Dr. Hyunki Lee (in the center of the front row) from Intelligent Robotics Research Department, DGIST, and his research team
DGIST announced that the "high-precision marker system" and the "three-dimensional measurement system" being developed by Dr. Hyun-Ki Lee's research team from the Intelligent Robotics Research Department have been selected for the "2021 Community-based Technology Development(R&D) Project for Rehabilitation Exercise Services," which is a project sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
The project was implemented to promote public health and to collect public health data. Dr. Lee's goal for the project is to develop device technology for inducing and supporting multimodal intervention rehabilitation exercises that are sustainable and complementary to cognitive and physical functions based on the scientific analysis of the human and physical functions of disabled people and older adults. The selected project will receive a research grant of 4.4 billion won over a period of three years.
Lee's team has measured the range of motion (ROM) of joints in the human body and analyzed human gait by developing a system that can measure human movements precisely based on a high-precision marker system and a 3-dimensional measurement system. Moreover, they have conducted a study on human motion analysis using a commercial inverse dynamics analysis program called "AnyBody software."
The system developed by Dr Lee's team has made it possible to replace the human motion measurement system that relied on existing expensive equipment with an inexpensive system that can measure human movements accurately. Regarding the ROM of joints in the human body, it was difficult to quantitatively measure the exact position of the joints while the human body was in motion. However, the position of the joints can be predicted by using a probabilistic method, and highly accurate ROM measurements can be obtained. Based on this achievement, various joint studies are being conducted with Kyungpook National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, and Handong Global University. Moreover, Dr. Lee's team is currently working with domestic companies to commercialize this system.
Dr. Lee said, "Using the motion tracking system we have developed, it is possible to analyze the inverse dynamics of the human body for gait and various other movements for a class of people such as older adults and disabled people, for whom it has been difficult to measure movements. Therefore, it is expected that we will be able to effectively perform tasks such as building databases, designing and manufacturing customized rehabilitation equipment for individuals, and developing exercises and rehabilitation protocols."
Meanwhile, Dr. Dong-Ha Lee, Dr. Hyun-Soo Yoon, and Dr. Gyogwon Koo from DGIST will participate in the project with Dr. Lee. In addition, Prof. Kyu-Joong Lee's team from Sun Moon University, Prof. Ji-Tae Kim's team from Dankook University, Prof. Bum-Seon Kwon's team from Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Dr. Yoon-Hee Jang's team from the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Institute, and Deputy Director Young-Hyun Bae's team from the National Rehabilitation Center will work on this project together.
