• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.114-120
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• 2017

The work present in this paper deals with a navigation problem for multiple mobile robots in unknown indoor environments. The environments are completely unknown to the robots; thus, proximity sensors installed on the robots' bodies must be used to detect information about the surroundings. The environments simulated in this work are dynamic ones which contain not only static but also moving obstacles. In order to guide the robot to move along a collision-free path and reach the goal, this paper presented a navigation method based on fuzzy approach. Then genetic algorithms were applied to optimize the membership functions and rules of the fuzzy controller. The simulation results verified that the proposed method effectively addresses the mobile robot navigation problem.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.07a
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• pp.1769-1770
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• 2007

To prevent an insulator failure, an automatic cleaning robot was developed for suspension insulator strings. The robot autonomously moves along the insulator string using the clamps installed on its two moving frames, and adopts a dry cleaning method using rotating brushes and a circular motion guide. In addition, a mechanized brush bristles and a voltage-balancing contactor are devised to increase cleaning efficiency and to prevent arc generation under live-line conditions, respectively. Moreover, a manual tool for its installation and removal is presented. We confirmed its effectiveness through experiments.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.294-301
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• 2021

Recent case series and meta-analyses have suggested that robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) could be a useful alternative to video-assisted thoracic surgery esophagectomy. The advantages of RAMIE are a 3-dimensional view, 7 degrees of freedom, and tremor filtering, which enable more meticulous lymph node dissection with a lower incidence of complications. However, in radical esophagectomy, understanding the concepts of the fascia and compartment is crucial for successful and reliable dissection. The first RAMIE in Korea was performed by our team in July 2006, and since then, we have developed related techniques to achieve better short- and long-term outcomes. The key step in RAMIE for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is dissection of the upper mediastinum due to the difficulty of lymph node dissection and the high incidence of nodal metastasis in the area. Herein, we describe the technique of fascial plane dissection with esophageal suspension during RAMIE.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2018

Recently, a prototype of a guide rail type window cleaning robot was developed, and is currently undergoing field testing. The size and the load of the robot have not yet been optimized. In this study, a stress analysis was performed to derive quantitative data to improve the current window cleaning robot and secure its structural safety. Through the analysis of its own weight, resistance to wind speed, and other factors, it was found that the robot can be improved in terms of the drooping caused by its own weight and the drag force against wind pressure. The analysis results obtained will be directly applied to improve the design of the window cleaning robot, and it is expected that this will advance the completeness of the robot's design.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.407-422
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• 2014

Objective: The purpose of the study is to develop quantitative usability evaluation criteria for senior-friendly autonomous transportation robot. Background: The Republic of Korea has become the most rapidly aging society, and is anticipated to enter the post-aged society in 2026. To raise the quality of life of a senior with limited mobility and to reduce the burden of caregivers, many high-tech assistive products with information technologies are developed nowadays. The senior-friendly autonomous transportation robot is one person robot vehicle to move a senior to the destination for hospitals, nursing homes or silver town complex. With built-in navigation system and environmental monitoring censors, it automatically seeks the path to the destination and avoids collision to obstacles and pedestrians on the way. Due to the early stage of the product, few usability studies in this field have been done, mostly on general service robots to assist seniors, power wheelchairs and delivery robots. ISO and KS standards for the service robots are focused on safety. Method: Based on the reference usability index, the early draft of the usability evaluation questionnaires was developed. After small group tests and interviews, the experts modified the initial draft to the Usability Evaluation Criteria for Senior-Friendly Autonomous Transportation Robot (UEC-SFATR). Result: UEC-SFATR consisted of 4 subscales - Safety, Controllability, Efficiency and Satisfaction. All of the 4 subscales of UEC-SFATR were passed the reliability criteria by 4 groups of seniors, divided by gender and familiarity of smart-devices. Conclusion: UEC-SFATR covers wider area of user experiences of the SFATR and is a good measurement tool to help both the users and developers of the robot. Application: This study provides guide to the future product development and product competitiveness evaluation by quantifying user experiences for the SFATR.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2012

Due to the development of construction technology, there is a considerable increase in the number of skyscrapers in the world. Accordingly, there are rapid growing requests about maintenance systems such as cleaning, painting, and monitoring the processes of facade in highrise buildings. However, it is extremely dangerous working the walls of high-rise buildings, and crashes from buildings have accounted for large proportion of constructional accidents. An alternative solution must be developed with the commercialization of automatic robot systems. For the last decade, interest in developing robots for cleaning and maintenance in facade of highrise buildings has continuously increased. The use of automatic robot systems can be expected to reduce accidents and decrease labor costs. In this paper, we propose a new kind of cleaning mechanism. We have designed and manufactured various cleaning tools for different types of facades with economic commercialization. The cleaning cycle, size, and intensity will be determined by economic constraints as well. The final goals are to design and manufacture tools and robots that can clean facades efficiently and rapidly even in dangerous places. The cleaning tool systems consist of nozzles, brush rollers, and squeezing devices. Furthermore, these tools and robots perform each process utilizing the systems of built-in guide types and gondola types for building maintenance. The performance of the proposed cleaning tools is evaluated experimentally; however additional study should be necessary for safer and more stable commercialization.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.22-27
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• 2022

The demand for new processing technology that can improve productivity is increasing in industries that require large-scale and various products. In response to this demand, a robot machining system with flexibility is required. Because of the low rigidity of the robot, the robot machining system has a large error during machining and is vulnerable to vibration generated during machining. Vibration generated during machining deteriorates machining quality and reduces the durability of the machine. To solve this problem, a stage for fixing the spindle during machining is required. In order to compensate for the robot's low rigidity, a system combining a piezoelectric actuator for generating a large force and a guide mechanism to actuate with a desired direction is required. Since the rigidity of flexible hinges varies depending on the structure, it is important to optimal design the flexible hinge and high-rigidity system. The purpose of this research is to make analytic model and optimize a flexible hinge and to design a high rigidity stage. In this research, to design a flexible hinge stage, a concept design of system for high rigidity and flexure hinge modeling is carried out. Based on analytic modeling, the optimal design for the purpose of high rigidity is finished and the optimal design results is used to check the error between the modeling and actual simulation results.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.314-319
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• 2002

The Automation and Control Group at the University of Brasilia is developing an automatic welding station based on an industrial robot and a controllable welding machine. Several techniques were applied in order to improve the quality of the welding joints. This paper deals with the implementation of a laser-based computer vision system to guide the robotic manipulator during the welding process. Currently the robot is taught to follow a prescribed trajectory which is recorded a repeated over and over relying on the repeatability specification from the robot manufacturer. The objective of the computer vision system is monitoring the actual trajectory followed by the welding torch and to evaluate deviations from the desired trajectory. The position errors then being transfer to a control algorithm in order to actuate the robotic manipulator and cancel the trajectory errors. The computer vision systems consists of a CCD camera attached to the welding torch, a laser emitting diode circuit, a PC computer-based frame grabber card, and a computer vision algorithm. The laser circuit establishes a sharp luminous reference line which images are captured through the video camera. The raw image data is then digitized and stored in the frame grabber card for further processing using specifically written algorithms. These image-processing algorithms give the actual welding path, the relative position between the pieces and the required corrections. Two case studies are considered: the first is the joining of two flat metal pieces; and the second is concerned with joining a cylindrical-shape piece to a flat surface. An implementation of this computer vision system using parallel computer processing is being studied.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.121-138
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• 2024

Artificial intelligence is crucial to manufacturing productivity. Understanding the difficulties in producing disruptions, especially in linear feed robot systems, is essential for efficient operations. These mechanical tools, essential for linear movements within systems, are prone to damage and degradation, especially in the LM guide, due to repetitive motions. We examine how explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) may diagnose wafer linear robot linear rail clearance and ball screw clearance anomalies. XAI helps diagnose problems and explain anomalies, enriching management and operational strategies. By interpreting the reasons for anomaly detection through visualizations such as Class Activation Maps (CAMs) using technologies like Grad-CAM, FG-CAM, and FFT-CAM, and comparing 1D-CNN with 2D-CNN, we illustrates the potential of XAI in enhancing diagnostic accuracy. The use of datasets from accelerometer and torque sensors in our experiments validates the high accuracy of the proposed method in binary and ternary classifications. This study exemplifies how XAI can elucidate deep learning models trained on industrial signals, offering a practical approach to understanding and applying AI in maintaining the integrity of critical components such as LM guides in linear feed robots.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.292-297
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• 2016

This paper presents a navigation problem for an autonomous mobile robot in an unknown environment. The environment contains various types of obstacles and is completely unknown to the robot. Therefore, all of the surrounding information must be detected by the robot's proximity sensors. A navigation method was developed based on a fuzzy inference system to guide the robot to move along a collision-free path and reach the goal position quickly. The obstacles are assumed to be static, and both regular and irregular types of obstacles were investigated. A wall following method is also proposed for a special environment that contains a labyrinth or sharp U-valley obstacles. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method has great potential for this navigation problem.