• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.521-527
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• 2023

Piezoelectric technology, which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, has recently attracted drawn considerable attention in the industry. Among the many kinds of piezoelectric materials, BaTiO₃ nanotube arrays, which have outstanding uniformity and anisotropic orientation compared to nanowire-based arrays, can be fabricated using a simple synthesis process. In this study, we developed a flexible piezoelectric energy harvester (f-PEH) based on a composite film with PVDF-coated BaTiO₃ nanotube arrays through sequential anodization and hydrothermal synthesis processes. The f-PEH fabricated using the piezoelectric composite film exhibited excellent piezoelectric performance and high flexibility compared to the previously reported BaTiO₃ nanotube array-based energy harvester. These results demonstrate the possibility for widely application with high performance by our advanced f-PEH technique based on BaTiO₃ nanotube arrays.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.2.1-2.14
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• 2024

Background: Sufficient surgical resection is necessary for effective tumor control, but is usually limited for vertebral tumors, especially in the cervical spine in small animal neurosurgery. Objective: To evaluate the primary stability and safety of customized three-dimensional (3D)-printed implants for cervical spine reconstruction after total vertebrectomy. Methods: Customized guides and implants were designed based on computed tomography (CT) imaging of five beagle cadavers and were 3D-printed. They were used to reconstruct C5 after total vertebrectomy. Postoperative CT images were obtained to evaluate the safety and accuracy of screw positioning. After harvesting 10 vertebral specimens (C3-C7) from intact (group A) and implanted spines (group B), implant stability was analyzed using a 4-point bending test comparing with groups A and C (reconstituted with plate and pins/polymethylmethacrylate after testing in Group A). Results: All customized implants were applied without gross neurovascular damage. In addition, 90% of the screws were in a safe area, with 7.5% in grade 1 (< 1.3 mm) and 2.5% in grade 2 (> 1.3 mm). The mean entry point and angular deviations were 0.81 ± 0.43 mm and 6.50 ± 5.11°, respectively. Groups B and C significantly decreased the range of motion (ROM) in C3-C7 compared with intact spines (p = 0.033, and 0.018). Both groups reduced overall ROM and neutral zone in C4-C6, but only group B showed significance (p = 0.005, and 0.027). Conclusion: Customized 3D-printed implants could safely and accurately replace a cervical vertebra in dog cadavers while providing primary stability.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.479-494
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• 2016

The aim of this study is to select the superior resources of high yield, high content of functional material optimal to mechanical harvesting by the evaluation of crop growth and yield characteristics in sorghum germplasm. One hundred accessions of sorghum germplasm were used in this experiment. Days from seeding to heading date showed the range from 68 to 94 days with the highest frequency proportion was the group from 80 to 85 days, which occupied 34% (34 plant resources) of 100 germplasm. Ear types of 100 sorghum germplasm could be classified as 7 types of broom-tillering, half broom-tillering, extreme open-loose type, open-loose type, intermediate type, compact type, extreme-compact type of which intermediate type was the highest ratio of 28% (28 plant resources) of 100 germplasm. Yield showed the range from 106 to 365 ㎏/10a with the highest frequency proportion of it was the group from 150 to 200 ㎏/10a, which occupied 44% (44 plant resources) of 100 germplasm. Among 100 sorghum germplasm, 18 ideal resources of high yield and short plant height appropriate for mechanical harvesting were selected. In order to evaluate high content of functional substance, selected 18 resources were analyzed for total polyphenol content, DPPH radical scavenging activity and total anthocyanin content. Finally, we selected 5 resources of short plant height, high yield, high content of total polyphenol and high DPPH radical scavenging activity among 18 genetic resources.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1995

All agricultural crops and products should be cultured, harvested, handled and processed by the proper mechanical methods in the mechanized farming systems. Agricultural crops might be injured or deformed through various working stages due to static or dynamic forces of machines. Mechanical forces had to be applied with proper degrees to the agricultural crops in incoincidence with properties of crops without any damage of crops so as to increase the work efficiency qualitatively. Knowledges of mechanical properties of agricultural materials are essential to prevent of agricultural crops in relation with mechanical farming system. This study was carried out to examine and analyze the creep behavior of the rice stalk on growing and harvesting periods by mechanical model with computer measurement system in radial directional compressive force and bending force. The creep behavior of the rice stalk could be predicted precisely and its results approached closely to the measured values. The creep behaviors were increased greatly with increase of compressive force, namely, the steady state creep behavior occurred at the force less then 25N and the logarithmic creep behavior at the force bigger than 30N. The instantaneous elastic modulus $E_o$ and the retardation time ${\tau}_K$ were increased together with increase of applied forces, meanwhile the retarded elastic modulus $E_r$ and viscosity ${\eta}_v$ were decreased with increase of applied forces in mechanical model being expected the creep behavior in relation with the level of applied forces, which was well explained that the rice stalk might be visvo-elastic material. In the creep test along the stalk portion with compressive force and bending force, the intermediate portion showed greatest values and also the lower portion showed the least values, which implied that the intermediate portions of rice stalk were very weak. The steady state creep behavior occured at the intermediate portion and the upper portion in the rice stalk at the compressive force larger than 25.0N, which showed the possibility of injury due to external forces.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.454-462
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• 2014

This study was carried out to determine the effect of tree height on light transmission, spray penetration, tree growth performance, fruit quality attributes, and labor productivity in the slender-spindle system of 'Hongro'/M.9 apple trees. With increasing tree height, the light penetration into the internal parts of the canopy decreased, especially in the lower canopy. Leaf area index (LAI) increased with increasing tree height, thereby leading to a reduction in the extent of spray penetration into the interior of the canopy. With increasing tree height, shoot growth was more vigorous but produced slender shoots in the upper canopy compared to the lower canopy. Although the soluble solid content and coloration of fruit decreased, there was no difference in fruit firmness and acidity. In addition, the number of final fruit set increased, although the production of large fruit (> 305 g) decreased. The increase in tree height also significantly increased the labor required for practices such as thinning of flowers and fruits, pruning, and harvesting. Nevertheless, this problem of increased in labor input in taller trees would was eased by use of a mechanical lift. Utilizing a lift for thinning the flowers of trees 4.5 m in height saved 14.6 min per tree, compared to the use of ladder. Therefore, it is highly considerable that in order to enhance light transmission and fruit coloration, light conditions should be improved in the internal tree canopy of slender-spindle systems.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.384-389
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• 2018

Cultivation techniques of proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.), such as sowing, weeding, and harvesting, are often not properly utilized, resulting in low productivity rates. The goal of this study was to develop cultivation techniques to increase millet productivity rates and reduce labor inputs. We evaluated the effects of different machine sowing methods compared with manual sowing methods from 2014 to 2016. The three machine sowing methods were dibbling, drilling, and broadcasting. Compared with manual sowing, the broadcasting method decreased labor times by 16.07 and $14.23hr10a^{-1}$ for proso and foxtail millets, respectively. Proso millet showed greater culm lengths at 138 and 125 cm with the broadcasting method for two years, whereas foxtail millet after three years had greater culm lengths from both the drilling and broadcasting methods. Both crops exhibited the thickest culm stems in the $3^{rd}$ year. The greatest number of seeds of the panicle were from the manual sowing method in both crops. Compared with manual sowing, broadcasting increased grain yields by 15-35% and 9.1-28% for proso and foxtail millets, respectively. Therefore, we suggest that the application of broadcasting in mechanical sowing will increase labor efficiency and yields of proso and foxtail millets.

• Composites Research
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.378-393
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• 2022

As an emerging power generation technology, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have received increasing attention due to their boundless promise in energy harvesting and self-powered sensing applications. The recent rise of soft robotics has sparked widespread enthusiasm for developing flexible and soft sensors and actuators. TENGs have been regarded as promising power sources for driving actuators and self-powered sensors, providing a unique approach for the development of soft robots with soft sensors and actuators. In this review, TENG-based soft robots with different morphologies and different functions are introduced. Among them, the design of biomimetic soft robots that imitate the structure, surface morphology, material properties, and sensing/generating mechanisms of nature has greatly benefited in improving the performance of TENGs. In addition, various bionic soft robots have been well improved compared to previous driving methods due to the simple structure, self-powering characteristics, and tunable output of TENGs. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive review of various studies within specific areas of TENG-enabled soft robotics applications. We first explore various recently developed TENG-based soft robots and a comparative analysis of various device structures, surface morphologies, and nature-inspired materials, and the resulting improvements in TENG performance. Various ubiquitous sensing principles and generation mechanisms used in nature and their analogous artificial TENG designs are demonstrated. Finally, biomimetic applications of TENG enabled in tactile displays as well as in wearable devices, artificial electronic skin and other devices are discussed. System designs, challenges and prospects of TENGs-based sensing and actuation devices in the practical application of soft robotics are analyzed.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.284-290
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• 2013

This study analyzed the geometric, compressive, cutting and friction properties of oriental melons in order to design a gripper capable of soft handling and a cutter for cutting oriental melon vine among the end effector of oriental melon as a preliminary step for developing the end effector of the robot capable of harvesting oriental melons in protected cultivation. As a result, the average length, diameter at the midpoint, weight, volume and roundness of the oriental melons were 108 mm, 70 mm, 188 g, 333 mL and 3.8 mm. Nonlinear regression analysis was performed on the equation $W=L^a{\times}D_2^b$ with variation of the length (L) and diameter (D2) of the weight (W) of the oriental melons. As a result, it was shown that there was a correlation between a of 2.0279 and b of -0.9998 as a constant value. The average diameter of the oriental melon vine was 3.8 mm, and most vines were distributed within a radius of 5 mm from the center. The average yield value, compressive strength and hardness of the oriental melons were $36.5N/cm^2$, $185.7N/cm^2$ and $636.7N/cm^2$, respectively. The average cutting force and shear strength of the oriental melon vines were $2.87{\times}10^{-2}\;N$ and $5.60N/cm^2$, respectively. The maximum friction coefficient of the oriental melons was rubber of 0.609, followed by aluminium of 0.393, stainless steel of 0.177 and teflon of 0.079. It was considered possible to apply it to the size of the gripper and cutter, turning radius, dynamics of drive motor and selection of materials and their quality in light of the position error and safety factor according to the movement when designing end effector based on the analyzed data.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.331-336
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• 2012

This study was carried out to evaluate the wheat cultivation system to reduce costs and mechanize wheat production. A field study was conducted for 2 years (2009 to 2010) at the National institute of crop science, Iksan, Korea. We used working system I and working system II for the experiment. Working system I is used a multiple machine attached with a spreader tractor (seeding, fertilization, seed coverage, and weed control functionality) and working system II is used a multiple machine with a tractor which works for simultaneous job when seeding step (seeding, fertilization, and seed coverage). Sowing to harvesting operation time is 118 hours/ha for mechanize with conventional planting. Working system I is a multiple machine and a combine machine with a tractor, which worked 26 hours/ha lower than conventional planting. Working system II is 18 hours/ha lower than conventional planting. The reduced work efforts of working system I and II were 78% and 85% respectively. The growth and yield of wheat according to working system I and II is lower than conventional planting. Therefore, a multiple machine needs to study for appropriate seeding rate. Mechanization cost in consideration of the mechanical break-even point when the working system I is 3.7 ha and working system II is 4.2 ha. The farm income is enhanced by working system I (778,110 won/ha) and working system II (849,930 won/ha). The results showed that application of a multiple machine lowered costs of wheat production.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2016

In spite of various merit of algae as biofuel, the production cost of algae is a considerable obstacle for commercialization. The concurrent development of essential technologies is needed for the cultivating, harvesting, extracting and energy transformation. The production cost of algae biofuel has still higher than that of the other commercial biofuel. The major research activity has been focused on the cultivating and the research of other processes has been done with relatively lower activity. It is difficult to separate the algae from water because of the similar magnitude of density each other. The agglomeration and extracting of algae with the hybrid technology using ultrasonic wave is rare effect of environmental hazard and also it is appropriate technology for the next generation energy resources. The present research is investigated for the effective separation of algae from water with the ultrasonics wave. The aim of the present research is focused on the establishment of optimal design of algae agglomeration system. For this purpose, the computational fluid dynamic analysis has been conducted in the flow field with ultrasonic wave and algae flow to clarify the mechanism of algae separation by ultrasonic wave.