• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.132-144
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the association between satisfaction with assistive technology devices and psychosocial impact among some mentally or physically disabled children. Methods: The study subjects were 120 disabled children and their primary caregivers who were using rental assistive technology devices in Gwangju and Jeollanam-Do. Data were collected by structured questionnaire composed of general characteristics of subjects, characteristics related with using assistive devices. Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology 2.0 (QUEST 2.0) and Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Device Scale (PIADS). The statistical analysis were performed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlational analysis. Results: The total mean score for QUEST 2.0 was $4.08{\pm}0.66$ (satisfaction with devices, $4.01{\pm}0.70$; satisfaction with the assistive devices service, $4.14{\pm}0.90$) and the mean of PIADS was $1.00{\pm}0.75$ (ability, $0.99{\pm}0.78$; adaptability, $1.04{\pm}0.86$; self-respect, $0.99{\pm}0.74$). The scores of PIADS was statistically significant difference according to usage time of assistive devices. The PIADS was significantly positive correlated with QUEST 2.0 Conclusions: The mentally or physically disabled children reported that the higher level of satisfaction and the more positive impact of psychosocial aspect with assistive technology devices. It would be necessary to perform further studies for addressing the effects of assistive technology devices.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.535-542
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• 2016

This study was to explore the meanings and follow-up tasks for enactment of Act on Supply and Utilization Promotion of Assistive Technology Devices for People with Disabilities and Seniors(Assistive Technology Act) in Korea. I conducted analysis about contents and establishment process of the Act. The study found meaningful effects ; it provided the basis for supporting assistive technology devices based on the social model, it led to an Implementation of the national obligations such as UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it provided terms related to assistive technology. It is suggested to conduct follow-up studies and to put the efforts to strengthen additional laws for backing up the effective policy for extended support of assistive technology devices and for security of budget, for establishing regional service centers, for phasing of professional qualification, for controlling quality, for establishing an information system, and for promoting industries.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.251-256
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• 2015

The purpose of the study is to investigate the status of assistive technology delivery system and to analyze issues on legislating assistive technology act in Korea. Many laws in different departments include regulations of providing assistive technology devices, and their range and types in various delivery entities tend to expand. However, a nationwide assistive technology delivery system for all individuals with disabilities that considers balanced expenditure among departments is not established yet. Two laws proposed to solve the situation were introduced and discussed as the following. First of all, the terminology of assistive technology and various products supported by different laws and departments should be aggregated and connected. Secondly, a nationwide assistive technology delivery system for all individuals with disabilities are to be established, regardless of departments or laws for certain purposes. Thirdly, a quality control system of all assistive technology products including user monitoring system should be regulated.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2010

Research and development of Assistive Technology (AT) for blind people is primarily focused on assisting mobility and improving access to information. Some particularly useful devices for aiding access to information and communication are DAISY players used with talking books, screen readers for reading screens, video magnifiers to aid low vision, Braille displays, and Braille PDAs. These essential devices have been successfully commercialized and have assisted many visually impaired people. Assistive technology devices for visually impaired people are called sensory substitution devices, because these devices substitute tactile or auditory functions for visual functions. The tactile interfaces of sensory substitution devices such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs have a bimorph type of piezoelectric actuator that forms a Braille (pin) of the Braille cells by moving up and down. KGS Corporation of Japan has more than 80% share of the worldwide market for these Braille cell actuators. Commercializing it for the first time in the world. This paper reviews the various endeavors in Japan in the research and development of tactile displays, such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs. Furthermore, it discusses sensory substitution devices that use tactile displays, focusing especially on the rotating Braille display we have developed.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.309-314
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• 2016

Objective: There are no guidelines for choosing appropriate gait assistive devices. The aim of this study was to evaluate gait assistive devices in patients with Parkinson's disease. Method: We evaluated 15 individuals with Parkinson's disease who did or did not use one of two different devices including canes and two-wheeled walkers. Data were collected using the GAITRite system. Results: Participants in the group using canes and two-wheeled walkers had significantly increased double support time and decreased gait velocity, normalized gait velocity, and stride length compared with those who did not. Participants who used a two-wheeled walker had significantly decreased gait velocity, normalized gait velocity, and stride length compared with those who used a cane. Furthermore, participants who used a two-wheeled walker had significantly decreased coefficients of variation for step time, stride length, and swing time compared with those who used a cane. Conclusion: Our results indicated that the two-wheeled walker offered the most consistent advantages for decreasing the risk of falling.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.221-226
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to suggest improvement directions and analysis of assistive technology service linkage on public benefits in local assistive technology center. The service steps and the main program parts of public benefits linkage in local assistive technology center was identified, and the present status of associated repair works and contact suppliers of assistive technology device in local community was investigated. The result showed the most common level of associated status to provide information of assistive technology devices in public benefits. All the centers provided repair service, and it was typically performed to light maintenance. The centers offered with associated professional repair service supplier for high maintenance service. The connection with assistive technology device supplier appeared a lot of regional difference. Henceforth, the centers will be required to distribute more various assistive technology devices, it is necessary upgrading the quality of information and interaction with the public benefits supporting organizations through its expansion, and it is need to ensure based on policy through the analysis of the effectiveness about linkage.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.664-673
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• 2015

The assistive devices for disabled people are being highlighted even in industrial aspects through the policy and support for disabled people, enactment of regulation for the improvement of accessibility of disabled, technological innovation and product development. Recently, internet access with the sense of touch and hearing and utilizing electronic publishing contents and e-mailing are being convenient through the product of ICT development such as screen reader for visually impaired people, braille display, screen enlarger, text converter and others. Even so, in rapidly changing digital media smart era, the accessibility of visually impaired people is still poor and assistive devices and alternative formats are in need of improvement. Therefore, in aspect of the research and development innovation, this study proposes the implementation directions for improvement of accessibility by analyzing the current situation and structure of alternative formats and assistive devices for visually impaired people. As a result, in the future, various types of digital information are expected to be converted into a customized and realistic forms and distributed through a dedicated disability products or smart devices.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.581-596
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• 2010

The purposes of this study are to investigate and analyze the level of information and the state of digital divide of the disabled by surveying the demand for information and communication assistive devices, and to provide basic data for plans on the development and utilization of information and communication assistive devices. In order to understand the actual condition and the state of digital divide of persons with disabilities, the differences of possession and accessibility of information technology devices, usage ability, and utilization were analyzed according to the disability profile by using the T-test. The results show that there are significant differences (T=-2.510*) of possession and accessibility of information technology devices with respect to the disability profile, and that the disabled have lower possession and accessibility of devices than the non-disabled. Result of this study's demand forecast shows that about 28% of total respondents are currently using information and communication assistive devices, and a majority (67%) of them answered that the use of assistive devices lend great help to their lives. The proportion of those who have been supported by the government or related organizations with information and communication assistive devices were 36% of the total respondents, and those satisfied with the performance of the devices were 46% of the total responses. Meanwhile, only 36% of total users answered that the operation and use of functions of the devices was easy and convenient, responding that the difficulty of operating assistive devices was the greatest inconvenience. Moreover, the general requests of respondents in regards to the devices were stabilization of device performance, miniaturization of size, simplification of buttons, and reduction of weight.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.32-42
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate driving performance of Healthy and disabled groups (with or without driver's license) to control steering wheel by using steering assistive devices in the driving simulator. The persons with partial loss of use of all four limbs have problems in operation of the motor vehicle because of functional loss to operate steering wheel. Therefore, if steering assistive devices for grasping the steering wheel are used to control the vehicle on the road in persons with disabilities, the disabled persons can improve mobility in their community life by driving a motor vehicle safely. Ten healthy subjects (with or w/o driver's license) and ten subjects with physical disabilities (with or w/o driver's license) were involved in this study to evaluate driving performance to operate steering wheel by using four types of steering assistive devices (Single-pin, V-grip, Palm-grip, Tri-pin) in driving simulator. STISim Drive 3 software was used to test the steering performance in four scenarios: straight road at low and high speed of vehicle (40 km/h and 80 km/h), curved road at low and high speed of vehicle (40 km/h and 80 km/h). This study used two-way ANOVA in order to compare the effects of two factors (type of steering assistive device and subject group) in the three dependent variables of driving performance (the lateral position of vehicle, standard deviation of lateral position representing the variation of the left and right movement of the vehicle and the number of line crossing). The mean values of the three dependent variables (lateral position, standard deviation of lateral position, the number of line crossing) of steering performance were statistically significantly smaller for the healthy or disabled groups with driver's license than the other groups without driver's license on the curved road at high speed of vehicle compared to low speed of vehicle.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.7 no.10
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• pp.239-249
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to analyse various laws and systems to support IT assistive devices for persons with severe disabilities and draw suggestions for laws and systems on the support of IT assistive devices for the ones in Korea. This study identified the details of laws and systems to provide conveniences for the engagement of the daily life and rehabilitation by persons with severe disabilities in New Freedom Initiative policy of President Bush, the Rehabilitation Assistive Technology Act, the US Disabilities Act and the Assistive Technology Act, and analysed the implementation process therefrom. To increase conveniences and introduce rehabilitation technology for facilitating life conveniences of persons with disabilities, it is necessary to establish the arrangement and application of systems and professional personnel through the demand survey on the need for IT assistive devices of persons with severe disabilities in Korea, the support on the developers of IT assistive device program and hardware, the analysis on the roles of rehabilitation professionals and service experts with respect to the distribution system.