• Journal of the Korea Knowledge Information Technology Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.327-339
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• 2018

This study is on the elderly people's use and experience of pet robots (companion robots). Applying companion robots for the elderly's daily lives can enhance their quality of life. Leisure is main activity of the elderly who are out of work. Therefore, the quality and diversity of leisure can affect the quality of their life. Companion Robots could provide them with more advanced and interesting experiences. Around the world, population aging becomes one of the most important trends in each country. The social and economic burden of aging is serious challenge on sustainability of the world, including S. Korea. The authors examine use of Companion Robots for elderly (from 50 years old to 90 years old). In this experiment, the authors study and measure many factors including system quality, interface quality, displeasure, enjoyment, willingness to reuse, perception on new technology. In regression analysis, intimacy(t=-2.006, p<.05) is significant factor on displeasure of Companion Robot. In another regression, displeasure of Companion Robot (independent variable) is significant factor on enjoyment(t=-3.327, p<.01) and willingness to reuse(t=-2.636, p<.01). Therefore, when elderly one feels less displeasure of Companion Robot, he/she feels more enjoyment and willingness to reuse. As a result, the elderly who don't familiar to new technology could improve quality of life and leisure activity by using companion robot.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.1-7
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• 1998

Robots utilized in the field of welfare or agriculture should be light in weight and flexible in structure. A pneumatic actuator has properties such that it is more powerful compared with a motor of same weight, and that it is flexible, clean and unexplosive. In this paper we propose a new structure of the pneumatic actuator with two-degree-of-freedom. By using proposed pneumatic actuators, we can easily construct multi-degree-of-freedom pneumatic manipulators. Here we constructed a fourteen-degree-of-freedom pneumatic dual manipulator. The performance of the dual manipulators is confirmed through experiments for ball-handling with impedance control. In the experiments several control schemes, including the decentralized control and the simple adaptive control (SAC), were used. The results show that a flexibility of the pneumatic actuator is appropriate to accomplish the coordinative motion of the right and left arms of the robot.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.196-199
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• 2016

As the children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders(ASD) are increasing, and study of intelligent robot is dynamically proceeding, therapeutic robots are needed to help ASD children who have a lack of social interaction, inadequacy of communication. This paper deals with the design and operation of a cat robot for the treatment. To configure the behavior based on the results of field experiments, emotional treatment is suggested and robot structure considering ASD characteristic is designed with some sensors. In addition, we verified the effectiveness of the operation by field test.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.810-815
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• 2004

In this paper, we propose new parallel mechanism of a 3 dimensional biped robot whose each leg is composed of two 3-dof parallel platforms linked serially. This proposed parallel mechanism is able to move freely in the man-made environment and is applied to various fields, such as medical, welfare, and so on. And a total weight of each leg is expected to be lighter than serial linked leg. One side leg consists of a 3-dof orientation platform and 3-dof asymmetric parallel platform. The former consists of three active linear actuators and seven passive joints, and the latter of two active linear actuators, one active rotational actuator and eight passive joints. Thus, there are two kinds of parallel platforms each chain's elements and active joint's positions are different for the biped robot to move freely like a serial link without the kinematics constraints. The effectiveness and the performance of the proposed parallel mechanism and locomotion trajectory are shown in computer simulations with a 12-DOF parallel biped robot.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 2016

Magnetic sensors and actuators have been widely used in industry and medical fields. Integrated systems based on sensors and actuators are defined as mechatronics that is the general combination of mechanics and electronics. Recently, magnetic wireless sensors and actuators have been developed and used at a systematic level. In particular, their mechanisms depend on magnetic, such as magnetic material and physical phenomena. However, their research boundary has not been clear. Researchers talk of magnetic micro-robots, magnetic actuators and sensors. Therefore, a new and correct definition is required. In this study, we introduce the advanced and extended concept of mechatronics, which is a magneto-mechantronics for biomedical and rehabilitation. Among various applications, we focused on wireless pump and sensing system for blood vessel rehabilitation and local motion capture, respectively.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.191-205
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• 2020

This study examined the possibility of utilizing next-generation technology, such as Virtual Reality or AI robots, in the long-term care facilities for the elderly. For the study, the Focus Group Interview was conducted in three different groups of 14 participants (care workers, social workers, and directors of long-term care facilities for the elderly). The analysis revealed a total of three topics, eight categories, and 26 sub-categories. The main results of the study showed that the use of next-generation technology could assist the psychological and emotional stability, provide curiosity and interest, and relieve the desire for physical activity for the elderly. In addition, for long-term care services staff, it could provide useful services for the elderly with physical constraints, facilitate effective management of the elderly roaming around, and enhance emotional support services. Finally, it could also help directors of long-term care facilities promote their services, educate staff, and keep up with current trends. Participants expressed concerns about the introduction of new technologies, but they generally expected that the application of next-generation technology would be positive for the elderly as well as for care workers and directors of long-term care facilities. Therefore, the use of next-generation technology in long-term care facilities for the elderly will also help develop gerontechnology.

• 한국정보교육학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.01a
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• pp.261-264
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• 2011

Recently, poor child problem becomes severe, which is induced by earning differentials, because of the growing social polarization; the gap between the rich and the poor. The children in low-income group tend to have low dignity, anxiety, offense, and shrinking problems, because they frequently confront many negative circumstances, such as eliminating family, leaving home, and financial hardship. Those behavior problems can result in the low scholastic performance. This study deals with the effectiveness of attitude improvement using educational robots. We have a result that the children in welfare institutions have been improved not only in creativity but also in attitude points of view.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an increase in self - determination experience on the behavior of young children with autism spectrum disorder by telepresence robot. As for research method, the study used AB design, two selected children engaged in activities with a telepresence robot in free play time in the morning. The activities were conducted in 19 sessions, twice a week, 15 to 40 minutes each. To investigate the effect of the activity on the child's behavior was observed using the behaviors of free play time and work time in the afternoon. All the process was recorded by a camera and then analyzed by frequency recording. The results of the study are as follows. First, the participation of young children with autism spectrum disorder in free play time increased. Second, choice-making or preference behavior of young children with autistic spectrum disorder were increased. This study suggests that increasing the self-determination experience of young children with autism spectrum disorders using telepresence robots increases their participation and increases their choice-making or preference behavior.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1420-1427
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• 2019

Super aged society, Japan actively uses Information Communication Technology(ICT) as one of solving methods for various social problem. Especially, for Korea where soon will become super aged society, it would be meaningful to examine the current policy trends and utilization of senior support using ICT in Japan. This study explores the policy trends and utilization of senior support using ICT in Japan through literature review, and then proposes some suggestions as follows. Opportunities for practical use of ICT should be widened in the field of senior support, and efforts are needed to build an information linkage network between institutions for senior support because linkage between care sector and medical sector is important for the elderly support. Besides, simplification of paperwork and easing of burden of care providers or workers in the field should be sought by development and dissemination of various robots. Moreover, the spread of technology for emotional support and stability should be actively pursued by using ICT.