• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.255-265
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• 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate comfort levels of functional and non-functional chairs using subjective comfort rating, interface pressure measurement, muscle activity measurement, and skin temperature measurement. Background: Chairs are used for a prolonged period of time for sitting in many places such as the office, at university, at school, in industry, and so on. Almost all people use chairs in their everyday life. The functional properties of the chair are associated with comfort. Method: The subjective evaluation contains questions regarding chair comfort which can be rated with five point scale. The body-seat interface pressure was measured using a pressure mat system. The symmetry of sitting was measured using electromyography. The change in body part (thigh and buttock) temperature before and after sitting on a chair was measured with an infrared camera. Results: Participants rated significantly (p < 0.05) higher comfort scores for the functional chair in relation to the buttock and thigh region. Also, the participants felt a better cushion effect in the functional chair. When using the functional chair, lower interface pressure, better thermal comfort, and better symmetry of erector spinae muscle activity were observed. Conclusion: Overall, interface pressure measurement, muscle activity measurement, thermal imaging and subjective comfort score results showed that the functional chair was more comfortable than the non-functional chair. Application: The adopted methodologies could be used to measure the seating comfort of train seats.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2000년도 추계학술대회논문집A
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• pp.376-380
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• 2000

All chairs are uncomfortable in the long run, but some chairs become uncomfortable more rapidly than others, and in any particular chair, some people will be more uncomfortable than others. Comfort will depend upon the interaction of chair characteristics, user characteristics, and task characteristics. In this study, we intend to design the comfortable office chair by investigating the anthropometric and biomechanical aspects for Korean. Therefore, we determine the design dimensions using the analysis of anthropometric data. With these dimensions, we design the chair mechanism of which backrest reclines with increasing chair pan declination. This mechanism allows the back to get adequate support at the correct level for any backrest declination. Also, the lumbar support in the backrest descends with increasing backrest reclining. By using this chair, a considerably better sitting posture can be obtained, and uncomfortable feeling and back pain may be prevented.

• 한국가구학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.13-21
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• 1999

All chairs are uncomfortable in the long run and some chairs become uncomfortable more rapidly than others. In a particular chair, some people feel more uncomfortable than others. Comfort will depend upon the interaction of chair, user, and task characteristics. In this study, we intended to design a comfortable office chair by investigating anthropometric and biomechanical aspects for Koreans. We determine the design dimensions by analysis the anthropometric data. With these body parameters, we determined the design dimensions such as seat height, seat depth, seat width, seat backrest width, etc. This research, hopefully contributes to the development of ergonomic chair and improvement of the chair design technologies.

• 대한산업공학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.459-465
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• 1999

A new-concept VDT workstation chair with adjustable keyboard/mouse support was proposed to minimize physical discomfort and the risk of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) at work sites in this study. First, a three-dimensional human modeling tool $(SAFEWORK^{(R)})$ was used to design the new chair satisfying the anthropometric specifications of Korean population. Second, based upon the result of 3-D graphical simulation, a mock-up chair was constructed with an adjustable keyboard/mouse support directly attached to the chair body. Third, muscle fatigue and subjective discomfort were measured to evaluate the newly developed chair. An experiment was conducted to compare the new workstation chair to the traditional computer chair without keyboard/mouse support. Six volunteer subjects participated in six one-hour word-processing sessions with two different chairs and three different postures. Statistical results indicate that the new-concept VDT chair generally improved subjective comfort level and reduced fatigue in finger flexor/extensor and low back muscle. In conclusion, this new VDT workstation chair is expected to reduce physical discomfort and prevent occupational CTD problems in the long run. Implications of the new design and suggestions for the further development are also addressed.

• International Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.108-112
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of thermal comfort index and to present the thermal comfort range through regression analyses and experiment in a radiant floor heating system laboratory. The results were compared to the comfort zone of ISO-7730, and the applicability of the thermal comfort index to a radiant floor heating system was studied. On comparing the sedentary posture on the floor to sitting on the chair, the comfort zone and the neutral point of comfort index showed different values. It is considered that the influence of conduction from floor to the human is sufficient. Moreover, we could find a correlation between the thermal sensation votes of subjects, and the comfort indexes were lower than those by calculation.

• 한국의류학회지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.415-427
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the thermoregulatory responses to postures under different environmental conditions and to obtain the basal information for standard clothing weight, indoor climates, and working condition. Two adult female (22.5yrs, 46kg) were participated in this study. The experimental conditions were divided into three groups ; 1) comfort($27{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, $60{\pm}10%$), 2) hot($34{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, $60{\pm}10%$), and 3) cold($21{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, $50{\pm}10%$) condition. The postures performed were as follows; standing, sitting on the chair, sitting on the floor, and supine on the floor. At each condition, subjective sensations, 12 points skin temperature, rectal temperature, total and local sweat rate, pulse rates, blood pressure, skin blood flow rate were measured. The results were as follows : 1. Rectal temperature was high significant among groups in order of supine, sitting on the floor, sitting on the chair, standing posture(p<0.01). 2. Skin temperature was high in part of contact with the surface of the floor or wall and the effect of posture was greater in peripheral temperature than torso temperature. Sitting on the chair and sitting on the floor posture showed higher peripheral temperature than standing and supine posture. And peripheral temperature was lower in supine posture than any other postures. 3. Total and local sweat rate were decreased in order of standing, sitting on the chair, sitting on the floor, supine posture. 4. Pulse rate and disastolic blood pressure were higher in standing posture than supine posture, and there was significant difference between two postures(p<0.001). 5. Blood flow rate of thigh was high in sitting on the chair and sitting on the floor posture and low in standing posture. Blood flow rate of leg was low in standing posture significantly(p<0.01). 6. In comfort and hot condition, temperature sensation and comfort sensation were higher in standing posture and lower in supine posture than any other postures. In cold condition, temperature sensation was lower and comfort sensation was higher in standing and supine posture than any other postures. And supine posture was appeared positive in hot condition and negative in cold condition. From this study, we confirmed the effects of posture on human thermoregulatory responses. Results indicate that even under same conditions and clothing weight, the insulation of clothing will be different to postures.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.97-108
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• 2014

Objective:The present study is intended to evaluate the usability of a console chair for a weapon locating radar by comparing with different kinds of chair design. Background: Console chairs need to be ergonomically designed to reduce physical workload of operators and improve mission capability; few studies have been reported which systematically evaluate usability of military console chairs. Method: Ergonomic design of a console chair, a bus seat, and an office chair was evaluated in terms of headrest, seatback, seatpan, armrest, and controller on a 7-point scale. Ten males in their 20s and 30s were recruited considering the demographic characteristics of console operators. Results: The satisfaction scores of the console chair for headrest, seatback, and seatpan were significantly higher than those of the bus seat (mean difference [MD] = 0.9) and office chair (MD = 1.3). Meanwhile, the satisfaction scores of the console chair for armrest and controller were significantly lower than those of the office chair (MD = -1.4) and bus seat (MD = -2.2). Conclusion: The armrest and controller of the console chair needs ergonomic improvements for better comfort. Application: The evaluation results of the console chair would be of use for ergonomic console chair design.

• 한국실내디자인학회논문집
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• 제17호
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• pp.37-44
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• 1998

Chair is one of objects which are closely connected with human body and is a symbol which represents human essence and culture. Symbolism embodies the meaning of expression through transfering the immaterial structure to tangible form. Therefore chair embodies the essential internal desires of human by means of its symbolic representation. In order to understand the essential human desires included in the symbolism of chair it is necessary to consider these desires with respect to cultural and historical context. in this study four essential internal desires of human are investigated through the symbolic representation of chair that is the desires on human psychological comfort authority freedom and eroticism. The purpose of this study is to emphasize the necessity of the design approach based on the understanding of essential internal desires of human which is pursued from the object by user.

• 에너지공학
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.24-31
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• 2015

바닥복사난방 공간에서 생활특성과 착의량에 따른 열쾌적 범위를 제시하고 각 조건별 에너지사용량 및 비용을 산출하여 비교하는 것을 목적으로 하였다. 좌식생활이 입식생활보다 낮은 온도에서 중립적 온도를 나타냈는데 바닥표면과 인체사이의 국부적인 열전달이 전신온열감에 영향을 주었기 때문으로 판단된다. 착의량이 높을수록 낮은 온도에서 중립점 온도를 나타냈는데 착의량을 증가시키면 인체에서 방출되는 열손실이 감소하여 낮은 실내온도에서 동일한 열쾌적을 느낄 수 있기 때문으로 판단된다. 좌식생활방식이 입식생활방식보다 평균 6.0%의 에너지 사용량이 절감되는 것으로 나타나 좌식생활이 경제적인 생활방식으로 분석되었다. 착의량 1.2 Clo 상태가 착의량 1.0 Clo 상태보다 평균 13.5%, 착의량 0.8 Clo상태보다 평균 18.0%의 에너지 사용량이 절감되는 것으로 나타나 동절기에 착의량을 증가시키는 생활습관의 변화만으로도 에너지 절감 효과가 큰 것으로 분석되었다.

• 한국전산구조공학회논문집
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.219-226
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• 2005

본 연구에서는 휠체어의 경량화를 위해 기존의 강관으로 제작된 휠체어를 피로파괴 및 손상에 강하고 방진 특성이 우수하며 유지 및 보수가 용이한 복합재료 중공빔으로 구성된 복합재료 휠체어로 대체하기 위하여 복합재료 중공빔 이론과 유전자 알고리즘을 적용하여 최적화된 등가 강성을 가지는 복합재료 중공빔의 최적의 단면 치수를 제시하였다. 제시한 최적의 단면치수를 가지는 복합재료 중공빔으로 구성된 휠체어 전체 구조에 Tsai-Wu 파손이론을 이용해 과하중이 가해지는 경우에 대하여 구조해석을 수행한 결과, 휠체어의 파손 유무를 나타내는 Makimum Tsai-Wu Failure Criteria Index가 파손이 발생하는 1.00보다 현저히 낮은 $0.192\times10^{-3}$을 나타내고 있음을 알 수 있었다. 또한 기존의 강관을 동일한 강성을 가지는 복합재료 증공빔으로 대체하였을 경우 중공빔 중량을 최대 45%감소하는 효과를 얻을 수 있음을 확인할 수 있었다.