Background/Objectives: Globally, life expectancy has been increasing with South Korea focusing on improving health to enhance quality of life. The COVID-19 pandemic further emphasized the need for digital transformation in healthcare, accelerating digital health adoption. This study explores the digital divide between ‘Digital Natives (20–39 Y)’ and ‘Digital Immigrants (40–69 Y)’, focusing on digital device usage and confidence. Methods: This study utilized national survey data from the Digital Health Literacy Survey Results and Policy Implications, focusing on differences in digital device use and confidence between young adults (20–39 Y) and middle-aged adults (40–69 Y). The participants comprised 1000 adults aged 20 to 69 in the Republic of Korea. Respondents were queried about their use of digital health tools, such as wearable devices and mobile apps. Confidence in using digital systems and managing health via digital tools was assessed using a five-point Likert scale. Results: The findings indicated that while young adults have lower rates of using digital devices for healthcare, they exhibit higher confidence in using such devices. In contrast, middle-aged adults, despite having lower confidence, report higher usage of digital devices for healthcare purposes. Conclusions: This study explored differences in digital confidence and healthcare usage between age groups and aimed to propose effective health management strategies based on digital accessibility.

Background: Exoskeleton robots are emerging as a transformative technology in healthcare, rehabilitation, and industrial settings, providing significant benefits such as improving gait restoration and preventing injuries. These robots enhance mobility for individuals with neuromuscular disorders by providing muscular assistance and reducing physical strain, while also supporting workers in physically demanding tasks. They improve gait efficiency, muscle activation, and overall physical function, contributing to both rehabilitation and occupational health. Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of exoskeleton use on muscle activation patterns, fatigue levels, and gait parameters in healthy individuals. Methods: Thirty-six participants engaged in a randomized sequence gait experiment on a treadmill for 30 min, both with and without an exoskeleton, with electromyography (EMG) and OptoGait measurements collected during the sessions. A one-week washout period was implemented before participants switched conditions. Results: In the Maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) analysis, significant differences were observed in the Rectus femoris (RF) and gastrocnemius(GM) when wearing the exoskeleton robot compared to not wearing it. At 10 min, 20 min, and 30 min, the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05) for all muscles. In the muscle fatigue analysis, significant differences were observed in RF, GM, vastus medialis (VM), and hamstring(HS) at 10 min, 20 min, and 30 min (p < 0.05). In the step length and stride length analysis, significant differences were observed at 10 min and 30 min, but no differences were found at 20 min (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the use of the exoskeleton robot significantly impacts muscle activation, muscle fatigue, and gait parameters. The results emphasize the potential benefits of exoskeletons in enhancing mobility and reducing muscle strain, providing important insights for rehabilitation and occupational applications

Background: Smart-bar device (SBD) is a newly developed device to measure the body range of motion (ROM) by a kinetic sensor and to provide an exercise program with augmented reality (AR) guidance of body-frame image and audio feedback by mobile application. Objective: This study aims to compare the performance of SBD with AR function with a goniometer and to verify the clinical utility of SBD with AR guide function` Methods: Ten healthy individuals were enrolled and measured the ROM of body lateral flexion, extension, and rotation using a goniometer and SBD simultaneously. To evaluate the accuracy of an AR-guided exercise, we enrolled three patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and measured the ROM of trunk lateral flexion and rotation during stretching exercises using SBD with or without AR guidance. Results: Concurrent validity between the goniometer and SBD was statistically significant, with a very high correlation coefficient from r = 0.836–0.988 (p < 0.05). All patients with scoliosis showed higher accuracy when we used SBD with AR guidance than when we used SBD without AR guidance (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The SBD could be a valid device to measure the joint angle of neck, shoulder, and trunk. AR guidance increased the accuracy of the stretching exercise, and mobile application of AR-guided stretching exercises with SBD should be useful for scoliosis patients to correct their posture.

This study investigates the effects of home-based Kakao Healthcare breathing exercises and stretching on respiratory function and fatigue in COVID-19-cured patients. A total of 35 participants performed four movements of home-based breathing exercises and five respiratory muscle stretching exercises four times a week for four weeks. Respiratory function was measured using forced vital capacity(FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, and peak expiratory flow(PEF). Fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Data analysis was performed using independent-sample and paired-sample t-tests in SPSS 24, with the significance level set at p < 0.05. After four weeks of home-based Kakao Healthcare breathing exercises, there were significant increases in respiratory FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and PEF function values observed in the training group (T.G.) after the exercise intervention (p < 0.05). Such an increase was observed when comparing these values with their corresponding pre-exercise measurements. In contrast, there were no statistically significant differences in respiratory function outcomes before and after exercise in the control group (C.G.) (p > 0.05). The FSS scores were statistically significant within the training group (T.G.) (p > 0.05). The 4-week Kakao Healthcare breathing exercise scheme was found to be capable of improving some respiratory functions in COVID-19-recovered patients, but it showed no significant improvement in fatigue levels.

The present study investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of pseudo-weight resistance training using mixed-reality (MR) technology for shoulder muscle activation in healthy individuals. Thirty-two healthy students aged 20~35 years participated in this preliminary study and were divided into two groups. Participants in the MR group received 30 min of training three times a week for 4 weeks using a customized MR-based pseudo-weight resistance training system. Those in the control group performed the same exercises using a conventional training program. Muscle activation of the deltoids, upper trapezius, infraspinatus, and supraspinatus were measured before and after the intervention. There was a statistically significant difference in middle deltoid, upper trapezius, and supraspinatus muscle activation in the MR group (p < 0.05), while the control group showed a significant difference in the anterior and middle deltoid, upper trapezius, and supraspinatus (p < 0.05). Regarding the between-group comparison, no statistically significant difference was observed for all six muscles (p > 0.05). Without any superiority of physical weight resistance training in the pseudo-weight training program, an MR-based pseudo-weight resistance training system can potentially be used for muscle-strengthening training, especially for early rehabilitation programs. However, further study using a large sample size with a long experimental duration is needed for more evidence of the presented technology and its use in home training.