• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1996

In this paper, describe the automatic climbing wheelchair system use an articulated crawler mobile robot. This wheelchair system(call system) is composed of sensor detecting part and wireless communication part with PC. The sensor parts are consisted of sloping sensor and ultrasonic sensor part. The sloping sensor measures the sloping angle of system, and the ultrasonic sensor measures the distance of system's front wheel center from stair. PC will generate the operation data to climb up the stair using the measured data and make primitives for the system. At firsts This system transfer from sensor data to the PC. PC calculate the operation data to climb up the stair from the internal algorithm. We simulated the system in various stair angle slope($25^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$), and tested it on the real staircase with width 37cm, highlt 18cm, Angle $26^{\circ}$ . There were $0.350^{\circ}$ - $1.060^{\circ}$ Angle errors while climbing because adapted sensor has a precision $0.35^{\circ}$ in resolution. Finally, We implemented the sensor detecting part and the wireless communication park and practiced our system in 4cm/sec speed.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 2003

An autonomous stair robot recognizing the stair, and climbing up and down the stair by utilizing a robot vision, photo sensors, and appropriate climbing algorithm is introduced. Four arms associated with four wheels make the robot climb up and down more safely and faster than a simple track typed robot. The robot can adjust wheel base according to the stair width, hence it can adopt to a variable width stair with different algorithms in climbing up and down. The command and image data acquired from the robot are transferred to the main computer through RF wireless modules, and the data are delivered to a remote computer via a network communication through a proper data compression, thus, the real time image monitoring is implemented effectively.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.134-138
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the gluteus medius (Gm) and tibialis anterior (TA) during stair climbing in persons with stroke compared to FES applied to the TA only during stair climbing, and during stair climbing without FES in persons with stroke. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty subjects with stroke participated in this study. Subjects were included if: 1) they were diagnosed as stroke at least 6 months before; 2) had Mini Mental State Examination- Korean score of 24 or higher; 3) were able to climb a flight of 10 stairs independently (with or without walking aid). The patients walked 10 stairs 3 times with FES applied to the Gm and TA, only TA, or no FES. There was a 1-minute rest period between each bout. The assessments were made using the Timed Up & Down Test and the Wii Balance Board. Results: Stair climbing with FES applied to the Gm and TA was significantly faster than stair climbing with FES applied to the TA only and without FES (p<0.05). Stair climbing with FES applied to the Gm and TA exhibited significantly greater sway velocity than stair climbing without FES (p<0.05). However, maximal sway distances were not significantly different between groups. Conclusions: Stair climbing with FES applied to the Gm and TA can be an important component of a rehabilitation program for improving stair climbing ability in persons with stroke.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.7 s.196
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• pp.133-138
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• 2007

It is important to understand the characteristics of amputee gait to develop more advanced prostheses. The aim of this study was quantitatively to analyze the stair climbing task for the above-knee amputee with a prosthesis and to predict muscle forces and joint moments at musculoskeletal joints by dynamic analysis. The three-dimensional musculoskeletal model of lower extremities was constructed by gait analysis and transformation software for one above-knee amputee and ten healthy people. The measured ground reaction forces and kinematical data of each joint by gait analysis were used as input data during inverse dynamic analysis. Lastly, dynamic analysis of above-knee amputee during stair climbing were performed using musculoskeletal models. The results showed that summed muscle farces of hip extensor of amputated leg were greater than those of sound leg but the opposite results were revealed at hip abductor and knee flexor of amputated leg. We could also find that the higher moments at hip and knee joint of sound leg were needed to overcome the flexion moment caused by body weight and amputated leg. In conclusion, dynamic analysis using musculoskeletal models may be a useful mean to predict muscle forces and joint moments for specific motion tasks related to rehacilitation therapy..

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.371-381
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop the day care program for the demented elders and to determine the effects of multiple activity therapies on the physical, emotional, cognitive, social function and physiological indicators of dementia elders in day care center. Method: A total of 13 elders with mild dementia in the data care center were participated. Manual and guideline of data care program was developed. Data care program was composed of movement/exercise, foot massage, music therapy, horticultural therapy, and art therapy. Data care program was performed by trained intervener for 32 weeks. Instruments were physical functioning such as hand grip strength., vital capacity, chiar stand test, sit and reach test, one leg standing, Berg' Balance scale, 6m Walk Velocity, stair climb, ADL, GDS-K, MMSE-K, Integrative Social Functioning Scale, cortisol, Ig A and Ig G. These were measured at the baseline, 16-week, and 32-week post-intervention by the trained nurses. Data were analyzed as Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: For Hand grip, balance, and vital capacity, there was a significant difference between baseline and 16-week post-intervention(p<.05). For one leg standing, 6m velocity, there was a significant difference between 16-week post-intervention and 32-week post-intervention(p<.05). For Stair climb, there was a significant difference between baseline and 32-week post-intervention(p<.05). For depression and social functioning, there was no significant difference among baseline, 16-week, and 32-week post-intervention. For cognitive functioning, there was a significant difference between baseline and 32-week post intervention(p<.05). There was a significant difference of cortisol, and Ig G between baseline and 32-week post-intervention(p<.05). Conclusion: It would appear that physical fitness, functional performance, ADL, depression, social and cognitive functioning, and physiological indicator of community dwelling elders with dementia can be improved through day care program using multiple stimuli.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.30-33
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• 2008

Understanding the characteristics of amputee gait is key in developing more advanced prostheses. The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyze a stair-climbing task for transfemoral amputees with a prosthesis and to predict the muscle forces and joint moments at musculoskeletal joints using a dynamic analysis. A three-dimensional musculoskeletal model of the lower extremities was constructed from a gait analysis using transformation software for two transfemoral amputees and ten healthy people. The measured ground reaction forces and kinematical data of each joint from the gait analysis were used as input data for an inverse dynamic analysis. Dynamic analyses of an transfemoral amputee climbing stairs were performed using musculoskeletal models. The results showed that the summed muscle forces of the hip extensor of an amputated leg were greater than those of a sound leg. The opposite was true at the hip abductor and knee flexor of an amputated leg. We also found that higher moments at the hip and knee joints of the sound leg were required to overcome the flexion moment caused by the body weight and amputated leg. Dynamic analyses using musculoskeletal models may be a useful means to predict muscle forces and joint moments for specific motion tasks related to rehabilitation therapy.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.67-74
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of walking aid on hemiplegic gait of chronic stroke patients. Twelve stroke patients participated in this study. Physiological cost index (PCI), gait speed, and climbing stairs with and without walking aid were measured and analyzed. The results showed that walking with walking aid significantly improved gait speed and reduced physiological cost index and time needed to climb stair (height 7 cm) in comparison with a walking without walking aid. In conclusion, walking aid may improve the speed and efficiency of hemiplegic gait in chronic stroke patients.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1989.10a
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• pp.166-171
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• 1989

In the view of the fact that mobile robot in nuclear facilities should be able to turn in narrow space, go over obstacles, and climb stairs for the inspection and maintenance, a robot, named as KAEROT, is developed. It adopts 2DWIS (2-Driving Wheels, 1-Steering) and has three planetary wheels that are composed of two star-like arms and three small wheels. The experiments were carried out in two locomotion methods; (1) by controlling the rear wheel speed as a function of steering angle, and (2) by using inclination and stair-detection sensor to control the position of planetary and small wheel. The developed robot moved on the floor with stability. Results from the experiment on the rectangular obstacle as well as the computer simulation showed a feasibility on the stairs.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.61-73
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the center of pressure (COP), ground reaction force (GRF) and joint angles of elderly people and young people while stair-descent. The participants in this experiment were 5 elderly people and 5 young people, each of which was asked to descend stairs of three different heights (8 cm, 16 cm, and 32 cm). As they climbed down the stairs, they received vibration stimulation on the lower limb. The change of COP, GRF and joint angles were analyzed during the standing phase. COP decreased as the Achilles tendon and tibialis anterior tendon were vibrated. Vertical GRF increased as the Achilles tendon was vibrated, and the joint angle differed according to vibration stimulation conditions. These results mean that ankle joint, knee joint and hip joint were influenced by the vibrations on the lower limb as the participants descended the stairs. It was concluded that the vibration stimulation on the lower limb allowed the participants to efficiently climb down the stairs.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1067-1072
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• 2014

The ability to overcome obstacles is necessary for field robots for various applications including the ability to climb stairs. While much research has been performed focusing on overcoming obstacles, the resulting robots do not have sufficient ability to overcome obstacles such as stairs. In this research, the purpose is to overcome relatively large obstacles by flipping locomotion through the modification of the stair climbing robotic platform of the previous research. We propose two scenarios to overcome large obstacles: a rear wheel driving system and an elevation system using a ball screw. The research is performed based on static analyses on obstacle-climbing. As the simulation results indicate, we determined the optimal posture of the robot for climbing obstacles for rear wheel driving. Also, an elevation system is analyzed for obstacle climbing. Between the two scenarios an elevation system is determined to reduce the operating torque of the actuator, and the prototype was recently assembled. The climbing ability of the robotic platform is verified. We expect the application area for this robotic platform will be in accident areas of nuclear power plants.