• ETRI Journal
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.471-482
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• 2018

This paper proposes the necessity of a walking period in footstep planning and details situations in which it should be considered. An optimization-based fast footstep planner that takes the walking period into consideration is also presented. This footstep planner comprises three stages. A binary search is first used to determine the walking period. The front stride, side stride, and walking direction are then determined using the modified rapidly-exploring random tree algorithm. Finally, particle swarm optimization (PSO) is performed to ensure feasibility without departing significantly from the results determined in the two stages. The parameters determined in the previous two stages are optimized together through the PSO. Fast footstep planning is essential for coping with dynamic obstacle environments; however, optimization techniques may require a large computation time. The two stages play an important role in limiting the search space in the PSO. This framework enables fast footstep planning without compromising on the benefits of a continuous optimization approach.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.374-382
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• 2007

Robot mobility and intelligence become more important for robots to be used in various fields other than automation. The main purpose of providing mobility to a robot is to extend the robot's manipulability. In this paper, we introduce a small humanoid robot that can autonomously play golf as an example of incorporating robot intelligence, mobility, and manipulability. The robot has 12 degrees of freedom for legs and has various basic walking patterns. It can move to a desired position and change orientation by combining the basic waking patterns. The robot has a color CCD camera and can extract coordinates of the objects in the environments. The small humanoid robot has 8 degrees of freedom for arms and can play golf autonomously with two kinds of dexterous swing motions. Kinematic analysis of the robot arms, vision data processing for the recognition of the environments, algorithm for playing robotic golf have been performed or proposed. The experimental results show that the robot can play golf autonomously.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.370-377
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• 2012

This study examines the effects of different environments on the application of hemiplegia patients circuit balance training. Group 1 performed circuit balance training without any auditory intervention Group 2 performed training in noiseless environments and Group 3 performed training in white noise environments. First, among lower extremity muscular strength evaluation items, maximum activity time(MAT) was not significantly different(p>.05). Maximum muscle strength(MMS) increased significantly in Group 3(p<.01), there was no significant difference in MMS among the groups. Average muscle strength(AMS) indexes also significantly increased in Group 3(p<.01), there was no significant difference in AMS among the groups. Second, among balancing ability evaluation items, Berg's balance scale(BBS) scores significantly increased in all groups(p<.05), BBS scores were significantly difference among the groups. Based on the results, Group 1, 2 and Group 1, 3 showed significant increases (p<.05). Functional reach test(FRT) values significantly increased in Group 2, 3(p<.05), and there was no significant difference in FRT values among the groups. Timed up and go(TUG) test values significantly decreased in Group 2, 3(p<.05), and there was no significant difference in TUG test values among the groups. Third, among walking speed evaluation items, the time required to walk 10m significantly decreased in all groups(p<.05), and there was no significant difference in the values among the groups. Average walking speeds showed significant increases in Group 1, 3(p<.05), and there was no significant difference in the values among the groups. Based on the results of this study, noise environments should be improved by either considering auditory interventions and noiseless environments, or by ensuring that white noise environments facilitate the enhancement of balancing ability.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2013

As car-oriented road policies have been made forward so far, relatively pedestrians' walking conditions are so in poor environments that more than two thousand pedestrians die from car accidents every year. Pedestrians' walking right has been severely invaded like that. Pedestrians' walking right is a right that people are able to walk safely and comfortably in pleasant surroundings as long as they don't threaten the public safety, order maintenance, and welfare. The government has an obligation to provide safe, comfortable, and pleasant environments to pedestrians. Recently interests in pedestrians' safety are increasing, government-driven supports have been made to make safe, pleasant, and healthy walking surroundings. As poor walking condition improvement projects cost high, they should be progressed to accomplish maximal effects using finite finances efficiently, and post feasibility evaluations of the projects should be severely estimated. However site selecting indicators which satisfy with the goal for composing safe working surroundings have not been decided yet, though currently it has a legal basis to specify walking condition improvement sites by the Law for Pedestrians' safety and Comfort Increasement. Therefore this study focuses on suggesting improved ways for selecting sites where pedestrians' safe environment project by reviewing previous research. When project sites are selected, evaluation indicators related to awareness survey of residents and history should be excluded, and disaster safety assessments for walking safety facilities, latent human hazards and natural disasters like a strong wind are proposed besides evaluations on pedestrians' safety and walking environment for matching with the purpose of the project to make safe working surroundings.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.166-174
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• 2018

This study examined the indoor exercise environment use and needs of older adults. The target population was seniors aged 60 years and older living in a newly developed apartment complex. Variables include demographic and housing characteristics, status of exercise, and indoor exercise environmental evaluation and needs. A total of 102 data items were analyzed using frequency, t-test and ANOVA. Noteworthy results are as below. First, community centers and community welfare centers were the most desirable exercise environments because of affordability, exercise programs/spaces. Such exercise environments should be developed in more locations for increasing numbers of seniors. Second, indoor exercise environments need to be improved based on seniors' physical capabilities and environmental behavior. Third, supportive spaces such as restrooms, shower rooms, locker rooms should be carefully designed. Fourth, seniors wanted to have walking trails and indoor swimming pools, the most desirable exercise spaces, within ten to 15 minutes walking distance.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2009

Background: Community ambulation has been recently recognized as one of the most essential factors of activities of daily living in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. This study aimed to compare walking velocity and step number in 5 community situations in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. Methods: Ten chronic stroke patients volunteered for this study. The main variables analyzed were walking speed and step number, and these were measured in 5 different community situations: a physical therapy room, a parking lot, a bank, a crosswalk, and a hospital lobby. The measurements obtained for walking in the physical therapy room were measured using a 10m walk test and were used as baseline data for comparison with each option. The ambulation distance was set at 300m for the parking lot and the bank and 150m for the crosswalk and hospital lobby. For data analysis, walking speed and step number were standardized with the distance options of each ambulation. Results: Compared to the walking speed in the physical therapy room, those in the other situations, except for the parking lot, were significantly different (p<.05). Moreover, there were significant differences in the speeds between the bank and the parking lot and between the parking lot and the crosswalk (p<.05). Compared to the step number in the physical therapy room, those in all situations except for the crosswalk were significantly different (p<.05). Further, there was a significant difference in the step number between the bank and the crosswalk (p<.05). Conclusion: The walking ability of patients with hemiparesis in real environments within a community could be different from that in a physical therapy room. Therefore, the evaluation of walking should be performed in a variety of community situations.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.926-934
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• 2006

This paper proposes intelligent control of a virtual walking machine that can generate infinite floor for various surfaces and can provide proprioceptive feedback of walking to a user. This machine allows users to participate in a life-like walking experience in virtual environments with various terrains. The controller of the machine is implemented hierarchically, at low-level for robust actuator control, at mid-level fur platform control to compensate the external forces by foot contact, and at high-level control for generating walking trajectory. The high level controller is suggested to generate continuous walking on an infinite floor for various terrains. For the high level control, each independent platform follows a man foot during the swing phase, while the other platform moves back during single stance phase. During double limb support, two platforms manipulate neutral positions to compensate the offset errors generated by velocity changes. This control can, therefore, satisfy natural walking conditions in any direction. Transition phase between the swing and the stance phases is detected by using simple switch sensor system, while human foot motions are sensed by careful calibration with a magnetic motion tracker attached to the shoe. Experimental results of walking simulations at level ground, slope, and stairs, show that with the proposed machine, a general person can walk naturally on various terrains with safety and without any considerable disturbances. This interface can be applied to various areas such as VR navigations, rehabilitation, and gait analysis.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.99-107
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• 2014

In the past decade, Pine & Gilmore set out the vision for a new economic era, the experience economy, in which consumers are in search for extraordinary and memorable experiences. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among walking tourist's experiences, walking tourist satisfaction and revisit intention as the social interest on walking tour has risen. A total of 250 respondents completed a survey. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) technique, the results reveal the effects of Esthetics(indulged in environments) and Escapism(diverging to a new self) that impact on walking tourist satisfaction and on revisit intention indirectly. Overall, finding of this study enhance the theoretical progress on the experiential concept in walking tour and offer important implication for walking tour marketers.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1-16
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• 2018

Objectives: This study aimed to examine systems behavior of urban walking by analyzing a dynamic structure in Seoul, South Korea. Methods: As a systems thinking approach to urban walking and health promotion, we developed a Casual Loop Diagram based on literature review and expert consultation. The reviewed literature included: 1) qualitative studies that explores the experiences of urban walkers in Seoul; 2) a systematic review study on the built environmental factors related to walking; 3) policy research reports related to urban walking in Seoul. Results: The feedback structure for urban walking was related to the three urban environments (safety & walking environment, socioeconomic environment, and public transportation environment), and was characterized by a trade-off consisting of eight reinforcing loops and four balancing loops. Conclusions: The policies for a walkable city require multi-sectoral cooperation in order to change the causal loop structure related to the decline of walking. Therefore, it is necessary to establish legal and institutional conditions so that multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary approaches are possible.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2002.11b
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• pp.446-452
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• 2002

This paper Presents a 3-D design and a Vibration control of a new walking R.G.O.(Robotic Gait Orthosis) and would like to develop a simulation by this walking system. The vibration control and evaluation of the new knee joint mechanism on the biped walking R.G.O.(Robotic Gait Orthosis) was a very unique system and was to obtain by the 3-axis accelerometer with a low frequency vibration for the paraplegia It will be expect that the spinal cord injury patients are able to recover effectively by a biped walking R.G.O.. The new knee joint system of both legs were adopted with a good kinematic characteristics. It was designed attached a DC-srevo motor and controller, with a human wear type. It was able to accomodate itself to a environments of S.C.I. Patients. It will be expect that the spinal cord injury patients are able to recover effectively by a new walking R.G.O. system.