• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.825-837
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• 2017

This paper describes a novel type of a walking rehabilitation robot that applies robot technologies to crutches used by patients with walking difficulties in the lower body. The primary features of the developed robot are divided into three parts. First, the developed robot is worn on the patient's chest, as opposed to the conventional elbow crutch that is attached to the forearm; hence, it can effectively disperse the patient's weight throughout the width of the chest, and eliminate the concentrated load at the elbow. Furthermore, it allows free arm motion during walking. Second, the developed robot can recognize the walking intention of the patient from the magnitude and direction of the ground reactive forces. This is done using three-axis force sensors attached to the feet of the robot. Third, the robot can perform a stair walking function, which can change vertical movement trajectories in order to step up and down a single stair according to the floor height. Consequently, we experimentally showed that the developed robot can effectively perform walking rehabilitation assistance by perceiving the walking intention of the patient. Moreover we quantitatively verified muscle power assistance by measuring the electromyography (EMG) signals of the muscles of the lower limb.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.3-13
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• 2011

The Korean society is recently becoming the aging society at an unprecedentedly rapid speed. Following the increase of the older population, their needs for special care is also rocketing. However, due to the increase of working women, nuclear-families, and old persons living alone, new facilities for the elderly such as nursing home are urgently needed. Thus, many nursing homes for the elderly are also rapidly providing. It is needed to examine if such nursing homes are properly designed for the dependent elderly to live. This study was carried out by the field observation using a checking sheet with measuring and taking photograph. The subjects were 12 nursing homes which gave positive responses for walking through their facilities. The items for observing and measuring were made based on the regulation on improving the facilities for the disabled, the elderly, and the pregnant. Whether each item fits the regulation or not was examined. The 9 areas in each nursing home were examined : entrance, hallway and corridor, stair, elevator, ramp, bed room, shower and locker room, bathroom, and rest room. It was founded that many accessible-related items were met. However, many supportive-related items such as ones for the visual disabled, and many supportive-related and accessible-related ones for bathroom, shower room, and restroom were unmet. In the process of this research, it was founded that the tool for evaluating the design of nursing home in terms of universal design should be developed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.54-63
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• 2001

Rapid Prototyping(RP) techniques have their unique characteristics according to the working principles: stair-stepped surface of a part due to layer-by-layer stacking, low build speed caused by point-by-point or line-by-line solidification to build one layer, and additional posts processing to improve surface roughness, so high cost is required to introduce and to maintain the RP apparatus. The objective of this study is to develop a new RP process, Variable Lamination Manufacturing by using expandable polystyrene foam sheet as part material(VLM-S), and to design an apparatus for implementation of the process. So, the process parameters and design criterions of the apparatus were defined and the techniques were proposed to satisfy the design criterion. Based on the results, a knob-shape, pyramid shape. and a solid block were fabricated on the apparatus in which unit shape part(USP) was generated for building each layer.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.79-88
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to examine the design characteristic about the public space of privately-built apartment housing after the enforcement of price deregulation in Daegu. The public space of the multi-family housing is monotonous and closed according to the position of an elevator and a stair hall by the 1990's. However, the housing has been gentrified since 2000 because of demands of residents and purpose for selling in lots. Thus, the recognition of the apartments has changed and this change has led to extend the living territory and magnify the role of the public space where help interact with neighbors. This study is based on the survey of thirty nine apartment complex. Also, by using an analysis derived from a precedent study, design elements in approach and interior space of apartment residents are comprehended. The characteristic of the porch is researched and divided according to a roof of porch, form as the door, material of roof, wall, the ceiling and floor. Interior space is analyzed by several elements; forms of core, forms, materials and lights of ceiling, materials of walls and floors, existence and nonexistence of windows, and extra interior components etc. As a result of the study, After the enforcement of price deregulation, the public space of apartments has had improved quality in materials and design and the community center for residents such as waiting rooms and spots facilities has appeared. However, the traffic line of interior space has been very intricate. Also, sports facilities and waiting areas are limited to some apartments.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.95-105
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• 2002

In order to reduce the lead-time and cost, the technology of rapid prototyping (RP) has been widely used. However, RP technologies have disadvantageous characteristics according to their working principle: low building speed, high cost for introduction and maintenance of RP apparatus, stair-stepped surface and additional post processing. A new rapid prototyping process, as a transfer type of Variable Lamination Manufacturing by using expandable polystyrene room (VLM-ST), has been developed to reduce building lime. apparatus cost including the introduction and the maintenance and additional post-processing. The objective of this study is to propose a VLM-ST process and to develop an apparatus for implementation of the process. Design criteria of the apparatus are defined and the techniques arc proposed to satisfy the design criterion. In order to examine the efficiency and applicability of the developed process, various three-dimensional shapes, such as a world-cup logo. a knob shape, an extruded cross, a twisted shape, a character, Son-o-kong. a helical gear shaped and a scissor shape are fabricated on the apparatus in which unit shape layer (USL) was generated to build up each layer.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.113-120
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• 2015

In recent years, the population composition of rural area is changing due to the decreasing population growth of the aged with disability and people returning to farming. Since 1970's the rural community facilities have been spreaded out across most rural villages. Although the rural community facilities are the most widely used facilities, the existing facilities are need to be new built or remodeled according to demographic changes, usage of facilities, and environmental condition. Given this reality, the rural community facilities such as village assembly hall and nursing home for senior citizen are not only used for daily life place but also used like co-residence having meals and sleeping together. Therefore the rural community facilities have the potential to become welfare service space for rural elderly people. This research focuses on the current situation of universal design applied community facilities. According to the research, most of the village community facilities were built in the 1990s and 82% of the buildings were more than 15 years old. Furthermore, 45% of the village community facilities more than 15 years old most have a ground floor in masonry structure. The area of the building is 65% less than $100m^2$. The width of the access entrance, the height of the sink, gas safety valve and so forth were relatively well designed. However, the handrail of the entrance, space in front of the toilet bowl, the height difference between the entrance and floor, the installation of the width of the ramp and stair handrail was relatively incomplete. Village community facilities to be built in the future should be universal design fundamentally.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.187-194
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• 2020

When a human being grew older, followed by visually and perceptually impaired, and dementia, it jeopardizes safety and life unless supportive design is secured for a living environment. This supportive space is based on universal design concept which offers safe-oriented, and simple use by incorporating gender and physical/mental limitation. The study of purppose was to examine the appropriateness of barrier-free standard for seniors' living in apartment through IPA. Chi-square analysis found that satisfaction with BF space is lowered as aging is continued and for female group. Regression analysis indicated that sink was the prime predictor in satisfaction, and stair/elevator was the most important variable. IPA concluded that sink, bath, shower/locker and alert/egress were prime BF indexes to be improved among 14 elements, implying careful design in sanitation area for seniors.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.154-161
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• 1998

Prototypes of a design are always needed for the purpose of visualization and evaluation in the aspect of manufacturability functionality, and aesthetic appearance. Since the prototyping process requires a significant amount of cost and time, various rapid prototyping processes are recently being introduced in the process. However, it is usually necessary for a part built up by a rapid prototyping system to be refined by a post-processing process, in which the stair steps on the surfaces, the support structures (if they exist), and the unprocessed material are eliminated. This post-processing is usually done manually and is a time-consuming task. Especially, eliminating the trapped volumes, the volume of the unprocessed material entrapped by the solidified portion, is sometimes impossible in some processes. This study provides a designer with a tool to detect the existence and to calculate the quantity of the trapped volumes at the given build-up direction, so that the proper build-up direction is chosen or the part is built by pieces to avoid the problems caused by the trapped volumes in advance. Since the proposed algorithm can efficiently calculate the amount of the trapped volumes at any build-up direction, it has the potential of such application as optimizing the build-up direction to minimize the trapped volumes.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 2001

This study aims to improve the Evacuation Performance o( the I)inc()unto-store in underground that is rapidly new shopping store in Korea. In this paper, The architectural properties of the floor plan and section was reviewed with egress focus, occupant load density of the Discount-store was surveyed and the procedure and method of performance based egress design for this occupancy was analysed with SIMULEX model and calculation method. As a result of modeling, more longer available safe egress time (ASET) is expected than required safe egress time (RSET)in underground discount-store. In order to improve the Evacuation Performance for this type occupancy, egress capacity including escape stair, aisle width, escape door is calculated with based on occupant load density and review of shopping cart's structure and size and maximum escape capacity of the cash counter.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

This paper reviews trends of the rehabilitation welfare devices on the basis of products and markets. Latest assistive devices tend to have a fold function. Auxiliary power assist module has been added. The completion of products has been improved. The folding function has strong relationship with portability. Specifically, various mobility devices, including foldable devices, are associated with enhanced portability. Powered auxiliary wheels and upper extremity supporting modules have entered the market. The leading-edge technology like Segway's control technology applies to two-wheel wheelchairs. The brand- new technology, lower extremity robotic exoskeleton, applies to markets. Standing wheelchairs, ramps, stair climbing assistive devices becomes more common. In addition, a combination of a variety of smart devices is being promoted to the classical assistive devices' part. Rehabilitation welfare devices can be more valuable due to nice industrial design, improved materials, and processing technology.