In order to improve national competitiveness through technological research and development, the government puts in R&D budget every year and manages to improve the R&D results. Accordingly, various R&D project management methods have applied for successful advancement of technology and product. TRL is a measurement system developed by NASA to assess the maturity of technology since the 1970s. To apply medical device, the characteristics such as regulation, clinical trials are considered as a significant influence. In this study, we would like to derive PMI(performance measures index) for medical device R&D projects by using TRL and stage-gate model. As a result of this study, it is possible to use the PMI for decision making and evaluation in the R&D projects and believed that the objectivity can be ensured by the approval or certification of regulatory authority.

In this study, photoplethysmography(PPG) was suggested as a way to replace the ankle-brachial index(ABI) in diagnosing PAD. The method using the PPG was presented for the simplification of the PAD diagnosis method which was used before. And the index related to the health condition of the artery from the PPG measured in both big toes of the subjects through the experiment was drawn. The indexes showing the significant relativeness in the Pearson correlation analysis with the ABI were the stiffness index(SI), reflection index(RI); it was confirmed each of them had the correlation coefficient of 0.688, and 0.637 at p < 0.05. The explanation ability of the linear regression equation derived using ABI, SI and RI was 52.5%. The explanation ability of the secondary curve regression equation derived using ABI, squared SI was 54.7%. It is expected to provide patients with significant results and draw the index associated with PAD by measuring PPG easily in the real life instead of the ambulatory care field.

본 논문은 자석을 회전시켜 실시간으로 자기장을 변화시키고 그로 인해 특정 조건에서 산화철 나노입자를 side point(피부)보다 center point(심부)에서 더 많이 유도할 수 있다는 가능성을 제시하였다. 향후 연구로 유속에 따른 Critical Magnetic flux density, 시간에 따른 나노입자 축적량, 자기장과 산화철 나노입자의 상호작용을 고려한 실험 설계, 전자석 등을 이용한 자기장조절을 연구하여 실질적인 혈관에서 본 실험을 진행할 계획이다.

Blood pressure is one of the important vital signs for monitoring the medical condition of a patient. Automated NIBP(non-invasive blood pressure) monitoring devices calculate systolic and diastolic blood pressures from the oscillation in cuff pressure caused by a pulsation of an artery. To validate the NIBP devices, we developed a simulator to supply the oscillometric waveforms obtained from human subjects. The simulator provided pressure pulses to device-under-test and device readings were compared to the auscultatory references. Fully automated simulation system including OCR(optical character recognition) were developed and used for NIBP monitoring devices. The validation results using the simulator agreed well with previous clinical validation. More validation studies using the standardized oscillometric waveforms would be required for the replacement of clinical trials to validate a new automated NIBP monitoring device.

Physical breast phantoms would be useful for the development of a dedicated breast computed tomography (BCT) system and its optimization. While the conventional breast phantoms are available in compressed forms, which are appropriate for the mammography and digital tomosynthesis, however, the BCT requires phantoms in uncompressed forms. Although simple cylindrical plastic phantoms can be used for the development of the BCT system, they will not replace the roles of uncompressed phantoms describing breast anatomies for a better study of the BCT. In this study, we have designed a numerical voxel breast phantom accounting for the random nature of breast anatomies and applied it to the 3D printer to fabricate the uncompressed anthropomorphic breast phantom. The numerical voxel phantom mainly consists of the external skin and internal anatomies, including the ductal networks, the glandular tissues, the Cooper's ligaments, and the adipose tissues. The voxel phantom is then converted into a surface data in the STL file format by using the marching cube algorithm. Using the STL file, we obtain the skin and the glandular tissue from the 3D printer, and then assemble them. The uncompressed breast phantom is completed by filling the remaining space with oil, which mimics the adipose tissues. Since the breast phantom developed in this study is completely software-generated, we can create readily anthropomorphic phantoms accounting for diverse human breast anatomies.

Background and aims: The KCNQ1 S140G mutation involved in $I_{ks}$ channel is a typical gene mutation affecting atrial fibrillation. However, despite the possibility that the S140G gene mutation may affect not only atrial but also ventricular action potential shape and ventricular responses, there is a lack of research on the relationship between this mutation and ventricular fibrillation. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the correlation and the influence of the KCNQ1 S140G mutant gene on ventricular fibrillation through computer simulation studies. Method: This study simulated a 3-dimensional ventricular model of the wild type(WT) and the S140G mutant conditions. It was performed by dividing into normal sinus rhythm simulation and reentrant wave propagation simulation. For the sinus rhythm, a ventricular model with Purkinje fiber was used. For the reentrant propagation simulation, a ventricular model was used to confirm the occurrence of spiral wave using S1-S2 protocol. Results: The result showed that 41% shortening of action potential duration(APD) was observed due to augmented $I_{ks}$ current in S140G mutation group. The shortened APD contributed to reduce wavelength 39% in sinus rhythm simulation. The shortened wavelength in cardiac tissue allowed re-entrant circuits to form and increased the probability of sustaining ventricular fibrillation, while ventricular electrical propagation with normal wavelength(20.8 cm in wild type) are unlikely to initiate re-entry. Conclusion: In conclusion, KCNQ1 S140G mutation can reduce the threshold of the re-entrant wave substrate in ventricular cells, increasing the spatial vulnerability of tissue and the sensitivity of the fibrillation. That is, S140G mutation can induce ventricular fibrillation easily. It means that S140G mutant can increase the risk of arrhythmias such as cardiac arrest due to heart failure.

외골격 로봇은 군사, 산업 및 의료와 같은 다양한 분야에서 사용되도록 개발된 기술이다. 외골격 로봇은 착용자의 움직임을 감지하여 작동한다. 외골격 로봇이 착용자의 일상적인 행동을 인지함으로써 착용자를 신속하게 보조하고 시스템을 효율적으로 활용할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 피실험자로부터 얻은 운동학적 데이터를 통해 LDA, QDA, kNN을 활용하여 보행유형을 분류한다. 보행은 주로 일상생활에서 수행되는 일반보행과 계단보행을 선정하였다. 피실험자에게 7개의 IMUs 센서를 정해진 위치에 부착하여 운동학적 요소를 측정 하였다. 결과적으로, LDA는 78.42%, QDA는 86.16%, kNN는 k값에 따라 87.10% ~ 94.49%의 정확도로 분류하였다.

The indirect-contact bio-electric measurements using capacitive electrodes show large motion artifacts in comparison with conventional direct-contact measurements. It is necessary to measure the motion artifacts quantitatively, for the researches of reducing the motion artifacts. In this study, a device for quantitative measurement of motion artifacts was built. Using the device, an electrode was rubbed against some cloth(cotton) and the voltage variation of the electrode was measured as motion artifact in several environmental conditions(temperature and relative humidity). The measured waveforms agreed with that expected by the triboelectricity and the prior observations of the motion artifacts. Therefore, the results demonstrated the usability of the measurement system built in this study. The measurement system will be a great contribution to future research for reducing motion artifact.