• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.858-863
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• 2004

In this study, the new prosthetic hand which can perform sensory feedback is developed. Although the continuous development of current prosthetic hands, they have some drawbacks. The drawbacks are the low grasping capabilities, the lack of sensory information given to the user, and so on. Despite the improvement of the function of fingers, the sensory information problem still remains undeveloped. By using differential gear and underactuated mechanical design, it can be solved with the minimum additional weight. And it will be applied to all of the prosthetic hands.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.415-420
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• 2017

Underactuated prosthetic hands are relatively light and economical. In this work, an economical grasping force control system is proposed for underactuated prosthetic hands with adaptive grasp capability. The prosthetic hand is driven by a main cable based on a set of electromyography sensors on the forearm of a user. Part of the main cable tension related to grasping force is fed back to the user by a skin-mounted vibrator. The proper relationship between the grasping force and the vibrator drive voltage was established and prototype tests were performed on a group of users. Relatively accurate grasping force control was achieved with minimal training of users.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.369-383
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• 2024

Annular nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS) in intelligent prosthetic hands enhance precision by serving as highly sensitive sensors for detecting pressure, vibrations, and deformations. This improves feedback and control, enabling users to modulate grip strength and tactile interaction with objects more effectively, enhancing prosthetic functionality. This research focuses on the electro-thermal buckling behavior of multi-directional poroelastic annular NEMS used as temperature sensors in airplanes. In the present study, thermal buckling performance of nano-scale annular functionally graded plate structures integrated with piezoelectric layers under electrical and extreme thermal loadings is investigated. In this regard, piezoelectric layers are placed on a disk made of metal matrix composite with graded properties in three radials, thickness and circumferential directions. The grading properties obey the power-law distribution. The whole structure is embedded in thermal environment. To model the mechanical behavior of the structure, a novel four-variable refined quasi-3D sinusoidal shear deformation theory (RQ-3DSSDT) is engaged in obtaining displacement field in the whole structure. The validity of the results is examined by comparing to a similar problem published in literature. The results of the buckling behavior of the structure in different boundary conditions are presented based on the critical temperature rise and critical external voltage. It is demonstrated that increase in the nonlocal and gradient length scale factor have contradicting effects on the critical temperature rise. On the other hand, increase in the applied external voltage cause increase in the critical temperature. Effects of other parameters like geometrical parameters and grading indices are presented and discussed in details.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.385-399
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• 2024

NEMS (Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems) devices play a significant role in the advancement of prosthetic hands due to their unique properties at the nanoscale. Their integration enhances the functionality, sensitivity, and performance of prosthetic limbs. Understanding the electro-thermal buckling behavior of such structures is crucial since they may be subjected to extreme heat. So, in this paper, the two-dimensional hyperbolic differential quadrature method (2D-HDQM) integrated with a four-variable refined quasi-3D tangential shear deformation theory (RQ-3DTSDT) in view of the trace of thickness stretching is extended to study electro-thermal buckling response of three-directional poroelastic FG (3D-PFG) circular sector nanoplate patched with piezoelectric layer. Aimed at discovering the real governing equations, coupled equations with the aid of compatibility conditions are employed. Regarding modeling the size-impacts, nonlocal refined logarithmic strain gradient theory (NRLSGT) with two variables called nonlocal and length scale factors is examined. Numerical experimentation and comparison are used to indicate the precision and proficiency related to the created procedure. After obtaining the outputs of the mathematics, an appropriate dataset is used for testing, training and validating of the artificial intelligence. In the results section will be discussed the trace associated with multiple geometrical and physical factors on the electro-thermal buckling performance of the current nanostructure. These findings are essential for the design and optimization of NEMS applications in various fields, including sensing, actuation, and electronics, where thermal stability is paramount. The study's insights contribute to the development of more reliable and efficient NEMS devices, ensuring their robust performance under varying thermal conditions.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 2024

Patients with amputations of both hands need prosthetic hands that serve both cosmetic and functional purposes, and research on prosthetic hands using electromyography of remaining muscles is active, but there is still the problem of high cost. In this study, an artificial prosthetic hand was manufactured and its performance was evaluated using low-cost parts and software such as a surface electromyography sensor, machine learning software Edge Impulse, Arduino Nano 33 BLE, and 3D printing. Using signals acquired with surface electromyography sensors and subjected to digital signal processing through Edge Impulse, the flexing movement signals of each finger were transmitted to the fingers of the prosthetic hand model through training to determine the type of finger movement using machine learning. When the digital signal processing conditions were set to a notch filter of 60 Hz, a bandpass filter of 10-300 Hz, and a sampling frequency of 1,000 Hz, the accuracy of machine learning was the highest at 82.1%. The possibility of being confused between each finger flexion movement was highest for the ring finger, with a 44.7% chance of being confused with the movement of the index finger. More research is needed to successfully develop a low-cost prosthetic hand.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.393-399
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• 2023

Upper limb amputees wear an upper limb prosthesis for both aesthetic purposes and functional necessity, and in particular, in the case of amputee with both hands, it is essential to wear a myoelectric prosthetic hand capable of gripping action. The prosthetic hand operated by the EMG signal of the remaining muscles is a public insurance benefit item of the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance, and test method standards are needed to be developed for the safety of the user and the effectiveness of the product performance. In this study, we developed systems for measuring the gripping force of myoelectric hand prosthesis by a load cell and for durability test of the prosthesis over repeated use with a proximity sensor, and propose a test method standard. Since the international test method standard has not yet been established, it is expected that Korea will be able to play a leading role in this standardization field in the future.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.367-375
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• 2023

Most partial hand amputees experience limited wrist movement, which hinders the efficient functioning of upper limb, affecting hand-to-use coordination and the usability of the prosthetic hand. This limitation can lead to secondary musculoskeletal issues due to repetitive compensatory movement patterns. However, current partial hand prosthetic lack rotational wrist movement due to challenges in accommodating various hand shapes and limited space. In our study, we proposed a prosthetic hand with a wrist rotation module for partial hand amputees, aiming to reduce compensatory movement. To validate the proposed wrist rotation module, we conducted motion analysis during reach-to-grasp task. Furthermore, during the Jebsen-Taylor hand function test, we evaluated both the effect on upper limb movement and the usability of the prosthetic hand, comparing configurations with and without the wrist rotation module. The results showed that the prosthetic hand equipped with rotational wrist movements reduces compensatory movements and promotes efficient upper limb movement patterns. This finding highlights the value of incorporating a wrist rotation module in prosthetic hands to improve upper limb movement for partial hand amputees.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.851-856
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• 2015

This study aimed to develop a sensory feedback system which could measure force and temperature for the user of myoelectric prosthetic hands. The Sensory measurement module consisted of a force sensing resistor to measure forces and non-contact infrared temperature sensor. These sensors were attached on the fingertips of the myoelectric prosthetic hand. The module was validated by using standard weights corresponding to external force and a Peltier module. Sensory transmission module consisted of four vibration motors. Eight vibration patterns were generated by combining motion of each vibration motor and were dependent on kinds and/or magnitude. The module was verified by using standard weigts and water at varying temperatures. There were correlations of force and temperature between the sensory measurement module and standard weight and water. Additionally, exact vibration patterns were generated, indicating the efficacy of the sensory feedback system for the myoelectric prosthetic hand.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.843-849
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• 2016

It has been shown that the adaptive grasp feature can be implemented by underactuated robotic hands with a minimal number of actuators. Following this approach, a new design of prosthetic hand is presented. A method is proposed for evaluating grasp performance using cylinders, spheres, and square bars of various sizes. The effects of the major design parameters were investigated experimentally and an improved design is proposed.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.484-492
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• 2022

This paper presents a simple and robust under-actuated robotic finger mechanism that enables self-adaptive grip, fingertip pinch, and caging grasp functions. In order to perform daily activities using hands, the fingers should be able to perform adaptive gripping and pinching motion, and the caging grasp function is required to realize natural gripping motions and improve grip reliability. However, general commercial prosthetic hands cannot implement all three functions because they use under-actuation mechanism and simple mechanical structure to achieve light-weight and high robustness characteristic. In this paper, new mechanism is proposed that maintains structural simplicity and implements all the three finger functions with simple one degree-of-freedom control through a combination of a four-bar linkage mechanism and a wire-driven mechanism. The basic structure and operating principle of the proposed finger mechanism were explained, and simulation and experiments using the prototype were conducted to verify the gripping performance of the proposed finger mechanism.