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy produces ASD-like core behavioral phenotypes as well as hyperactivity in offspring both in human and experimental animals, which makes it a plausible model to study ASD-related neurobiological processes. In this study, we examined the effects of two of currently available attention defecit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications, methylphenidate (MPH) and atomoxetine (ATX) targeting dopamine and norepinephrine transporters (DAT and NET), respectively, on hyperactive behavior of prenatally VPA-exposed rat offspring. In the prefrontal cortex of VPA exposed rat offspring, both mRNA and protein expression of DAT was increased as compared with control. VPA function as a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that the acetylation of histone bound to DAT gene promoter was increased in VPA-exposed rat offspring suggesting epigenetic mechanism of DAT regulation. Similarly, the expression of NET was increased, possibly via increased histone acetylation in prefrontal cortex of VPA-exposed rat offspring. When we treated the VPA-exposed rat offspring with ATX, a NET selective inhibitor, hyperactivity was reversed to control level. In contrast, MPH that inhibits both DAT and NET, did not produce inhibitory effects against hyperactivity. The results suggest that NET abnormalities may underlie the hyperactive phenotype in VPA animal model of ASD. Profiling the pharmacological responsiveness as well as investigating underlying mechanism in multiple models of ASD and ADHD may provide more insights into the neurobiological correlates regulating the behavioral abnormalities.