• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.703-710
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• 2010

In this study, a tactile stimulator was developed to resolve some problems from the previous version of the system such as system configuration, inappropriate stimulation control and additional problems. The developed tactile stimulator consists of control unit, drive unit and vibrator unit. The control unit was controlled by E-Prime software to generate appropriate vibration pulses. The drive unit supplies enough energy to the vibrator to generate effective stimulation pulses. The vibrator unit consists of small coin type vibrator and velcro, and was made to be attached at the hand easily. The developed tactile stimulator was designed by small-size, light-weight, low-power, simple-fabrication, max 35 channels and little delay time from instruction signal of E-Prime software to vibrator. The duration and magnitude of stimulation was controlled by 10 grades and the problems concerning stimulation control were compensated by wideband frequency ranges. Additionally, the electrical safety was ensured by low voltage operation. Vibrator was made to be attached on finger as well as on any part of the subject. Since this tactile stimulator is developed based on E-Prime software which is widely used in cognitive science, it is believed that this stimulator be suitable for the wide application of cognitive science study.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.243-248
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• 2009

Among 74 patients who came to pain clinic to treat their backache, 37 patient were randomly allocated to experimental(finger-pressure therapy)group and another 37 patients were allocated to control(transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator)group. The extent of backache was compared before and after experiment by ANCOVA test at both groups(p<0.005). The reduction of pain level by visual analogue scale at experimental group was statistically significantly bigger than control group when motion with front flexion(1.92), extension after front flexion(2.22), right flexion(1.23), and left flexion(1.21)(p<0.05).

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.1209-1216
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• 2010

It has increased that peripheral disturbance(blood flow, nerve, Raynaud's phenomenon) and finger rheumatoid arthritis which is caused by the diabetic complications. To improve these pain issues, we proposed new method for the Finger Disease Therapy(FDT). In this paper, we manufactured solenoid cylindrical coil which was only for the FDT using a variable micro-electromagnetic. Also, we designed the Finger Disease Therapy System(FDTS) which could select three stimulation modes(N_pulse, S_pulse, N/S_pulse) and frequency(0.25hz, 0.5hz, 1hz). We used a Teslameter to measure magnetic flux inner solenoid, and measured magnetic flux as distance(0 ~ 3cm) inner solenoid with stimulation modes and frequency. In the results, magnetic flux was the highest in center of solenoid(0cm) for all stimulation modes. Also, the highest magnetic flux was measured as N_pulse(294.3mT), S_pulse(293.8mT) in 1Hz and N/S_pulse (275.4mT) in 0.25Hz, respectively. Therefore, we developed the FDTS using various pattern and intensity for finger diseases therapy, and checked therapy clinic application possibility of the FDTS as measuring magnetic flux inner solenoid.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.19-24
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• 1978

In this paper, the functional propertied of vibrotactile sense of skin were studied by means of psycophysical experiments with respect to frequency and waveform of mechanical vibration, two-point threshold, contactor size of stimulators. Furthermore, leased on the experimental result, a small vibrotactile stimulator made of piezoelectrc ireed vibrator array was proposed for a aid blind to recognition of the Korean letters. A tactile output image is presented by an 8 row$\times$1 column array of samall vibrator reeds with 200 Hz rectangular wave, the array fitting on a fore-finger. Under the control of the NOVA mini-computer, the bimorph reeds array could represent any of one of the 24 characters of the Korean vowel and consonant at the 8 positions from left to right on the array. Without learning effect, the identification test of the Korean characters by the designed experimental system was carried out. The average rate of correct response was 90%.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.17-27
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• 2003

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) modulates cortical excitability beyond the duration of the rTMS trains themselves. Depending on rTMS parameters, a lasting inhibition or facilitation of cortical excitability can be induced. Therefore, rTMS of high or low frequency over motor cortex may change certain aspects of motor learning performance and cortical activation. This study investigated the effect of high and low frequency subthreshold rTMS applied to the motor cortex on motor learning of sequential finger movements and brain activation using functional MRI (fMRI). Three healthy right-handed subjects (mean age 23.3) were enrolled. All subjects were trained with sequences of seven-digit rapid sequential finger movements, 30 minutes per day for 5 consecutive days using their left hand. 10 Hz (high frequency) and 1 Hz (low frequency) trains of rTMS with 80% of resting motor threshold and sham stimulation were applied for each subject during the period of motor learning. rTMS was delivered on the scalp over the right primary motor cortex using a figure-eight shaped coil and a Rapid(R) stimulator with two Booster Modules (Magstim Co. Ltd, UK). Functional MRI (fMRI) was performed on a 3T ISOL Forte scanner before and after training in all subjects (35 slices per one brain volume TR/TE = 3000/30 ms, Flip angle $60^{\circ}$, FOV 220 mm, $64{\times}64$ matrix, slice thickness 4 mm). Response time (RT) and target scores (TS) of sequential finger movements were monitored during the training period and fMRl scanning. All subjects showed decreased RT and increased TS which reflecting learning effects over the training session. The subject who received high frequency rTMS showed better performance in TS and RT than those of the subjects with low frequency or sham stimulation of rTMS. In fMRI, the subject who received high frequency rTMS showed increased activation of primary motor cortex, premotor, and medial cerebellar areas after the motor sequence learning after the training, but the subject with low frequency rTMS showed decreased activation in above areas. High frequency subthreshold rTMS on the motor cortex may facilitate the excitability of motor cortex and improve the performance of motor sequence learning in normal subject.