• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2018

Purpose: This study examined the effects of the lower limb alignment on the pelvis, hip, and knee kinematics in people with genu varum during stair walking. Methods: Forty subjects were enrolled in this study. People who had intercondylar distance ${\geq}4cm$ were classified in the genu varum group, and people who had intercondylar distance <4cm and intermalleolar distance <4cm were placed in the control group. 3D motion analysis was used to collect the pelvis, hip, and knee kinematic data while subjects were walking stairs with three steps. Results: During stair ascent, the genu varum group had decreased pelvic lateral tilt and hip adduction at the early stance phase and decreased pelvic lateral tilt at the swing phase compared to the control group. At the same time, they had decreased minimal hip adduction ROM at the early stance and decreased maximum pelvic lateral tilt ROM and minimum hip rotation ROM at the swing phase. During stair descent, the genu varum group had decreased pelvic lateral tilt at the early stance and decreased pelvic lateral tilt and pelvic rotation at the swing phase. In addition, they had decreased pelvic frontal ROM during single limb support and increased knee sagittal ROM during the whole gait cycle. Conclusion: This study suggests that a genu varum deformity could affect the pelvis, hip and knee kinematics. In addition, the biomechanical risk factors that could result in the articular impairments by the excessive loads from lower limb malalignment were identified.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.30-33
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• 2008

Understanding the characteristics of amputee gait is key in developing more advanced prostheses. The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyze a stair-climbing task for transfemoral amputees with a prosthesis and to predict the muscle forces and joint moments at musculoskeletal joints using a dynamic analysis. A three-dimensional musculoskeletal model of the lower extremities was constructed from a gait analysis using transformation software for two transfemoral amputees and ten healthy people. The measured ground reaction forces and kinematical data of each joint from the gait analysis were used as input data for an inverse dynamic analysis. Dynamic analyses of an transfemoral amputee climbing stairs were performed using musculoskeletal models. The results showed that the summed muscle forces of the hip extensor of an amputated leg were greater than those of a sound leg. The opposite was true at the hip abductor and knee flexor of an amputated leg. We also found that higher moments at the hip and knee joints of the sound leg were required to overcome the flexion moment caused by the body weight and amputated leg. Dynamic analyses using musculoskeletal models may be a useful means to predict muscle forces and joint moments for specific motion tasks related to rehabilitation therapy.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.183-192
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of postural correction training on pulmonary function on 28 college students suspected of turtle neck syndrome, and the following conclusions were obtained. Methods : Turtle neck syndrome suspicion 28 person were randomly divided into a posture training group (n = 14) and group that does not perform posture training (n = 14). Respiratory function was measured by SPIROVIT SP-1 and respiratory gas analyzer. The posture training group performed balloon blowing and stair climbing after 20 minutes of posture training, and the group without posture training carried out balloon blowing training and stair climbing. Five times a week and for two weeks. Results : 1. The comparison of the FVC before and after experiments caused by balloon blowing showed a higher level of effortful pulmonary function in the control group than in the experimental group. 2. Comparison of PEFs before and after the experiment by balloon blowing showed that the experimental group's peak flow rate was higher than that of the control group. 3. Comparison of the FIVC before and after experiments with balloon blowing showed that the comparison of the FIVC showed a higher level of effortless intake pulmonary function in the control group than in the experimental group. 4. The comparison of the maximum ventilation volume(VE) before and after the experimental gas measurement showed that the maximum ventilation rate of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group. 5. The comparison of pre-test and post-test heart rate(HR) by breath gas measurement showed that the heart rate of the control group was higher than that of the experimental group. Conclusion : the results of this study showed that postural correction training, balloon blowing training, and stair climbing could have a positive impact on improving pulmonary function. However, the two-week experiment conducted five times a week showed an increase in pulmonary function, but it was difficult to see the effect due to the short study period. Therefore, it is hoped that later studies will be conducted more systematically on the effects of breathing exercises on improving pulmonary function after post-postural correction training for patients with pulmonary function problems.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.105-113
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this case study was to examine the effects of an intervention based on the concept of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on the weight-supporting ability, fear of falling, and stair-walking ability of stroke patients. Methods: One pretest, three intervention sessions, and one posttest were conducted. In the tests, weight-supporting ability, manual muscle strength, the fear of falling, and the time to go up and down a 'ㄱ'-shaped stair-walking machine were measured and compared. The intervention was implemented for 30 minutes per day for three days in combination with general rehabilitation. The intervention was planned and implemented based on the concept of PNF, and the goal was for the subjects, after their consent, to walk backward down the stairs. Results: After the intervention, functional improvement was seen in weight-supporting ability and the fear of falling felt when walking down the stairs. Whereas the subjects could not perform the task of walking down the stairs on the 'ㄱ'-shaped stair-walking machine in the pretest, they could perform the task in the posttest, and their stair-climbing speed was greater than before the intervention. Conclusion: This study verified that a PNF-based intervention can improve stroke patients' weight-supporting ability and stair-walking ability. Therefore, this intervention can be clinically applied to stroke patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2012.10a
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• pp.749-750
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• 2012

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1067-1072
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• 2014

The ability to overcome obstacles is necessary for field robots for various applications including the ability to climb stairs. While much research has been performed focusing on overcoming obstacles, the resulting robots do not have sufficient ability to overcome obstacles such as stairs. In this research, the purpose is to overcome relatively large obstacles by flipping locomotion through the modification of the stair climbing robotic platform of the previous research. We propose two scenarios to overcome large obstacles: a rear wheel driving system and an elevation system using a ball screw. The research is performed based on static analyses on obstacle-climbing. As the simulation results indicate, we determined the optimal posture of the robot for climbing obstacles for rear wheel driving. Also, an elevation system is analyzed for obstacle climbing. Between the two scenarios an elevation system is determined to reduce the operating torque of the actuator, and the prototype was recently assembled. The climbing ability of the robotic platform is verified. We expect the application area for this robotic platform will be in accident areas of nuclear power plants.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate change of muscle activities during level walking, stairs and ramp climbing in old adults. Methods: Twelve old adults were recruited and agreed this study. Muscle activity was measured by MP150 system (BIOPAC System Inc., Santa Barbara, USA). Statistical analysis was used one-way ANOVA to know the difference according to gait conditions (level walking, stairs and ramp ascending) Results: In stance phase, muscle activities of low extremities with old adults were generally significant difference in ramp ascending. In swing phase, rectus femoris and biceps femoris activity in old adults generally more increased during stairs ascending and tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius activity in old adults generally increased during ramp ascending. Conclusion: These results indicate that stair and ramp climbing is different muscle recruit pattern to level walking.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.661-669
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• 1995

A mobile robot, named KAEROT, has been developed for inspection and maintenance operations in nuclear facilities. The main feature of locomotion system is the planetary wheel assembly with small wheels. This mechanism has been designed to be able to go over the stairs and obstacles with stability. This paper presents the inverse kinematic solution that is to be operated by remote control. The automatic stair climbing algorithm is also proposed. The. proposed algorithms generates the moving pathes of small wheels and calculates the angular velocity of 3 actuation wheels. The results of simulations and experiments are given for KAEROT peformed on the irregular stairs in laboratory. It is shown that the proposed algorithm provides the lower inclination angle of the robot body and increases its stability during navigation.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.121-125
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• 2022

This paper deals with the development of a deep-learning-based robot that recognizes various types of stairs and performs a mission to go up to the target floor. The overall motion sequence of the robot is performed based on the ROS robot operating system, and it is possible to detect the shape of the stairs required to implement the motion sequence through rapid object recognition through YOLOv4 and Cuda acceleration calculations. Using the ROS operating system installed in Jetson Nano, a system was built to support communication between Arduino DUE and OpenCM 9.04 with heterogeneous hardware and to control the movement of the robot by aligning the received sensors and data. In addition, the web server for robot control was manufactured as ROS web server, and flow chart and basic ROS communication were designed to enable control through computer and smartphone through message passing.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.111-119
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences of hip and thigh muscle activities between subjects with increased and decreased femoral anteversion during stair ascent. Twelve healthy female volunteers participated in this study. The subjects were divided into two groups (group 1 with increased anteversion of the hip, group 2 with decreased anteversion of the hip). This study analyzed differences in each mean peak gluteus maximus (GM), gluteus medius (GD) and tensor fascia lata (TLF) EMG amplitude: composite mean peak hip muscles (GM, GD, TFL) EMG amplitude ratios and in each mean peak vastus medialis oblique (VMO), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (HM) and semitendinosus (HL) EMG amplitude: composite thigh muscles (VMO, VL, HM, HL) EMG amplitude ratios among subjects with decreased or increased relative femoral anteversion. EMG ratios were compared in the stance and swing phase of stair ascent. Group 1 showed an increased standardized mean GM and GD EMG amplitude and decreased standardized mean TFL to composite mean hip muscles EMG amplitude ratios in stair ascent during both stance and swing phase. Also, group 1 showed an increased standardized mean HL EMG amplitude and decreased standardized mean VL and HM to composite mean thigh muscles EMG amplitude ratios in stair ascent during both stance and swing phases. There was no statistically significant difference in vastus medialis oblique between subjects with increased or decreased relative femoral anteversion. In order to provide rehabilitation professionals with a clearer picture of the specific requirements of the stair climbing task, further research must be expanded to include a wider range of age groups that represent the general public, such as including middle-aged healthy persons.