关键词： Healthcare   Robots   Robotics   Ethics of robotics   Responsible research and innovation   Stakeholders   Dialogue   Participation   Embedded ethics  

摘要： How can we best identify, understand, and deal with ethical and societal issues raised by healthcare robotics? This paper argues that next to ethical analysis, classic technology assessment, and philosophical speculation we need forms of reflection, dialogue, and experiment that come, quite literally, much closer to innovation practices and contexts of use. The authors discuss a number of ways how to achieve that. Informed by their experience with "embedded" ethics in technical projects and with various tools and methods of responsible research and innovation, the paper identifies "internal" and "external" forms of dialogical research and innovation, reflections on the possibilities and limitations of these forms of ethical-technological innovation, and explores a number of ways how they can be supported by policy at national and supranational level. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

关键词： Laparoscopy   3D   Robotics   Performance   Errors   Novices  

摘要： The advent of three-dimensional passive stereoscopic imaging has led to the development of 3D laparoscopy. In simulation tasks, a reduction in error rate and performance time is seen with 3D compared to two-dimensional (2D) laparoscopy with both novice and expert surgeons. Robotics utilises 3D and instrument articulation through a console interface. Robotic trials have demonstrated that tasks performed in 3D produced fewer errors and quicker performance times compared with those in 2D. It was therefore perceived that the main advantage of robotic surgery was in fact 3D. Our aim was to compare 3D straight-stick laparoscopic task performance (3D) with robotic 3D (Robot), to determine whether robotic surgery confers additional benefit over and above 3D visualisation. We randomised 20 novice surgeons to perform four validated surgical tasks, either with straight-stick 3D laparoscopy followed by 3D robotic surgery or in the reverse order. The trial was conducted in two fully functional operating theatres. The primary outcome of the study was the error rate as defined for each task, and the secondary outcome was the time taken to complete each task. The participants were asked to perform the tasks as quickly and as accurately as possible. Data were analysed using SPSS version 21. The median error rate for completion of all four tasks with the robot was 2.75 and 5.25 for 3D with a P value < 0.001. The median performance time for completion of all four tasks with the robot was 157.1 and 342.5 s for 3D with a P value < 0.001. Our study has shown that for novice surgeons, there is a significant benefit in a simulated setting of 3D robotic systems over 3D straight-stick laparoscopy, in terms of reduced error rate and quicker task performance time.

关键词： Adaptive stroke length   Adjustable link length   Finite element analysis   Multi-body dynamics simulation   Gait analysis  

摘要： This paper presents the Finite element analysis (FEA), Multi-body dynamics (MBD) simulation and gait pattern analysis of a bio-inspired quadruped robot. A novel power transmission mechanism with varying gear train centre distance has been designed for generating different gait structures to suit unstructured terrain. The adjustable length of the lower link aids in improving the stability of the robot (or) make the robot to travel longer distances within a stipulated time. MBD simulation has been performed using MSC/ADAMS for torque, speed, energy and force analysis. The novel mechanism designed was able to successfully negotiate unstructured obstacles of different heights and these results have been presented in the paper. The results show a direct relationship between stroke length, lift-off distance and gear centre distance. A full scale experimental setup, along with the suitable supporting mechanisms is developed. The experimental analysis has been carried out for measuring the Ground Reaction Force (GRF). The GRF is found to be 45 N on an average, when the robot is walking.

关键词： Speech recognition  

摘要： The problem of protection of a voice-activated robotics control system against the acoustic noise similar to the speaker voice is investigated. A new algorithm for voice signal processing using the phonetic word decoding method and the (R+1) information element is proposed. The results of the experimental study of this algorithm are reported. It is shown that the developed algorithm reduces the false alarm ratio by and an order of magnitude or even more and retains high probability of correct voice recognition.

关键词： Robotics   Game design   Computational thinking   Self-efficacy   STEM attitudes   Diversity in STEM  

摘要： This paper describes the findings of a pilot study that used robotics and game design to develop middle school students' computational thinking strategies. One hundred and twenty-four students engaged in LEGO(A (R)) EV3 robotics and created games using Scalable Game Design software. The results of the study revealed students' pre-post self-efficacy scores on the construct of computer use declined significantly, while the constructs of videogaming and computer gaming remained unchanged. When these constructs were analyzed by type of learning environment, self-efficacy on videogaming increased significantly in the combined robotics/gaming environment compared with the gaming-only context. Student attitudes toward STEM, however, did not change significantly as a result of the study. Finally, children's computational thinking (CT) strategies varied by method of instruction as students who participated in holistic game development (i.e., Project First) had higher CT ratings. This study contributes to the STEM education literature on the use of robotics and game design to influence self-efficacy in technology and CT, while informing the research team about the adaptations needed to ensure project fidelity during the remaining years of the study.

关键词： methane   greenhouse gas   stable carbon isotope   Ascension Island   global carbon cycle   UAS  

摘要： Ascension Island is a remote South Atlantic equatorial site, ideal for monitoring tropical background CH4. In September 2014 and July 2015, octocopters were used to collect air samples in Tedlar bags from different heights above and below the well-defined Trade Wind Inversion (TWI), sampling a maximum altitude of 2700m above mean sea level. Sampling captured both remote air in the marine boundary layer below the TWI and also air masses above the TWI that had been lofted by convective systems in the African tropics. Air above the TWI was characterized by higher CH4, but no distinct shift in delta C-13 was observed compared to the air below. Back trajectories indicate that lofted CH4 emissions from Southern Hemisphere Africa have bulk delta C-13(CH4) signatures similar to background, suggesting mixed emissions from wetlands, agriculture, and biomass burning. The campaigns illustrate the usefulness of unmanned aerial system sampling and Ascension's value for atmospheric measurement in an understudied region.

摘要： The use of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) as the flexspline in strain wave gears (SWGs), also known as harmonic drives, is presented. SWGs are unique, ultra-precision gearboxes that function through the elastic flexing of a thin-walled cup, called a flexspline. The current research demonstrates that BMGs can be cast at extremely low cost relative to machining and can be implemented into SWGs as an alternative to steel. This approach may significantly reduce the cost of SWGs, enabling lower-cost robotics. The attractive properties of BMGs, such as hardness, elastic limit and yield strength, may also be suitable for extreme environment applications in spacecraft.

关键词： 动力学建模   过约束   旋量键合图   并联机构   多能域  

摘要： 采用旋量键合图建立球面2-DOF过约束并联机器人机电两种能量并存系统动力学模型,该方法相对传统力学原理动力学建模方法的优点是建模过程规则化,能够得到适合于现代控制理论的空间并联机构状态方程。所建动力学模型只有36个方程,但由于被动过约束(公共约束和冗余约束)和主动过约束(冗余驱动)的存在,共有43个未知量需要求解。为此,针对被动过约束问题,分析三个分支变形引起末端相对于球心O的位移量,增加了6个变形协调补充方程;针对主动过约束问题,提出了采用输入力优化的方法,增加了1个补充方程,最终得到了该机器人完整的多能域系统动力学全解模型。通过数值算例,验证了该方法的可行性和合理性。该方法可以推广到其他包含机、电、液、气的多能域过约束并联机器人系统,为该类多能域机器人系统动力学建模分析提供了一种新的思路。

关键词： 采摘机械手   联合仿真   运动分析   ADAMS   UG  

摘要： 为了提高采摘机器人机械手设计的速度,缩短开发周期和时间,并提高设计的准确性,采用UG和ADAMS软件联合仿真的方法 ,对采摘机器人进行了设计优化。首先利用UG软件对六自由度的采摘机械手进行了三维实体建模,然后采用UG和ADAMS的兼容性接口将模型导入到了ADAMS软件中,根据实际设计需求添加了约束,最后对机械手进行了动力学仿真。通过仿真计算,得到了机械手各关节的位移-时间曲线和力学分析曲线,通过观察结构的运动轨迹和受力情况,可以对初始设计阶段的机械手进行优化设计,从而提高了设计的效率。

关键词： 高速大跨度绳牵引并联机器人   冗余驱动   动力学建模   绳索张力优化分布   迭代优化算法  

摘要： 该文研究了高速大跨度冗余驱动绳牵引并联机器人的动力学建模和张力优化分布。首先,建立了基于有限元思想的绳索动力学模型;其次,推导了包含绳索动力学影响的绳牵引并联机器人的动力学方程;继而,以绳索张力方差最小为目标,得到了适用于冗余驱动绳牵引并联机器人的张力优化分布模型;进而,在优化模型的基础上,提出了一种以直线模型的索长和张力为迭代初始值,以绳索垂度不发生改变为终止条件的绳索张力迭代优化算法,实现了绳索张力的优化求解;最后,通过算例仿真说明了考虑绳索质量和惯性力影响的必要性,并且验证了算法的收敛性、有效性和合理性,为绳牵引并联机器人的力控制奠定了理论基础。