• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2009

In this paper, we compared wheelchair seating system between wheelchair users with cerebral palsy and spinal cord injuries. Wheelchair seating system is divided into three parts, seating components, seating cushion, and special functions. Seating components are composed of 10 sections, such as headrest, footrest, etc. There are 4 seating cushions including gel, form, hybrid, and air. Also leg elevation, seat elevation, tilt-in-space, reclining, and standing are special function of the wheelchair. There are 10 wheelchair users, 5 with celebral palsy, and 5 with spinal cord injuries who have participated in this study. 10 wheelchair users have been customers of rehabilitation technology center in national rehabilitation center. On the result, SCI group mostly uses headrest, and Humeral blocks (seating components), air cushion (seating cushion), and tilt in space, reclining (special functions). On the other hand, CP group uses adductor, abductor, and pommel (seating components), form cushion (seating cushion), and some of CP group uses reclining (special functions)

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.84.5-84
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• 2001

The objective of this paper is to develop a powered wheelchair controller based on EMG for users with high-level spinal cord injury. EMG is very naturally measured when the user Indicating a certain direction, and the force information which will be used for the speed of wheelchair is easily extracted from EMG. Furthermore, the emergency situation based on EMG will be checked relatively ease. We classified the pre-defined motions such as rest case, forward movement, left movement, and right movement by Fuzzy Min-Max Neural Networks (FMMNN). This classification results shows the feasibility of EMG as an input interface for powered wheelchair. To make the system low cost and small size, we developed EMG AMP and its controller ...

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.109-124
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• 2014

Objective: This study was conducted for one-hand users including hemiplegic clients currently using general folding manual wheelchairs, so as to analyze their specific problems and recommend solutions regarding usage. Background: Traditional manual wheelchairs require considerable use and control of both hands for operation, thus adaptations become necessary for individuals with asymmetrical use of hands. Method: Thirty hemiplegic clients who were admitted to rehabilitation and convalescent hospitals participated as subjects. The research tools were general folding manual wheelchairs commonly used by people with impaired gait, and the Wheelchair Skills Tests (WST) WST-M/WCU 4.1 version was adopted as the assessment tool. All participants were asked to fill out questionnaires on demographics and wheelchair usage characteristics. Assessment procedures were performed with currently used manual wheelchairs and with/without the use of foot to control the wheelchair. Results: When the participants drove folding manual wheelchairs without the use of foot, even the lowest failure rate among the WST items tested recorded 96.7%. On the contrary, with the use of foot in maneuvering the wheelchairs, failure rates dropped noticeably and success rate among the WST items tested was as high as 86.7%. Conclusion: These findings imply that the use of one-arm (hand) propellable (drivable) wheelchair can be an active and effective solution in resolving problems for hemiplegic clients using existing manual wheelchairs. As such, the government should provide institutional support to further develop and distribute this device or technology, and promote relative research in tandem. For now, the supply of commercially available device to hemiplegic clients is deemed urgent and also a mechanism to provide the devices and relevant services. Application: This study offers viable solutions for hemiplegic clients who rely on existing manual wheelchairs to increase their mobility and occupational performance.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.147-154
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• 2023

In this paper, we propose a barrier-free course route navigation service named "Theme Road" aimed at improving the mobility and convenience for elderly electric wheelchair users with walking disabilities. To achieve this goal, we conducted a user survey through shadowing and in-depth interviews to gather insights on the challenges experienced by elderly electric wheelchair users. We identified potential solutions for each inconvenience through co-creation workshops, resulting in a set of design considerations and app functionalities. Using persona development and service scenarios, we designed and implemented the "Theme Road" service as a dedicated navigation application for barrier-free course navigation. Unlike conventional route navigation and mapping services, our study stands out by offering a unique approach that combines recommended destinations and safe routes based on experiential analysis from elderly electric wheelchair users.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.66-71
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• 2006

Some wheelchair users with neuromuscular disorders experience involuntary extensor thrusts, which may cause injuries via impact with the wheelchair, cause the user to slide out of the wheelchair seat, and damage the wheelchair. Knowledge of the human-generated forces during an extensor thrust is of great importance in devising safer, more comfortable wheelchairs. This paper presents an efficient method for identifying human-generated forces during an extensor thrust. We used an inverse dynamic approach with a three-link human body model and a system for measuring human body motion. We developed an experimental system that determines the angular motion of each human body segment and the force at the footrest, which was used to overcome the mathematical indeterminacy of the problem. The proposed method was validated experimentally, illustrating the force-identification process during an extensor thrust.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

In this paper, when wheelchair user get into the vehicle, we have thorough grasp of the problems of loading wheelchair and give effect to suggest conceptual design in relation to develop manufactured goods. We choose 50 participants with disabilities who manual wheelchair or motor scooter users are able to drive own's vehicle, and the method practice in the direct survey. There are some limitations in this study especially in terms of the sampling population. The 88%(n=44) of the participant replied to the driver with disabilities need assistive devices for loading manual wheelchair. They prefer a system that robot arm brings the wheelchair out of the trunk to the driver's seat door.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.241-250
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• 2022

It is known that chronic pain and injury of upper limb joint tissue in manual wheelchair users is usually caused by muscle imbalance, and the propulsion speed is reported to increase this muscle imbalance. In this study, kinematic variables, electromyography, and ultrasonographic images of the upper limb were measured and analyzed at two different propulsion speeds to provide a quantitative basis for the risk of upper extremity joint injury. Eleven patients with spinal cord injury for the experimental group (G_E) and 27 healthy adults for the control group (G_C) participated in this study. Joint angles and electromyography were measured while subjects performed self-selected comfortable and fast-speed wheelchair propulsion. Ultrasound images were recorded before and after each propulsion task to measure the acromiohumeral distance (AHD). The range of motion of the shoulder (14.35 deg in G_E; 20.24 deg in G_C) and elbow (5.25 deg in G_E; 2.57 deg in G_C) joints were significantly decreased (p<0.001). Muscle activation levels of the anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid, biceps brachii, and triceps brachii increased at fast propulsion. Specifically, triceps brachii showed a significant increase in muscle activation at fast propulsion. AHD decreased at fast propulsion. Moreover, the AHD of G_E was already narrowed by about 60% compared to the G_C from the pre-tests. Increased load on wheelchair propulsion, such as fast propulsion, is considered to cause upper limb joint impingement and soft tissue injury due to overuse of the extensor muscles in a narrow joint space. It is expected that the results of this study can be a quantitative and objective basis for training and rehabilitation for manual wheelchair users to prevent joint pain and damage.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 2011

This paper presents the design of the power-assisted controller for the in-wheel type smart wheelchair by using torque estimation that is predicted by relationship between input voltage and output wheel angular velocity. Nowadays, interest of the moving assistant aids is increased according to the increase in population of the elderly and the handicapped person. However some of the moving assistant aids have problems. For example, manual wheelchair has difficulty moving at the slope, because users lack the muscular strength of their arm. In electric wheelchair case, users should be weak by being decreased muscles of upper body. To overcome these problems, power-assisted electric wheelchair are proposed. Most of the power-assisted electric wheelchair have the special rims that can measure the user's power. In here, the rims have to be designed to install the sensors to measure user's power. In this paper, we don't design the rim to measure the man power. To predict the man power, we propose a control algorithm of the in-wheeled electric wheelchair by using torque estimation from the wheel. First, we measure the wheel velocity and voltage at the in-wheel electric wheelchair. And then we extract driving will forces by using proposed mathematical model. Also they are applied at the controller as the control input, we verify to be able to control in-wheel type smart wheelchair by using simulation.

• Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.61-69
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• 2010

The users who use the wheelchair are confined to a wheelchair for a long time. Accordingly, the use of seat cushion for pressure distribution is very important in order to prevent a bedsore. Therefore, this paper provides useful information for design of seat cushion through statistical testing among nothing cushion, low cell type of air cushion, high cell type of air cushion, and jelly type of air cushion. It turned out that the jelly type and high cell type of air cushion have a serious effect on decision and design of seat cushion.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Construction Safety
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.56-62
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• 2019

As of 2015, the number of handicapped people accounted for 26 percent of the total population and the number has been increasing every year. There are many restrictions on transportation, especially for visually impaired and wheelchair users, from existing buildings to other buildings. This study takes note of this and develops algorithms for producing applications for the direction of traffic for people who are blind and wheelchair users The algorithms developed through this study take into account stairs, thresholds and widths for wheelchair users, while guiding elevators and ramps first and supporting all guidance, including obstacles, by voice for the blind. This study is judged to contribute greatly to the development of applications for the actual traffic infirm in the future.