• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.392-402
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to conduct an exploratory and descriptive survey study design to examine 1) the physical difficulty by care task, 2) overall occupation-related physical burden by the characteristics of caregivers and care receivers, and 3) the level of help by the use of care robots and devices among formal caregivers working in facilities for older adults. In this study, 308 formal caregivers working in facilities were recruited from 8 nursing homes and 5 geriatric hospitals between Aug. 2021 and Sept. 2022 in South Korea. There were significant differences in ADLs between nursing homes and geriatric hospitals: eating, dressing, hygiene, transfer to bed, transfer to the toilet and walking. For each care item, the items the caregivers had the most difficulty ranked first were bathing, excretion assistance, and mobility support. The difference in occupation-related physical burden according to general characteristics was found to have statistically significant differences in female and bad perceived health. Among the 205 caregivers who had experience using care robots and devices, pressure ulcer prevention was the most experienced one, and those also were the most helpful and exercise aids were the least helpful. In order to reduce the physical burden on care providers, it is necessary to develop and introduce a care robots centered on the care site. Furthermore, national level public support systems are required to enable facilities to actively utilize care robots and devices.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.370-378
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• 2018

Recent advances in network infrastructures, sensors, and IoT devices have accelerated the research and development of monitoring and interaction technologies designed for people, buildings, and environments. In particular, there has been an increasing demand for monitoring technologies for vulnerable people such as the infirm, disabled, and children. In this paper, we propose an efficient hospital room management system based on IoT care robots. The status of hospital rooms can be monitored and controlled more efficiently and intuitively by utilizing IoT devices and a cloud platform. We demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed system through the implementation of a prototype based on ARTIK IoT devices and the ARTIK Cloud platform. We found that the proposed system requires approximately 600 ms and 130 ms to collect sensor data and respond to alerts, respectively, which demonstrates it can operate in real-time.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.191-218
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• 2024

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between digital literacy and the acceptance of care robots, as well as the mediating role of technology self-efficacy in this relationship. The findings of this research aim to provide foundational data for enhancing older adults' acceptance of new technologies, underscore the significance of bolstering older adults' digital literacy in relation to the adoption of care robot technology, and offer evidence to support interventions aimed at improving technology self-efficacy. Design/methodology/approach This study seeks to investigate the mediating effect of technology self-efficacy on the relationship between digital literacy and acceptance of care robot technology among older adults. Kyunghee University's '2022 Korean Senior Technology Acceptance Panel Survey' was used, targeting 509 people aged 60 or older. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 software. Independent samples t-tests were used to characterize key variables of interest and correlation analysis was used to evaluate their relationships. To verify the mediation effect, mediation regression analysis along with the Sobel test was used. Findings The study found that improving older adults' digital literacy positively impacts their acceptance of care robot technology through enhanced technology self-efficacy. Active education and experience with digital devices are highlighted as crucial for enhancing older adults' sense of accomplishment and, consequently, their technology self-efficacy. The findings underscore the importance of programs and educational initiatives focused on enhancing digital literacy among older adults to boost technology self-efficacy and increase acceptance of care robot technology within this population.

• Convergence Security Journal
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.151-156
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• 2023

Currently, ICT is widely used in caring for the elderly living alone and preventing the disappearance of the elderly with dementia. Therefore, in this study, based on the government policy direction for the 4th industrial revolution, the use of AI technology-based care services, which are gradually increasing in community care, was sought to explore the current status and prospects for utilization and activation.AI speakers and caring robots, services that can be used for community care, help solve various problems experienced by the elderly, and are also used to relieve lack of conversation or loneliness by adding emotional functions. In order to activate community care using AI technology in the future: First, there is a need for continuous education to familiarize the elderly with AI devices and 'user experience (UX) design' for the elderly. Second, it is necessary to use human-centered technology that has a complementary relationship and enables emotional mutual relationships rather than using function-oriented technology. Third, it is necessary to solve ethical problems such as guaranteeing the user's right to self-determination and protecting privacy.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.817-837
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• 2019

The medical industry is rapidly evolving into a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and ICT technology, such as mobile health, wireless medical, telemedicine and precision medical care. Medical artificial intelligence can be diagnosed and treated, and autonomous surgical robots can be operated. For smart medical services, data such as medical information and personal medical information are needed. AI is being developed to integrate with companies such as Google, Facebook, IBM and others in the health care field. Telemedicine services are also becoming available. However, security issues of medical information for smart medical industry are becoming important. It can have a devastating impact on life through hacking of medical devices through vulnerable areas. Research on medical information is proceeding on the necessity of privacy and privacy protection. However, there is a lack of research on the practical measures for protecting medical information and the seriousness of security threats. Therefore, in this study, we want to confirm the research trend by collecting data related to medical information in recent 5 years. In this study, smart medical related papers from 2014 to 2018 were collected using smart medical topics, and the medical information papers were rearranged based on this. Research trend analysis uses topic modeling technique for topic information. The result constructs topic network based on relation of topics and grasps main trend through topic.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.169-206
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• 2019

This article seeks to explore new relationships and ethics of human and technology by analyzing a cultural imaginary produced by artificial intelligence. Drawing on theoretical reflections of the Feminist Scientific and Technological Studies which understand science and technology as the matter of care(Puig de la Bellacas, 2011), this paper focuses on the fact that artificial intelligence and robots materialize cultural imaginary such as autonomy. This autonomy, defined as the capacity to adapt to a new environment through self-learning, is accepted as a way to conceptualize an authentic human or an ideal subject. However, this article argues that artificial intelligence is mediated by and dependent on invisible human labor and complex material devices, suggesting that such autonomy is close to fiction. The recent growth of the so-called 'assistant technology' shows that it is differentially visualizing the care work of both machines and humans. Technology and its cultural imaginary hide the care work of human workers and actively visualize the one of the machine. And they make autonomy and agency ideal humanness, leaving disabled bodies and dependency as unworthy. Artificial intelligence and its cultural imaginary negate the value of disabled bodies while idealizing abled-bodies, and result in eliminating the real relationship between man and technology as mutually dependent beings. In conclusion, the author argues that the technology we need is not the one to exclude the non-typical bodies and care work of others, but the one to include them as they are. This technology responsibly empathizes marginalized beings and encourages solidarity between fragile beings. Inspired by an art performance of artist Sue Austin, the author finally comes up with and suggests 'artificial intelligence in wheelchair' as an alternative figuration for the currently dominant 'autonomous artificial intelligence'.