• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2010

This paper is case study on design, manufacture and application of customized assistive device for the ADL of person with brain lesions. The study had carried out from October 2010 to November 2010 and 2 clients from Assistive device case management demonstration project which is performed by Daegu assistive and rehabilitation center had participated. Case A, a 47-year-old man with brain lesions, stays only on the floor and could not get close to the usual toilet by himself because of the poor low extremities muscle strength and function. The moveable-toilet and customized ramp had applied to Case A. He clambers up the ramp and reach to the toilet easily. Case B, a 8-year-old boy with brain lesions, had difficulties with self-feeding because of his clumsy hand. Several existing feeding aids were applied but not appropriated. A customized feeding aid was designed and manufactured out of regard of Case A's ROM and right hand size. And his occupational therapist works together continuously to make him feed himself in the near future. Already-made assistive devices were not appropriate to Case A and B and to solve this problem, customized assistive devices were applied. The importance and needs of design and manufacture of assistive device were recognized through these case study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.22 no.3_1spc
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• pp.509-517
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• 2013

This paper presents upgraded equipment to assist a patient in rehabilitating of their knee-joint by themselves. A new automatic mechanism is suggested and developed in order to add functions for enforcing the leg muscles, which were absent in previous rehabilitation machines. Using the Pro-engineer software, we analyze the displacements and speeds of several moving points of the equipment during various planned exercises. In addition, an appropriate control panel for operation is developed. Three motors andthree motor drivers are used in a tilting part for the ankle joint, sliding guide part for the knee joint, and up-down moving part for the whole leg. Finally, various newly upgraded motions can be generated by controlling the three motors simultaneously. we show that by using this equipment, we can adjust the proper length of the equipment according to the user's height and the intensity of the rehabilitation exercise.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.503-509
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• 2015

In this paper, we designed and tested an ankle joint mechanism for a gait rehabilitation robot. Gait rehabilitation programs are designed to improve the natural leg motion of patients who have lost their walking capabilities by accident or disease. Strengthening the muscles of the lower-limbs and stimulation of the nervous system corresponding to walking helps patients to walk again using gait assistive devices. It is an obvious requirement that the rehabilitation system's motion should be similar to and as natural as the normal gait. However, the system being used for gait rehabilitation does not pay much attention to ankle joints, which play an important role in correct walking as the motion of the ankle should reflect the movement of the center of gravity (COG) of the body. Consequently, we have designed an ankle mechanism that ensures the safety of the patient as well as efficient gait training. Also, even patients with low leg muscle strength are able to operate the ankle joint due to the direct-drive mechanism without a reducer. This safety feature prevents any possible adverse load on the human ankle. The additional degree of freedom for the roll motion achieves a gait pattern which is similar to the normal gait and with a greater degree of comfort.