关键词： robotics   transoral   surgery   training   credentialing  

摘要： Training and credentialing for robotic surgery in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery is currently not standardized, but rather relies heavily on industry guidance. This manuscript represents a comprehensive review of this increasingly important topic and outlines clear recommendations to better standardize the practice. The recommendations provided can be used as a reference by individuals and institutions alike, and are expected to evolve over time. (C) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

关键词： imaging   navigation   robotics  

摘要： Spinal technology involves imaging, navigation, and robotics-collectively known as "image-guided therapy." Imaging coupled with navigation enhances visualization of irregular anatomy, enabling less invasive procedures. With robotics surgeons can perform quicker and safer hand movements with increased accuracy. In the 1890s, X-rays were invented by Roentgen. The first piece of X-ray equipment, the Cryptoscope, would take an image for 15 minutes, with the surgeon placing his hand in front of the beam to guide calibration;radiation exposure for both surgeon and patient was extreme. In the 1950s, fluoroscopy (C-arm) was invented. In the 1970s, computer-assisted tomography (CAT), known as CAT scan, became available;magnetic resonance imaging had its beginnings in the 1980s, and in 1985, the first robotic surgery was performed to obtain a neurosurgical biopsy specimen. The concept of navigation was introduced in the 1990s, and today's niche products for navigation came onto the market in the 2000s.

关键词： ROBOTICS   ROBOT industry  

摘要： An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including an algorithm for producing a flight plan for an aerial robot; methods to prevent chattering by placing costs on switching in the industry; and approaches for multi-robot systems.

关键词： Robots   Biomimetics   Research & development--R&D  

摘要： "The research at UC Berkeley is exploring bio-inspired mobility and control methods that can be applied to future Army autonomous robotic systems," [Brett Piekarsld] said. "Over the course of the program, they have performed research in many areas from how insects can maneuver and transition over and through varying surfaces, to how lizards use their tails to maintain stability over rugged terrain or to maneuver rapidly, to bio-inspired self-righting technologies that have fed to a joint project...

关键词： Robotics   network science   cognitive modeling   decision making  

摘要： Due to the increasing use of robots in US military operations, a new role may help to manage and coordinate multiple robotic assets, especially when considering the high mental workload requirements for robot control. The role of a robotics operator manager (ROM) was formed to study a path forward in solving this problem. An experiment with human test participants acting as ROMs showed that the ROM role as constructed is a workable solution to the robot management problems and also showed that time limits and bandwidth limitation affected engineered explosive detection performance, assessments of trust, and ratings of mental workload. Some of these results and others showing preferences for image stimuli and ground robots were simulated in an Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational model of the ROM experiment. The experimental and model results reveal that the ROM is not just a workable solution to the robot coordination problem, but that it may also be a preferred solution. I conclude with notes on how to field the role with personnel of specific skill sets.

关键词： robotics   letter   Neural network   Correspondence   Network   Sight  

关键词： Rossum's Universal Robots   Social impact of robots   Roboethics   Anthropomorphism  

摘要： A critical review of "Rossum's Universal Robots" (R.U.R.) is attempted beyond its literary aspects from a robotics perspective. The importance of R.U.R. for robotics has been mainly associated with the introduction of the word "Robot". Apart from its historical value the play provides an expression of many important issues concerning robotics both of philosophical as well as technological nature that are pointed out and briefly discussed. It is interesting that several of these issues constitute research topics for contemporary robotics. The play also loudly voices social concerns regarding the use of robots which are still echoed in today's societies. The scenario of the play exemplifies how robotics brings tremendous conveniences but at the same time can have unprecedented consequences on people's lives, which today call for an urgent regulation in order to prevent them. For the robotics community it is both interesting and stimulating to critically (re)consider R.U.R.

关键词： Soft Robotics  

关键词： Perception   Echolocation   Navigation   Disaster search rescue  

摘要： Navigation and localization in extreme or hostile environments such as deep ocean, disaster scenes and underground environments where darkness, pollution, and dust render cameras, laser scanners, and other sensors ineffective is a task that is challenging to robotics. Nature, however, equipped cave-dwelling creatures with echo acoustic perception that allowed them to thrive in such environments. Visually impaired people have been successful in using ultrasonic (echo acoustic) mobility aids for day-to-day safe navigation. This work demonstrates a technique for deriving reflector-bearing and range data from backscattered ultrasonic echoes and an improved technique for the use of ultrasonic perception for robotics in hostile environments to render range data usable in the construction of 3-dimensional maps of a disaster site for both surface and subterranean apertures. Low profile inclinometers render data about the robot's pitch and roll, thus providing information usable in assessing the site's stability and identifying potential slippage locations along a rescue path. Augmenting the robots' sensors with a simple heat sensor enables the detection, and rendering of survivors body heat signatures' location, within the site map they build, allowing rescuers to plan a safe rescue path. Future work will examine the potential of adapting swarm technology where multiple agents work collaboratively to produce a complete and coherent site survey in minimum time. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

关键词： Temporal modeling   Time-delay neural networks   Neuroevolution   Cognitive robotics   NEAT  

摘要： This paper describes and tests an approach to improve the temporal processing capabilities of the neuroevolution of augmenting topologies (NEAT) algorithm. This algorithm is quite popular within the robotics community for the production of trained neural networks without having to determine a priori their size and topology. The main drawback of the traditional NEAT algorithm is that, even though it can implement recurrent synaptic connections, which allow it to perform some time related processing tasks, its capabilities are rather limited, especially when dealing with precise time dependent phenomena. NEAT's ability to capture the underlying dynamics that correspond to complex time series still has a lot of room for improvement. To address this issue, the paper describes a new implementation of the NEAT algorithm that is able to generate artificial neural networks (ANNs) with trainable time delayed synapses in addition to its previous capacities. We show that this approach, called -NEAT improves the behavior of the neural networks obtained when dealing with complex time related processes. Several examples are presented, both dealing with the generation of ANNs that are able to produce complex theoretical signals such as chaotic signals or real data series, as in the case of the monthly number of international airline passengers or monthly concentrations. In these examples, -NEAT clearly improves over the traditional NEAT algorithm in these tasks. A final example of the integration of this approach within a robot cognitive mechanism is also presented, showing the clear improvements it could provide in the modeling required for many cognitive processes.