• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1603-1608
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• 2008

Powered robotic exoskeletons are currently under development for assisting or supporting human muscle power. Many applications using this system for the purpose of national defense system, medical support, and construction industry are now frequently introduced. In this paper, we proposed the exoskeletal wearable robotics for construction workers. First, we analyzed general work conditions at the construction site and set up target tasks through the datum. Then dominant muscles’ activity which is related with the defined target tasks was checked up. Herein, wearers’ intent signal generation methodology was introduced in order to effectively activate the proposed system. In the final part of this paper, we evaluated the capability and feasibility of the exoskeletal robotics by the electromyography (EMG) signal variance; demonstrated that robotic exoskeletons controlled by muscle activity could be useful way of assisting with construction workers.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.363-367
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was to investigate the effect of instability on the activation of lower limb muscles during lunge exercise. Methods: The study subjects were healthy twenties and were selected to have no orthopedic or neurological diseases. 1) Flat lunge exercise (Lunge 1, 2) Lunge exercise on TOGU (Lunge 2, 3) Holding the olympic bar and moving the lunge on TOGU (Lunge 3, 4) Holding the Surge and moving the lunge on TOGU (Lunge 4). Through the above four actions, we can see how the top-down instability influences the lower limb unlike the Bottom-up instability. EMG attachment sites were gluteus medius, vastus medialis, gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior. Results: These result suggest that exercise using Lunge 4 activity was the highest in muscle activity compared to other exercises, but vastus medialis showed the highest muscle activity in Lunge 2 exercise(p<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed the muscular activity of the lower extremities according to the lunge exercise using the instability tools.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.83-90
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• 2016

Purpose : Recommended posture according to the location of operating teeth have been standardized in dental clinic to prevent musculoskeletal disorder. However, clinicians do not comply with this rule in many cases. This study investigated the effects of operating posture on cranio-cervical range of motion (CROM) and muscles activity of neck and upper extremity. Methods : Sixteen healthy dental hygiene students were participated. During operating posture (3 recommended and 3 experimental postures which were set front, side, back, respectively), CROM in the fronal and sagittal plane were measured by Cervical Range of Motion Instrument and muscle activities of Sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius, middle deltoid, extensor carpi radialis, brachioradialis, and abductor pollicis brevis were measured by Pocket EMG system. Result : CROM were significantly decreased in recommended posture in comparison with experimental posture (p<.05). In addition, muscle activity of middle deltoid was significantly decreased in recommended front posture. Moreover, brachioradialis and extensor carpi radialis showed the same result in recommended back posture (p<.05). Conclusion : Recommended posture is close to neutral posture and to reduce muscle fatigue and overuse, which may considered as a preventing musculoskeletal disorder and partially explain its efficacy in dental clinic.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.184-198
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• 2012

The purpose of intra-operative neurological monitoring (INM) is to minimize surgically induced nerve damage, sensory nerves and motor neurons without affecting the operations to proceed during surgery such as evoked potentials (EP), electromyography (EMG), electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial doppler (TCD), etc. During the course of checking a patient's condition, surveillance of ambulatory patients is a very different thing to check if the test is done under general anesthesia. INM can be possible or impossible depending on the type of drugs used and their concentrations because the monitoring is performed under anesthesia. Therefore, it is emphasized on the necessity of reviewing anesthesia which influences on INM.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.223-231
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of different methods of pelvic control on abdominal muscle activity and lumbopelvic rotation angle during active straight leg raising (ASLR) in patients with chronic back pain. Methods: The study participants were patients with low back pain (n = 30). They were instructed to perform ASLR with pelvic control, ASLR with pelvic belt, and ASLR only. Surface electromyography data were collected from the ipsilateral rectus femoris (IRF), ipsilateral internal oblique (IIO), contralateral external oblique (CEO), and ipsilateral rectus abdominal (IRA) muscles, and lumbopelvic rotation angle was measured using a motion analysis device. Results: Activation of all abdominal muscles was greater in the ASLR with pelvic control group than in the ASLR with pelvic belt and ASLR groups. The lumbopelvic rotation angle was lower in the ASLR with pelvic control group than in the other two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that ALSR with pelvic control is an effective means of increasing abdominal muscle activity and reducing unwanted lumbopelvic rotation in patients with chronic low back pain. Controlling the pelvis using the opposite leg is an effective form of ASLR exercise for patients with chronic low back pain.

• Journal of KIISE
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• v.42 no.12
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• pp.1544-1550
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• 2015

Recently, the development of practical wearable robot interfaces has resulted in the emergence of wearable robots such as arm prosthetics or lower-limb exoskeletons. In this paper, we propose a novel method of wrist movement intention estimation based on a regression technique using electromyography of human bio-signals. In daily life, changes in user arm position changes cause decreases in performance by modulating EMG signals. Therefore, we propose an estimation method for robust wrist movement intention for arm position changes, combining several movement intention models based on the regression technique trained by different arm positions. In our experimental results, our method estimates wrist movement intention more accurately than previous methods.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.68-75
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• 2007

Reductions in strength and range of motion in older persons have been associated with decreased functional mobility and risk of falls. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of intensive dynamic balance exercise (DBE) during 8 weeks on onset time of medial gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle contraction after perturbation in older women. Thirty subjects were randomly assigned into DBE group or control group. The DBE group participated in 50 minutes 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Surface electromyography (EMG) activity was recorded from the medial gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles of left side. Outcome data were collected both groups at the pre-exercise and post-exercise. Independent t-test and paired t-test were used to determine the statistical difference. Results showed that the passive range of motion and functional reach test were significantly increased in the DBE group than the control group at the post-exercise (p<.05). The onset time of both muscles and discrepancy of onset time significantly reduced in the DBE group than the control group at the post-exercise (p<.05). The onset time of both muscles were significantly reduced in the post-exercise than the pre-exercise in the DBE group (p<.05). The discrepancy of onset time in the DBE group was significantly reduced in the post-exercise than the pre-exercise (p<.05). These findings suggest that intensive dynamic balance exercise for the eight weeks was effective in improving the postural control with older persons.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.65-69
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• 2015

Joint flexibility is an important factor which affect the process and duration of the therapeutic methods in the filed of occupational therapy. Hip joint flexibility and electromyography (EMG) of major flexor and extensor for the hip joint were examined to understand the biomechanical characteristics of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF). Hip joint flexibility increased $18.9^{\circ}$ on average after PNF was performed by a designated assistant on 10 college students. EMGs of quadriceps femoris muscle and hamstring muscles agreed with biomechanical characteristics of proprioceptive organs in muscles.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.15-22
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to define the effects of noise and background music on the trunk muscle fatigue during dynamic lifting and lowering tasks. Six healthy male subjects with no prior history of low back disorders participated in this study. The participants were exposed to two levels of background noise such as 40dB noise and 90dB noise and three levels of background music such as no music, slow music, and fast music. Six different combinations of background noise and background music were played while the participants were performing the lifting task at 15% level of Maximum Voluntary Contraction. Electromyography signals from six muscles were collected and fatigue levels were analyzed quantitatively. In results, the 90dB noise increased trunk muscle fatigue and slowed down the recovery. The trunk muscle fatigue was the lowest when the fast music was played for as background. After recovery, the 90dB noise increased trunk muscle fatigue. The trunk muscle fatigue was the lowest when the slow music was played for as background. The results can be useful to manage the cumulative fatigue of trunk muscles due to background noise and music during repetitive lifting and lowering tasks in industry.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.33-41
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• 2008

The goal of this study was to compare wrist posture, muscular loads and perceived comfort among wearable wrist rest (WR), general wrist rest(GR), no wrist rest(NR) during keyboard and mouse use. Thirteen subjects performed text editing task in three test conditions: wearable wrist rest(WR), general wrist rest(GR), no wrist rest(NR). During text editing task, the right wrist posture was recorded by an electrogoniometer and the muscle activity in upper trapezius, anterior deltoid, extensor digitorum, extensor carpi ulnaris were recorded by electromyography. After all of the tests, the subjects rated perceived comfort. Working with wearable wrist rest(WR), compared to no wrist rest(NR) and general wrist rest(GR), decreased wrist radial/ulnar deviation and also decreased muscle activity in upper trapezius and anterior deltoid. At the same time, in work with wearable wrist rest(WR), the subjects rated more comfort at 5 of 8 body locations(shoulder, upper arm, wrist, hand, body).