• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.771-782
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• 2017

This paper describes the development of a wearable robot to assist ankle power for the elderly. Previously developed wearable robots have generally used motors and gears to assist muscle power during walking. However, the combination of motor and reduction gear is heavy and has limitations on the simultaneous control of stiffness and torque due to the friction of the gear reducer unlike human muscles. Therefore, in this study, Mckibben pneumatic muscle, which is lighter, safer, and more powerful than an electric motor with gear, was used to assist ankle joint. Antagonistic actuation using a pair of pneumatic muscles assisted the power of the soleus muscles and tibialis anterior muscles used for the pitching motion of the ankle joint, and the model parameters of the antagonistic actuator were experimentally derived using a muscle test platform. To recognize the wearer's walking intention, foot load and ankle torque were calculated by measuring the pressure and the center of pressure of the foot using force and linear displacement sensors, and the stiffness and the torque of the pneumatic muscle joint were then controlled by the calculated ankle torque and foot load. Finally, the performance of the developed ankle power assistive robot was experimentally verified by measuring EMG signals during walking experiments on a treadmill.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.393-399
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• 2015

Objective : This study was conducted with an aim to use it as basic data for developing assistive devices, such as insoles that can suppress the progress of degenerative diseases and strategies, to improve early degenerative diseases by assessing walking characteristics of farm workers who were classified as KL-grade in the perspective of motor mechanics. Method : 38 male and female adults who complained of knee joint pain for more than six months were selected, and they were classified according to KL-grade. KL-grade was assessed by an orthopaedic specialist and an occupational environment health specialist. Filming equipment (FX-1, CASIO, Japan) and a ground reaction force system (AMTI OR6, AMTI, USA) were used to identify ground reaction force characteristics, and WOMAC was used for a pain rating scale. Results : There was a difference between the right and left side (axis-X) according to KL-grade, and when the grade was higher, the internal ground reaction force was also higher. Changes in COP were not affected by KL-grade of the knee joint, but it tended to increase as the grade increased. There were differences in the time required for limb support while walking according to the grades, and when the grade was higher, walking was more inefficient with long braking force and short propulsion forces. Also, pain rating scale, the right and left side, and COP changes while in support phase were related. Conclusion : There was a partial, statically significant difference in KL-grade and ground reaction force occurring during the support phase, and there were differences in ground reaction forces according to the grades of degenerative arthritis in the knee joint, indicating that this study is worthy as basic data for future studies.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.503-509
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• 2015

In this paper, we designed and tested an ankle joint mechanism for a gait rehabilitation robot. Gait rehabilitation programs are designed to improve the natural leg motion of patients who have lost their walking capabilities by accident or disease. Strengthening the muscles of the lower-limbs and stimulation of the nervous system corresponding to walking helps patients to walk again using gait assistive devices. It is an obvious requirement that the rehabilitation system's motion should be similar to and as natural as the normal gait. However, the system being used for gait rehabilitation does not pay much attention to ankle joints, which play an important role in correct walking as the motion of the ankle should reflect the movement of the center of gravity (COG) of the body. Consequently, we have designed an ankle mechanism that ensures the safety of the patient as well as efficient gait training. Also, even patients with low leg muscle strength are able to operate the ankle joint due to the direct-drive mechanism without a reducer. This safety feature prevents any possible adverse load on the human ankle. The additional degree of freedom for the roll motion achieves a gait pattern which is similar to the normal gait and with a greater degree of comfort.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2024

Lower limb amputees are increasing due to various reasons. It is difficult for lower limb amputees to walk without an assistive device such as a prosthetic leg. In this paper, an electronically controlled knee-type prosthetic leg with a 4-bar linkage structure for lower limb amputees was developed. The knee-type prosthetic leg has a 4-bar linkage structure and assists walking by using an integrated drive module. The torque is 90 Nm, the rotation speed is up to 120 deg, and it weight 1.9 kg, so it is lighter than a commercial prosthetic leg, so it can be used for a long time because there is less fatigue when walking. An integrated control board was developed by applying various sensors and microprocessor. The motor drive and encoder are built into the integrated drive module. The integrated control board and integrated drive module communicate using CAN. When a lower limb amputee wears a knee-type prosthetic leg and walks, it shows a shape similar to the swing phase graph of a normal people, and it is possible to walk naturally while walking.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Computer Information Conference
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• 2021.01a
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• pp.227-229
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• 2021

본 논문에서는 노약자 및 장애인의 증가로 인한 조행보조기구 사용량이 증가하고 있으나 물리적인 보조기구는 있지만 AI를 통한 서비스와 보조보행기구에 관한 AI 데이터셋이 부족하다. 이러한 문제점을 보안하기 위해 본 논문에서는 상기 데이터셋을 설계 및 구축하기 위해 Node JS를 사용하여 이미지 크롤링 프로그램을 구현하여 이미지 데이터를 수집했으며, Yolo Maker를 활용하여 수집된 이미지를 데이터셋으로 변환시켰다. 이를 통해 노약자 및 장애인을 위한 AI 서비스 구축에 필요한 데이터를 손쉽게 설계 및 구축한다.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.41-46
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• 2013

IIn this paper, active trasfemoral prosthesis leg is designed for the handicapped who lost their legs upon knee. It is important to design proper knee joint to mimic walking motion of hyman. 1 degree-of-freedom active trasfemoral prosthesis leg is designed with knee joint. Operating angle and torque have been calculated using kinematics of three linkages in prosthesis leg. Finite element analysis of major components is performed to evaluate the safety under operating condition and to reduce weights. Minimum volumes of components are obtained by optimization as satisfying safety requirements. The results show that about 35% of weight of components is reduced.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to determine the walking imbalance using the EMG(electromyogram). To confirm the effectiveness of the proposed encoder and acceleration, EMG sensor based gait imbalance determination system. This experiment was carried out to evaluation with a healthy adult male to 10 people. The Encoder device is attached to the hip and knee joint in order to measure the gait signal. The Accelerometer sensors are attached on the ankle. The EMG sensors are attached on the vastus lateralis and anterior tibialis. SI(Symmetry Index) was used as an index for determining the gait imbalance. To confirm if the judgment has been made correctly, the heel, regarded as the cause of unbalanced ambulation, was adjusted from 0 cm to 6 cm with intervals of 1.5 cm. In the cases of the encoder and the EMG, the difference of 0 cm and 1.5 cm is determined into normal walk but the other difference is distinguished into gait imbalance. In the case of the accelerometer, the difference of 0 cm, 1.5 cm and 3 cm is determined into normal walk but the other difference is distinguished into gait imbalance.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.305-312
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• 2014

In this study, in order to quantitatively confirm walking rehabilitation degree, we analyzed EMG pattern simulated abnormal gait and normal gait by applying a curve fitting. We calculated the suitable high-order function for EMG signal, and classified them into 5 groups by using cluster analysis. Depending on the distance from normal pattern group, we listed the pattern group and then the distribution of each variables were confirmed. The amplitude-decreased pattern was the most similar to the normal pattern, but the reversed pattern showed the lowest similarity. Due to the smaller overlapping range, the distribution of the groups were possible to classify using the value of variable. The standard deviation of each term coefficient was compared to indicate the quantitative rehabilitation extent, and the higher value was confirmed as the pattern is close to the normal pattern. Consequently, the representation of quantitative rehabilitation extent is expected to contribute to the more effective rehabilitation method study.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.319-329
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• 2015

The purpose of this paper is to analyze lower extremities pattern of daily activities and walking on the treadmill with passive body support system. The experiments will be used for basic research of developing active harness system. The experimental procedure has been validated on 5 healthy male subjects and we measured foot pressure and 8 section of lower limb muscles activities. The EMG results of ADL indicate that there have specific muscle activity patterns followed by each activities. The vastus lateralis muscle activities were highly seems on the activities that requires flection and extension of knee joint. The foot pressure value of stair descent activity was the highest due to the fact that it is come down to the direction of gravity. The results with the passive body weight support percentages show that the EMG and foot pressure values were declined according to increasement of the body weight support percentages. Therefore the body weight support system could apply gait rehabilitation system for various patients by changing the percentages of the body weight support.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

Estimating algorithm of physical activity energy expenditure was implemented by using a tri-axial accelerometer motion detector of the SVM(Signal Vector Magnitude) of 3-axis(x, y, z). A total of 33 participants(15 males and 18 females) that performed walking and running on treadmill at 2 ~ 11 km/h speeds(each stage increase 1km/h). Algorithm for energy expenditure of physical activities were implemented with $VO_2$ consumption and SVM correlation between the data. Algorithm consists of three kinds and hip, wrist, waist and hip can be used to apply.