• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.321-327
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• 2010

Most of the ear shells of hearing aids are manufactured manually, and it is one of the reasons that the cost of the custom-made hearing aids can be increased. Thus it is required to manufacture the ready-made ear shell for the purpose of easy manufacturing and decrease in cost. In this study, we extract parameters in order to manufacture the ready-made ear shell for CIC type hearing aids and simulate to reconstruct the ear shell using the extracted parameters. To parameter extraction, we set up the eleven parameters for the ready-made ear shell based on anatomical characteristics of the ear canal, and we found values of the parameters from twenty-one impressions in their 20s and twelve impressions in their 60s using aperture detection and feature detection algorithms. Classifying the parameters by size, we also determine the parameters of ready-made ear shell into three types for people in their 20s and two types for people in their 60s. Each ready-made ear shell was simulated to reconstruct using figured parameters, and evaluated the rate of agreement with unused impressions for setting parameters. To evaluate the ready-made ear shell, we calculate the volume ratio and intersection between of the each impression and ready-made ear shell, and the intersection ratio using the intersection volume and ready-made ear shell volume. As a result, the volume ratio was about 70%, and volume match ratio was also up to 70%. It means that the ready-made ear shell we simulated is the significantly matched to impression.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.221-270
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• 1998

Objective This research is a study about constitutional diagnosis through the external appearances as a basic principle, and it is for finding shape differences of the ear, eye, nose, mouth according to the Sasang constitution Method We have collected 209 cases of patients of the Sasang Constitutional Department, including employees of the Kyung-Hee Medical Center and took pictures of the frontal view, lateral view, oblique view of face and measured heights, deapth, breadths of ear, eye, nose, mouth with 'The Measurement of R. Martin'. We analyzed shape differences of the face according to the Sasang constitution with certain results Results We got the morphologic characteristics of ear, eye, nose and mouth according to the Sasang constitution as Table 3. -Table 10. Conclusion : 1. The morphologic characteristics of Ear according to the Sasang constitution (1) Morphologic ear length, Physiognomic ear length, Ear lobule length is longer in Taeumin than Soeumin. (2) Physiognomic ear breadth is wider in Taeumin than Soeumin. (3) Physiognomic ear length, lobule length ratio is higher in Taeumin than Soyangin. 2. The morphologic characteristics of Eye according to the Sasang constitution. (1) Inner Palpebral fissure width, 5th Palpebral fissure length, Bizygomatic breadth-Outercanthal distance is the longest in Taeumin (2) Palpebral fissure inclination is widest in Soeumin. (3) Palpebral fissure length is longer in Taeumin than Soeumin. (4) Pupillary diameter ratio is the lowest in Taeumin (5) Palpebral fissure length, width ratio is higher in Soeumin than Taeumin. (6)zygomatic breadth, Bizygomatic breadth-Outercanthal distance ratio is the higher in Taeumin than Soeumin. 3. The morphologic characteristics of Nose according to the Sasang constitution. (1) Nasion depth is deepest in Soyangin. (2) Nasion to pupillary depth is deeper Soyangin than Taeumin. (3) Nasal tip depth, Nostril to Nasalalar depth is deeper Soyangin than Taeumin. (4) Subnasale to Nasalalar depth is the shallowest in Taeumin (5) Nasalalar height is lowest in Soeumin. (6) Nasalalar to Nostril distance is deeper Taeumin than Soeumin. (7) Nasal tip depth, Nasal depth ratio is the highest in Taeumin (8) Nasal depth Nasalalar heightratio is lowest in Soeumin. (9) Midfaceheight, Nasal tip depth ratio is higher Soyangin than Taeumin. 4. The morphologic characteristics of mouth according to the Sasang constitution. (1) Lower mid lip height, Lower philtrum height, Lower quarter lip height, Total middle lip height, Total philtrum height, Total quarter lip height is the shottest in Soyangin. (2) Upper mid lip height, Upper philtrum height is longer in Taeumin than Soyangin (3) Lip inclination is higher in Soeumin than Soyangin. (4) Intercheilion breadth, total height ratio is lowest in Soyangin. (5) Total lip height, Upper philtrum height ratio is higher in Soyangin than Soeumin. (6) Lower lip height Lower quarter lip height ratio is higher in Soyangin than Taeumin. (8) Total lip area is wider in Taeumin than Soyangin.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.1055-1061
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• 2011

In this study, main parameters: aperture, first bend and second bend which express a structure of ear canal are extracted in order to modeling and manufacture the ready-made ear shells of hearing aids. The proposed parameter extraction method consists of 2 important algorithms, aperture detection and feature detection. In the aperture detection algorithm, aperture of 3-D scanned virtual ear impression and parameters relating to ear shell of hearing aid are determined. The feature detection algorithm detects first bend, second bend, and related parameters. Through these two algorithms, parameters for aperture, first bend, and second bend are extracted to model the ready-made ear shell of hearing aid. The values of these extracted parameters from 36 people's right ear impression are analyzed and measured statistically. As a result of the analysis, it has been found that it is possible to classify ready-made ear shell parameters by age and size. The ready-made ear shell parameters are classified 3-size for 20 years old and 2-size for 60 years olde. Using 3D rhino program, virtual ready-made ear shell is reconstructed by parameters of every type, and simulated to model it. A final product was produced by transferring simulation result with rapid prototyping system. The modeled ready-made ear shell is evaluated with the objective and subjective method. Objective method is the comparison volume ratio and overlapped volume ratio of ear impression from randomly chosen 18 people and ready-made ear shell. And subjective method is that the final product of ready-made ear shell is used by users and the satisfaction number drawn from well fitting and comfortable testing was evaluated. In the result of the evaluation, it has been found that volume ration is 70%, big and middle size ready-made ear shell products are possible, and the satisfaction number is high.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.133-140
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• 2009

Objective : To evaluate autonomic nerve balance and sympathetic nerve activity in patients with inner ear dysfunction as examined by heart rate variability(HRV) Research Methods and Procedures : One hundred and twenty three patients(between 15 to 59 years old) who visited Dept. of Oriental medical Opthalmology & Otolaryngology, Kyunghee university and had an examination of HRV test, were selected as subjects of our study. We checked items of HRV test(such as SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF, TP, norm-LF, norm-HF, LF/HF ratio), and analyzed time and frequency domain differences between three groups classified as tinnitus, hearing loss and vertigo. And we compared HRV items(such as SDNN,RMSSD, TP and LF/HF ratio) with standard levels. Results and Conclusion : Our results showed no significant differences between three groups in HRV items except for mean heart rate. Patients with inner ear dysfunction showed significant lower TP than 2000$(ms^{2})$(p <0.001) and significant higher LF/HF ratio than 1.5(p=0.003). So we suggest that patients with inner ear dysfunctions such as tinnitus, vertigo and hearing loss, have sympathetic hypertonus and inactivity of autonomic nerve regulation.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.260-267
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• 2021

Background: Elastic ear cartilage is a good source of tissue for support or augmentation in plastic and reconstructive surgery. However, the amount of ear cartilage is limited and excessive use of cartilage can cause deformation of the auricular framework. This animal study investigated the potential of periosteal chondrogenesis in an ear cartilage defect model. Methods: Twelve New Zealand white rabbits were used in the present study. Four ear cartilage defects were created in both ears of each rabbit, between the central artery and marginal veins. The defects were covered with perichondrium (group 1), periosteum taken from the calvarium (group 2), or periosteum taken from the tibia (group 3). No coverage was performed in a control group (group 4). All animals were sacrificed 6 weeks later, and the ratio of neo-cartilage to defect size was measured. Results: Significant chondrogenesis occurred only in group 1 (cartilage regeneration ratio: mean±standard deviation, 0.97±0.60), whereas the cartilage regeneration ratio was substantially lower in group 2 (0.10±0.11), group 3 (0.08±0.09), and group 4 (0.08±0.14) (p= 0.004). Instead of chondrogenesis, osteogenesis was observed in the periosteal graft groups. No statistically significant differences were found in the amount of osteogenesis or chondrogenesis between groups 2 and 3. Group 4 showed fibrous tissue accumulation in the defect area. Conclusion: Periosteal grafts showed weak chondrogenic potential in an ear cartilage defect model of rabbits; instead, they exhibited osteogenesis, irrespective of their embryological origin.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.535-544
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• 1996

In this paper, we analyzed the coil-magnet type vibrating transducer for the implantable middle ear hearing aid which is appropriate for patient's hearing level, and an experimental transducer system is designed For the objective and quantitative analysis of the transducer, a theoretical equivalent model containing coil, magneto and inner ear is developed To perform effective evaluation of the transducer, a transforming ratio Tr is introduced and its range that is suitable for practical implantable middle ear hearing device is foun4 The result of applying physical parameters of ear system to the proposed analytical model shows that frequency response of the coil magrlet type vibrator is predominantly governed by resistive impedance of the coil rather than inertia effect of the magnet and the inner parameters. In addition, we realized an experimental middle ear hearing aid system to show the theoretical validity of designed system and this will provide the basis of the development for actually implantable system.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.73-79
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• 2019

This study simulated external ear canal modeling with different external ear canal lengths, vertical flexion angles, and inner/outer diameter ratios using digital imaging and communications in medicine(DICOM) of the head temporal region and measured the acoustic sensitivity. The experiment was performed by increasing the audible frequency for humans by 200 Hz and expressing the frequency constantly transmitted at 1 Pa as the eardrum acoustic volume and presented the measurements by linear and quadratic curve regression analysis. The results showed that the longer the external ear canal length and the higher the ratio of the outer/inner diameter, the faster the acoustic response at lower frequencies. The acoustic sensitivity correlation of the meta-model using regression analysis showed a 77% influence by the external ear canal length and 5% by the external/internal diameter ratio, while the vertical flexion angle did not show a significant relationship. This showed that auditory acoustic sensitivity of humans is a factor that reacts faster at a low frequency when the external ear canal length is longer and when the difference between the outer and inner diameter is higher.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2012

This study was carried out to identify the characteristics of 37 corn hybrids, which composed with 18 yellow colored kernel, 9 purple colored kernel, 8 white colored kernel. Days to silking of three colored waxy corn hybrids ranged from 61 to 73 days after sowing as midium-late ecotype. Ear length of hybrids ranged from 10.3 to 22.7 cm, and among them a total 22 waxy corn hybrids including CNU038 showed over 20 cm in ear length. The fresh weight per ear ranged from 58 to 289 g as the 32.9% of large coefficient of variance. In there results, we found yellow colored waxy corn hybrids showed relatively longer in ear length and heavier in fresh weight per ear compare to other colored waxy corn hybrids. In correlation relationships, plant height, ear height, stem diameter, ear length and ear weight showed positive correlation between themselves, while tip filling ratio did negative correlation with silking stage, plant height, ear length, ear weight and kernel thickness. Also, 100 kernel weight did positive correlation between traits related to ear and kernel.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.813-816
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• 2005

Ear detection is an important part of an non-invasive ear recognition system. In this paper we propose human ear detection from side face images. The proposed method is made by imitating the human recognition process using feature information and color information. First, we search face candidate area in an input image by using 'skin-color model' and try to find an ear area based on edge information. Then, to verify whether it is the ear area or not, we use the SVM (Support Vector Machine) based on a statistical theory. The method shows high detection ratio in indoors environment with stable illumination.

• Journal of ILASS-Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.204-211
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• 2021

Lean combustion performance of natural gas and hydrogen was compared in a spark-ignition engine. The lean combustion engine operation with natural gas was limited due to combustion instability at an excess air ratio (EAR) above 1.8. The total hydrocarbon (THC) emissions increased significantly with increasing EAR. The nitrogen oxides (NO_X) emissions were also high due to the limitation of increasing EAR. The lean combustion engine operation with hydrogen showed superior combustion stability as well as low THC and NO_X emissions, even at high EARs. However, boosting technology was required to reach the high EARs.