Effect of wearable robot Bot Fit's hip joint-centered assist torque and voice coach on walking.

Background: The main key to the 4th industrial era is robots, and wearable robots are incorporated into human healthcare. Samsung Electronics' Bot Fit is a hip joint-centered assistive robot that can induce walking posture and energetic walking exercises.

Methods: This study is a cross-section study.

Clinical effects of walking exercise program for older adults applied with an exercise assist robot (Bot Fit): A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Interval walking exercise (IWE) consists of repeated walking for 3 min with high intensity, followed by 3 min of walking with low intensity. A wearable robot is an exoskeleton system that is worn on the body and helps the body move.

Research Question: The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of performing IWE using Bot Fit (Samsung Electronics, Korea) on older adults.

Multivariable analysis for predicting lower limb muscular strength with a hip-joint exoskeleton.

Introduction: Advancements in exercise science have highlighted the importance of accurate muscular strength assessments for optimizing performance and preventing injuries.

Methods: We propose a novel approach to measuring muscular strength in young, healthy individuals using Bot Fit, a hip-joint exoskeleton, during resistance exercises. In this study, we introduced performance metrics to evaluate exercise performance during both short and extended durations of three resistance exercises: squats, knee-ups, and reverse lunges.

A wearable hip exoskeleton for anaerobic exercise in healthy adults.

Guidelines encouraging social distancing, limited outings, and remote work due to COVID-19 have increased sedentary periods and reduced levels of physical activity. These habits increase the risk of metabolic diseases, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus. The World Health Organization recommends muscle-strengthening exercises as well as regular physical activity to promote overall health.

Safety & efficacy of a robotic hip exoskeleton on outpatient stroke rehabilitation.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the safety and efficacy of using a robotic hip exoskeleton designed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Korea, called the Gait Enhancing and Motivating System-Hip (GEMS-H), in assistance mode only with the poststroke population in an outpatient-rehabilitation setting.

"Three-in-one": A Photoactivable Nanoplatform Evokes Anti-Immune Response by Inhibiting BRD4-cMYC-PDL1 Axis to Intensify Photo-Immunotherapy.

Combinatorial immuno-cancer therapy is recognized as a promising approach for efficiently treating malignant tumors. Yet, the development of multifunctional nanomedicine capable of precise tumor targeting, remote activation, and immune-regulating drug delivery remains a significant challenge. In this study, nanoparticles loaded with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (JQ-1) using polypyrrole/hyaluronic acid (PPyHA/JQ-1) are developed.

Effect of 4-weeks exercise program using wearable hip-assist robot (EX1) in older adults: one group pre- and post- test.

Background: Older adults have muscle loss and are at risk of falling. Recently, research in the healthcare field has been actively conducted, and Samsung Electronics has developed EX1, a hip joint assisted robot for exercise. This study aimed to verify the effect of a 4-week combined exercise program applying EX1 on older adults.

Comparative study of young-old and old-old people using functional evaluation, gait characteristics, and cardiopulmonary metabolic energy consumption.

Background: Walking is an important factor in daily life. Among older adults, gait function declines with age. In contrast to the many studies revealing gait differences between young adults and older adults, few studies have further divided older adults into groups.

Functional Improvement and Satisfaction with a Wearable Hip Exoskeleton in Community-Living Adults.

Demand for wearable devices and supportive technology is growing as these devices have the potential to enhance physical function and quality of life in users. The purpose of this study was to investigate usability and satisfaction after performing functional and gait exercise with a wearable hip exoskeleton in community-living adults. A total of 225 adults residing in the local community participated in this study.

Effect of Exercise Using an Exoskeletal Hip-Assist Robot on Physical Function and Walking Efficiency in Older Adults.

Robotic technology has developed rapidly in recent years, and several robotic devices have been applied to improve physical, sensory, intellectual, psychological, and social functioning in the elderly and people with disabilities. In this study, we investigated the effects of EX1-assisted exercise in various environments on physical function, muscle strength, and walking efficiency in older adults. We designated four experimental conditions and randomly assigned participants to one of four groups: A (overground walking without an EX1), B (overground walking using the resistance mode of EX1), C (stair ascent using the assistance mode of EX1), and Group D (inclined treadmill walking using the assistance mode of EX1).

A Smart Glove Digital System Promotes Restoration of Upper Limb Motor Function and Enhances Cortical Hemodynamic Changes in Subacute Stroke Patients with Mild to Moderate Weakness: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study was a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of the RAPAEL Smart Glove digital training system on upper extremity function and cortical hemodynamic changes in subacute stroke patients. Of 48 patients, 20 experimental and 16 controls completed the study. In addition to conventional occupational therapy (OT), the experimental group received game-based digital hand motor training with the RAPAEL Smart Glove digital system, while the control group received extra OT for 30 min.

Highly Optimized Iron Oxide Embedded Poly(Lactic Acid) Nanocomposites for Effective Magnetic Hyperthermia and Biosecurity.

Introduction: Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (IONPs) have attracted considerable attention for various biomedical applications owing to their ease of synthesis, strong magnetic properties, and biocompatibility. In particular, IONPs can generate heat under an alternating magnetic field, the effects of which have been extensively studied for magnetic hyperthermia therapy. However, the development of IONPs with high heating efficiency, biocompatibility, and colloidal stability in physiological environments is still required for their safe and effective application in biomedical fields.

Proof-of-Concept of a Sensor-Based Evaluation Method for Better Sensitivity of Upper-Extremity Motor Function Assessment.

In rehabilitation, the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) is a typical clinical instrument to assess upper-extremity motor function of stroke patients, but it cannot measure fine changes of motor function (both in recovery and deterioration) due to its limited sensitivity. This paper introduces a sensor-based automated FMA system that addresses this limitation with a continuous rating algorithm. The system consists of a depth sensor (Kinect V2) and an algorithm to rate the continuous FM scale based on fuzzy inference.

Correlation between cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost and lower-limb muscle activity during inclined treadmill gait in older adults.

Background: Inclined walking requires more cardiopulmonary metabolic energy and muscle strength than flat-level walking. This study sought to investigate changes in lower-limb muscle activity and cardiopulmonary metabolic energy cost during treadmill walking with different inclination grades and to discern any correlation between these two measures in older adults.

Methods: Twenty-four healthy older adults (n = 11 males; mean age: 75.

A wearable electromyography-controlled functional electrical stimulation system improves balance, gait function, and symmetry in older adults.

Background: Wearable technologies have been developed for healthy aging. The technology for electromyography (EMG)-controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) systems has been developed, but research on how helpful it is in daily life has been insufficient.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the EMG-controlled FES system on muscle morphology, balance, and gait in older adults.

The Heating Efficiency and Imaging Performance of Magnesium Iron Oxide@tetramethyl Ammonium Hydroxide Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications.

Multifunctional magnetic nanomaterials displaying high specific loss power (SLP) and high imaging sensitivity with good spatial resolution are highly desired in image-guided cancer therapy. Currently, commercial nanoparticles do not sufficiently provide such multifunctionality. For example, Resovist has good image resolution but with a low SLP, whereas BNF has a high SLP value with very low image resolution.

Photothermal Polymerization Using Graphene Oxide for Robust Hydrogelation with Various Light Sources.

Photopolymerization has been widely used for remote inducible hydrogelation with excellent spatiotemporal control. Recently, photothermal hydrogelation using near-infrared (NIR) light and photothermal agents has been developed showing remote hydrogelation ability with good biocompatibility and tissue penetration. However, the use of plasmonic nanoparticles (e.

Wearable hip-assist robot modulates cortical activation during gait in stroke patients: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Background: Gait dysfunction is common in post-stroke patients as a result of impairment in cerebral gait mechanism. Powered robotic exoskeletons are promising tools to maximize neural recovery by delivering repetitive walking practice.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the modulating effect of the Gait Enhancing and Motivating System-Hip (GEMS-H) on cortical activation during gait in patients with chronic stroke.

Optimal stimulation site for rTMS to improve motor function: Anatomical hand knob vs. hand motor hotspot.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is used to modulate neuronal excitability of the human brain. Distant effects on contralateral corticomotor excitability can be exerted by interhemispheric modulation by low-frequency rTMS on ipsilateral hemisphere. To modulate corticospinal excitability, accurate determination of the stimulation site is important to maximize the effects of rTMS.

Engineering Core-Shell Structures of Magnetic Ferrite Nanoparticles for High Hyperthermia Performance.

Magnetic ferrite nanoparticles (MFNs) with high heating efficiency are highly desirable for hyperthermia applications. As conventional MFNs usually show low heating efficiency with a lower specific loss power (), extensive efforts to enhance the of MFNs have been made by varying the particle compositions, sizes, and structures. In this study, we attempted to increase the values by creating core-shell structures of MFNs.

Training for Walking Efficiency With a Wearable Hip-Assist Robot in Patients With Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background and Purpose- The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gait training with a newly developed wearable hip-assist robot on locomotor function and efficiency in patients with chronic stroke. Methods- Twenty-eight patients with stroke with hemiparesis were initially enrolled, and 26 patients completed the randomized controlled trial (14 in the experimental and 12 in the control groups). The experimental group participated in a gait training program over a total of 10 sessions, including 5 treadmill sessions and 5 over-ground gait training sessions while wearing a hip-assist robot, the Gait Enhancing and Motivating System (GEMS, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Suwon, Republic of Korea).

Synthesis of Magnetic Ferrite Nanoparticles with High Hyperthermia Performance via a Controlled Co-Precipitation Method.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) that exhibit high specific loss power (SLP) at lower metal content are highly desirable for hyperthermia applications. The conventional co-precipitation process has been widely employed for the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles. However, their hyperthermia performance is often insufficient, which is considered as the main challenge to the development of practicable cancer treatments.