• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1835-1845
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• 2005

In this paper a safe arm with passive compliant joints and visco-elastic covering is designed for human-friendly service robots. The passive compliant joint (PCJ) is composed of a magneto-rheological (MR) damper and a rotary spring. In addition to a spring component, a damper is introduced for damping effect and works as a rotary viscous damper by controlling the electric current according to the angular velocity of spring displacement. When a manipulator interacts with human or environment, the joints and cover passively operate and attenuate the applied collision force. The force attenuation property is verified through collision experiments showing that the proposed passive arm is safe in view of some evaluation measures.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.612-620
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• 2006

This paper proposes an optimal trajectory generation method for biped robots for walking up-and-down stairs using a Real-Coded Genetic Algorithm (RCGA). The RCGA is most effective in minimizing the total consumption energy of a multi-dof biped robot. Each joint angle trajectory is defined as a 4-th order polynomial of which the coefficients are chromosomes or design variables to approximate the walking gait. Constraints are divided into equalities and inequalities. First, equality constraints consist of initial conditions and repeatability conditions with respect to each joint angle and angular velocity at the start and end of a stride period. Next, inequality constraints include collision prevention conditions of a swing leg, singular prevention conditions, and stability conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed optimal trajectory is shown in computer simulations with a 6-dof biped robot model that consists of seven links in the sagittal plane. The optimal trajectory is more efficient than that generated by the Modified Gravity-Compensated Inverted Pendulum Mode (MGCIPM). And various trajectories generated by the proposed GA method are analyzed from the viewpoint of the consumption energy: walking on even ground, ascending stairs, and descending stairs.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.411-416
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• 2016

This paper presents the design methodology of an unknown input observer for Lipschitz nonlinear systems with unknown inputs in the framework of convex optimization. We use an unknown input observer (UIO) to consider both nonlinearity and disturbance. By deriving a sufficient condition for exponential stability in the linear matrix inequality (LMI) form, existence of a stabilizing observer gain matrix of UIO will be assured by checking whether the quadratic stability margin of the error dynamics is greater than the Lipschitz constant or not. If quadratic stability margin is less than a Lipschitz constant, the coordinate transformation may be used to reduce the Lipschitz constant in the new coordinates. Furthermore, to reduce the maximum singular value of the observer gain matrix elements, an object function to minimize it will be optimally designed by modifying its magnitude so that amplification of sensor measurement noise is minimized via multi-objective optimization algorithm. The performance of UIO is compared to a nonlinear observer (Luenberger-like) with an application to a flexible joint robot system considering a change of load and disturbance. Finally, it is validated via simulations that the estimated angular position and velocity provide true values even in the presence of unknown inputs.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.691-702
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• 2017

Clearances are essential for the assemblage of mechanisms to allow the relative motion between the joined bodies. This clearance exists due to machining tolerances, wear, material deformations, and imperfections, and it can worsen the mechanism performance when the precision and smoothly-working are intended. Energy is a subject which is less paid attention in the area of clearance. The effect of the clearance on the energy of a flexible slider-crank mechanism is investigated in this paper. A clearance exists in the joint between the slider and the coupler. The contact force model is based on the Lankarani and Nikravesh model and the friction force is calculated using the modified Coulomb's friction law. The hysteresis damping which has been included in the contact force model dissipates energy in clearance joints. The other source for the energy loss is the friction between the journal and the bearing. Initial configuration and crank angular velocity are changed to see their effects on the energy of the system. Energy diagrams are plotted for different coefficients of friction to see its influence. Finally, considering the coupler as a flexible body, the effect of flexibility on the energy of the system is investigated.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.187-192
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• 2009

A snap ring is a kind of metal spring with open ends which can be installed into a groove to prevent lateral movement. In this study a nonlinear finite element analysis model is developed to simulate the fastening process of a snap ring connecting the constant velocity joint and the transmission. Insert load, disengage load and breakage are three important issues. They are analyzed using the developed model. The load histories of simulations are similar to those of tests and the differences of maximum load are around 10%. Bending of the entire ring and unfolding of the end section are major contributors of the fastening load. The load variations caused by the angular position of spline tooth are about 50%. Breakage is highly sensitive to the position of a snap ring.

• Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.312-321
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• 2016

Dynamic behaviour of a slider-crank mechanism associated with a smart flexible connecting rod is investigated. Effect of various mechanisms' parameters including crank length, flexibility of the connecting rod and the slider's mass on the dynamic behaviour is studied. Two control schemes are proposed for elastodynamic vibration suppression of the flexible connecting rod and also obtaining a constant angular velocity for the crank. The first scheme is based on feedback linearization approach and the second one is based on a sliding mode controller. The input signals are applied by an electric motor located at the crank ground joint, and two layers of piezoelectric film bonded to the top and bottom surfaces of the connecting rod. Both of the controllers successfully suppress the vibrations of the elastic linkage.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.1180-1185
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• 2009

Spasticity is a velocity-dependent stretch reflex disorder of the body motor system developing after the injury of the central nervous system, in which certain muscles are continuously contracted involuntarily. Conventional methods such as the modified Ashworth scale, Spasm frequency scale, pendulum test and isokinetic dynamometer had some disadvantages: limitation in discriminating the increase of resistance, immovable and expensive device, not enough study parameters. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce clinically more useful instrument, which can produce objective data and are more convenient on spasticity measurement. Spasticity measuring methods were reviewed and a new measuring instrument was designed and introduced. The new measuring system is a portable spasticity-measurement system, which encompass various scopes of spasticity-related human signals such as electrophysiologic, kinematic and biomechanical data. Our device was designed in order to measure the joint angle, angular velocity, electromyographic signals and force. We suggest that this new system can diagnose the spasticity of the muscles, objectively.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2013

The methods of fitting a circle to measured data, geometric fit and algebraic fit, have been studied profoundly in various areas of science. However, they have not been applied exactly to a biomechanics discipline for locating the center of rotation of a human joint. The purpose of this study was to generalize the methods to fitting spheres to the points in 3-dimension, and to estimate the center of rotation of a hip joint by three of geometric fit methods(Levenberg-Marquardt, Landau, and Sp$\ddot{a}$th) and four of algebraic fit methods(Delogne-K${\aa}$sa, Pratt, Taubin, and Hyper). 1000 times of simulation experiments for flexion/extension and ad/abduction at an artificial hip joint with four levels of range of motion(10, 15, 30, and $60^{\circ}$) and three levels of angular velocity(30, 60, and $90^{\circ}$/s) were executed to analyze the responses of the estimated center of rotation. The results showed that the Sp$\ddot{a}$th estimate was very sensitive to the marker near the center of rotation. The bias of Delogne-K${\aa}$sa estimate existed in an even larger range of motion. The Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm of geometric fit and the Pratt of algebraic fit showed the best results. The combination of two methods, using the Pratt's estimate as initial values of the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm, could be a candidate of more valid estimator.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.315-321
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to develop a mathematical model for system identification in order to predIct muscle force based on eledromyographic signal. Therefore, a finding of the relalionship between characteristics of electromyographic signal and the corre spondng muscle force should be necessiiry through dynamic, joint model. To develop the dynamic joint model, the upper limb mcludmg the wrist and elbow joint has been considered. The kinematic and dynamic data, such as joint angular displacement, velocity, deceleration along with the moment of inertla, required to establish the dynamic model has been obtained by electrical flexible goniometer which has two degree-of-frcedoms. ln this model, muscle force can be predicted only electromyographs through the relationship between the integrated lorce and the mtegrated electromyographic signal over the duration of muscle contraclion in this study.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.749-759
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to provide basic information for improving a soft tennis forehand middle volley technique based on kinematic and kinetic analyses of volleys performed by four male national tennis players($33.3{\pm}2.16$ years). The results are as follows. The first phase of the stroke was the longest, covering 64.7% of the stroke time. The displacement of the center of gravity was 48.1% to the right and 54% to the front in the first phase. When impacted, the elbow joint showed the highest average velocity, 3.67m/s, and the upper arm segment displayed the highest angular velocity, $201^{\circ}/s$. The average of the elbow angle and the ball velocity were $149^{\circ}$ and 18.9m/s, respectively. In the ground reaction force, the left and right foot forces in both the x and y directions showed a statistically significant difference. This result seems to indicate that when the left foot is pushed to the right, the force of the right foot is proportional and symmetrical to the left, serving as a supporter.