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BACKGROUND: An electric bed can easily change posture from a lying position and was effective in preventing pressure ulcer. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the optimal posture for the prevention of pressure ulcers by analyzing pressure changes applied to the pelvic region. METHODS: Pressure changes resulting from lateral rotations of the body using an electronic adjustable bed and changes in the posture and angles of the trunk and knees were assessed. Twelve conditions with varying angles of the trunk and knees (15–35∘ in 5∘ increments) and varying lateral angles (20–35∘ in 5∘ increments) were tested. The pressure (maximum and average) and contact area in the pelvic region of 20 individuals without disabilities were calculated. RESULTS: The conditions in which the average and maximum pressures did not increase according to the increase in angle were 25∘ for the upper body and knee angles and 35∘ for the side. CONCLUSIONS: The body pressure changed according to the posture rather than according to physical characteristics. Lateral rotation combined with changes in the angles of the trunk and knees effectively prevented pressure ulcers. Changes in the posture at various angles prevented an increased pressure on the body.

The population of Korea is aging rapidly, and this has led to a care burden for caregivers. Without adequate caregivers to address the increased burden, people with significant disabilities and older adults with disabilities who have greatly reduced mobility are at risk. The aim of this study was to determine suitable types of care robots for care applications in Korea and formulate a strategy for a future care robot RD plan through a user participation study. We categorized nine types of care robots that are suitable for the care needs in Korea. By adopting a mixed research methodology involving user participation, we conducted discussions with caregivers, care receivers, and other stakeholders under a public-private-people partnership model. We also identified five primary strategies for care robot RD: (1) intensive investment to match the needs of people with very severe disabilities to care robot technologies, particularly for transfer, repositioning, toileting, and feeding; (2) translational research and technology development; (3) realization of smart-care through fourth industrial revolution (i.e., digital) technologies; (4) user-centered research with stakeholders; and (5) building of a care robot ecosystem. The formulated plan would be shared with other developers and clinical experts to drive development of suitable care robots.

More of power wheelchair users’ needs have to be met in the making of power wheelchairs. However, there has been no usability scale for the power wheelchair that is specifically focusing on the users’ needs. The purpose of this study was to test and validate a usability scale for power wheelchairs (USPW). The USPW has been developed through interviews with power wheelchair and consultations with a panel of experts. The USPW consists of four evaluation categories (safety, operation, efficiency, and satisfaction). In order to validate it, its usability and the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction Assistive Technology (QUEST) were also administered to 50 power wheelchair users. The USPW was extracted 12 items from safety, 7 from operation, 5 from efficiency, and 14 from satisfaction, with a total of 38 items. The content validity met the criteria. The total internal consistency (Cronbach’s [Formula: see text]) of the USPW was 0.75. Users of power wheelchair demanded that the safety of moving on the slopes, the satisfaction of storage space for power wheelchairs, and the repair service process would be improved. The correlation between the USPW and the QUEST was significant ([Formula: see text]). The USPW may be very useful to evaluate overall usability of power wheelchair including its safety, operability, efficiency, and satisfaction. The developed usability scale (USPW) may help wheelchair makers become aware of the problems of present power wheelchairs and the users’ needs, allowing them to make better ones.

ssistive Technology Service Center of Seoul, Republic of KoreaReceived 15 November 2014 Received in revised form 3 December 2014 Accepted 10 December 2014 ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of CAD (Computer Aided Design) based alpine mono-ski bucketdesign on disabled ski athletes’ kinematic characteristics. Two national team ski athletes with LW11 disabilities (Loco-motion Winter Classification) category for sit ski participated in both pre and post experiment. Both of the subjects per-formed 3 trials of carved turn on a ski slope under two conditions. Where, subject “A” performed pre experiment withpersonal bucket and post experiment with the newly developed CAD based bucket whereas, Subject “B” as control subjectperformed both pre and post experiment with his personal bucket. For the experiment, 24 Infrared cameras were positionedon the ski slope which covered the path of the ski turn. Also, motion capture suit with reflective markers were worn byboth subjects. In the result, decrement in medial/lateral displacement of COM, anterior/posterior displacement of COM,flexion/extension angle of trunk as well as velocity losing rate of COM was observed in subject “A” when using the newlydeveloped CAD based bucket. In contrast, no larger effect on performance was observed when using personal buckets. Inconclusion, the findings obtained from the study indicated effectiveness of newly developed CAD based bucket by reducingexcessive movement of hip and trunk which is an important factor to perform an effective turn. Keywords

The purpose of this study was to compare pflugbogen``s biomechanical characteristics between on the ski simulator and snowed ski slope to develop interactive ski simulator. Nine ski instructors(sex: male, age: 29.6±5.4 yrs, height: 176.0±5.6 cm, body mass: 76.0±14.0 kg) belong to Korean Ski Instructors Association participated in this research. 24 Infrared cameras for snowed ski slope experiment and 13 infrared camera for ski simulator experiment were installed near by path of pflugbogen. The participants did pflugbogen on the snowed ski slope and the ski simulator both. During the experiment, the participants weared motion capture suit with infrared reflective makers on it, and plantar pressure sensors in ski boots, so that ski motion and plantar pressure data were collected together. Displacement of COG(center of gravity) movements, trunk flexion/extension angle, adduction/abduction angle, and plantar pressure data were significantly different between on the simulator and ski slope. However, percentage of time of COG movement in the phases during medial/lateral and anterior/posterior movement were not significantly different. Findings indicate that the difference between two groups occurred because the ski simulator``s drive mechanism is different from ski motion on the slope. In order to develop the ski simulator more interactively for pflugbogen, the ski simulator``s drive mechanism need to be reflected 3D motion data of pflugbogen on the slope that were purposed in this research.

Games have been shown to be highly effective in education. Consequently, game-based learning is attracting more attention from researchers. However, the existing game-based learning systems lack the effective learning method required to provide a proper review strategy for the enhancement of learning. This paper proposes a game-based learning system using the graduated-interval recall method to organize game contents and learning courses with appropriate review intervals according to learning status. The evaluations were conducted on the proposed system at Gwacheon National Science Museum in Korea with children visitors. The validity of the proposed system was verified by an analysis of the experimental data.

This study is to investigate the direction for management of informal science education center by survey of participants' satisfaction and implication. The place to study was Gwacheon National Science Museum in Kyung-gi province. 4,322m2 for the education space can make education done effectively. And attendees of their own education program are over 10,000 per year. 87 students who attend education program and 78 of their parents joined the survey of participants' satisfaction. The results of this study show that most of the participants want informal science education center to be able to make up for school education in part of promoting scientific literacy, heuristic method and scientific attitude. Things to be improved were feedback about student activity, segmentation of the education program for each grade, public relations exercise of program and advanced method of teaching based on each subject of classes. As ideas for improvement, it seemed that making long term program for continuous participant, limiting participant appropriately, developing guide manual of teaching, improving publicity of program were required.

The hand function for persons with cervical spinal cord injury (PCSCI) is most frequently cause difficulties in leading normal lives. The purpose of this study was to test the usability of a new writing assistive device (NWAD) for PCSCI. To access its usability, the authors design usability testing method and test the NWAD to five individuals with cervical spinal cord injury. From the usability testing, we have found number of issues that lead us to key design concept about developing the NWAD. The NWAD will be redesigned based on the result of the present study. We expect that the NWAD will help PCSCI use their affected hand better and improve the level of independence and quality of life.