• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.235-245
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• 2015

Objective: The purpose of this study is to develop visual complexity metrics based on theoretical bases. Background: With the development of IT technologies, drivers process a large amount of information caused by automotive human-machine interface (HMI), such as a cluster, a head-up display, and a center-fascia. In other words, these systems are becoming more complex and dynamic than traditional driving systems. Especially, these changes can lead to the increase of visual demands. Thus, a concept and tool is required to evaluate the complicated systems. Method: We reviewed prior studies in order to analyze the visual complexity. Based on complexity studies and human perceptual characteristics, the dimensions characterizing the visual complexity were determined and defined. Results: Based on a framework and complexity dimensions, a set of metrics for quantifying the visual complexity was developed. Conclusion: We suggest metrics in terms of perceived visual complexity that can evaluate the in-vehicle displays. Application: This study can provide the theoretical bases in order to evaluate complicated systems. In addition, it can quantitatively measure the visual complexity of In-vehicle information system and be helpful to design in terms of preventing risks, such as human error and distraction.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.497-508
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• 2012

Occupants' visual perception, psychological responses and spatial satisfaction under various indoor lighting environments were analyzed in this study. Field measurements and surveys were conducted in four coffeeshop space where different lighting conditions were used. Results imply that worse visual comfort was reported under direct lighting conditions that exposed light sources to occupants. To improve spatial satisfaction in space, lighting environments should lessen visual thresholds and distraction. Also, necessary illuminance levels should be kept with appropriate color of light that occupants prefer. Worse spatial satisfaction was reported under direct lighting environments, and spatial satisfaction was strongly relevant to visual comfort. Psychological comfort for space was positive in space where visual thresholds were minimized and visual comfort was positively evaluated. Psychological and spatial satisfaction was relevant each other. Occupants preferred to stay longer in space where psychological and spatial satisfaction was positively achieved due to less visual thresholds and improved visual comfort. Better psychological and spatial satisfaction was achieved in space where temporary mood and visual perception were favorably evaluated under indirect lighting environments.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2015.10a
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• pp.248-251
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• 2015

High injury and fatality rates remain a serious problem in the construction industry. Many construction injuries and fatalities can be prevented if workers can recognize potential hazards and take actions in time. Many efforts have been devoted in improving workers' ability of hazard recognition through various safety training and education methods. However, a reliable approach for evaluating this ability is missing. Previous studies in the field of human behavior and phycology indicate that the visual focus of attention (VFOA) is a good indicator of worker's actual focus. Towards this direction, this study introduces an automated approach for estimating the VFOA of equipment operators using a head orientation-based VFOA estimation method. The proposed method is validated in a virtual reality scenario using an immersive head mounted display. Results show that the proposed method can effectively estimate the VFOA of test subjects in different test scenarios. The findings in this study broaden the knowledge of detecting the visual focus and distraction of construction workers, and envision the future work in improving work's ability of hazard recognition.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.235-243
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of flexion-distraction spinal manipulation on intervertebral height, pain, spine mobility in patients with lumbar degenerative disc disease. Design: Randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest control group design Methods: A total of 96 participants with degenerative disc disease participated in the study and were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups received intervention for 3-5 minutes a day. The experimental group (n=48) underwent flexion-distraction spinal manipulation for 3-5 minutes, and the control group (n=48) was maintained in the same position as the experimental group for 5 minutes without any intervention. The intervertebral height was measured by computed tomography, pain was assessed using visual analog scale, and the spine in flexion mobility was measured using the finger-to-floor distance test and passive straight leg raise test. Pre-test and post-test measurements were obtained. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvement in intervertebral height, degree of pain, and spinal mobility (p<0.05). The intervertebral height increased from 6.32±1.90 to 6.93±1.85 mm (p<0.05), lower back pain decreased from 69.17±13.35 mm to 48.48±12.20 mm (p<0.05), lumbar spine mobility changed from 17.37±4.49 to 12.69±4.34 cm (p<0.05), and passive straight leg raise test range increased from 46.94±13.05° to 56.01±12.20° (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study suggests that flexion-distraction spinal manipulation could be an effective treatment for decreasing pain and improving function in patients with degenerative disc disease.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.288-292
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• 2013

Objective : Vertebral distraction is routinely performed during anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Overdistraction can injure the facet joints and may cause postoperative neck pain consequently. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical relevance of distraction force during ACDF. Methods : This study included 24 consecutive patients with single level cervical disc disease undergoing single level ACDF. We measure the maximum torque just before the the arm of the Caspar retractor was suspended by the rachet mechanism by turning the lever on the movable arm using a torque meter. In order to turn the lever using the torque driver, we made a linear groove on the top of the lever. We compared the neck disability index (NDI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores between the high torque group (distraction force>6 $kgf{\cdot}cm$) and the low torque group (distraction force${\leq}6kgf{\cdot}cm$) at routine postoperative intervals of 1, 3, 5 days and 1, 3, 6 months. Results : The VAS scores for posterior neck pain had a linear correlation with torque at postoperative 1st and 3rd days ($y=0.99{\times}-1.1$, $r^2=0.82$; $y=0.77{\times}-0.63$, $r^2=0.73$, respectively). VAS scores for posterior neck pain were lower in the low torque group than in the high torque group on both 1 and 3 days postoperatively ($3.1{\pm}1.3$, $2.6{\pm}1.0$ compared with $6.0{\pm}0.6$, $4.9{\pm}0.8$, p<0.01). However, the difference in NDI scores was not statistically significant in all postoperative periods. Conclusion : Vertebral distraction may cause posterior neck pain in the immediate postoperative days. We recommend not to distract the intervertebral disc space excessively with a force of more than 6.0 $kgf{\cdot}cm$.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.9-16
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• 2018

Background: In order to find out the effect of therapy methods through Flexion-distraction technique and drop technique on pain, sacral angle of patients with lumbar herniated intervertebral disc targeting patients with lumbar herniated intervertebral disc due to L5-S1. Method: This study was to present the directivity of the therapy method for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc by comparing and analyzing the spinal decompression therapy and provide an effective treatment method to patients with lumbar herniated intervertebral disc by identifying the therapeutic effect of Flexion-distraction technique and drop technique. The research period is March 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018 and subjects are the patients diagnosed as lumbar herniated intervertebral disc due to L5-S1 by their doctor through clinical findings and medical equipment such as X-ray, CT, MRI etc. Among patients who visited and hospitalized in S Orthopaedics located in Daegu and 30 female patients with sacral angle of more than $30^{\circ}$ were randomly classified into 15 people and we carried out treatment three times a week for 8 weeks for 15 people in the experimental group applying Flexion-distraction technique and drop technique and 15 people in the control group applying spinal decompression therapy to compare and analyze the changes in pain, sacral angle of patients with lumbar herniated intervertebral disc. Result: According to the results of this study, changes in the Visual Analogue Scale showed statistically significant differences in both the experimental group and control group(p<.05), while there was statistically significant difference in the comparison between groups before and after measurement of experimental group (p<.05). In the comparison within two groups of sacral angle, both groups showed statistically significant difference(p<.05) but there was no statistically significant difference in the comparison of scores between groups before and after measurement of each group(p>.05). Discussion: All those results the above proved that we need to confirm various benefits of the therapy with the flexion-distraction technique and drop technique, and the findings of the concerned study will possibly become useful information when doctors actually work on a therapy to treat patients with the lumbar herniated intervertebral disc.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.553-561
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• 2010

This study examines the influence of light variation on visual responses in a small office space where a daylight dimming control system is applied. Field measurements and survey were performed in a full-scale mocked-up small office space under clear sky day conditions. Maximum fluctuation range for desktop was 133.5 lx and it just happened once for entire monitoring period. For the majority of time, the fluctuation range did not exceed 50 lx, which did not cause visual discomfort to subjects. The daylight dimming control system successfully kept required illuminance levels for an office environment when desktop illuminance by daylight ranged up to 300 lx. The most serious contributor to the sensation of glare was direct daylight through window. The dimming of electric light was not a significant contributor to visual discomfort for the subjects under clear sky day conditions. Visual comfort was significantly influenced by the sensation of glare, feeling for visual stimulation and distraction, and required illuminance level.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.84-95
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• 2022

Objective : To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of the controlled distraction-compression technique using an expandable titanium cage (ETC) in posttraumatic kyphosis (PTK). Methods : We retrospectively studied and collected data on 20 patients with PTK. From January 2014 to December 2017, the controlled distraction-compression technique using ETC was consecutively performed in 20 patients with PTK of the thoracolumbar zone (range, 36-82 years). Among them, nine were males and 11 were females and the mean age was 61.5 years. The patients were followed regularly at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, and the last follow-up was more than 2 years after surgery. Results : The mean follow-up period was 27.3±7.3 months (range, 14-48). The average operation time was 286.8±33.1 minutes (range, 225-365). The preoperative regional kyphotic angle (RKA) ranged from 35.6° to 70.6° with an average of 47.5°±8.1°. The immediate postoperative mean RKA was 5.9°±3.8° (86.2% correction rate, p=0.000), and at the last follow-up more than 2 years later, the mean RKA was 9.2°±4.9° (80.2% correction rate, p=0.000). The preoperative mean thoracolumbar kyphosis was 49.1°±9.2° and was corrected to an average of 8.8°±5.3° immediately after surgery (p=0.000). At the last follow-up, a correction of 11.9°±6.3° was obtained (p=0.000). The preoperative mean back visual analog scale (VAS) score was 7.9±0.8 and at the last follow-up, the VAS score was improved to a mean of 2.3±1.0 with a 70.9% correction rate (p=0.000). The preoperative mean Oswestry disability index (ODI) score was 32.3±6.9 (64.6%) and the last follow-up ODI score was improved to a mean of 6.85±2.9 (3.7%) with a 78.8% correction rate (p=0.000). The overall complication was 15%, with two of distal junctional fractures and one of proximal junctional kyphosis and screw loosening. However, there were no complications directly related to the operation. Conclusion : Posterior vertebral column resection through the controlled distraction-compression technique using ETC showed safe and good results in terms of complications, and clinical and radiologic outcomes in PTK. However, to further evaluate the efficacy of this surgical procedure, more patients need long-term follow-up and there is a need to apply it to other diseases.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine how a manual therapy (joint mobilization and flexion-distraction technique) would affect pain and function with the chronic low back pain. Methods: Thirty patients were assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). Patients in the experimental group performed joint mobilization and flexion-distraction technique. Patients in the control group performed spinal decompression therapy. Both exercises were performed for three days per week, for a period of six weeks. Pain was measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional disability was measured using the Oswestry disability index (ODI). A paired t-test was used for identify differences before and after treatment, and an independent t-test was used to identify differences between treatment groups. Results: In the within group comparison, the experimental group and control group differed significantly for all variables (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in any variables between groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: The above results confirmed that it is necessary to confirm the various benefits of therapy with the joint mobilization and the flexion-distraction technique. The findings of the concerned study will be useful to doctors applying therapy to treat patients with the chronic low back pain.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2016

Traditional tactile controls that include push buttons and rotary switches may cause significant visual and biomechanical distractions if they are located away from the driver's line of sight and hand position, for example, on the central console. Gestural controls, as an alternative to traditional controls, are natural and can reduce visual distractions; however, their types and numbers are limited and have no feedback. To overcome the problems, a driver interface combining gestures and visual feedback with a head-up display has been proposed recently. In this paper, we investigated the effect of this type of interface in terms of driving performance measures. Human-in-the-loop experiments were conducted using a driving simulator with the traditional tactile and the new gesture-based interfaces. The experimental results showed that the new interface caused less visual distractions, better gap control between ego and target vehicles, and better recognition of road conditions comparing to the traditional one.