• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.111-115
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• 2011

In this paper, we present a novel time-synchronization method for distributed systems to measure the body motion. The distributed system scheme is considered because human data acquisition systems tend to have a centralized controller with sensors connected with a long range of electric wires running through the subject's body, which results in inconvenience. Utilizing simple key switches and digital input ports for reading the key, the proposed method requires a very simple hardware structure, which means less power consumption compared with the well-known ubiquitous sensor network. After measuring the motion data as well as the synchronization pulses, the proposed method compensates, in offline, the difference of the sampling instance between the two systems by scaling the time difference. The paper presents experimental results to show the validity of the proposed method.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.377-383
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• 2017

In this study, it is proposed and developed a shot accuracy trainer for wheelchair curling. This trainer is developed to improve curling shot accuracy by supplying functions of changing guide width in which curling stone passes by and of time mesurement of Hack to Hog. And it also can supply training video of athlete to coach to analyze. From the pilot test from coaching staff of wheelchair curling team, association executives and icemaker of rink, we tried to verify the usability of proposed system.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.169-175
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• 2015

Urine and/or feces disposal systems are expected to replace the diapers currently used for urine and feces disposal for the elderly with urinal and/or fecal incontinence. The are designed to detect the urine and/or feces, cleanse the excremental body organs with water transported from a cleansing water container in the main body, suction them into a fluid waste storage container for future disposal, and dry the area with hot air supplied also from the main body. These systems thus could relieve the chores of a caregiver and could also enhance the patient's hygiene. We reviewed in this paper the detection systems of urine and feces, the main components of the urine and feces disposal systems, and tried to classify the systems currently available in the market.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2007

In this study, diagnostic algorithm was suggested to diagnose quantitatively the degree of the stress urinary incontinence. The bio-signal measurement system was developed to measure the contraction pressure of the pelvic floor muscle and diagnostic parameters were drawn out by analyzing the contraction pressure data. Statistical evaluations were done to classify the diagnositc parameters by order that relationship is high. The diagnostic algorithm that was able to diagnose degree of the urinary incontinence as quantitatively was realized from the high relationship parameters.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2015

In this paper, we present an inertial sensor-based gait analysis system to measure and analyze lower-limb movements. We developed an integral AHRS(Attitude Heading Reference System) using a combination of rate gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer sensor signals. Several AHRS modules mounted on segments of the patient's body provide the quaternions representing the patient segments's orientation in space. And a method is also proposed for calculating three-dimensional inter-segment joint angle which is an important bio-mechanical measure for a variety of applications related to rehabilitation. To evaluate the performance of our AHRS module, the Vicon motion capture system, which offers millimeter resolution of 3D spatial displacements and orientations, is used as a reference. The evaluation resulted in a RMSE(Root Mean Square Error) of 1.08 and 1.72 degree in yaw and pitch angle. In order to evaluate the performance of our the gait analysis system, we compared the joint angle for the hip, knee and ankle with those provided by Vicon system. The result shows that our system will provide an in-depth insight into the effectiveness, appropriate level of care, and feedback of the rehabilitation process by performing real-time limb or gait analysis during the post-stroke recovery.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.16-32
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• 2024

Background: Exercise equipments and assistive devices for the disabled are being developed, but improvements for usability are still needed. The purpose of this study was to improve and utilize the developed exercise equipment and assistance devices by conducting usability test for people with spinal cord injury. Design: Cross-sectional Study. Methods: Scenarios and usability indicators were derived by conducting a preliminary usability test, 5 non-disabled men and women aged 19 or older. In the scenario, a total of 9 tasks were sequentially performed, including 2 tasks of entry and exit, 5 tasks of assistance devices and weight stack adjustment, and 2 tasks of pre exercise and exercise. The usability indicators were task success (success or fail), execution time (sec), safety, and convenience. For safety, 7 questions (Likert scale, 1~5 point) related to safety, stability and hazard were derived, and for convenience, the system usability scale (SUS score) was used (range: 0~100, 50 percentile rank is 68 point). Results: As a result of the usability test of people with spinal cord injury, there was a large variation among subjects in the task of adjusting the position of the pulley and support in the execution time (11.64~25.44 seconds), and one person failed to adjust the pulley. The safety level showed a lower score (score = 3 points) than other items in the item of entrapment or skin pressure, and in the case of SUS, the average score was 64.5 points, which was close to the acceptable level. Conclusion: Through the usability test, it was confirmed that exercise equipment for the disabled needs improvement in operability, pinching, and pressure, and that it is necessary to develop an assistive device that provides unrestrained posture information (biofeedback) to maintain correct posture during exercise.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2017

Preschool children to do production and acquisition of phonological system from birth to 8 years of age. If a child has hearing loss, he/she has a lot of difficulties to hear sound. The problem of auditory perception can causes limited speech acquisition, delayed language development, and communication disorders. It also affects learning, social and emotional development. Early detection and diagnosis of hearing loss are important for intervention. However, it may be difficult to detect if the degree of hearing loss are slight and/or it appears only on some frequencies. In cases of these kinds of hearing losses, it is often difficult to provide aural intervention. The goal of this study is to discuss the interpretation of audiological evaluation in case of mild-to-moderately severe asymmetric ski-slop sensorineural hearing loss, analyze communication problems, and concerning about audiological, and speech-language pathological rehabilitation.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2015

The objective grading system for the facial palsy is needed. In this study, the facial palsy grading system was developed with combination of three dimensional image processing and Nottingham scale. The developed system is composed of 4 parts; measurement part, image processing part, computational part, facial palsy evaluation & display part. Two web cam were used to get images. The 8 marker on face were recognized at image processing part. The absolute three dimensional positions of markers were calculated at computational part. Finally, Nottingham scale was calculated and displayed at facial palsy evaluation & display part. The effects of measurement method and position of subject on Nottingham scale were tested. The markers were measured with 2-dimension and 3-dimension. The subject was look at the camera with $0^{\circ}$ and $11^{\circ}$ rotation. The change of Scale was large in the case of $11^{\circ}$ rotation with 2-dimension measurement. So, the developed system with 3-dimension measurement is robust to the orientation change of subject. The developed system showed the robustness of grading error originated from subject posture.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 2009

In this paper, we compared wheelchair seating system between wheelchair users with cerebral palsy and spinal cord injuries. Wheelchair seating system is divided into three parts, seating components, seating cushion, and special functions. Seating components are composed of 10 sections, such as headrest, footrest, etc. There are 4 seating cushions including gel, form, hybrid, and air. Also leg elevation, seat elevation, tilt-in-space, reclining, and standing are special function of the wheelchair. There are 10 wheelchair users, 5 with celebral palsy, and 5 with spinal cord injuries who have participated in this study. 10 wheelchair users have been customers of rehabilitation technology center in national rehabilitation center. On the result, SCI group mostly uses headrest, and Humeral blocks (seating components), air cushion (seating cushion), and tilt in space, reclining (special functions). On the other hand, CP group uses adductor, abductor, and pommel (seating components), form cushion (seating cushion), and some of CP group uses reclining (special functions)

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2010

In this paper, we developed a digital Taekwondo trainer system based on the electronic protector was authorized by the World Taekwondo Federation for the improvement of user's training effects and athletic performances. Our system consists of E-Kick Bag with sensors for sensing hits, taekwondo trainer program and receiver for interconnection of E-kick Bag to program. Taekwondo trainer system also has an advantage to improve training effects and athletic performances such as hit-accuracy and reaction velocity by appointing a hitting target for users with 6 LED indicators. The taekwondo trainer program is a user interface to provide training courses such as progress training of response time and stamina, preparation training for real sparring by training scenario. It has also characteristics which are to strengthen and supplement user's pros and cons by analyzing hitting intensity and accuracy from training. In this paper, we implemented a test targeting eight taekwondo players on the playing list include a member of the Korea national team and conducted a survey in order to evaluate the utility of our system.