Metamorphic Hand Based Grasp Constraint and Affordance

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guowu Wei ◽  
Jie Sun ◽  
Xinsheng Zhang ◽  
Dirk Pensky ◽  
Justus Piater ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Object Manipulation ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Structure Design ◽  
Service Robot ◽  
Mobile Manipulator ◽  
Robotic Hand ◽  
Robot Arm ◽  
Hand Kinematics ◽  
Grasp Quality

This paper presents the kinematics and grasp constraint and affordance of a newly designed mobile manipulator with a three-fingered metamorphic robotic hand. Structure design of the mobile manipulator, which contains a Robotino 3.0, a customised robot arm and a three-fingered metamorphic hand, is presented. Using mechanism decomposition, kinematics of the manipulator is formulated based on product-of-exponentials method and kinematics of the metamorphic hand is investigated leading to the construction of grasp constraint providing theoretical background for measuring grasp quality of the grasps predicted by the grasp-affordance model. Further, relation of the grasp-affordance model to the manipulator and hand kinematics with the associated grasp constraint are indicated linking the manipulator kinematics with the grasp-affordance model for object manipulation. The mobile manipulator proposed in this paper is to be used for toys tidying up in a child’s room with extended applications to the field of service robot in clutter clearing.

scholarly journals Climate Change in the Arctic—The Need for a Broader Gender Perspective in Data Collection

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 628
Author(s):  
Arja Rautio ◽  
Natalia Kukarenko ◽  
Lena Maria Nilsson ◽  
Birgitta Evengard
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Gender Analysis ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Disaggregated Data

Climate change in the Arctic affects both environmental, animal, and human health, as well as human wellbeing and societal development. Women and men, and girls and boys are affected differently. Sex-disaggregated data collection is increasingly carried out as a routine in human health research and in healthcare analysis. This study involved a literature review and used a case study design to analyze gender differences in the roles and responsibilities of men and women residing in the Arctic. The theoretical background for gender-analysis is here described together with examples from the Russian Arctic and a literature search. We conclude that a broader gender-analysis of sex-disaggregated data followed by actions is a question of human rights and also of economic benefits for societies at large and of the quality of services as in the health care.

STAND-UP MOTION SUPPORT BY A MOBILE MANIPULATOR SYSTEM WITH HIGH SPEED TACTILE SENSORS

2011 ◽  
Vol 08 (03) ◽  
pp. 181-195
Author(s):  
ZHAOXIAN XIE ◽  
HISASHI YAMAGUCHI ◽  
MASAHITO TSUKANO ◽  
AIGUO MING ◽  
MAKOTO SHIMOJO
Keyword(s):  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Feedback Control ◽  
Experimental Verification ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Tactile Sensor ◽  
Mobile Manipulator ◽  
Tactile Sensing ◽  
Robot Arm ◽  
Tactile Sensors

As one of the home services by a mobile manipulator system, we are aiming at the realization of the stand-up motion support for elderly people. This work is charaterized by the use of real-time feedback control based on the information from high speed tactile sensors for detecting the contact force as well as its center of pressure between the assisted human and the robot arm. First, this paper introduces the design of the tactile sensor as well as initial experimental results to show the feasibility of the proposed system. Moreover, several fundamental tactile sensing-based motion controllers necessary for the stand-up motion support and their experimental verification are presented. Finally, an assist trajectory generation method for the stand-up motion support by integrating fuzzy logic with tactile sensing is proposed and demonstrated experimentally.

A Screw-Theoretic Analysis Framework for Payload Manipulation by Mobile Manipulator Collectives

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajankumar Bhatt ◽  
Chin Pei Tang ◽  
Michel Abou-Samah ◽  
Venkat Krovi
Keyword(s):  
System Performance ◽  
Single Agent ◽  
Physical Nature ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
System Level ◽  
Mobile Manipulator ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Tight Coupling ◽  
Constrained Mechanical Systems ◽  
The Individual

In recent times, there has been considerable interest in creating and deploying modular cooperating collectives of robots. Interest in such cooperative systems typically arises when certain tasks are either too complex to be performed by a single agent or when there are distinct benefits that accrue by cooperation of many simple robotic modules. However, the nature of the both the individual modules as well as their interactions can affect the overall system performance. In this paper, we examine this aspect in the context of cooperative payload transport by robot collectives wherein the physical nature of the interactions between the various modules creates a tight coupling within the system. We leverage the rich theoretical background of analysis of constrained mechanical systems to provide a systematic framework for formulation and evaluation of system-level performance on the basis of the individual-module characteristics. The composite multi-d.o.f wheeled vehicle, formed by supporting a common payload on the end-effectors of multiple individual mobile manipulator modules, is treated as an in-parallel system with articulated serial-chain arms. The system-level model, constructed from the twist- and wrench-based models of the attached serial chains, can then be systematically analyzed for performance (in terms of mobility and disturbance rejection.) A 2-module composite system example is used through the paper to highlight various aspects of the systematic system model formulation, effects of selection of the actuation at the articulations (active, passive or locked) on system performance and experimental validation on a hardware prototype test bed.

scholarly journals A nudge in the right direction: the role of food choice architecture in changing populations' diets

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
H. Ensaff
Keyword(s):  
Food Choice ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Food Selection ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Choice Architecture ◽  
Different Populations ◽  
The Right ◽  
Care Costs

Populations' diets typically fall short of recommendations. The implication of this on ill health and quality of life is well established, as are the subsequent health care costs. An area of growing interest within public health nutrition is food choice architecture; how a food choice is framed and its influence on subsequent food selection. In particular, there is an appeal to manipulating the choice architecture in order to nudge individuals' food choice. This review outlines the current understanding of food choice architecture, theoretical background to nudging and the evidence on the effectiveness of nudge strategies, as well as their design and implementation. Interventions emphasising the role of nudge strategies have investigated changes to the accessibility, availability and presentation of food and the use of prompts. Empirical studies have been conducted in laboratories, online and in real-world food settings, and with different populations. Evidence on the effectiveness of nudge strategies in shifting food choice is encouraging. Underpinning mechanisms, not yet fully explicated, are proposed to relate to salience, social norms and the principle of least effort. Emerging evidence points to areas for development including the effectiveness of choice architecture interventions with different and diverse populations, and the combined effect of multiple nudges. This, alongside further examination of theoretical mechanisms and guidance to engage and inspire across the breadth of food provision, is critical. In this way, the potential of choice architecture to effect meaningful change in populations' diets will be realised.

Cooperation and Null-Space Control of Networked Omni-Directional Mobile Manipulators

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael John Chua ◽  
Yen-Chen Liu
Keyword(s):  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Null Space ◽  
Kinematic Model ◽  
Mobile Manipulator ◽  
Main Task ◽  
Mobile Manipulators ◽  
Robot Arm ◽  
Task Space ◽  
End Effector ◽  
Mobile Base

Abstract This paper presents cooperation and null-space control for networked mobile manipulators with high degrees of freedom (DOFs). First, kinematic model and Euler-Lagrange dynamic model of the mobile manipulator, which has an articulated robot arm mounted on a mobile base with omni-directional wheels, have been presented. Then, the dynamic decoupling has been considered so that the task-space and the null-space can be controlled separately to accomplish different missions. The motion of the end-effector is controlled in the task-space, and the force control is implemented to make sure the cooperation of the mobile manipulators, as well as the transportation tasks. Also, the null-space control for the manipulator has been combined into the decoupling control. For the mobile base, it is controlled in the null-space to track the velocity of the end-effector, avoid other agents, avoid the obstacles, and move in a defined range based on the length of the manipulator without affecting the main task. Numerical simulations have been addressed to demonstrate the proposed methods.

The Structure Design of Product Equipment for the Rigid PVC Crusting-Foam Plate

2014 ◽  
Vol 915-916 ◽  
pp. 349-355
Author(s):  
Xiao Zhen Hu
Keyword(s):  
Production Line ◽  
Power Transmission ◽  
Transmission System ◽  
Structure Design ◽  
Technical Level ◽  
Line System ◽  
Measurement And Analysis ◽  
Rigid Pvc ◽  
Cutting System

Through deeply research and analysis the extruding technology of PVC crusting-foam plate, several main equipments of the production line system such as extruder power transmission system, machine barrel, screw, cooling stereotypes system and traction cutting system are designed. The drawings of all components and parts are drawn by using AutoCAD and Pro/E soft. After the production line assembled, some related experiments, measurement and analysis are completed, and the results show that the quality of PVC plates produced by our production line attained to technical level of imported products.

scholarly journals Educational program “Communication in the Treatment Process” – description, goals, and theoretical background

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-140
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Wieczorek ◽  
◽  
Agnieszka Fusińska-Korpik ◽  
Łukasz Cichocki ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Medical Personnel ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Patient Centered Medicine ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Medical Recommendations

Effective medical communication is an extremely important aspect of patient-centered medicine. It allows for achieving better treatment outcomes and is of key importance in the case of patients experiencing mental problems. Research clearly indicates that the quality of communication is a fundamental element of medical services, which not only affects patient satisfaction, but can also reduce the risk of burnout among staff who have contact with patients. A sense of mutual understanding translates into trust and contributes to more conscientious adherence to medical recommendations. Considering the cooperation of all medical and non-medical personnel, high-quality communication reduces the risk of tensions and conflicts, as well as the number of complaints reported by patients. Both research findings and our own experience show that individuals with mental disorders often feel misunderstood, stigmatised, or ignored by healthcare personnel. Based on the above assumptions, the experts from Józef Babiński Specialist Hospital in Kraków developed their own program entitled “Communication in the Treatment Process.” It was implemented in 2018 by the Ministry of Health among over 2,500 professionals in the Małopolskie and Podkarpackie provinces. The aim of the project was to improve the communication skills of medical and non-medical personnel in the context of communication with patients with mental disorders. The paper describes in detail the theoretical background, the goals, and the course of the program.

scholarly journals Robotic Ultrasound Scanning With Real-Time Image-Based Force Adjustment: Quick Response for Enabling Physical Distancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mojtaba Akbari ◽  
Jay Carriere ◽  
Tyler Meyer ◽  
Ron Sloboda ◽  
Siraj Husain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Image Features ◽  
Svm Classifier ◽  
Quick Response ◽  
Robot Arm ◽  
Noise Characteristics ◽  
The Us

During an ultrasound (US) scan, the sonographer is in close contact with the patient, which puts them at risk of COVID-19 transmission. In this paper, we propose a robot-assisted system that automatically scans tissue, increasing sonographer/patient distance and decreasing contact duration between them. This method is developed as a quick response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It considers the preferences of the sonographers in terms of how US scanning is done and can be trained quickly for different applications. Our proposed system automatically scans the tissue using a dexterous robot arm that holds US probe. The system assesses the quality of the acquired US images in real-time. This US image feedback will be used to automatically adjust the US probe contact force based on the quality of the image frame. The quality assessment algorithm is based on three US image features: correlation, compression and noise characteristics. These US image features are input to the SVM classifier, and the robot arm will adjust the US scanning force based on the SVM output. The proposed system enables the sonographer to maintain a distance from the patient because the sonographer does not have to be holding the probe and pressing against the patient's body for any prolonged time. The SVM was trained using bovine and porcine biological tissue, the system was then tested experimentally on plastisol phantom tissue. The result of the experiments shows us that our proposed quality assessment algorithm successfully maintains US image quality and is fast enough for use in a robotic control loop.

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