关键词： Swarm robotics   Social insects   Pheromone communication  

摘要： In swarm robotics, communication among the robots is essential. Inspired by biological swarms using pheromones, we propose the use of chemical compounds to realize group foraging behavior in robot swarms. We designed a fully autonomous robot, and then created a swarm using ethanol as the trail pheromone allowing the robots to communicate with one another indirectly via pheromone trails. Our group recruitment and cooperative transport algorithms provide the robots with the required swarm behavior. We conducted both simulations and experiments with real robot swarms, and analyzed the data statistically to investigate any changes caused by pheromone communication in the performance of the swarm in solving foraging recruitment and cooperative transport tasks. The results show that the robots can communicate using pheromone trails, and that the improvement due to pheromone communication may be non-linear, depending on the size of the robot swarm.

关键词： Actuators   Robotics   Surgery  

摘要： Miniaturization of surgical robots for insertion inside the peritoneal cavity has become a new trend in Robotic Minimally Invasive Surgery (R-MIS) [1–4]. Robots for laparo-endoscopic single site surgery (LESS) and natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery must be fast enough to react to surgeon input, and be capable of providing high levels of force for effective tissue interactions. Size is a key design factor for in vivo robotics. With conventional actuation methods (electric motors), there exists a tradeoff between the scale of the robot and its load capacity and actuation speed. An alternative actuation scheme is to exploit the high power density of fluidic (pneumatic or hydraulic) actuators. However, fabrication of miniature but powerful fluidic linear and rotary actuators with desired sizes has been a challenge due to difficulties in sealing at high pressures, obtaining necessary surface finishes, and associated cost of fabrication. In...

关键词： rehabilitation robotics   subacute stroke   gait   ankle robot   ankle motor control  

摘要： Background. Modular lower extremity robotics may offer a valuable avenue for restoring neuromotor control after hemiparetic stroke. Prior studies show that visually guided and visually evoked practice with an ankle robot (anklebot) improves paretic ankle motor control that translates into improved overground walking. Objective. To assess the feasibility and efficacy of daily anklebot training during early subacute hospitalization poststroke. Methods. Thirty-four inpatients from a stroke unit were randomly assigned to anklebot (n = 18) or passive manual stretching (n = 16) treatments. All suffered a first stroke with residual hemiparesis (ankle manual muscle test grade 1/5 to 4/5), and at least trace muscle activation in plantar-or dorsiflexion. Anklebot training employed an "assist-as-needed" approach during >200 volitional targeted paretic ankle movements, with difficulty adjusted to active range of motion and success rate. Stretching included >200 daily mobilizations in these same ranges. All sessions lasted 1 hour and assessments were not blinded. Results. Both groups walked faster at discharge;however, the robot group improved more in percentage change of temporal symmetry (P =.032) and also of step length symmetry (P =.038), with longer nonparetic step lengths in the robot (133%) versus stretching (31%) groups. Paretic ankle control improved in the robot group, with increased peak (P <= .001) and mean (P <= .01) angular speeds, and increased movement smoothness (P <= .01). There were no adverse events. Conclusion. Though limited by small sample size and restricted entry criteria, our findings suggest that modular lower extremity robotics during early subacute hospitalization is well tolerated and improves ankle motor control and gait patterning.

关键词： visual servoing   medical robotics   medical imaging   minimally invasive therapy   image-based tracking  

摘要： BackgroundIntra-operative imaging is widely used to provide visual feedback to a clinician when he/she performs a procedure. In visual servoing, surgical instruments and parts of tissue/body are tracked by processing the acquired images. This information is then used within a control loop to manoeuvre a robotic manipulator during a procedure. MethodsA comprehensive search of electronic databases was completed for the period 2000-2013 to provide a survey of the visual servoing applications in medical robotics. The focus is on medical applications where image-based tracking is used for closed-loop control of a robotic system. ResultsDetailed classification and comparative study of various contributions in visual servoing using endoscopic or direct visual images are presented and summarized in tables and diagrams. ConclusionThe main challenges in using visual servoing for medical robotic applications are identified and potential future directions are suggested. 'Supervised automation of medical robotics' is found to be a major trend in this field. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

摘要： Advanced robotics systems have been around for a while now. There have been many opportunities for them to be widely utilized in the contemporary building and infrastructure construction sectors. Several applications, such as advanced construction machinery, sensor- supported construction environments, and automatic planning and optimization are being developed and investigated by researchers around the world. At the same time, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is becoming a dominant management approach in the field of Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC). BIM contains necessary information and well-organized data schema enabling personnel to retrieve sufficient information at the right time and in the right place. In order to use BIM for handling uncertainties on the construction site, integration with advanced robotics systems is necessary for cutting out rework and waste during construction.

关键词： 弹性欠驱动   旋量   动力学   非惯性系  

摘要： 以旋量为基本运算单元,建立了非惯性系下弹性欠驱动机器人的动力学模型。首先以两个旋量的李括弧运算为基础,得到了惯性系下机器人的加速度映射关系。利用多刚体系统的速度、加速度旋量在不同坐标系之间的变换,推导出非惯性系下机器人在惯性系中的加速度映射关系。然后利用刚体的牛顿-欧拉公式,建立了非惯性系下机器人的动力学模型。推导的过程中始终以运动旋量、力旋量为基本的运算单元,简化了动力学建模过程。最后,以空中加油系统这种典型的非惯性系下的弹性欠驱动的应用为例,建立了其在非惯性系下的动力学模型,并用动力学仿真软件进行了验证,验证了理论分析的正确性和可行性。

关键词： 机器人竞赛   青少年   湖南省   探索创新   快乐成长   实验小学   长沙市   参赛队  

摘要： 能自动开门、自动取物的保姆机器人，语音控制的牙刷机器人，探测前方障碍和积水、提甲预测地面深坑和楼梯的智能手杖……5月16日至18日，第七届湖南省青少年机器人竞赛在长沙市岳麓区实验小学举行。来自全省13个市的350支参赛队、800余名选手、200多名教练带着他们的机器人作品在现场展开了激烈角逐。

关键词： 并联机器人   影响系数法   风洞支撑系统   动力学   耗散系统  

摘要： 为了优化风洞6_PUS并联支撑机器的动力学设计参数,基于运动影响系数和拉格朗日动力学方法,推导了一种6_PUS并联机器人的动力学方程。并基于ARMSTRONG摩擦模型,分析了这种高耗散能并联机器人的动力学特性。通过仿真发现:摩擦功耗是该机构动力的主要部分,且力具有峰值特性,滑块的运动速度和加速度具有对称性。仿真结果为该并联支撑机器人的设计提供了参考。

关键词： 旋量理论   几何基础   机器人学   机构学   李代数   高等教育出版社   李群   知识  

摘要： 在九月各个大学开学之前，戴建生教授的新著《机构学与机器人学的几何基础与旋量代数》正式出版了。我在三年半以前就已经知道戴教授在著述这部新著，当时建议他在高等教育出版社出版中文版。原期盼他在2012年的黄山机构学会议三十周年大会上发表，后来又期盼这部专著在2013年太原的机构学应用会议上出现，没想到戴教授精益求精，锲而不舍，不到完善，不肯放手，花就了三年半时间，直到今天才完成这部专著。