• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.936-942
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• 2005

Recently the exoskeletal power assistive equipment which is a kind of wearable robot has been widely developed to help the human body motion. For the elderly people and patients, however, some limits exist due to the weight and volume of the equipments. As a feasible solution, a tendon-driven exoskeletal power assistive device fur the lower body, and caster walker are proposed in this research. Since the caster walker carries the heavy items, the weight and volume of the wearable exoskeleton are minimized. The key control is used to generate the joint torque required to assist motions such as sitting, standing and walking. Experiments were performed for several motions and the EMG sensors were used to measure the magnitude of assistance. When the motion of sitting down and standing up was compared with and without wearing the proposed device, the $25\%$ assistance was acquired.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 2010

This paper is case study on design, manufacture and application of customized assistive device for the ADL of person with brain lesions. The study had carried out from October 2010 to November 2010 and 2 clients from Assistive device case management demonstration project which is performed by Daegu assistive and rehabilitation center had participated. Case A, a 47-year-old man with brain lesions, stays only on the floor and could not get close to the usual toilet by himself because of the poor low extremities muscle strength and function. The moveable-toilet and customized ramp had applied to Case A. He clambers up the ramp and reach to the toilet easily. Case B, a 8-year-old boy with brain lesions, had difficulties with self-feeding because of his clumsy hand. Several existing feeding aids were applied but not appropriated. A customized feeding aid was designed and manufactured out of regard of Case A's ROM and right hand size. And his occupational therapist works together continuously to make him feed himself in the near future. Already-made assistive devices were not appropriate to Case A and B and to solve this problem, customized assistive devices were applied. The importance and needs of design and manufacture of assistive device were recognized through these case study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.505-512
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• 2022

In this study, a 3D printed assistive device was applied to X-ray examinations to diagnose human diseases. Based on the results of evaluating the device, statistical and regression analyses were conducted to evaluate its clinical utility and purchase intention, respectively. In the experiment, 90 radiologists performed X-ray examinations on patients who agreed with the use of the assistive device in oblique view X-rays of the lumbar spine, and then statistical analyses were undertaken with a traditional aid and factor analysis. The non-standardized coefficient values of the multiple regression analysis performed by setting the purchase intention of the 3D printed device as the dependent variable and the 3D printed device and traditional aid calculated by factor analysis as independent variables were 0.893 (p<0.001) and 0.269 (p<0.001), indicating statistically significant results. The results show that the 3D printed assistive device proposed in this study has higher clinical utility than traditional aids used in oblique view X-rays of the lumbar spine.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Therapy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.85-95
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the awareness and availability on items of 2018 assistive devices distribution program for the disabled in the occupational therapists. Methods : A total of 132 occupational therapists participated in the survey from May 1 to May 31. Results : 96.2% of the occupational therapists responded that assistive device is helpful in lives of the disabled people. Especially, they responded that assistive device is the most helpful in 'movement and mobility'. Awareness on an angle spoon/fork with built-up handle and universal cuff was the highest, while a visual signaling indicator was the lowest. Availability on an air cushion was the highest, while a visual signaling indicator and a voice guidance system were the lowest. 67.4% responded that 'sometimes' they use the assistive device and 77.3% responded they will utilize the assistive device. To improve awareness and availability, 43.2% needed financial support, 32.6% needed to add insurance bill and 22.7% needed related education. Conclusion : In the future, this result will be available as a basic data for the education about assistive device for the occupational therapists.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.106-117
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• 2021

This study proposes a design process for an upper limb assistive wearable soft robot that will enable the development of a clothing product for an upper limb assistive soft robot. A soft robot made of a flexible and soft material that compensates for the shortcomings of existing upper limb muscle strength assistive devices is being developed. Consequently, a clothing process of the upper limb assistive soft robot is required to increase the possibility of wearing such a device. The design process of the upper limb auxiliary soft robot is presented as follows. User analysis and required performance deduction-Soft robot design-upper limb assistive wearable soft robot prototype design and production-evaluation. After designing the clothing according to the design process, the design was revised and supplemented repeatedly according to the results of the clothing evaluation. In the post-production evaluation stage, the first and second prototypes were attached to actual subjects, and the second prototype showed better results. The developed soft robot evaluated if the functionality as a clothing function and the functionality as the utility of the device were harmonized. The convergence study utilized a process of reducing friction conducted through an understanding and cooperation between research fields. The results of this study can be used as basic data to establish the direction of prototype development in fusion research.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartA
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• v.14A no.1 s.105
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• pp.25-30
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• 2007

Korea has deeper digital divide between disabled and non-disabled people than other industrialized countries have. This study attributes the deep divide to policy factors and attempts to discern differences in policies concerning IT assistive devices between Korea and America. This study finds that major differences in policy exist between the two countries, and the differences account for Korea's unsatisfactory state of digital divide. Firstly, Korra has different 'perception' of assistive devices. While IT assistive devices are perceived as rehabilitation tools as well as bridges over digital divide in America, they are still foreign to social welfare and rehabilitation of disabled people in Korea. Secondly, the two countries differ in 'enforcement of policy.' In Korea, unlike in America, compliance with regulations on assistive devises is not compulsory. Besides, laws and regulations do not clarify possible sources of financing and legal sanctions, thus their enforcement is hardly effective. Thirdly, Korea's strategy for assistive device 'market' is very different from America's. America has long-term strategies to enliven the market for IT assistive devices. But Korea provided a lump sum of device development fund, and then gave out the assistive devices free of charge. As a result, the IT assistive device market has not been formed, and the foundation for further device development is yet to be constructed.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2017

In this study, feasibility analysis was performed by estimating the costs and effects of daisy reading auxiliary machine development project. The development cost of a Daisy player device, hardware/prototype and software, with only essential functions and with low price was estimated to be \307,101,664, and the production cost for a player was calculated to be \112,000. The development of Daisy viewer software and input/output assistive devices, application, was estimated to be \284,294,08, and an input/output device was set a price of \6,600. Based on these results, we looked at the economic ripple effects on the people with disabilities by promoting daisy - reading assistive device development project. The results of this study could be used to determine whether the project is to proceed. It is expected that it provides valuable information to actively cope with the changing business environment in the future.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.200-205
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out how gait training with shoulder-back assistive device affects dynamic and static balance, gait of patients with stroke and to help improve body alignment, balance, and gait ability in stroke patients. Methods: Measurements were taken of the 20 subjects before intervention without shoulder-back assistive device, after intervention with device, and follow up after an hour compared. Berg balance scale used to evaluate dynamic balance; wii balance board was used to measure static balance; and gait ability were measured by timed up and go test and 10-meter walk test. To analyze the results, a one-way repeated measures analysis of variance was implemented to compare the measurements. Results: The results showed that, after wearing the shoulder-back assistive device, the subjects' dynamic balance statistically significantly improved; no statistically significant difference was observed in static balance, although their balance ability was enhanced; and their increase in gait ability was statistically significant. Conclusion: This study proved that gait training combined with a shoulder-back assistive device positively impacted dynamic and static balance, gait of patients with stroke.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to estimate employment promotion and job retention effects of assistive technology device. Data from the survey on status of the vocational life counselor for workers with disabilities in 2009 was utilized. This study applied multiple regression analysis methods. As a result, effects of the employment promotion and job retention in the whole samples were not founded. Thereupon, this analysis was performed by company size. For the employment promotion effect, the company which provided assistive technology devices was higher than that of company which did not provide devices in the less than 300 persons sample. For the job retention effect, worker with disabilities who used assistive technology devices was longer than that of workers with disabilities who did not use devices in the 50-299 persons sample, Finally, policy suggestions based on the results of this study was presented.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.3284-3292
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to translate QUEST 2.0 in Korean with valid translation process and to measure psychometric characteristics. Translation process was consist of six steps. Internal consistency was analyzed by Cronbach's ${\alpha}$. Test-Retest reliability was analyzed by Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient. Internal consistency of 'Assistive device' was .88, 'Services' .92. There was no statistically significant difference according to repetitive measure. The spearman correlation coefficient was .64 for "Assistive Device" and .66 for "Services". This result reflects K-QUEST 2.0's (Korean-Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction Assistive Technology 2.0) safety, consistency, and predictability in aspect of measure. In this study, the K-QUEST 2.0 was translated into Korean and the reliability of K-QUEST 2.0 was tested. Decisively, the K-QUEST 2.0 can be applied to evaluate user satisfaction of assistive technology.