• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.565-568
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• 2014

This paper presents a 0.2V DC/DC boost converter with regulated output for thermoelectric energy harvesting. To use low voltages from a thermoelectric device, a start-up circuit consisting of native NMOS transistors and resistors boosts an internal VDD, and the boosted VDD is used to operate the internal control block. When the VDD reaches a predefined value, a detector circuit makes the start-up block turn off to minimize current consumption. The final boosted VSTO is achieved by alternately operating the sub-boost converter for VDD and the main boost converter for VSTO according to the comparator outputs. When the VSTO reaches 2.4V, a buck converter starts to operate to generate a stabilized output VOUT. Simulation results shows that the designed converter generates a regulated 1.8V output from an input voltage of 0.2V, and its maximum power efficiency is 60%. The chip designed using a $0.35{\mu}m$ CMOS process occupies $1.1mm{\times}1.0mm$ including pads.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2019

Here, we present a facile route to fabricate a vertically stacked 3D porous structure-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that can be used to harvest energy from the friction in a repetitive contact-separation mode. The unit component of TENG consists of thin Al foil electrodes integrated with microstructured 3D foams such as Ni, Cu, and polyurethane (PU), which provide advantageous tribo-surfaces specifically to increase the friction area to the elastomeric counter contact surfaces (i.e., polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS). The periodic contact/separation-induced triboelectric power generation from a single unit of the 3D porous structure-based TENG was up to $0.74mW/m^2$ under a mild condition. To demonstrate the potential applications of our approach, we applied our TENGs to small-scale devices, operating 48 LEDs and capacitors. We envision that this energy harvesting technology can be expanded to the applications of sustainably operating portable electronic devices in a simple and cost-effective manner by effectively harvesting wasted energy resources from the environment.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2022

In a head-mounted display (HMD) for virtual-reality applications, a narrow viewing angle is preferred to the usual, wide viewing angle because the HMD is positioned close in front of the user's eyes, and the display position is fixed. In this paper, we propose a new back-light unit (BLU) for implementing a narrow viewing angle, which is suitable for a HMD. By optimizing the scattering patterns in the light-guide-plate and inverse-prism structures, the viewing angle and correlations between structural parameters in the BLU components are analyzed with ray-tracing simulations. As a result, a double-angle inverse-prism structure incorporating the scattering patterns of a light-guide plate is chosen, which results in a 14% increase in center luminance, a 16% decrease in the vertical viewing angle, and a light efficiency of up to 70%, compared to a conventional BLU. Thus, the new BLU system is expected to be applied in a high-efficiency liquid crystal display.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.550-556
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• 2022

The performance of enzymatic fuel cells that convert chemical energy contained in various organic molecules such as sugar, alcohol, organic acids, and amino acids into electrical energy is greatly affected by the cathode as well as the anode. This study aimed to develop a laccase-based cathode with high performance. An enzyme composite composed of an laccase, redox mediator, and carbon nanotubes was immobilized on the surface of electrode in multiple layers, and the effect of the number of layers and the presence or absence of carbon nanotubes on electrode performance was investigated. As the number of layers of the enzyme-mediator (Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl)) on the electrode surface increased, the amount of reduction current generated at the electrode increased. The enzyme-carbon nanotube-mediator composite electrode (Lac-SWCNTs-(PVI-Os-dCl)) generated a current 1.7 times greater than that of the Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl). It was found that the largest amount of current (10.1±0.1 µA) was generated in the electrode composed of two layers of Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl) and two layers of Lac-SWCNTs-(PVI-Os-dCl) in the evaluation of electrodes with different ratio of Lac-SWCNTs-(PVI-Os-dCl) and Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl). The maximum power density of the cell using the cathode composed of a single layer of Lac-(PVI-Os-dCl) and the cell using the optimized cathode were 0.46±0.05 and 1.23±0.04 µW/cm², respectively. In this study, it was demonstrated that the performance of cathode and the enzymatic fuel cell using the same can be improved by optimizing the layers of composites composed of laccase, redox mediator, and carbon nanotubes on the electrode surface.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.2A
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• pp.301-310
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• 2006

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CRFP) materials are well suited to the rehabilitation of civil engineering structures due to their corrosion resistance, high strength to weight ratio and high stiffness to weight ratio. Their application in the field of the rehabilitation of concrete structures is increased due to the vast number of bridges and buildings in need of strengthening. However, RC members, strengthened with externally bonded CFRP plates, happened to collapse before reaching the expected design failure load. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the new strengthening method to overcome the problems of previous bonded strengthening method. This problems can be solved by prestressing the CFRP plate before bonding to the concrete. In this study, a total of 21 specimens of 3.3 m length were tested by the four point bending method after strengthening them with externally bonded CFRP plates. The CFRP plates were bonded without prestress and with various prestress levels ranging from 0.4% to 0.8% of CFRP plate strain. All specimen with end anchorage failed by a plate fracture regardless of the prestress levels while the specimen without end anchorage failed by the separation of the plate from the beam due to premature debonding. The cracking loads was proportionally related to the prestress levels, but the maximum loads of specimens strengthened with prestressed CFRP plates were insignificantly affected by the prestress levels.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.703-710
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• 2010

In this study, a tactile stimulator was developed to resolve some problems from the previous version of the system such as system configuration, inappropriate stimulation control and additional problems. The developed tactile stimulator consists of control unit, drive unit and vibrator unit. The control unit was controlled by E-Prime software to generate appropriate vibration pulses. The drive unit supplies enough energy to the vibrator to generate effective stimulation pulses. The vibrator unit consists of small coin type vibrator and velcro, and was made to be attached at the hand easily. The developed tactile stimulator was designed by small-size, light-weight, low-power, simple-fabrication, max 35 channels and little delay time from instruction signal of E-Prime software to vibrator. The duration and magnitude of stimulation was controlled by 10 grades and the problems concerning stimulation control were compensated by wideband frequency ranges. Additionally, the electrical safety was ensured by low voltage operation. Vibrator was made to be attached on finger as well as on any part of the subject. Since this tactile stimulator is developed based on E-Prime software which is widely used in cognitive science, it is believed that this stimulator be suitable for the wide application of cognitive science study.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.257-290
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• 2005

Korean energy use in industrial sector has increased more rapidly than other sectors during 1980~2000 periods. Relatively higher increases in industrial sector energy consumption raise questions whether government policy of rationalization of industrial energy use has been effective. In this study, we use 80-85-90 and 90-95-00 constant price input-output table to analyze increases in industrial energy use. Using an adjusted version of structural decomposition model introduced by Chen and Rose (1990), we decompose Changes of energy use into 17 elements. We classify entire industry sector into 32 sectors including four energy sectors (coal and coal products, refined petroleum, electricity and town gas). We then analyze changes of energy use by industrial level to check differences among industrial energy demand structures. Finally, we compare three industries, electronic product manufacturing, metal manufacturing and construction, that represent technology and capital intensive, energy and material intensive and labor and capital intensive industry. As results, we find that high energy using industries make the most effort to reduce energy use. Primary metal, petrochemical and mon-metal industries show improvements in elements such as energy and material productivity, energy and material imports, energy substitution and material substitutions towards energy saving. These results imply that although those industries are heavy users of energy, they put the best effort to reduce energy use relative to other industries. We find various patterns of change in industrial energy use at industrial level. To reduce energy use, electronic product manufacturing industry needs more effort to improve technological change element while construction industry needs more effort to improve material input structure element.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.420-428
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• 2019

This study is the heating energy saving test of the high-bed strawberry crown heating system. The system consists of electric hot water boiler, thermal storage tank, circulation pump, crown heating pipe(white low density polyethylene, diameter 16mm) and a temperature control panel. For crown heating, the hot water pipe was installed as close as possible to the crown part after planting the seedlings and the pipe position was fixed with a horticultural fixing pin. In the local heating type, hot water at $20{\sim}23^{\circ}C$ is stored in the themal tank by using an electric hot water boiler, and crown spot is partially heated at the setting temperature of $13{\sim}15^{\circ}C$ by turning on/off the circulation pump using a temperature sensor for controlling the hot water circulation pump which was installed at the very close to crown of strawberry. The treatment of test zone consisted of space heating $4^{\circ}C$ + crown heating(treatment 1), space heating $8^{\circ}C$(control), space heating $6^{\circ}C$ + crown heating(treatment 2). And strawberries were planted in the number of 980 for each treatment. The heating energy consumption was compared between November 8, 2017 and March 30, 2018. Accumulated power consumption is converted to integrated kerosene consumption. The converted kerosene consumption is 1,320L(100%) for space $8^{\circ}C$ heating, 928L(70.3%) for space $4^{\circ}C$ + crown heating, 1,161L($88^{\circ}C$) for space $6^{\circ}C$ + crown heating). It was analyzed that space $4^{\circ}C$ + pipe heating and space $6^{\circ}C$ + crown heating save heating energy of 29.7% and 12% respectively compared to $8^{\circ}C$ space heating(control).

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 2008

Statement of problem: Dental implant procedure has been recognized as a very effective treatment to rehabilitate fully or partially edentulous patients. However, mechanical failures such as screw loosening, screw fracture have been still reported frequently. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of tungsten carbide/carbon coating, which has superior hardness and frictional wear resistance, on implant-abutment screw loosening of three different joint connections after one million cyclic loading. Material and methods: The values of detorque before and after loading were measured in three different joint connections (Osstem Implant, Korea), one external butt joint, US II implant system and two internal cones, SS II and GS II system. The values of detorque before loading was analyzed by one-way ANOVA, and two-way ANOVA and Scheffe' test were performed for the value of detorque after loading. Results: 1. The values of initial detorque of tungsten carbide/carbon coated Ti alloy screw were smaller those of Ti alloy screw (P<.01), and there were no differences among implant systems in each screw (P>.05). 2. In comparison of loss rate of detorque value after cyclic loading, US II system was greater than SS II and GS II system but there was no difference between SS II and GS II system (P<.01). 3. Loss rates of detorque value after cyclic loading decreased consistently at tungsten carbide/carbon coated Ti alloy screw comparing with Ti alloy screw in all implant systems (P<.01), and there were no differences among three systems in reduction of loss rates by using tungsten carbide/carbon coated Ti alloy screw (P>.05). Conclusion: Tungsten carbide/carbon coating to increase preload with reduction of friction resistance was a effective way to decrease screw loosening by functional loading.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: For commercial production of greenhouse crops under shorter day length condition, supplementary radiation has been usually achieved by the artificial light source with higher electric consumption such as high-pressure sodium, metal halide, or incandescent lamps. Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with several characteristics, however, have been considered as a novel light source for plant production. Effects of supplementary lighting provided by the artificial light sources on growth of Kale seedlings during shorter day length were discussed in this experiment. METHODS AND RESULTS: Kale seedlings were grown under greenhouse under the three wave lamps (3 W), sodium lamps (Na), and red LEDs (peak at 630 nm) during six months, and leaf growth was observed at intervals of about 30 days after light exposure for 6 hours per day at sunrise and sunset. Photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) of supplementary red LEDs on the plant canopy was maintained at 0.1 (RL), 0.6 (RM), and $1.2(RH){\mu}mol/m^2/s$ PPF. PPF in 3 W and Na treatments was measured at $12{\mu}mol/m^2/s$. Natural light (NL) was considered as a control. Leaf fresh weight of the seedlings was more than 100% increased under the 3 W, Na and RH treatment compared to natural light considering as a conventional condition. Sugar synthesis in Kale leaves was significantly promoted by the RM or RH treatment. Leaf yield per $3.3m^2$ exposed by red LEDs of $1.2{\mu}mol/m^2/s$ PPF was 9% and 16% greater than in 3W or Na with a higher PPF, respectively. CONCLUSION: Growth of the leafy Kale seedlings were significantly affected by the supplementary radiation provided by three wave lamp, sodium lamp, and red LEDs with different light intensities during the shorter day length under greenhouse conditions. From this study, it was suggested that the leaf growth and secondary metabolism of Kale seedlings can be controlled by supplementary radiation using red LEDs of $1.2{\mu}mol/m^2/s$ PPF as well as three wave or sodium lamps in the experiment.