• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.35-44
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• 2007

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a major problem in industries in which manual materials handling is performed by workers. To prevent these WMSDs, it is necessary to understand the muscular strength capability and use this knowledge to design job and selection and assignment of workers. Even though two-hands lifting activity of manual materials handling tasks are prevalent at the industrial site, many manual materials handling tasks which require the worker to perform one-hand lifting are also very common at the industrial site and forestry and farming. However, a few researches have been done for one-hand lifting activity of manual materials handling tasks. The objective of this study is to compare one-hand and two-hands lifting strength in terms of static and dynamic strength of the lifting activity for the ranging from the height of knuckle to elbow. It is shown in this study that the isometric lifting strength of one-hand is ranging from 54.7 to 63.3% of the one of two-hands. However, it is found that there is no significant difference between a person's isometric lifting strength for left-hand and right-hand. It is also shown that there is no significant difference between the peak force under the dynamic sub-maximal loading with one-hand and two-hands lifting activity. Similar results were obtained for the peak acceleration and peak velocity under the dynamic sub-maximal loading with one-hand and two-hands lifting activity. Isometric lifting strength at the height of knuckle was ranging from 2 to 3 times of the dynamic peak force during sub-maximal lifting. It is concluded that the dynamic peak forces under the sub-maximal loading are not highly correlated with the isometric lifting strength in similar postures.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.550-561
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for the improvement of the working environment for health prevention and related countermeasures for shift workers. This study was conducted based on the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), which analyzed the health effects of shift work forces and compared them with preceding studies. Methods: By analyzing secondary rates using raw data from the 5th KWCS, 4,870 (9.7%) of the 50,184 total study subjects were divided into shift work and 45,314 (90.3%) non-shift work groups based on the response to shift status. Variables that could affect work health issues were identified and corrected. A cross-analysis was conducted to examine demographic characteristics (gender, age, and education level) of the workers and occupation characteristics (monthly net earnings, employment type, occupation, working period up to now, workplace scale, type of work system, and weekly working hours). In order to find the work health issue ratio between the shift and non-shift work groups, logistic regression was analyzed and the association with health problems according to shift type by gender was looked at through cross-analysis. Results: According to the surveys conducted from the 1st KWCS (2006) to the 5th KWCS (2017), the proportion of shift workers continued to increase. Also, muscular pains in the lower limbs (hips, legs, knees, feet, etc.) (OR=1.135, 95%CI 1.031-1.251), headaches, eyestrain (OR=1.580, 95% CI 1.428-1.748), anxiety (OR=1.715, 95% CI 1.402-2.099), difficulty falling asleep (OR=1.391), and other problems (OR=7.392) were reported. In addition, back pain, muscular pains in shoulders, neck and/or upper limbs, muscular pains in lower limbs (hips, legs, knees, feet, etc.), headaches, eyestrain, depression, anxiety, overall fatigue resulted in significant results for both male and female shift workers. Depression and anxiety were higher in female shift/circulation compared to males. Conclusions: The social nets for the health and safety of shift workers should be explored in a variety of ways, including management and supervision of shift sites, attempts to reorganize and improve the shift system, development of workers' health recovery programs, promotion, systematic treatment, and compensation systems.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.691-701
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• 2017

The barbell squat is a fundamental physical exercise for strengthening the lower body and core muscles. It is an integral part of training and conditioning programs in sports, rehabilitation, and fitness. In this paper, we proposed a virtual test framework for squat exercises using a Smith machine to simulate joint torques and muscle forces, based on an integrated product-human model and motion synthesis algorithms. We built a muscular skeletal human model with boundary conditions modeling the interactions between the human body and a machine or the ground. To validate the model, EMG, external forces, and squat motions were captured through physical experiments by varying the foot position. A regression-based motion synthesis algorithm was developed based on the captured squat motions to generate a new motion for a given foot position. The proposed approach is expected to reduce the need for physical experiments in the development of training programs.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the muscle mechanical properties of the pelvic axial pre-rotational movement for the Jireugi in the Taekwondo Juchumseogi stance. Eleven elite Taekwondo Poomsae athletes participated. Each participant performed 5 right hand Jireugi in Juchumseogi stance as fast and strong as possible while their motion was recorded by a 3D motion analysis system and the ground reaction forces by two force plates. The power and work of the muscular group surrounding the waist were analyzed to verify the effect of the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) theory. The cause of the greater power seems to be the application of the SSC by the muscles surrounding the waist during the preparation phase of the pre-rotation group. For the none pre-rotation group, they only used the concentric contraction of the muscles surrounding the waist. Because the pre-rotation group used the SSC theory, they had the effect of shortening of the range of movement, creating a fast and more powerful rotation, thus anticipating the increase the magnitude of impact.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06b
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• pp.277-282
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• 2001

As human-friendly robot techniques improve, the concept of the wearability of robotic arms becomes important. A master arm that detects human arm motion and provides virtual forces to the operator is an embodied concept of a wearable robotic arm. In this study, we design a 7 DOF wearable robotic arm with high joint torques. An operator wearing this robotic arm can move around freely because this robotic arm was designed to have its fixed point at the shoulder part of the operator. The proposed robotic arm uses parallel mechanisms at the shoulder part and the wrist part on the model of the human muscular structure of an upper limb. To reduce the computational load in solving the forward kinematics and to prevent singularity motions of the parallel mechanism, yawing motion of the parallel mechanisms was separated using a slip ling mechanism. The total weight of the proposed robotic arm is about 4 kg. An experimental result of force tracking test for the pneumatic control system and an application example for VR robot are described to show the validity of the robot.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.81-92
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated the effects of five EMS lumbar back pressure belts produced on an anatomical basis on lumbar spine stabilization. Five core muscles were selected, including the urinal, vertebral column, endotracheal, external abdominal, and large back muscles, and patterns were designed using a conductive fabric considering the appropriate muscle shape and pain-causing points. We experimented with four motions to examine the effects of different EMS abdominal compression belts on lumbar spine stabilization. Five healthy men in their 20s were selected. The selection conditions include no back pain history for the past three months, no restricted movements through pre-inspection, and the muscular strength of the body should belong to the normal grade. Using SLR, the sequence of experimental actions was chosen from the following but not limited to left-hand, body-hand, and back-line forces. Resting between movements lasted for 2 min, and the experiments were conducted after wearing the EMS abdominal pressure belt. Electrical stimulation was applied for 10 min to increase blood flow and muscle activation. The statistics of the experimental results were analyzed for specific differences by conducting the Wilcoxon and Friedman tests with nonparametric tests. The ranking results of each pattern were successfully assessed in the order of 5, 4, 3, 1, 2 for the five patterns, and we could identify slightly more significant results for experimental behavior associated with each muscle movement. Patterns produced based on anatomy showed differentiated effects when electric stimulation was applied to each muscle in different shapes, which could improve the stabilization of the lumbar spine in everyday life or training to the public. Based on these results, subsequent research would focus on developing smart healthcare clothing that is practical in daily life by employing different anatomical mechanisms, depending on the back pain, to utilize trunk-type tights.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the hypertrophic effects of low-intensity exercise on weight, myofibrillar protein content and Type I, II fiber cross-sectional area of hindlimb muscles of rats between every other day exercise and every day exercise. Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: control group (C, n=6), experimental group 1 (E1, n=7) and experimental group 2 (E2, n=7). Rats in E1 group had 7 sessions (every other day) and those in E2 group had 14 sessions (every day) of exercise in which they ran on a treadmill for 30 min/day at 10 m/min. Results: Muscle weight, cross-sectional area of type I fiber and myofibrillar protein content of soleus and myofibrillar protein content of plantaris in E1 group, and myofibrillar protein content of soleus and cross-sectional area of type I fiber of plantaris in E2 group were greater than those in C group. Cross-sectional area of type I fiber of soleus of E1 group was higher than E2 group while cross-sectional area of type I fiber of plantaris of E2 group was higher than E1 group. Conclusion: Hypertrophy of hindlimb muscles occurs from every other day exercise similar to every day exercise.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.343-352
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to investigate the market of fitness compression wear as well as to design an optimal fitness compression wear by analyzing the muscle and movement characteristics of the elderly women in Korea. In this regard, research for functional garments is needed to increase muscle activity of elderly people during physical exercise. Firstly, we investigated the brand, design, size, material, and pattern of fitness wear based on the market survey. Secondly, we identified preference, evaluation items, evaluation method, and pattern design method based on the literature review. Finally, in addition, the motion type, range, angle to improve the muscle strength of the elderly were investigated and the maximum muscle strengths of each motion were analyzed by using 2007 Size Korea data (n = 386). It is also designed for muscle fatigue through exercise and rapid fatigue recovery after exercise. The evaluation methods for fitness compression wear were classified as motor functionality, physiological comfort, pattern and material suitability evaluations. The muscle strength at leg (pushing force) and waist (lifting force) of the ages of 60 to 69 years old showed 239.3 N and 274.5 N, respectively, which were the lowest forces compared to younger age groups. By applying these results to the design process of fitness wear, it is anticipated that the fitness wear will have a proper fit to the body shape of elderly people in South Korea as well as it can increase muscle efficiency to promote physical capability and healthy life for senior people.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.385-395
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• 2012

Objectives : Meridian sinew theory was introduced in Miraculous Pivot, Huangdi's Internal Classic, to explain in relation with locations of meridian sinews, causes, mechanisms, and treatment of diseases. The meridian sinews are understood to include muscles, tendons and ligaments, or muscles in the superficial body made up with muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia etc. This theory shows the similarity or organic relationship between the meridian sinews and muscles. From the Hippocrates(460-385 BC) ages, traction therapy was used as a treatment method on muscular diseases such as low back pain, scoliosis, etc in western medicine. The effects of traction therapy, however, were unclear so that this study was purposed to illustrate the effectiveness of continuous traction therapy and to develop meridian sinews treatment. Methods : We made 2 hypotheses to explain the cause of scoliosis occurrence, muscles contraction and relaxation. As the hypothesis, we made the spinal model having 3 joints with wood and rubber bands. Each of the three joints in the spinal model represents the case of normal(NT; control), contraction(AT 1)and relaxation(AT 2) condition, and distance between the vertebrae joints was measured. Results : Under normal circumstance models, the normal type 1(NT 1; muscle relax state) and normal type 2(NT 2; muscle contract state) all joints were being towed equally. But in an unusual contracted situation, regardless of the relationship of joint area, contracted part of joint was not released. And in a relaxed situation, regardless of joint areas, released parts of joint were further released. These observation results mean that the effects of traction might be different from the purpose of traction therapy of Hippocrates. Conclusions : To explain the effect of traction therapy for scoliosis, the spinal cord model and scoliosis model were made. After vertebral bodies were pulled with different tensile forces, we compared the observed length of the each joints pulled. The results suggested that there were no effects of traction in objected parts with traction method from Hippocrates' design, continuous traction method. Moreover, it may worsen the symptom in worst case. Of course, our results are just the result of experimental models and clinical results may be different. More careful studies, therefore, are required.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 2011

This paper presents the design of the power-assisted controller for the in-wheel type smart wheelchair by using torque estimation that is predicted by relationship between input voltage and output wheel angular velocity. Nowadays, interest of the moving assistant aids is increased according to the increase in population of the elderly and the handicapped person. However some of the moving assistant aids have problems. For example, manual wheelchair has difficulty moving at the slope, because users lack the muscular strength of their arm. In electric wheelchair case, users should be weak by being decreased muscles of upper body. To overcome these problems, power-assisted electric wheelchair are proposed. Most of the power-assisted electric wheelchair have the special rims that can measure the user's power. In here, the rims have to be designed to install the sensors to measure user's power. In this paper, we don't design the rim to measure the man power. To predict the man power, we propose a control algorithm of the in-wheeled electric wheelchair by using torque estimation from the wheel. First, we measure the wheel velocity and voltage at the in-wheel electric wheelchair. And then we extract driving will forces by using proposed mathematical model. Also they are applied at the controller as the control input, we verify to be able to control in-wheel type smart wheelchair by using simulation.