• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.471-478
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• 2004

Electromyogram (EMC) signal generated by voluntary contraction of muscles is often used in a rehabilitation devices such as an upper limb prosthesis because of its distinct output characteristics compared to other bio-signals. This paper proposes an EMG-based human-computer interface (HCI) for the control of the above-elbow prosthesis or the wheelchair. To control such rehabilitation devices, user generates four commands by combining voluntary contraction of two different muscles such as levator scapulae muscles and flexor-extensor carpi ulnaris muscles. The muscle contraction is detected by comparing the mean absolute value of the EMG signal with a preset threshold value. However. since the time difference in muscle firing can occur when the patient tries simultaneous co-contraction of two muscles, it is difficult to determine whether the patient's intention is co-contraction. Hence, the use of the comparison method using a single threshold value is not feasible for recognizing such co-contraction motion. Here, we propose a novel method using double threshold values composed of a primary threshold and an auxiliary threshold. Using the double threshold method, the co-contraction state is easily detected, and diverse interface commands can be used for the EMG-based HCI. The experimental results with real-time EMG processing showed that the double threshold method is feasible for the EMG-based HCI to control the myoelectric prosthetic hand and the powered wheelchair.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.313-318
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• 2016

Purpose: This study measured and analyzed the PTO (power take off) torque of a transplanter according to the planting conditions during field operation. Methods: A torque measurement system was constructed with torque sensors to measure the torque of a PTO shaft, a measurement device to acquire sensor signals, and a power controller to provide power for a laptop computer. The field operation was conducted at four planting distances (26, 35, 43, and 80 cm) and two planting depths using the transplanter on a field with similar soil conditions. One-way ANOVA with planting distance and Duncan's multiple range test at a significance level of 0.05 were used to analyze the PTO torque. The torque ratio was calculated based on the minimum torque using the average PTO torque measured under each planting condition. Results: The average torques on the PTO shaft for planting distances of 26, 35, 43, and 80 cm at a low planting depth were 11.05, 9.07, 7.04, and 3.75 Nm, respectively; the same for planting distances of 26, 35, 43, and 80 cm at a middle planting depth were 12.20, 9.86, 7.94, and 4.32 Nm, respectively. When the planting distance decreased by 43, 35, and 26 cm, the torque ratio at a low planting depth increased by 88, 142, and 195%, respectively. When the planting distance decreased by 43, 35, and 26 cm, the torque ratio at the middle planting depth increased by 84, 128, and 182%, respectively. Conclusions: PTO torque fluctuated by planting distance and depth. Moreover, the PTO torque increased for short planting distances. Therefore, farmers should determine the planting conditions of the transplanter by considering the load and durability of the machine. The results of this study provide useful information pertaining to the optimum PTO design of the transplanter considering the field load.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.323-335
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• 2015

Mobile healthcare is a fusion of information technology and biotechnology and is a new type of health management service to keep people's health at anytime and anywhere without regard to time and space. The WBAN(Wireless Body Area Network) technology that collects bio signals and the data analysis and monitoring technology using mobile devices are essential for serving mobile healthcare. WBAN consisting of users with mobile devices meet another WBAN during movement, WBANs transmit data to the other media. Because of WBAN conflict, several nodes transmit data in same time slot so a collision will occur, resulting in the data transmission being failed and need more energy for re-transmission. In this thesis, we proposed a MAC protocol for WBAN with mobility to solve these problems. First, we proposed a superframe structure for WBAN. The proposed superframe consists of a TDMA(Time Division Muliple Access) based contention access phase with which a node can transmit data in its own time slot and a contention phase using CSMA/CA algorithm. Second, we proposed a network merging algorithm for conflicting WBAN based on the proposed MAC protocol. When a WBAN with mobility conflicts with other WBAN, data frame collision is reduced through network reestablishment. Simulations are performed using a Castalia based on the OMNeT++ network simulation framework to estimate the performance of the proposed superframe and algorithms. We estimated the performance of WBAN based on the proposed MAC protocol by comparing the performance of the WBAN based on IEEE 802.15.6. Performance evaluation results show that the packet transmission success rate and energy efficiency are improved by reducing the probability of collision using the proposed MAC protocol.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1-6
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• 2019

As mobile technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT)-based smart homes and financial technologies (FinTech) are developed, authentication by smart devices is used everywhere. As a result, presence-based biometric authentication using smart devices has become a new mainstream in knowledge-based authentication methods like the existing passwords. The electrocardiogram (ECG) is less prone to forgery, and high-level personal identification is its unique feature from among various biometric authentication methods, such as the pulse, fingerprints, the face, and the iris. Biometric authentication using an ECG is receiving a great deal of attention due to its uses in healthcare and FinTech. In this study, we implemented an ECG authentication system that allows users to easily measure and authenticate their ECG waveforms using a miniaturized wearable device, rather than a large and expensive measurement device. The implemented ECG authentication system identifies ECG features through P-Q-R-S-T feature point identification, and was user-certified under the proposed authentication protocols. Finally, assessment of measurements in a majority of adult males showed a relatively low false acceptance rate of 1.73%, and a low false rejection rate of 4.14%, in a stable normal state. In a high-activity state, the false acceptance rate was 13.72%, and the false rejection rate was 21.68%. In a high-heart rate state, the false acceptance rate was 10.48%, and the false rejection rate was 11.21%.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.59-66
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• 2018

The utilized coefficient of friction (UCOF) as a ratio of the shear force to the normal force on the ground during walking is used to identify the point at which slip is likely to occur. Shoe walking will change the utilized coefficient of friction by shoe design such as sole thickness and hardness, heel shape, and outsole pattern. In this study, subjects are 21 adults (10 female, 11 male, age: $25.2{\pm}2.3yrs$, height: $165.6{\pm}7.2cm$), analysis variables were walking speed, GRF, when the UCOF is maximal, and Tangent of CoP-CoM angle, and correlation analysis with the utilized friction coefficient (UCOF). As a result, First, for the shod walking the time point which UCOF is maximum about heel strike was faster and the magnitude was larger than for barefoot walking. Second, the correlation between the tangent of CoP-CoM and UCOF of right foot was higher at the left heel striking point (UCOF2_h) which occurred in the post propulsion phase than at the right heel striking point (UCOF1_h). This suggests that the right foot UCOF is related to the braking phase of left foot( which is the propulsion phase of right foot) rather than the braking phase of right foot.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2022

Volatiles exist ubiquitously in nature. Volatile compounds produced by plants and microorganisms confer inter-kingdom and intra-kingdom communications. Autoinducer signaling molecules from contact-based chemical communication, such as bacterial quorum sensing, are relayed through short distances. By contrast, biogenic volatiles derived from plant-microbe interactions generate long-distance (>20 cm) alarm signals for sensing harmful microorganisms. In this review, we discuss prior work on volatile compound-mediated diagnosis of plant diseases, and the use of volatile packaging and dispensing approaches for the biological control of fungi, bacteria, and viruses. In this regard, recent developments on technologies to analyze and detect microbial volatile compounds are introduced. Furthermore, we survey the chemical encapsulation, slow-release, and bio-nano techniques for volatile formulation and delivery that are expected to overcome limitations in the application of biogenic volatiles to modern agriculture. Collectively, technological advances in volatile compound detection, packaging, and delivery provide great potential for the implementation of ecologically-sound plant disease management strategies. We hope that this review will help farmers and young scientists understand the nature of microbial volatile compounds, and shift paradigms on disease diagnosis and management to aromatic (volatile-based) agriculture.

• Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.957-966
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• 2018

Recently, the demand for remote patient monitoring based on IoT has been increased due to aging population and an increase in single-person household. A non-contact biological signal measurement system using multiple IR-UWB radars for remote patient monitoring is proposed in this paper. To reduce error signals, a multilayer Subtraction algorithm is applied because when the background subtraction algorithm was applied to the biological signal processing, errors occurred such as voltage noise and staircase phenomenon. Therefore, a multilayer background subtraction algorithm is applied to reduce error occurrence. The multilayer background subtraction algorithm extracts the signal by calculating the amount of change between the previous clutter and the current clutter. In this study, the SVD algorithm is used. We applied the improved multilayer background subtraction algorithm to biological signal measurement and computed the respiration rate through Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). To verify the proposed system using IR-UWB radars and multilayer background subtraction algorithm, the respiration rate was measured. The validity of this study was verified by obtaining a precision of 97.36% as a result of a control experiment with Neulog's attachment type breathing apparatus. The implemented algorithm improves the inconvenience of the existing contact wearable method.