• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2023

Objective: This study aims to analyze the effect of regular exercise through the combined walking-oriented aerobic and resistance exercises using EX1 in young adults. Design: Experimental one group pre and post test Methods: Participants comprised17 healthy young adults. All subjects performed a combined exercise program for 10 times using EX1. We measured quadriceps muscle thickness using ultrasound. Additionally, the hand grip strength test, and sit and reach test were performed before and after the exercise. Through paired t-test, we investigated whether there was a statistically significant difference in the measurement results after exercise program. Results: The rectus femoris muscle contraction ratio showed significant difference after exercise(P< 0.01). In the sit and reach test, flexibility showed significant difference after exercise(P < 0.01). The hand grip strength test also showed significant difference after exercise(P < 0.05). Conclusions: Healthy young adults can effectively perform various exercises commonly performed in daily life using EX1.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2023

An abdominal brace is a recommended treatment for patients with lumbar spinal disorders. However, due to the nature of the static brace, it uniformly compresses the lumbar region, which can weaken the lumbar muscles or create a psychological dependence that worsens the condition of the spine when worn for an extended period of time. Due to these issues, doctors limit the wearing time when prescribing it to patients. In this paper, we propose a device that can dynamically provide abdominal pressure and support according to the lumbar motion. The proposed device is a wearable robot in the form of a brace, with actuators and a driving unit mounted on the brace. To enhance wearability and reduce the weight of the device, worm gears actuator and a multi-pulley mechanism were adopted. Based on the spinal motion of the wearer measured by the Inertia measurement unit sensors, the drives wire by driving pulley, which provide tension to the multi-pulley mechanism on both sides, dynamically tightening or loosening the device. Finally, the device can dynamically provide abdominal pressure and support. We describe the hardware and system configuration of the device and demonstrate its potential through basic control experiments.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.66-74
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• 2024

This study analyzed the occurrence of abnormal muscle coactivations based on the assistance of upper limb weight during reaching task in stroke patients. Nine chronic stroke survivors with hemiplegia performed reaching tasks using a programmable haptic robot. Electromyography (EMG) coactivation levels in the upper limb muscles were analyzed using a linear model describing the activation levels of two muscles when the patient's upper limb weight was assisted at 0%, 25%, and 50%. As the upper limb weight assistance of the haptic robot decreased, the magnitude of the EMG signal in both the deltoid and biceps muscles increased simultaneously on both the paretic and non-paretic sides. However, no difference was found between the paretic and non-paretic sides when comparing the slope of the linear model describing the activation relationship between the deltoid and biceps. The aforementioned results suggest that in some stroke survivors, the deltoids, triceps, and biceps on the paretic side may not be abnormally coupled when supporting the upper limbs against gravity. Furthermore, these results suggest that the combination of haptic robots and EMG analysis might be utilized for evaluating abnormal coactivations in stroke patients.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.148-154
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• 2016

This paper describes the design and fabrication of a two-axis force/torque sensor and an one-axis force sensor with parallel plate beams(PPSs) for measuring forces and torque in an ankle rehabilitation exercise using by a lower rehabilitation robot. The two-axis force/torque sensor is composed of a Fy force sensor and Tz torque sensor and the force sensor detects x direction force. The two-axis force/torque sensor and one-axis force sensor were designed using by FEM(Finite Element Method), and manufactured using strain-gages. The characteristics experiment of the two-axis force/torque sensor and one-axis force sensor were carried out respectively. As a test results, the interference error of the two-axis force/torque sensor was less than 1.56%, the repeatability error and the non-linearity of the two-axis force/torque sensor were less than 0.03% respectively, and the repeatability error and the non-linearity of the one-axis force sensor were less than 0.03% and 0.02% respectively.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.2660-2664
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• 2003

In this study, the concept of autonomous mobility is applied to a medical service robot. The aim of the development of the service robot is for the elderly assisting walking rehabilitation. This study aims that the service robot design parameter is proposed in ergonomic view. The walking assistant path pattern is derived from analyzing the elderly gait analysis. A lever is installed in the AMR in order to measure the pulling force and the leading force of the elderly. A lever mechanism is applied for walking assistant service of the AMR. This lever is designed for measuring the leading force of the elderly. The elderly adjusts the velocity of the robot by applying force to the lever. The action scope and the service mechanism of the robot are developed for considering and analyzing the elderly action patterns. The ergonomic design parameters, that is, dimensions, action scope and working space are determined based on the elderly moving scope. The gait information is acquired by measuring the guide lever force by load cells and working pattern by the electromyography signal.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.30-40
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• 2015

Robot-assisted rehabilitation therapy has been used to increase physical function in post-stroke patients. The aim of this meta-analysis was to identify whether robot-assisted gait training can improve patients' functional abilities. A comprehensive search was performed of PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Academic Search Premier (ASP), ScienceDirect, Korean Studies Information Service System (KISS), Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), Korea National Library, and the Korean Medical Database up to April, 2014. Fifteen eligible studies researched the effects of robot-assisted gait training to a control group. All outcome measures were classified by International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) domains (body function and structures, activity, and participation) and were pooled for calculating the effect size. The overall effect size of the robot-assisted gait training was .356 [95% confidence interval (CI): .186~.526]. When the effect was compared by the type of electromechanical robot, Gait Trainer (GT) (.471, 95% CI: .320~.621) showed more effective than Lokomat (.169, 95% CI: .063~.275). In addition, acute stroke patients showed more improvement than others. Although robot-assisted gait training may improve function, but there is no scientific evidence about the appropriate treatment time for one session or the appropriate duration of treatment. Additional researchers are needed to include more well-designed trials in order to resolve these uncertainties.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.15-22
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• 2012

The mechanical system of wearable walking assist robot needs to be optimized for adapting with human body structure and the planned control algorithm should have a secure procedure when a incongruity situation which can cause musculoskeletal injury occurs because a wearable robot is attached to a body. The understanding of walking or musculoskeletal motions characteristics must be preceeded and analyzed for developing novel wearable walking assist robot. In this study we tried to find out the capacities of powers and torques of joint actuators to design optimized performances of system and to obtain the analysis data to figure out the characteristics of joint movements during some types of walk. The major types of walk and motion are stair climbing and descending, sit-to-stand motion, and slope walking. In this study all these motions were analyzed experimentally except slope walking.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2017

This paper is the design for the welfare robot of apple artificial pollination by a survey for 25 elders' needs of Daegu-Gyeongbuk rural region. The results are summarized as follows. 1) In the apple farms of the region, most of farmers are the couples of 50 years thru 70 years to plant the apple trees only. The apple farm requires the senior farmers lots of painful works including their bone and muscle system problem to result in safety accidents. 2) For the aging progress of rural area, the senior farmers spend lots of labor hours and cost to do artificial pollination, a proper deletion of small fruits, and a speed spray, etc.. Most of them agree to the development of the welfare robot for an apple artificial pollination. 3) The survey results could be applied to the conceptual design in the users' point of view. Therefore, they are used as the important effects for the detail design and commercial design to develop the welfare robot for the rural seniors.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.631-638
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• 2012

This work proposes a new method to generate velocity profile of a traction motor equipped in a rehabilitation system for knee joint patients through humanoid robot simulation. To this end, a three-dimensional full-body humanoid robot model is newly constructed, and natural human gait is simulated by applying to it reference joint angle trajectories already published. Linear velocity is derived from distance data calculated between the positions of a thigh band and its traction motor at every sampling instance, which is a novel idea of this paper. The projection rule is employed to kinematically describe the humanoid robot because of its high efficiency and accuracy, and measured joint trajectories are used in simulating human natural gait referring to Winter's book. The attained motor velocity profile for a certain position in human body will be applied to our walking-assistance system which is implemented with a treadmill system.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.1500-1503
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• 2003

One of the main goals in the rehabilitation of SCI patients is to enable the patient to stand and walk themselves. We are developing high-thrust powered gait orthosis(PGO) that use air muscle actuator(shadow robot Co., UK) to be assisted gait and rehabilitation purposes of them. We made of PD controller and measured hip joint angle by its load and the pressure to control air muscle of PGO. As a results, maximum flexion angle of hip joint is $20^{\circ}$, and angular velocity is 30.4${\pm}2.5^{\circ}/sec$, and then delay time of system was average 0.62${\pm}$0.03s. As the hip flexion angle and the pelvic angle is decreased during the gait with PGO, the patient can walk faster. By using the PGO, the energy consumption can also be decreased. therefore, the proposed PGO can be a very useful assitive device for the paraplegics to walk.