• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.581-596
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• 2010

The purposes of this study are to investigate and analyze the level of information and the state of digital divide of the disabled by surveying the demand for information and communication assistive devices, and to provide basic data for plans on the development and utilization of information and communication assistive devices. In order to understand the actual condition and the state of digital divide of persons with disabilities, the differences of possession and accessibility of information technology devices, usage ability, and utilization were analyzed according to the disability profile by using the T-test. The results show that there are significant differences (T=-2.510*) of possession and accessibility of information technology devices with respect to the disability profile, and that the disabled have lower possession and accessibility of devices than the non-disabled. Result of this study's demand forecast shows that about 28% of total respondents are currently using information and communication assistive devices, and a majority (67%) of them answered that the use of assistive devices lend great help to their lives. The proportion of those who have been supported by the government or related organizations with information and communication assistive devices were 36% of the total respondents, and those satisfied with the performance of the devices were 46% of the total responses. Meanwhile, only 36% of total users answered that the operation and use of functions of the devices was easy and convenient, responding that the difficulty of operating assistive devices was the greatest inconvenience. Moreover, the general requests of respondents in regards to the devices were stabilization of device performance, miniaturization of size, simplification of buttons, and reduction of weight.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2010

Research and development of Assistive Technology (AT) for blind people is primarily focused on assisting mobility and improving access to information. Some particularly useful devices for aiding access to information and communication are DAISY players used with talking books, screen readers for reading screens, video magnifiers to aid low vision, Braille displays, and Braille PDAs. These essential devices have been successfully commercialized and have assisted many visually impaired people. Assistive technology devices for visually impaired people are called sensory substitution devices, because these devices substitute tactile or auditory functions for visual functions. The tactile interfaces of sensory substitution devices such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs have a bimorph type of piezoelectric actuator that forms a Braille (pin) of the Braille cells by moving up and down. KGS Corporation of Japan has more than 80% share of the worldwide market for these Braille cell actuators. Commercializing it for the first time in the world. This paper reviews the various endeavors in Japan in the research and development of tactile displays, such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs. Furthermore, it discusses sensory substitution devices that use tactile displays, focusing especially on the rotating Braille display we have developed.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.402-410
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• 2000

The current study examines principles to develop universal design guidelines for manufacturing information and communication devices. The study surveyed inconveniences disabled people experience in the information and communication environment with current technology and design, and suggested abbreviated universal design guidelines. Design guidelines should reduce those inconveniences detected through the task analysis and GOMS modelling of the usage by disabled people. Design and functional features of mobile phones were examined since they quickly became essential communication tools for both disabled and non-disabled people alike. Design issues were examined in controls, input methods, and output methods in terms of human factors and ergonomics. It is expected that both governments and manufacturers can save costs to produce and manufacture special assistive devices for disabled people by implementing universal design in their communication products. Since it is becoming the international trend, application of the universal design should be enforced to all communication and information devices by government for the higher quality of life for all groups of user.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2012

We conducted a user-centered usability testing on the Android-based Mobile Augmentative Alternative Communication(AAC) Software. In this paper, we examined functionality, satisfaction, and ease of information searching for a specific function using a task scenario, and we investigated appropriateness of development purposes, contents, instructional strategies, usability, functions of management mode, and user interface of the mobile AAC to the communication needs of children who are nonverbal. We also examined user requirements, preference, satisfaction, and other personal opinions for the mobile AAC using an open feedback. In addition, we investigated users' preference for the size of mobile devices using 4.3", 5.0", and 7.0" mobile devices.

• Journal of Multimedia Information System
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.227-232
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• 2022

Disasters are now becoming commonplace and especially the vulnerable group such as the disabled, the elderly, children and foreigners are in a state of overlapping disasters. In this situation, ATSC 3.0-based UHDTV disaster information service for the visually and hearing impaired has been developing. This study focuses on the demand data collected through in-depth interview with the impaired. The demand analysis data is very important to development process of technology. The results of the interview show that it is essential to link the UHDTV disaster signals with home-network, IoT, wearable devices, and various assistive devices for the impaired (hearing aid, smart light bulbs, warning light, etc.). In outdoor space, UHDTV disaster information must be connected to public display media, digital signage, kiosk, screens in bus or taxi. If communication aids for the visually and hearing impaired are equipped with a function that can transmit and receive disaster information, it will help to minimize disaster damage.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.267-272
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• 2016

In the era of ultra high speed information communication technology represented by Smart phone and Tablet PC, the disable and the aged people came to be in a position of so-called 'relatively weak people' in the field of information communication due to inconvenience of use and difference in information acquisition and processing ability. Thus, a survey was conducted on Smart phone accessibility items based on previous studies of the disabled with crippled disorder, brain lesions, myelopathy and muscular disabilities having more inconvenience relatively in their use of smart phone due to upper limb dysfunctions. Especially, people with upper limb dysfunctions with relatively weak grip had big inconvenience in the conditions of uses requiring actions such as grabbing and rotating the devices, and due to the characteristics of touch screen input method of Smart phone, they had big inconvenience due to a lack of a guidance for keyboard in input. As a result of questionnaires by the type of disability, it turned out that severe myelopathy causes the most inconvenience in using smart phone.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2014

Almost of alternate computer access devices which assist people with disabilities to utilize the computer connected to computer by some cables or installed in as a S/W program. These devices have some spatial limitations to the people with disabilities, it can't guarantee the free and diverse access to the computer. For these reasons, in this paper, an Android-based mouse program for alternative computer access was developed. A people with physical disabilities who has some limitation of hand movements can use it in anywhere and anytime using only the fine motor skill of the upper limbs. The developed device recognizes the user's point touch and transforms it into the location of mouse cursor. The location information transferred to the computer via Bluetooth communication module equipped in smart devices. Also the group scanning method which can reduce the user's fatigue degree was employed and click, double click, drag & drop functions by hand's movements were equipped. The developed device will help the people with disabilities to use computer with brief touch and convenient operation without spatial limitation.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2010

It takes a lot of time or is even impossible to communicate for people with physical disability and/or speech impairment. Augmentative and Alternative Communication System is an important computerized tool that makes it possible for those people to communicate. Since not only speech impaired people, but also people with other physical disability cannot use conventional computer input devices easily such as keyboard and mouse, so more simple input devices are need for them to communicate. Thus, in this paper, I designed and implemented a communication aid system, with which they can communicate with simple inputs. I collected frequently used sentences by people with disability and categorized them into 9 everyday language groups. With these categories, they can select any sentence with few simple selections. If none of these categories includes the sentences they want, ChunJiIn keyboard is provided so that they can input the sentences, which can be added to the existing language groups for later use. The priority levels of the sentences in each group is constantly readjusted based on usage frequency so that the number of inputs can be reduced.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.29-35
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• 2023

Braille can be said to be an essential means used for the visually impaired to communicate or acquire information on visual materials in their lives. However, the rate of interpretation of braille among the visually impaired is insignificant at 5%. As a result, libraries for the visually impaired produce various types of materials that can obtain various information for the visually impaired and also have assistive technology equipment to interpret them. However, the publication rate of Braille books is too low to purchase and interpret Braille books. In addition, the Braille interpretation rate is too low, and the purchase of assistive technology devices is too expensive and slow. Therefore, in this paper, we implemented a system that displays Braille using Arduino to help visually impaired people in addition to the existing methods they use to obtain information. For Braille display, Korean data is transmitted from Python through serial communication between Python and Arduino, and Arduino, which receives the data, compares the Korean data with the data in the array in the program and retrieves the Braille values of the Korean data. Here, the Braille value was expressed by controlling the servo motor perpendicular or horizontal to the body using white and black circles based on the Braille list.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.217-223
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• 2013

Population aging is a shift in the distribution of a country's population towards older ages. This is usually reflected in an increase in the population's mean and median ages, a decline in the proportion of the population composed of children, and a rise in the proportion of the population that is elderly. Population ageing is widespread across the world. Barrier-free or Design for All concept consists of modifying buildings or facilities so that they can be used by people who are disabled or have physical impairments. Design for All criteria are aimed at ensuring that everyone can participate in the Information society. Safety-related products being easy to adapt according to different needs, or using standardized interfaces that can be accessed simply by using assistive technology. To this end, policy makers and service providers, especially in the ubiquitous technologies, produce new technologies, products, services and applications for pedestrians.