关键词： Industry 4.0   process optimization  

摘要： The article reports that Sohar Aluminium has embraced Industry 4.0 technologies, such as mobile connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI), Big Data, robotics, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and machine learning. It presents views of Abdullah Al Maamari, ITmanager at Sohar Aluminium, on the same.

关键词： Task analysis   Semantics   Robot kinematics   Spatial resolution   Robot sensing systems   Measurement  

摘要： As robots become ubiquitous in our everyday lives, they are more and more often assigned complex tasks involving multiple, simultaneous objectives. Moreover, efficiency, envisioned as the ability to complete more tasks in a given amount of time, is becoming increasingly important. At the same time, spurred by progress in machine learning, there is a tendency to explore novel designs in which robots rely more on visual sensors and less on traditional sensors like range finders.

关键词： computational thinking   robotics   problem solving   educational games   competency-based education  

摘要： In present and future society, all individuals must be able to face the problems, risks, advantages and opportunities that will arrive with new paradigms in the labour market, social relations and technology. To reach this goal, a quality and inclusive education together with a proper and complete formation in technology (communications, robotics, programming, computational thinking (CT), etc.) must be imparted at all educational levels. Moreover, all individuals should have the same opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge, as stated in Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, Sustainable Education. Following this trend, in the present work, a practical experience about how to teach CT using robotics is developed, showing the results and evaluation of the lessons on robotics taught to students in their 4th year of compulsory secondary education, and where the students showed a high degree of apathy and demotivation. The teaching unit was based on an action research approach that includes a careful selection of pedagogical techniques and instruments to attract and keep the attention and interest of the students. In addition to the robotics lessons, a previous computational thinking training with Blockly Games was carried out, which contributed to noticeably increase the students motivation and to introduce them to the programming of robots. Moreover, gamification was used to motivate and evaluate the individual knowledge, and the students were required to present the work performed through a final project. The individual needs of the students were fulfilled with a daily monitoring. The results show that the pedagogical techniques, instruments and evaluation were adequate to increase the motivation of the students and to obtain a significant learning, showing how the teaching of CT may attract students that have lost interest and motivation, while providing them with abilities that will be essential for the learning throughout life.

关键词： Scaling laws   Compliant actuation   Parallel arrangements   Energy storage capacity  

摘要： The key component in compliant actuators is the elastic element, typically a spring. Nevertheless, different types of springs have different characteristics in terms of size, weight, maximum allowable force, maximum allowable torque and maximum allowable deflection. It is however very important to compare them on these requirements, since each application has other demands. In this paper, the energy storage capacity of different types of compliant elements are calculated using scaling laws in order to easily derive the maximum achievable energy capacity for a certain arrangement. These scaling laws are given as a function of the structural parameters and are validated with catalog data of spring manufacturers and distributors such as Alcomex, Lesjofors and Century Spring. As such, different types of compliant elements can be compared in an easy way. To fully exploit the capabilities of compliant elements, these scaling laws are used to verify the effect of spring parallelization on mass and/or enclosed volume, which is interesting regarding redundant compliant actuation. From theoretical calculations and a case study, it follows that parallelization is beneficial, especially for mass reduction. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

关键词： On orbit servicing   Guidance   Navigation   Control   Robotics   Computer vision   Image simulation  

摘要： Complex robotics missions require complex GNC and Robotics algorithms, often using vision sensors. The problem of vision-in-the-loop GNC is addressed using photorealistic simulated images and simple computer vision algorithms, coupled with relative estimation and control of a servicing satellite in close proximity operations with a customer satellite. In the near future it will be required to simulate the behavior of automated servicing missions comprehending also vision data, hence the request for vision-in-the-loop simulations. In this article is proposed a GNC and Robotics scheme for proximity operations between a servicer and a customer satellite through the use of adaptive control and computer vision. The scheme is then put to test through simulation of orbital robot dynamics, sensors and camera inputs, and computer vision algorithm in the loop.

关键词： Mitral valve   Robotics   Mitral repair   Mitral valve repair  

摘要： OBJECTIVES: The full potential of robotics has not been achieved in terms of addressing the most challenging mitral valve (MV) cases. We outline our technique and report our early results with totally endoscopic robotic MV repair in a wide range of pathologies. METHODS: From May 2011 to August 2017, a dedicated team attempted totally endoscopic robotic MV repair in 500 MV regurgitation patients. Repair complexity was scored in 3 categories. We analysed our sequential case experience by quartiles. RESULTS: Patient mean age was 60.8 years (range 18-88). Aetiologies included: degenerative 382 (76.4%), functional 37 (7.4%), inflammatory 22 (4.4%) and others 59 (11.8%). Mitral annular calcification was present in 64 (12.8%) cases. Simple MV repair (annuloplasty alone or with 1 leaflet segment repair) was performed in 240 (48%) patients, complex (repair involving more than 1 segment on the same leaflet) in 140 (28%) patients and most complex (bileaflet repair or mitral annular calcification excision with atrioventricular groove repair) in 120 (24%) patients. Concomitant procedures included: left appendage closure (94.8%), patent foramen ovale/atrial septal defect (PFO/ASD) closure (19.6%), cryoablation (19.4%), tricuspid repair (6.2%) or hybrid percutaneous coronary revascularization (7.8%). The overall repair rate was 99.4%, with 0.6% early mortality and 1.2% stroke rate (0.2% permanent neurological deficit). Case complexity increased with our experience. Despite an increase in aortic occlusion and perfusion times (median 86.5 and 125 min) and a slight decrease in operating room extubation rate (overall 64%), length of hospital stay (median 4 days) and 30-day readmission rate (overall 3.6%) were not affected by the progressive inclusion of more complex cases. CONCLUSIONS: Totally endoscopic robotic MV repair performed by a dedicated team allows one to address the entire spectrum of pathological complexity and provides consistent results.

摘要： Reports on events, meetings, and activities that were part of the 2019 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA).

关键词： Cloud   Cloud computing   Cloud robotics   Law   Technology   Policy   Human-robot interaction   Robots   Cyber-physical system   Privacy   Data protection   Product safety  

摘要： This paper assesses some of the key legal and regulatory questions arising from the integration of physical robotic systems with cloud-based services, also called "cloud robotics." The literature on legal and ethical issues in robotics has a strong focus on the robot itself, but largely ignores the background information processing. Conversely, the literature on cloud computing rarely addresses human-machine interactions, which raise distinctive ethical and legal concerns. In this paper, we investigate, from a European legal and regulatory perspective, the growing interdependence and interactions of tangible and virtual elements in cloud robotics environments. We highlight specific problems and challenges in regulating such complex and dynamic ecosystems and explore potential solutions. To illustrate practical challenges, we consider several examples of cloud robotics ecosystems involving multiple parties, various physical devices, and various cloud services. These examples illuminate the complexity of interactions between relevant parties. By identifying pressing legal and regulatory issues in relation to cloud robotics, we hope to inform the policy debate and set the scene for further research. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

关键词： 学习活动   空中机器人  

摘要： 2019年6月16日,北京市海淀青少年活动中心师生及家长来到了全国学校体育联盟机器人工作委员会进行参观学习。在校工委老师的带领下,大家体验了一场生动有趣的机器人展示和学习活动:插件机器人、陆地机器人、空中机器人、轮式足球机器人、人形机器人……让孩子们看得眼花缭乱,大开眼界。