• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.3
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• pp.503-509
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Forest-walking exercise on gait pattern in the elderly. The subjects (n=37) were assigned to 2 groups: Forest-walking exercise (FWE) group (n=19, $66.34{\pm}4.31$ years old) and In-door treadmill-walking exercise (ITWE) group (n=18, $67.18{\pm}2.78$ years old). The subjects participated in FWE program or ITWE program (3 times/week, 80 min/day) for 12 weeks. The subjects were tested on functional fitness (strength, endurance, agility/balance, BMI) and gait pattern (cadence, velocity, and stability) at the beginning and the end of the 12-weeks program. For data analysis, mean and standard deviation scores were calculated, and independent t-test and repeated two-way ANOVA were used. The results of this study were as follow: First, FWE group was significantly more improved than ITWE group on functional fitness(lower-body muscular strength, lower-body flexibility, mobility, cardiorespiratory endurance) after 12-weeks exercise program. But both groups showed equally improvements on functional fitness (upper-body muscular strength, upper-body flexibility, BMI). Second, FWE group was significantly more improved than ITWE group on cadence, gait velocity, and gait stability after 12-weeks exercise program. Therefore, this study may suggest that Forest-walking exercise based on sensory-motor functional integration improves efficiently functional fitness and gait pattern in the elderly, and further becomes an effective exercise method that makes more dynamic life, and prevents from falling.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.398-404
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• 2012

Purpose: This is designed to study the effect of weight-support walking training through motor learning on motor functions of children with cerebral palsy, in particular their activity of daily living and balance. Methods: Thirteen children with spastic cerebral palsy, at gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) levels III~IV, underwent treadmill walking training. It used principles of weight support, 4 times a week for 7 weeks, 10 minutes at a time, before and after neurodevelopmental physical therapy. Everyday functions were measured using Functional Independence Measure for Children (Wee-FIM). The ability to keep their balance was measured using electronic measuring equipment from good balance system and the assessment was made before and after the experiment. Results: There were significant differences (p<0.05) between pre and post experiment levels of functional independence in everyday life, in self-care activities, mobility, locomotion and social cognition. With regard to changes in standing balance, there were significant differences before and after the experiment (p<0.05) in GMFCS level III. There was a reduction in the agitation velocity in the x- and y-axes which measures the left-to-right shaking; in GMFCS level IV, velocity moment was reduced. Conclusion: Walking training using a treadmill can help improve the everyday activity and balance in children with spastic cerebral palsy. It can also be served as a useful purpose as a method of intervention in pediatric care.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.221-228
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in gait parameters and symmetry between walking speed by using the Froude number and preferred walking speed. Method: Fifty adults (age: $21.0{\pm}1.7years$, body weight: $71.0{\pm}9.2kg$, height: $1.75{\pm}0.07m$, leg length: $0.89{\pm}0.05m$) participated in this study. Leg length-applied walking speed was calculated by using the Froude number, defined as Fr = ${\upsilon}^2$/gL, where v is the velocity, g is the gravitational acceleration, and L is the leg length. Video data were collected by using eight infrared cameras (Oqus 300, Qualysis, Sweden) and the Qualisys Track Manager software (Qualisys, Sweden), with a 200-Hz sampling frequency during two-speed walking (preferred walking speed [PS] and leg length-applied walking speed [LS]) on a treadmill (Instrumented Treadmill, Bertec, USA). The step length, stride length, support percentage, cadence, lower joint angle, range of motion (ROM), and symmetry index were then calculated by using the Matlab R2009a software. Results: Step and stride lengths were greater in LS than in PS (p < 0.05). The right single-support percentage was greater in LS than in PS (p < 0.05). The hip joint angle at heel contact and toe-off were greater in LS than in PS (p < 0.05). The hip and knee joint ROM were greater in LS than in PS (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on our findings, we suggest that increased walking speed had a significant effect on step length, stride length, support percentage, and lower joint ROM.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2007

Walking is not only an essential component of the human mobility, but also is a good exercise. Inability to walk freely can reduce an individual's quality of life and independence substantially. Being a relatively low impact activity, walking is particularly good for the elderly and research has shown that regular walking in the elderly reduces the chance of fall-related injuries and mental diseases as well. In spite of the documented benefits of regular walking, it is still difficult to walk without the aid of assistive devices for the frail elderly who have lower extremity problems. Assistive walking devices(AWD), such as crutches, canes, hiking-poles, T-Poles and walkers, are often prescribed to the elderly to make their walking be safe and efficient. Many researchers have demonstrated the effects of AWDs such as reducing lower extremity loading, improved dynamic/gait stability, yet, no study has been done for gait pattern when the elderly gait with AWDs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether T-Poles, one of the AWDs, change the elderly gait pattern. Eight community-dwelling female elderly participated in this study. Laboratory kinematics during walking with T-Poles(PW) and with out T-Poles(NPW) was assessed. PW showed significant increase in step width, stride length, gait velocity and decrease in swing time. No significances were found in lower body joint angles but meaningful trend and pattern were found. Maybe the reason was due to the participants. Our participants were healthy enough so that the effect of T-Poles was minimum. PW also showed typical gait phases which are no single support phase during a gait cycle. It indicates that walking with T-Poles may guarantee safe and confident walking to the frail elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.692-699
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• 2008

This paper describes optimal operation method using recognition of walker's will for a robotic walker. Recently, walking aid system has been required according to the increase of elder and handicapped person. However, most of walking aid system don't have actuator for its movement. Unfortunately, standard frames have weakness for the movement to upward/download direction of slope. So, active type walking aids are interested, but it is not easy to control. In this paper, we adapt user's will system that can recognize walking direction and speed. First, FSR(Force Sensing Register) is applied to measure user's will to walk. And then, fuzzy algorithm is used for determining optimal wheel velocity and direction of the walking aid. From the result, walking aid can move smoothly and safely following the user's will. The walking aid can help user to walk more optimally. Here, all the processes are verified experimentally in the real world.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.169-170
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the smoothness of the gait pattern according to shoe, walking speed, and slope. Eleven male university students used three types(running shoes, mounting climbing boots, elevated forefoot walking shoes) of shoes at various walking speeds(1.19, 1.25, 1.33, 1.56, 1.78, 1.9, 2.0, 2.11, 2.33m/s) and gradients (0, 3, 6, 10%) on a treadmill. Three-dimensional motion analysis (Motion Analysis Corp, Santa Rosa, CA, USA) was conducted with 4 Falcon high speed cameras. The results showed that elevated forefoot walking shoes had the lowest value of normalized jerk at the heel, which means that elevated forefoot walking shoes had the smoothest walking pattern at the heel. In contrast, elevated forefoot walking shoes had greater normalized jerk at the center of mass (COM) at most walking speeds, which means that the smoothness of gait pattern at the center of mass is the lowest for the elevated forefoot walking shoes. This movement at the COM might even have a beneficial effect of activating muscles in the back and abdomen more than other shoes.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.58 no.11
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• pp.2266-2268
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• 2009

In this paper, a simple method of angle velocity estimation is presented for a passive dynamic biped robot. The estimation problem is not an easy task because its dynamic model is a hybrid system involved with an impact condition. Instead of designing a complex observer for hybrid systems we simply utilize the impact condition to reset the initial condition of the high-pass filter when the non-support leg hits the slope. The approach has been verified by simulation results.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2006.10c
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• pp.542-544
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• 2006

This paper aims to provide a way to improve dynamic stability of biped robots against undesirable disturbances and in a slope. By using an angular velocity sensor and an acceleration sensor on its waist, we can make a medium-sized biped robot walk stably in a slope against impulsive disturbances. In addition, it is possible for the robot to walk stably in an unknown slope. The measured signals from the sensor are used for compensating the reference angles of ankle, knee, and pelvis joints. Some experiments show that the stability of the robot is much enhanced by using cheat sensors and a simple algorithm. This work helps bided robots walk more stably in real environments.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.1014-1021
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• 1989

The problem of controlling static gaits for a quadruped walking robot is investigated. A theoretical approach to gait study is proposed in which the static stability margins for periodic gaits are expressed in terms of the kinematic gait formula. The effects fo the stride length on static stability are analyzed and the relations between static stability and initial body configurations are examined. It is shown that the moving velocity can be increased to some extent without affecting stability margins for a given initial body configuration. Computer simulations are performed to verify the analysis.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1988.10a
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• pp.137-141
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• 1988

A sampled data controller for the quadruped walking robot is presented. To provide systematic design procedure, the relation between PI gain of velocity controller and sampling rate is analyzed with the ISE performance index and the time responses. The position controller for one-leg, 3-axis, was developed under consideration of compactness and expendability. And several experiments were performed.