• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.63-73
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• 2023

This study aimed to investigate factors influencing depressive symptoms among middle-aged women based on walking and nonwalking. The participants of the study were 56,007 women aged 40-64 years. A complex sample statistical analysis was conducted. Notably, 48.9% of middle-aged women were in the walking group and 51.1% were in the nonwalking. In the nonwalking group, relative to the walking group, more people had high school diploma as their highest level of education, and were 40-49 years old, unemployed, and public assistance recipients than in the walking group. In addition, in the nonwalking group, more people had sleeping durations of less than 7 hours, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms than in the walking group. Factors influencing depressive symptoms were identified as less than 7 hours of sleeping duration and high perceived stress in both the walking and nonwalking groups, and the degree of influence was higher in the walking group than in the non-walking group, suggesting than further studies are needed to identify the cause. The results confirmed that perceived stress and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women could be reduced by walking. Therefore, if middle-aged women continue to engage in walking practices appropriate for them, it will enhance their walking rate, reduce stress, and improve their depressive symptoms.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.641-646
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• 2011

A low cost gait analysis system, which can measure stride length, walking speed, and ground reaction force, is proposed. A gait analysis system is used for medical evaluation of patients and rehabilitation assistance. Low cost cameras are attached to a shoe and movement of a shoe is estimated using infrared LED landmarks. Ground reaction force is measured from pressure sensors, which are installed inside a shoe. Through experiments, it is shown that the proposed system can be used to obtain stride length, walking speed, and ground reaction force.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.117-121
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• 2023

Research on walking assistance exoskeletons that provide optimized torque to individuals has been conducted steadily, and these studies aim to help users feel stable when walking and get help that suits their intentions. Because exoskeleton auxiliary efficiency evaluation is based on metabolic cost savings, experiments on real people are needed to evaluate continuously evolving control algorithms. However, experiments with real people always require risks and high costs. Therefore, in this study, we intend to actively utilize human musculoskeletal simulation. First, to improve the accuracy of musculoskeletal models, we propose a body segment mass distribution algorithm using body composition analysis data that reflects body characteristics. Secondly, the efficiency of most exoskeleton torque control algorithms is evaluated as the reduction rate of Metabolic Cost. In this study, we assume that the torque minimizing the Metabolic Cost is the optimal torque and propose a method for obtaining the torque.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.323-329
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• 2020

This paper presents a control algorithm for a wearable walking aid robot for subjects with paraplegia after stroke. After a stroke, a slow, asymmetrical and unstable gait pattern is observed in a number of patients. In many cases, one leg can move in a relatively normal pattern, while the other leg is dysfunctional due to paralysis. We have adopted the so-called assist-as-needed control that encourages the patient to walk as much as possible while the robot assists as necessary to create the gait motion of the paralyzed leg. A virtual wall was implemented for the assist-as-needed control. A position based admittance controller was applied in the swing phase to follow human intentions for both the normal and paralyzed legs. A position controller was applied in the stance phase for both legs. A power controller was applied to obtain stable performance in that the output power of the system was delimited during the sample interval. In order to verify the proposed control algorithm, we performed a simulation with 1-DOF leg models. The preliminary results have shown that the control algorithm can follow human intentions during the swing phase by providing as much assistance as needed. In addition, the virtual wall effectively guided the paralyzed leg with stable force display.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2010

Case of patients with weakness in cardiopulmonary system, other ambulatory function is normal, but oxygen supply function is problem. So they need reduce energy consumption for gait by assistance system. In this study, we designed and developed walking assistant device which helps flexion and extension of hip joint for cardiopulmonary patients. There are two motors, each at the left and right side of pelvis, providing torque to the hip joint. The target angle of the flexion and extension in the hip joint is set according to the normal gait. As a result, reduction of energy consumption was 14.8% by gait assistive device.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1005-1012
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• 2024

Wearable walking assistance robots for people with complete paralysis utilize trajectory tracking control methods. In inclined environments, it is important to generate appropriate walking trajectories based on ground inclination. This paper presents the design of a shoe-mounted ground inclination measurement system using Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors and Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors. The proposed system measures the absolute angle of the foot using the IMU sensor and the relative angle between the foot and the ground using the ToF sensor to derive the absolute angle of the ground. Walking experiments conducted on flat and inclined surfaces confirmed the feasibility of measuring ground inclination.

• Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.11-20
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• 2019

In this study, a novel virtual reality (VR) experience environment is proposed for enabling walking adaptation of visually impaired people. The core of proposed VR environment is based on immersive walking interactions and deep learning based braille blocks recognition. To provide a realistic walking experience from the perspective of visually impaired people, a tracker-based walking process is designed for determining the walking state by detecting marching in place, and a controller-based VR white cane is developed that serves as the walking assistance tool for visually impaired people. Additionally, a learning model is developed for conducting comprehensive decision-making by recognizing and responding to braille blocks situated on roads that are followed during the course of directions provided by the VR white cane. Based on the same, a VR application comprising an outdoor urban environment is designed for analyzing the VR walking environment experience. An experimental survey and performance analysis were also conducted for the participants. Obtained results corroborate that the proposed VR walking environment provides a presence of high-level walking experience from the perspective of visually impaired people. Furthermore, the results verify that the proposed learning algorithm and process can recognize braille blocks situated on sidewalks and roadways with high accuracy.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.948-956
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a prototype KAFO (Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis) powered by two artificial pneumatic muscles during walking. We had previously built powered AFO (Ankle-Foot Orthosis) and KO (Knee Orthosis) and used it effectively in studies on assistance of plantaflexion and knee extension motion. Extending the previous study to a KAFO presented additional challenges related to the assistance of gait motion for rehabilitation training. Five healthy males were performed gait motion on treadmill wearing KAFO equipped with artificial pneumatic muscles to power ankle plantaflexion and knee extension. Subjects walked on treadmill at 1.5 km/h under four conditions without extensive practice: 1) without wearing KAFO, 2) wearing KAFO with artificial muscles turned off, 3) wearing KAFO powered only in plantaflexion under feedforward control, and 4) wearing KAFO powered both in plantaflexion and knee extension under feedforward control. We collected surface electromyography, foot pressure and kinematics of ankle and knee joint. The experimental result showed that a muscular strength of wearing KAFO powered plnatarfexion and knee extension under feedforward control was measured to be lower due to pneumatic assistance and foot pressure of wearing KAFO powered plnatarfexion and knee extension under feedforward control was measured to be greater due to power assistance. In the result of motion analysis, the ankle angle of powered KAFO in terminal stance phase was found a peak value toward plantaflexion and there were difference of maximum knee flexion range among condition 2, 3 and 4 in mid-swing phase. The current orthosis design provided plantaflexion torque of ankle jonit in terminal stance phase and knee extension torque of knee joint in mid-swing phase.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.45-50
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• 2016

This paper describes the development of smart sticks as walking assistance for elderly people that incorporate motion sensing, hear-beat sensing, data processing, and communication functions. Our sticks communicate with users' smart phones and upon a detection of falling-off, an alarm is generated and propagated to multiple guardians registered in advance. In addition, the sticks provide smart healthcare functionalities for elderly people thus suggest an health platform that is empowered by various health-related informations. The heartbeat sensors and motion sensors mounted on the sticks enable various additional functions. Our smart sticks are designed to function as stable walking assistance as well as to support elderly people by providing useful services in the convergence with information technologies.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.814-823
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• 2011

Nowadays many neurological diseases such as stroke and Parkinson diseases are continually increasing. Orthotic devices as well as exoskeletons have been widely developed for supporting movement assistance and therapy of patients. Robotic knee orthosis can compensate stiff-knee gait of the paralyzed limb and can provide patients consistent assistance at wearable environments. With keeping a robotic orthosis wearable, however, it is not easy to develop a compact and safe actuator with fast rotation and high torque for consistent supports of patients during walking. In this paper, we propose a novel kinematic model for a robotic knee orthosis to drive a knee joint with independent actuation during swing and stance phases, which can allow an actuator with fast rotation to control swing motions and an actuator with high torque to control stance motions, respectively. The suggested kinematic model is composed of a hamstring device with a slide-crank mechanism, a quadriceps device with five-bar/six-bar links, and a patella device for knee covering. The quadriceps device operates in five-bar links with 2-dof motions during swing phase and is changed to six-bar links during stance phase by the contact motion to the patella device. The hamstring device operates in a slider-crank mechanism for entire gait cycle. The kinematics and velocity/force relations are analyzed for the quadriceps and hamstring devices. Finally, the adequate actuators for the suggested kinematic model are designed based on normal gait requirements. The suggested kinematic model will allow a robotic knee orthosis to use compact and light actuators with full support during walking.