• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.77-95
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• 2003

Many factors affect foot and ankle biomechanics during walking, including gait speed and anthropometric characteristics. However, speed has not been taken into account in foot kinematics and kinetics during walking. This study examined the effect of walking speed on foot joint motion and peak plantar pressure during the walking phase. Eighty healthy subjects (40 men, 40 women) were recruited. Maximal dorsiflexion and excursion were measured at the first metatarsophalangeal joints during walking phase at three different cadences (80, 100, and 120 step/min) using a three dimensional motion analysis system (CMS70P). At the same time, peak plantar pressure was investigated using pressure distribution platforms (MatScan system) under the hallux heads of the first, second, and third metatarsal bones and heel. Maximal dorsiflexion and excursion and excursion at the ankle joint decreased significantly with increasing walking speed. Peak plantar pressure increased significantly under the heads of the first of the first, second, and third metatarsal bones, and heel with increasing walking speed: three was no change under the hallux. There were no significant changes in maximal dorsiflexion or excursion at the first metatarsophalangeal joint. The results show that walking speed should be considered when comparing gait parameters. The results also suggest that slow walking speeds may decrease forefoot peak plantar pressure in patients with peripheral neuropathy who have a high risk of skin breakdown under the forefoot.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.286-293
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• 2007

For safe walking of the people who are blind, walking assistance robot which can detecting and avoiding the obstacle was investigated. The implemented prototype walking assistance robot consists of a obstacle detecting module, a user interface using acoustic signal and a driving module. The obstacle detecting module uses 6 ultrasonic sensors those located at the front part of the robot can perceive the obstacle which is in 3 meter distances and $180^{\circ}$ degrees. It calculates the distance and degree from the obstacle using TOF (time of flight) method and decides the 3-dimensional location of the obstacle. The obstacle information is delivered to the user using acoustic alarm and guide sound. The robot is designed to avoid by itself when the obstacle is detecting and the user only follows it to safe walking. After the designed robot was implemented, driving and obstacle detecting experiments were carried out. The result showed that the designed walking assistance robot will help the people who are blind to walk around safe.

• 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 KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1997 no.05
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• pp.131-135
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• 1997

We implementated an ultrasonic wave cane for the blind. The cane detect walking obstacle and provide a walking direction. The cane used time of flight method of ultrasonic-wave for a measurement of obstacle distance and fluxgate geomagnetic sensor for guidance of walking direction. This system can detect an obstacle of upward, forward, downward and that warn to the blind with vibration, pitch sound. And the blind can know walking direction to voice output. As a result, the blind could efficiently avoid a exposed obstacle, obstacles beyond knee, an exposed street obstacle, a branch of tree person's height and it is usable search for surrounding land mark.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.157-167
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• 1998

In this paper it is purpose that reduces joint torques and their rate of change through optimizing trajectory planning of biped walking machine. The motion of biped walking machine is divided into leg motion for walking and body motion for keeping balance. The leg motion is planned by three phases, that are deploy, swing, and place phases, in terms of the state of foot against floor. The distribution of time assigned to each phase is optimized and that causes leg joint torques and their rate of change to minimize. The body notion is produced by using optimal control theory which minimizes body joint torques and satisfies Z.M.P. constraints defined as region of each phase.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.224-230
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• 2015

In this paper, it is presented a learning controller for repetitive walking control of biped walking robot. We propose the iterative learning control algorithm which can learn periodic nonlinear load change ocuured due to the walking period through the intelligent control, not calculating the complex dynamics of walking robot. The learning control scheme consists of a feedforward learning rule and linear feedback control input for stabilization of learning system. The feasibility of intelligent control to biped robotic motion is shown via dynamic simulation with 25-DOF biped walking robot.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics B
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• v.28B no.11
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• pp.886-896
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• 1991

In this paper a new turning gait is proposed for a quadruped walking robot. The proposed scheme makes it possible to control the translation and orientation of the walking robot simultaneously. At first the feasible leg sequences which can guarantee a positive longitudinal gait stability margin for each direction of movement are found. A method for finding the lifting time of each leg of a feasible leg sequince and selecting an optimal gait among feasible gaits is then suggested. The proposed gait can be appled to control the posture of walking robots and to generate an optimal gait for a desired movement of translation and rotation of the walking robot systematically.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2018

Background: Stroke patients show abnormal walking patterns due to brain injury. In order to have the desired walking pattern, appropriate stimulation is required to activate the central pattern generator. For this reason, our study performed treadmill ambulatory training with rhythmic auditory stimulation. However we did not consider the influence of visual feedback. Objects: The purpose of this study was to compare the gait abilities in chronic stroke patients following either treadmill walking training with rhythmic auditory stimulation and visual feedback (TRASVF) or treadmill walking training with rhythmic auditory stimulation (TRAS) alone. Methods: Twenty-one stroke patients were divided into two groups: A TRASVF group (10 subjects) and a TRAS group (11 subjects). They received 30 minutes of neuro-developmental therapy (NDT) and walking training for 30 minutes, five times a week for three weeks. Temporal and spatial gait parameters were measured before and after the training period. The Biodex gait trainer treadmill system measured gait parameters. Results: After the training periods, the TRASVF group showed a significant improvement in walking speed, the step length of the affected limb, and time on each foot of the affected limb when compared to the TRAS group (p<.05). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the treadmill walking training with rhythmic auditory stimulation and visual feedback improved individual gait ability more than the treadmill walking training with rhythmic auditory stimulation alone. Therefore, visual feedback should be considered along with rhythmic auditory stimulation training.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2007

Walking is not only an essential component of the human mobility, but also is a good exercise. Inability to walk freely can reduce an individual's quality of life and independence substantially. Being a relatively low impact activity, walking is particularly good for the elderly and research has shown that regular walking in the elderly reduces the chance of fall-related injuries and mental diseases as well. In spite of the documented benefits of regular walking, it is still difficult to walk without the aid of assistive devices for the frail elderly who have lower extremity problems. Assistive walking devices(AWD), such as crutches, canes, hiking-poles, T-Poles and walkers, are often prescribed to the elderly to make their walking be safe and efficient. Many researchers have demonstrated the effects of AWDs such as reducing lower extremity loading, improved dynamic/gait stability, yet, no study has been done for gait pattern when the elderly gait with AWDs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether T-Poles, one of the AWDs, change the elderly gait pattern. Eight community-dwelling female elderly participated in this study. Laboratory kinematics during walking with T-Poles(PW) and with out T-Poles(NPW) was assessed. PW showed significant increase in step width, stride length, gait velocity and decrease in swing time. No significances were found in lower body joint angles but meaningful trend and pattern were found. Maybe the reason was due to the participants. Our participants were healthy enough so that the effect of T-Poles was minimum. PW also showed typical gait phases which are no single support phase during a gait cycle. It indicates that walking with T-Poles may guarantee safe and confident walking to the frail elderly.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.76-81
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• 2010

Purpose: This study examined how the degrees of muscle activity of Rectus Femoris and Tibialis Anterior during the four phases of walking vary according to three different treadmill slopes of $0^0$, $7^0$, and $15^0$. Methods: Subjects were 14 randomly selected healthy students attending G University in Seoul, Korea who had never had articular problems with lower limb and had no difficulties walking at the time of study. Results: 1) With respect to Rectus Femoris, in every phase of both forward and backward walking, there were significant differences among all of the slope degrees (p <.05), while the activity increased with increased slope degrees in every phase of backward walking. 2) For Tibialis Anterior, only in P2 and P3 of both forward and backward walking there were significant differences in every slope (p <.05). Conclusion: Both Rectus Femoris and Tibialis Anterior were found to be more active during backward walking compared to backward walking. In addition, the activity degree of Rectus Femoris was high between the early part of two foot support phase and the early part of one foot support phase, whereas that of Tibialis Anterior was high between the early part of one foot support phase and the latter part of both foot support phase.