본 연구의 목적은 PET를 재활용하여 만든 물질재생 PET사를 함침공정을 통해 고전도성의 E-textile로 제작하는 것이다. 소수성의 성질을 가지고 있는 PET사는 virgin과 recycled 모두 함침공정을 통해 전자섬유로 제작되었을 때에 높은 전도성을 부여하기 힘들다는 특징이 있다. 함침공정의 효율성 향상을 위해 FEMTO SCIENCE사의 Covance-2mprfq 모델을 사용하여 재생 PET사로 이루어진 시료를 50w 5분, 10분간 플라즈마로 표면 개질하였다. 이 후 SWCNT 분산액(.1wt%, cobon 사)에 5분간 시료를 담근 후 패딩기(Padder, DAELIM lab)를 통해 시료 안쪽으로 용액이 잘 스며들도록 Dip-coating 진행하였다. 공정이 완료된 후 저항측정을 양끝점에서 멀티미터를 통해 측정하 고 좀 더 넓은 전극을 통해 정밀하게 다시 측정하였다. 고찰한 결과 플라즈마 표면 개질을 통해 함침공정을 통한 고전도성 부여가 가능해졌음을 확인할 수 있었다. 10분간 표면 개질한 경우 저항이 최대 2.880배 감소하였다. 본 연구결과를 기반으로 스마트 웨어러블 분야에서 활용되는 E-textile 또한 recycle 소재로 제작함으로써 석유자원을 절약하고 탄소배출량을 감소시킬 수 있는 스마트 웨어러블 제품을 개발하고자 한다.

This study analyzes the effects of the number of angles and bends on resistance in a conductor-embroidered stitch circuit for efficient power transfer through a conductor of wearable energy harvesting to study changes in power lost through connection with actual solar panels. In this study, the angle of the conductive stitch circuit was designed in units of 30°, from 30° to 180°, and the resistance was measured using an analog Discovery 2 device. The measured resistance value was analyzed, and in the section of the angle where the resistance value rapidly changes, it was measured again and analyzed in units of 5°. Following this, from the results of the analysis, the angle at which the tension was applied to the stitch converges was analyzed, and the resistance was measured again by varying the number of bends of the stitch at the given angle. The resistance decreases as the angle of the stitch decreases and the number of bends increases, and the conductor embroidery stitch can reduce the loss of power by 1.61 times relative to general embroidery. These results suggest that the stitching of embroidery has a significant effect on the power transfer in the transmission through the conductors of wearable energy harvesting. These results indicate the need for a follow-up study to develop a conductor circuit design technology that compares and analyzes various types of stitches, such as curved stitches, and the number of conductors, so that wearable energy harvesting can be more efficiently produced and stored.

This study investigated the effects of axillary crutch length on trunk muscle activity and lumbo-pelvic-hip complex movements during crutch gait. Eleven healthy men participated in this study. The participants performed a three-point gait with optimal, shorter, and longer crutch lengths. Weight-bearing (WB) side was determined as the dominant leg side. The electromyography (EMG) activity of the bilateral rectus abdominis (RA) and erector spinae (ES) muscles and lumbo-pelvic-hip complex movements were monitored using a three-dimensional motion system with wireless surface EMG. Differences in the EMG activity of RA and ES muscles and range of motion (ROM) of lumbar spine, pelvis, and hip among conditions were analyzed using one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance, and a Bonferroni correction was conducted. There was less RA muscle activity on the WB side under the optimal crutch length condition compared with shorter and longer crutch length conditions (p<.05). The EMG activity of the RA muscle on the non-WB side and ES muscle on the WB side were significantly decreased under the optimal crutch length condition compared with shorter crutch length condition (p<.05). No significant differences in the EMG activity of the ES muscle on the non-WB side and ROM of lumbo-pelvic-hip complex were found among conditions (p>.05). These findings indicate that the optimal crutch length improves the trunk muscle efficiency during crutch gait.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of the duration of smartphone usage on cervical and lumbar spine flexion angles and reposition error in the cervical spine. The study included 18 healthy smartphone users (7 males and 11 females). We measured the kinematics of the upper and lower cervical and lumbar spine flexion angles and the reposition error of the upper and lower cervical spine after 3 s and 300 s smartphone use in sitting. A paired t-test was used to compare the effects of the duration of smartphone usage on the kinematics of cervical and lumbar spine flexion angles and reposition error. The flexion angles of the lower cervical and lumbar spine and the reposition error in the upper and lower cervical spine were significantly increased after 300 s smartphone of use (p<.05). However, the flexion angle of the upper cervical spine was not significantly different between the 3 s and 300 s smartphone of use (p>.05). These findings suggest that prolonged use of smartphones can induce changes in cervical and lumbar spine posture and proprioception in the cervical spine.

Ely's test is commonly used to assess rectus femoris muscle flexibility. however, a reliability limit of this test was demonstrated by a previous study. In this study, we present an alternative method using an application for a digital horizontal level in a smartphone (DHLS) to complement the reliability limit of Ely's test. The aim of this study was to examine the reliability of Ely's test using DHLS on the pelvis, compared to using visual observation (VO) of pelvic and hip motions. Nineteen patients with lumbar extension-rotation syndrome were recruited for this study. An examiner examined the rectus femoris flexibility (both pass/fail and goniometer scoring) through Ely's test using both DHLS and VO. A retest session was completed two hours later for within-day reliability and seven days later for between-day intra-rater test-retest reliability. Results showed higher Kappa values for pass/fail scoring and higher intraclass correlation coefficient values for goniometer scoring in Ely's test using DHLS, compared to using VO. Measurement error and Bland and Altman plots further demonstrated the degree of intra-rater variance during Ely's test using DHLS in a clinical setting, compared to using VO. These results demonstrated that Ely's test using DHLS showed acceptable reliability compared to using VO. Ely's test using DHLS could be widely used for measuring the rectus femoris muscle flexibility in patients with lumbar extension-rotation syndrome, although the inter-rater reliability needs to be established first.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of scapular alignment on the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the trapezius in people with a short pectoralis minor muscle. For the study, we recruited 15 volunteers who had positive results for short on a pectoralis minor muscle length test. We measured the EMG activity of the upper, middle and lower trapezius muscles. The participants lifted their dominant arm to ear level with the thumb up toward the ceiling in the prone position on a table with the shoulder at a flexion angle of 180 degrees and a horizontal abduction angle of 120 degrees. Scapula was manually aligned by an experienced physical therapist prior to arm lift for the scapular alignment condition. A paired t-test was used to compare the effects of scapular alignment on the EMG activity of the trapezius muscles. The EMG activity of the lower trapezius muscle was significantly increased during the test with the scapular alignment compared to that without scapular alignment (p<.05), while the upper trapezius and middle trapezius exhibited no significant difference between the two conditions (p>.05). The findings of this study suggest that a scapular alignment may alter the recruitment of the lower trapezius muscle during arm lifting in the prone position in people with a short pectoralis minor muscle.

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of patellar height on quadriceps muscles' electromyography (EMG) activity during a squat exercise in adults with patella baja. For the study, we recruited 15 volunteers who had patella baja on the right side. We measured the EMG activity of the right rectus femoris, vastus medialis oblique, and vastus lateralis muscles during squat exercises under two conditions, specifically with and without an infra-patellar strap. The infra-patellar strap was applied below the tested patella to elevate the patella to a normal height. A paired t-test was used to compare the effects of patella height on EMG activity of the quadriceps muscles. The EMG activity of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis oblique (VMO), and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles were significantly decreased during the squat exercise with the infra-patellar strap compared to the same exercise without the infra-patellar strap (p<.05), while the VMO/VL ratio was not different significantly between two conditions (p>.05). The findings of this study suggest that an infra-patellar strap may benefit people with patellar baja, as changes in patellar height could improve the efficiency of the quadriceps muscles.

The purpose of this study was to assess visual biofeedback's influence on trunk muscles' (EMG) activity and endurance holding time for correct position during whole-body tilt exercise. For the study, we recruited 14 volunteers who showed no symptom of lumbar disease during medical tests. We measured the EMG activity of their rectus abdominis, external abdominal oblique, internal abdominal oblique and erector spinae muscles, and their endurance holding time for correct position during anterior and posterior whole-body tilt under two conditions: whole-body tilt with and without visual biofeedback. Resistance with gravitational force on the trunk during whole-body tilt was applied by using a device that had a monitor on which the subjects could check their alignment and that sounded an alarm if a subject's alignment collapsed. The study showed an increase in the EMG activity of external abdominal oblique, internal abdominal oblique/rectus abdominis ratio and endurance holding time for correct position during both anterior and posterior whole-body tilt with visual biofeedback compared with without visual biofeedback (p<.05). We suggest that the whole-body tilt exercise with visual biofeedback could be a beneficial strategy for selectively strengthening the internal abdominal oblique muscle and minimizing the rectus abdominis muscle's activity while maintaining correct alignment during whole-body tilt exercise.