• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.415-420
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• 2017

Underactuated prosthetic hands are relatively light and economical. In this work, an economical grasping force control system is proposed for underactuated prosthetic hands with adaptive grasp capability. The prosthetic hand is driven by a main cable based on a set of electromyography sensors on the forearm of a user. Part of the main cable tension related to grasping force is fed back to the user by a skin-mounted vibrator. The proper relationship between the grasping force and the vibrator drive voltage was established and prototype tests were performed on a group of users. Relatively accurate grasping force control was achieved with minimal training of users.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.83.1-83
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• 2001

This paper presents a three-fingered robot hand, called the KIST hand, Which have one active joint and one passive joint. The thumb is fixed on the palm, and the index and the middle take lateral motions symmetrically. A mechanical clutch and an embedded force sensor, attached on the distal link of the fingers, enable the KIST hand to perform human-like functions. A result of experiment shows reliable grasping performance of the hand which maintain stable grasp under disturbances.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.80-86
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• 2008

Both hand-made and machine-made Chinese noodles are popular in Korea. In this study, each type was evaluated in terms of its physical properties to rigorously determine for consumers which one has better qualities. The noodles were instrumentally measured for color, size, moisture content, density, viscoelasticity, and cutting force. The behaviors of the noodles were visually observed during cooking, and sensory evaluations were performed with the cooked noodles. The hand-made raw noodles were less dense, had higher moisture content, and generated more bubbles during cooking than the machine-made noodles. This indicated that the hand-made noodles contained more entrapped air, thereby resulting in the above physical characteristics. The change in noodle size after cooking was greater in the hand-made noodles, indicating that more entrapped air in expansion escaped during cooking and was replaced by water. The cutting force and viscoelasticity of the hand-made noodles were lower, and were controlled by viscous properties, respectively. These results agreed with the fact that the hand-made noodles had higher moisture content and lower density. In the sensory evaluation, the hand-made noodles presented lower hardness, but higher elasticity. It was inferred that the hand-made noodle dough underwent repeated processes of folding and extending, resulting in better developed of the gluten structure. Consequently, the hand-made noodles were determined to be different than the machine-made noodles in terms of instrumental measurements and sensory observations, suggesting that the hand-made noodles had superior textural properties.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.1708-1713
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• 1997

In teleoperation of a manipulator, kinesthetic feedback can take an essential role in the sense that it provides an operator with more realistic information. In this paper, in order to implement the concept of kinesthetic feedback, force mapping algorithms based on screw theory have been presented. In the development of such algorithms, the virtual environment has been modeled usign a spring and dampers, and the forces caused by hitting the joint limits of a conrtolled manipulator were considered. Finally, some experimental results of force mapping algorithm have been presented.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.10 no.9
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• pp.435-441
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• 2012

This study is intended to provide a basic clinical data useful for preventing shoulder injuries related to occupation and curing them, by measuring the shoulder muscle activity of normal adults in an arm posture type of a wide shoulder joint angle, according to several differences of hand grip force. In order to examine the shoulder muscle activity during hand grips at a variety of intensity, according to the arm posture type, MVCs of all subjects were measured, and %MVCs of anterior deltoid, supraspinatus, the upper trapezius and infraspinatus at 0 degree, 90 degrees and 160 degrees of shoulder angle were yielded according to the grip force in an arm posture type, changing the maximum grip force into 30%, 50% and 90%, randomly. When measuring the hand grip at 30%, 50% and 70% of the maximum grip force to compare %MVC of each group depending on the arm posture type, there were no significant differences of muscle activity at 0 degree of shoulder angle among anterior deltoid, supraspinatus, the upper trapezius and infraspinatus, but there were significant differences of it among them at 90 degrees and 160 degrees of should angle(p<.001). According to the results of post-hoc test, also, anterior deltoid had the highest muscle activity, whereas the upper trapezius had the lowest muscle activity.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.371-381
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• 2015

Object : The purpose of this study was to investigate aging-related changes of intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles in their strength, cross-sectional area and volume, force control, and multi-digit synergies. It was hypothesized that aging would negatively affect distal muscles (intrinsic muscles) more than proximal muscles (extrinsic muscles). Method : Nine young and eleven older right-handed participants underwent MRI scans of the hand and forearm. Muscle cross-sectional areas and volumes of the intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles were determined. Result : Muscle volume of the intrinsic muscles were larger in the younger group than the older group while muscle volume of the extrinsic muscles did not differ. For the cross-sectional area, both the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the younger group were larger than the older group. The maximum strength of the intrinsic muscles of the young group was 31% greater than the older group ($399.1{\pm}26.4$ vs $270.2{\pm}22.9Ncm$, p < 0.05) while the extrinsic muscles showed no significant difference. Although the elderly group showed a trend of decreased force control and multi-digit synergies, no statistical differences were found. These findings indicate aging-related decreases in hand muscle size and strength affect intrinsic muscles more than extrinsic muscles, thus supporting the hypothesis that sarcopenia affects the muscle size and strength of distal muscles more than proximal muscles. Conclusion : The aging-related decreases in hand muscle size and function were more apparent in intrinsic hand muscles, located more distally, than extrinsic muscles, located more proximally.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.72-81
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• 2014

Even though two-hands lifting/lowering activity of manual materials handling tasks are prevalent at the industrial site, many manual materials handling tasks which require the worker to perform one-hand lifting/lowering are also very common at the industrial site, forestry, farming, and daily life. The objective of this study was to compare one-hand lowering activity to lifting activity in terms of biomechanical stress for the range of lowering heights from knuckle height to 10cm above floor level with two workload 7.5kg and 15.0kg. Eight male subjects with LMM were asked to perform lifting/lowering tasks using both a one-handed (left-hand and right-hand) as well as a two-handed technique. Spinal loading was estimated through an EMG-assisted free-dynamic biomechanical model. The biomechanical stress of one-hand lowering activity was shown to be 43% lower than that of one-hand lifting activity. It was claimed that the biomechanical stress for one-hand lifting/lowering activity is almost twice (194%) of the one for two-hands lifting/lowering activity. It was also found that biomechanical stress by one-hand lowering/lifting activity with the half workload of two-hands lowering/lifting activity was greater than that of the two-hands lowering/lifting activity. Therefore, it might be a risk to consider the RWL of one-hand lowering/lifting activity to simply be a half of the RWL of two-hands lowering/lifting activity recommended by NIOSH.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.35-44
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• 2007

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a major problem in industries in which manual materials handling is performed by workers. To prevent these WMSDs, it is necessary to understand the muscular strength capability and use this knowledge to design job and selection and assignment of workers. Even though two-hands lifting activity of manual materials handling tasks are prevalent at the industrial site, many manual materials handling tasks which require the worker to perform one-hand lifting are also very common at the industrial site and forestry and farming. However, a few researches have been done for one-hand lifting activity of manual materials handling tasks. The objective of this study is to compare one-hand and two-hands lifting strength in terms of static and dynamic strength of the lifting activity for the ranging from the height of knuckle to elbow. It is shown in this study that the isometric lifting strength of one-hand is ranging from 54.7 to 63.3% of the one of two-hands. However, it is found that there is no significant difference between a person's isometric lifting strength for left-hand and right-hand. It is also shown that there is no significant difference between the peak force under the dynamic sub-maximal loading with one-hand and two-hands lifting activity. Similar results were obtained for the peak acceleration and peak velocity under the dynamic sub-maximal loading with one-hand and two-hands lifting activity. Isometric lifting strength at the height of knuckle was ranging from 2 to 3 times of the dynamic peak force during sub-maximal lifting. It is concluded that the dynamic peak forces under the sub-maximal loading are not highly correlated with the isometric lifting strength in similar postures.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.46-50
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• 2008

The present status and future prospects of the levitation mass method (LMM), a technique for precision mass and force measurement, are reviewed. In the LMM, the inertial force of a mass levitated using a pneumatic linear bearing is used as the reference force applied to the objects being tested, such as force transducers, materials, or structures. The inertial force of the levitated mass is measured using an optical interferometer. We have modified this technique for dynamic force calibration of impact, oscillation, and step loads. We have also applied the LMM to material testing, providing methods for evaluating material viscoelasticity under an oscillating or impact load, evaluating material friction, evaluating the biomechanics of a human hand, and generating and measuring micro-Newton-level forces.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.101-109
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study investigates the therapeutic effect of a prototype of a hand rehabilitation device based on magnetic forces. METHODS: Using an electromagnet and permanent magnets, we developed an end effector type device that induces various movements of the finger in accordance with the magnetic field direction. A total of 26 subacute stroke patients were enrolled and assigned to two groups in this randomized controlled trial. The intervention group received 30 minutes hand rehabilitation therapy per day for 4 weeks, using the device developed by us. Conventional physical therapies were conducted equally twice a day, 30 minutes per session, during the same period in both groups. RESULTS: After 4 weeks, rate of the Wolf Motor Function Test as a primary outcome measure showed significant improvement in the intervention group as compared to control group(p = .036). Scores of the Manual Function Test and Fugl-Meyer Assessment of upper limb were also significantly increased in the intervention group as compared to control group(p = .038 and p = .042, respectively). Moreover, the Korean version of Modified Barthel Index tended to improve after subjecting to physical therapy in both groups. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the novel hand rehabilitation device developed using a magnetic force, improves the hand motor functions and activities of daily life in subacute stroke patients.