• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.771-782
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• 2017

This paper describes the development of a wearable robot to assist ankle power for the elderly. Previously developed wearable robots have generally used motors and gears to assist muscle power during walking. However, the combination of motor and reduction gear is heavy and has limitations on the simultaneous control of stiffness and torque due to the friction of the gear reducer unlike human muscles. Therefore, in this study, Mckibben pneumatic muscle, which is lighter, safer, and more powerful than an electric motor with gear, was used to assist ankle joint. Antagonistic actuation using a pair of pneumatic muscles assisted the power of the soleus muscles and tibialis anterior muscles used for the pitching motion of the ankle joint, and the model parameters of the antagonistic actuator were experimentally derived using a muscle test platform. To recognize the wearer's walking intention, foot load and ankle torque were calculated by measuring the pressure and the center of pressure of the foot using force and linear displacement sensors, and the stiffness and the torque of the pneumatic muscle joint were then controlled by the calculated ankle torque and foot load. Finally, the performance of the developed ankle power assistive robot was experimentally verified by measuring EMG signals during walking experiments on a treadmill.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.165-172
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• 1998

The electromechanical energy conversion conditioning and processing implementation in USM direct motion control system is generally divided into two power stages: the two-phase high-frequency ac power inversion stage for driving piezoelectric ceramic PZT transducer array off the USM stator and the mechanical thrust power conversion stage based on the frictional force between the piezo electric stator array and the rotary slider of the USM. However, the dynamic and steady-state mathematical modeling of the USM is extremely default from a theoretical point of view because it contains many complicated an nonlinear characteristics dependant on operation temperature. In +2$0^{\circ}C$~3$0^{\circ}C$, the operating characteristics of the USM has represented normal condition. But the other temperature, it has abnormal condition so that driving frequency, current and motor speed will be down. The recent USM has controller without temperature compensation. This study represents the fuzzy controller for speed compensation according to operating temperature by driving frequency.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1036-1043
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• 2022

This paper discusses about the development of a visual sensor that can be installed in an automatic mooring device to detect the berthing condition of a vessel. Despite controlling the ship's speed and confirming its location to prevent accidents while berthing a vessel, ship collision occurs at the pier every year, causing great economic and environmental damage. Therefore, it is important to develop a visual system that can quickly obtain the information on the speed and location of the vessel to ensure safety of the berthing vessel. In this study, a visual sensor was developed to observe a ship through an image while berthing, and to properly check the ship's status according to the surrounding environment. To obtain the adequacy of the visual sensor to be developed, the sensor characteristics were analyzed in terms of information provided from the existing sensors, that is, detection range, real-timeness, accuracy, and precision. Based on these analysis data, we developed a 3D visual module that can acquire information on objects in real time by conducting conceptual designs of LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) type 3D visual system, driving mechanism, and position and force controller for motion tilting system. Finally, performance evaluation of the control system and scan speed test were executed, and the effectiveness of the developed system was confirmed through experiments.