• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.919-926
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• 2010

This paper proposes a wearable hand rehabilitation device, DULEX, for persons with functional paralysis of upper-limbs after stoke. DULEX has three degrees of freedom for rehabilitation exercises for wrist and fingers except the thumb. The main function of DULEX is to extend the range of motions of finger and wrist being contracture. DULEX is designed by using a parallel mechanism, and its parameters such as length and location of links are determined by kinematic analysis. The motion trajectory of the designed DULEX is aligned to human hand to prevent a slip. To reduce total weight of DULEX, artificial air muscles are used for actuating each joint motion. In feedback control, each joint angle is indirectly estimated from the relations of the input air pressure and the output muscle length. Experimental results show that DULEX is feasible in hand rehabilitation for stroke survivals.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2009

This paper proposes a data glove for a rehabilitation robot interface for the upper extremity paralysis. The designed data glove uses seven flexible sensors so as to measure the flexion angles of fingers and wrist. We verified the performance of the data glove using a 3D graphic interface developed. The experimental results show that the proposed data glove is feasible to sense hand motions and applicable to the robot interface.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.847-854
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• 2016

Background and Objective: The Korean agricultural population is now rapidly aging. Older people in rural areas are weak due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this case is to report treatment of injuries to the nerves at the wrist and hand level by Korean medicine. Methods: The patient in this case was a 74-year-old male. He had injured nerves at the right wrist and hand level due to agriculture work. We treated him with acupuncture, herbal medicine, etc. Results: The patient showed the first sign of recovery of his wrist after 13 days treatment. After 37 days of treatment, his wrist movement was restored to a nearly normal range. He showed the first sign of recovery in a finger after 19 days of treatment and his grasping power increased from 0% to 60%. The cold sensation in his hand and arm also disappeared. Conclusions: We cannot generalize based only on this one case study. Nevertheless, this report suggests that Korean medicine may be an effective treatment for injury of nerves at the wrist and hand level.