• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the effects of crocodile breathing exercise on pain, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness of non-specific low back pain patients. METHODS: The subjects were 37 patients with nonspecific low back pain. The patients were divided into two groups. The experimental group (EG) performed crocodile breathing exercise and the control group (CG) performed chest expansion breathing exercise. The intervention was conducted for 10 minutes every day for a total of eight weeks. Pain was measured using a VAS. Muscle tone and stiffness were measured using Myoton PRO. Two points were measured for muscle tone and muscle stiffness. They were measured at 30mm from the spinous process of the L1 and T10 vertebra. RESULTS: Pain, muscle tone and muscle stiffness at the T10 level showed a significant decrease in both EG and CG. Muscle tone and muscle stiffness in the L1 level area decreased significantly in the experimental group but the control group did not show any difference. The only statistically significant difference was observed in the L1 muscle tone between the pre and post intervention values. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that Crocodile breathing is a good method for managing pain, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness in non-specific low back pain patients.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.573-578
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• 2004

This paper presents a methodology for the stiffness analysis of a low-DOF parallel manipulator. A low-DOF parallel manipulator is a spatial parallel manipulator which has less than six degrees of freedom. The reciprocal screws of actuations and constraints in each leg can be determined by making use of the theory of reciprocal screws, which provide information about reaction forces due to actuations and constraints. When pure force is applied to a leg, the leg stiffness is modeled as a linear spring along the line. For pure couple, it is modeled as a rotational spring about the axis. It is shown that the stiffness model of an F-DOF parallel manipulator consists of F springs related to actuations and 6-F springs related to constraints connected from the moving platform to the base in parallel. The $6{\times}6$ Cartesian stiffness matrix is obtained, which is the sum of the Cartesian stiffness matrices of actuations and constraints. Finally, a 3-UPU parallel manipulator is used as an example to demonstrate the methodology.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.29 no.5 s.236
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• pp.680-688
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• 2005

This paper presents a methodology for the stiffness analysis of a low-DOF parallel manipulator. A low-DOF parallel manipulator is a spatial parallel manipulator which has less than six degrees of freedom. The reciprocal screws of actuations and constraints in each leg can be determined by making use of the theory of reciprocal screws, which provide information about reaction forces due to actuations and constraints. When pure farce is applied to a leg, the leg stiffness is modeled as a linear spring along the line. For pure couple, it is modeled as a rotational spring about the axis. It is shown that the stiffness model of an it_DOF parallel nipulator consists of F springs related to actuations and 6-F springs related to constraints connected from the moving platform to the base in parallel. The 6x f Cartesian stiffness matrix is derived, which is the sum of the Cartesian stiffness matrices of actuations and constraints. Finally, the 3-UPU, 3-PRRR, and Tricept parallel manipulators are used as examples to demonstrate the methodology.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.631-637
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• 2005

This paper presents a stiffness analysis method for a low-DOF parallel manipulator, which takes into account of elastic deformations of joints and links. A low-DOF parallel manipulator is defined as a spatial parallel manipulator which has less than six degrees of freedom. Differently from the case of a 6-DOF parallel manipulator, the serial chains in a low-DOF parallel manipulator are subject to constraint forces as well as actuation forces. The reaction forces due to actuations and constraints in each limb can be determined by making use of the theory of reciprocal screws. It is shown that the stiffness model of an F-DOF parallel manipulator consists of F springs related to the reciprocal screws of actuations and 6-F springs related to the reciprocal screws of constraints, which connect the moving platform to the fixed base in parallel. The $6{times}6$ stiffness matrix is derived, which is the sum of the stiffness matrices of actuations and constraints. The six spring constants can be precisely determined by modeling the compliance of joints and links in a serial chain as follows; the link can be considered as an Euler beam and the stiffness matrix of rotational or prismatic joint can be modeled as a $6{times}6$ diagonal matrix, where one diagonal element about the rotation axis or along the sliding direction is zero. By summing the elastic deformations in joints and links, the compliance matrix of a serial chain is obtained. Finally, applying the reciprocal screws to the compliance matrix of a serial chain, the compliance values of springs can be determined. As an example of explaining the procedure, the stiffness of the Tricept parallel manipulator has been analyzed.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.320-328
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• 2007

This paper presents a stiffness modeling of a low-DOF parallel robot, which takes into account of elastic deformations of joints and links, A low-DOF parallel robot is defined as a spatial parallel robot which has less than six degrees of freedom. Differently from serial chains in a full 6-DOF parallel robot, some of those in a low-DOF parallel robot may be subject to constraint forces as well as actuation forces. The reaction forces due to actuations and constraints in each serial chain can be determined by making use of the theory of reciprocal screws. It is shown that the stiffness of an F-DOF parallel robot can be modeled such that the moving platform is supported by 6 springs related to the reciprocal screws of actuations (F) and constraints (6-F). A general $6{\times}6$ stiffness matrix is derived, which is the sum of the stiffness matrices of actuations and constraints, The compliance of each spring can be precisely determined by modeling the compliance of joints and links in a serial chain as follows; a link is modeled as an Euler beam and the compliance matrix of rotational or prismatic joint is modeled as a $6{\times}6$ diagonal matrix, where one diagonal element about the rotation axis or along the sliding direction is infinite. By summing joint and link compliance matrices with respect to a reference frame and applying unit reciprocal screw to the resulting compliance matrix of a serial chain, the compliance of a spring is determined by the resulting infinitesimal displacement. In order to illustrate this methodology, the stiffness of a Tricept parallel robot has been analyzed. Finally, a numerical example of the optimal design to maximize stiffness in a specified box-shape workspace is presented.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.473-477
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• 2009

In general, the softer the stiffness of a linear vibration isolator the better the performance of isolation can be achieved. However, the stiffness of the isolator cannot be made too soft because it needs a sufficient stiffness to hold the load. This is the most critical limitation of a linear vibration isolator. Recently, a HSLDS (High-Static-Low-Dynamic-Stiffness) magnetic vibration isolator was proposed to overcome this fundamental limitation. The suggested isolator utilizes two pairs of attracting magnets that that introduces negative stiffness. Previously, this new type of vibration isolator was merely introduced and showed a possibility of practical use. In this paper, detailed dynamics of the HSLDS magnetic isolator are studied using computer simulations. Then, the isolation performance is examined for various design parameters to aid the practical use.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.92-97
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• 2010

In general, the softer the stiffness of a linear vibration isolator the better the performance of isolation can be achieved. However, the stiffness of the isolator cannot be made too soft because it needs a sufficient stiffness to hold the load. This is the most critical limitation of a linear vibration isolator. Recently, a HSLDS(high-static-low-dynamic-stiffness) magnetic vibration isolator was proposed to overcome this fundamental limitation. The suggested isolator utilizes two pairs of attracting magnets that introduces negative stiffness. Previously, this new type of vibration isolator was merely introduced and showed a possibility of practical use. In this paper, detailed dynamics of the HSLDS magnetic isolator are studied using computer simulations. Then, the isolation performance is examined for various design parameters to aid the practical use.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.79-88
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• 2009

This paper presents the analytical stiffness analysis method for a low-DOF planar parallel manipulator. An n-DOF (n<3) planar parallel manipulator to which 1- or 2-DOF serial mechanism is connected in series may be used as a positioning device in planar tasks requring high payload and high speed. Differently from a 3-DOF planar parallel manipulator, an n-DOF planar parallel counterpart may be subject to constraint forces as well as actuation forces. Using the theory of reciprocal screws, the planar stiffness is modeled such that the moving platform is supported by three springs related to the reciprocal screws of actuations (n) and constraints (3-n). Then, the spring constants can be precisely determined by modeling the compliances of joints and links in serial chains. Finally, the stiffness of two kinds of 2-DOF planar parallel manipulators with simple and complex springs is analyzed. In order to show the effectiveness of the suggested method, the results of analytical stiffness analysis are compared to those of numerical stiffness analysis by using ADAMS.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2017

In vertical hydro/hydraulic power turbine-generator applications, traditionally, cylindrical turbine guide bearings (TGBs) are widely used to provide turbine runner shafts with smooth rotation guides and supports. All existing cylindrical TGBs with simple plain pads have drawbacks such as having no pressure generation and film stiffness at the no-load condition and in addition, at the low-load/low-eccentricity condition, having very low film stiffness values and lacking design credibility in the stiffness values themselves. In this paper, in order to fundamentally improve the low-load/low-eccentricity performance of conventional cylindrical TGBs and thus enhance their design-application availability and usefulness, we propose to introduce a rotation-directional leading-edge taper to each partitioned pad, i.e., a pad leading-edge taper. We perform a design analysis of lubrication performance on $4-Pad{\times}4-Row$ cylindrical TGBs to verify an engineering/technical usefulness of the proposed pad leading-edge taper. Analysis results show that by introducing the leading-edge taper to each pad of the cylindrical TGB one can expect a constant high average direct stiffness with a high degree of design credibility, regardless of load value, even at the low-load/low-eccentricity condition and also control the average direct stiffness value by exploring the taper height as a design parameter. Therefore, we conclude that the proposed pad leading-edge tapers are greatly effective in more accurately predicting and controlling rotordynamic characteristics of vertical hydro-power turbine-generator rotor-bearing systems to which cylindrical TGBs are applied.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.341-345
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• 2021

1D sand compression response to ko-loading experiences volume contraction from low to high effective stress regimes. Previous study suggested compressibility model with physically correct asymptotic void ratios at low and high stress levels and examined only for both remolded clays and natural clays. This study extends the validity of Enhanced Terzaghi model for different sand types complied from 1D compression data. The model involved with four parameters can adequately fit 1D sand compression data for a wide stress range. The low stress obtained from fitting parameters helps to identify the initial fabric conditions. In addition, strong correlation between compressibility and the void ratio at low stress facilitates determination of self-consistent fitting parameters. The computed tangent constrained modulus can capture monotonic stiffening effect induced by an increase in effective stress. The magnitude of tangent stiffness during large strain test should not be associated with small strain stiffness values. The use of a single continuous function to capture 1D stress-strain sand response to ko-loading can improve numerical efficiency and systematically quantify the yield stress instead of ad hoc methods.