• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.496-504
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• 2023

This paper recognizes the motion intention of the wearer using a muscle stiffness sensor and proposes a control system for a wearable robot based on this. The proposed system recognizes the onset time of the motion using sensor data, determines the assistance mode, and provides assistive torque to the hip flexion/extension motion of the wearer through the generated reference trajectory according to the determined mode. The onset time of motion was detected using the CUSUM algorithm from the muscle stiffness sensor, and by comparing the detection results of the onset time with the EMG sensor and IMU, it verified its applicability as an input device for recognizing the intention of the wearer before motion. In addition, the stability of the proposed method was confirmed by comparing the results detected according to the walking speed of two subjects (1 male and 1 female). Based on these results, the assistance mode (gait assistance mode and muscle strengthening mode) was determined based on the detection results of onset time, and a reference trajectory was generated through cubic spline interpolation according to the determined assistance mode. And, the practicality of the proposed system was also confirmed by applying it to an actual wearable robot.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.503-515
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• 2011

We developed a walking-assistance robot for walking rehabilitation and assessed the kinematic characteristics of a prototype. The walking-assistance robot is composed of hip, knee, and ankle joints, and each joint is driven by a motor with a decelerator. The equations of angular displacement while walking were derived by theoretically analyzing human locomotion, and the calculated angular displacements were then applied to the robot controller. The output angular displacement of each joint was measured and compared with its input angular displacement in walking experiments on a treadmill at various walking speeds and strides. The differences between the input and output angular displacements are 5.22% for the hip and 2.97% for the knee joints, and it has been confirmed that the walking-assistance robot works well.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.307-316
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• 2018

In this study, we conduct SW education using robot in elementary school, to examine the effects of SW education using robot and identify differences dependeing on the presence of assistance teacher. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, SW education using robot was conducted to 29 students. After collecting data, we examined mean difference using matched pair t-test and ANCOVA. Our results show that SW education using robot significantly improved CT and attitudes toward robots. CT, however, was not significantly improved in control group. Further, although improvement in attitudes toward robots was not associated with presence of assistance teacher, presence of assistance teacher did play a role in improvement of CT. This study was investigated effects of the SW education using robot and identify differences depending on the presence of assistant teacher, and expanded the understanding of the SW education using robot.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.141-146
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to develop the algorithm which can control muscle power assist robot especially for elderly. Recently, wearable robots for power assistance are developed by many researchers, and its application fields are also variable such as for medical or military equipment. However, there are many technical barriers to develop the wearable robot. This study suggest a control method improving performance of a wearable robot system by using a EMG signal of major muscles and a force sensor signal as command signal of system. The result of the robot Prototype efficiency experiment, the case of Maximum Isometric motion it suggest 100% power of muscle, the man need only 66% of MVIC(Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction) to lift 5kg dumbbell without robot assist. However the man needs only 52% of MVIC to lift 5kg dumbbell with robot assist. Therefore 20% muscle power increased with robot assist. Also, we designed light weight robot mechanism that extract the command signal verified and drive the wanted motions.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.55-62
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• 2013

The exoskeleton robot to assist walking of hemiplegia patients or disabled persons has been studied in this paper. The exoskeleton robot with degrees of freedom of 2 axis has been developed and tested for joint motion. The obtained EMG signal from normal person was analyzed and the control signal was extracted from it for convenient and automotive performance of assistance robot to help hemiplegia patient walks as normal person does. the purpose of using FES(Functional Electrical Stimulation) for hemiplegia patient's walk is to restore damaged body function by this, but this could give fatal electrical shock to patients by wrong use or cause quick fatigue in muscle by continuous stimulation. The convenient movement of hemiplegia patients with minimum muscle fatigue was looked possibly by operation of assistance robot exoskeleton using control signal. and the walking assistance exoskeleton robot seemed works more efficiently than using FES stimulator. The experiment in this study was performed based on usual motion in our life like walking, standing-up, sitting-down, and particularly feedback control system using Piezo sensor along with button switch was applied for smooth swing motion in walking. The experiment also shows that hemiplegia patients can move conveniently by using electromyogram signal of healthy leg for the operation signal of assistance robot system attached at damaged symmetrical leg.

• Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing
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• v.20 no.sup1
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• pp.127-136
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of using intelligent robot based nursing practice as discussed in previous research and also, to propose directions for robot care for elders. Methods: For this study 28 previous researches using robots in health care field were reviewed and related research trends introduced. Results: Robot applications in the healthcare field were mainly for rehabilitation, surgery, interaction, and nursing assistance through robotics. Especially types of robot include pet type robots, humanoid robots, surgical robots, rehabilitation robots, robot suit and entertainment robots with monitors. The research participants were patients with dementia and institutionalized elderly people. It was found that a human-robot interaction was effective from physical, mental, emotional and social aspects. Conclusion: Robots can be used for various purposes such as nursing assistance, patient health promotion and education. It is necessary to reduce the human burden of care work using robots and to introduce robot care programs which can meet the needs of elders. Therefore, korean nurses should make efforts to change their practice to new geriatric nursing through repeated research based on the scientific data.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.144-151
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• 2017

An important characteristic of people with partially impaired walking ability, such as incomplete paraplegics, is that they are able to generate voluntary motion of lower-limbs. Therefore, wearable robots for the incomplete paraplegic patients require a different assistance method compared to those of complete paraplegics. First, the wearable robot should be controlled to not resist wearer's motion. Second, it should be able to generate assistive torque accurately when needed. In this paper, a wearable robot, called EROWA, for the incomplete paraplegic patients is introduced. EROWA utilizes compact rotary series elastic actuators (cRSEAs) and a control method called the zero impedance control to reduce the mechanical resistance. An assistive torque trajectory is proposed to assist gait in this paper. The proposed method is verified by simulation and experimental studies.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.35-36
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• 2007

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.89.2-89
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• 2001

Wheel chair bound persons need assistance since there are many steps or curbs or other obstacles blocking their path in the roadways and walkways. Although a step may be small, it may be very difficult for such a person to climb over it. Therefore, we are proposing a power assist wheel chair robot that enables a wheel chair bound person to climb over steps up to about 10 centimeters in height without assistance from others. By using the proposed wheel chair robot, a user can maintain inverse pendulum control after raising its front wheels Then, a user can move forward to the step maintaining the inverse pendulum control, and can climb over the step using motor force of a rear wheel shaft ...

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.640-655
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• 2019

Technology status was investigated by analyzing patents and development cases of wearable robots. Development direction of wearable robot for wearability was also suggested by understanding the problems of wearability from development cases through the FGI technique. The number of patents per technical field was the most in the field of strength support, but AI in the technology field was different in each country; Korea was found to be poor in the category of daily living assistance. The number of patents by technology category was the most in the category of muscular strength assistance. However, the values of AI in the technology category were different in each country; Korea was found to be poor in the category of daily living assistance. Development cases were focused on rehabilitation, so development is not fulfilled uniformly by use purpose. By wearing body parts, robots with single function type were mainly developed. Rigid material robots were mainly developed. It was confirmed that wearable robot technology is not developed evenly in the category of application because it is in the early stage of the technical proposal and centered on main performance improvement. We derived twelve wearable conditions for wearable robots: Shape and Size Appropriateness, Movement Appropriateness, Composition Appropriateness, Physiological Appropriateness, Performance Satisfaction, Ease of Operation, Safety, Durability, Ease of Dressing, Ease of Cleaning, Portability and Ease of Storage and Appearance Satisfaction. Finally, the development direction of a wearable robot for each wearable condition was suggested.