关键词： Robotics   Design   Surgery  

摘要： In recent years, surgical robotic systems (SRS) have been employed to great effect in a wide range of minimally invasive procedures [1]. Yet despite the increasing use of these devices in clinical practice, there exists to date no definitive, objective system of measurement of the skill level of a surgeon using an SRS. Assessments of patient outcomes, surgical speed and instrument docking time have shown that improvement in skill using an SRS requires in-depth training, with exposure to as many as 20 cases of a given procedure to attain proficiency [2]. The model employed for the certification of a surgeon in the practice of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery has addressed a parallel problem since its inception by establishing a set of exercises comprising what is now known as the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) assessment [3]. This high stakes...

关键词： Neural model   Cognition   Perception   Action   Inverse model   Observational learning   DARWIN robot  

摘要： In this paper, we describe a brief survey of observational learning, with particular emphasis on how this could impact on the use of observational learning in robots. We present a set of simulations of a neural model which fits recent experimental data and such that it leads to the basic idea that observational learning uses simulations of internal models to represent the observed activity, so allowing for efficient learning of the observed actions. We conclude with a set of recommendations as to how observational learning might most efficiently be used in developing and training robots for their variety of tasks.

关键词： Evolutionary robotics   Neuroevolution   Swarm robotics   Novelty search   NEAT   Behavioural diversity   Deception  

摘要： Novelty search is a recent artificial evolution technique that challenges traditional evolutionary approaches. In novelty search, solutions are rewarded based on their novelty, rather than their quality with respect to a predefined objective. The lack of a predefined objective precludes premature convergence caused by a deceptive fitness function. In this paper, we apply novelty search combined with NEAT to the evolution of neural controllers for homogeneous swarms of robots. Our empirical study is conducted in simulation, and we use a common swarm robotics task-aggregation, and a more challenging task-sharing of an energy recharging station. Our results show that novelty search is unaffected by deception, is notably effective in bootstrapping evolution, can find solutions with lower complexity than fitness-based evolution, and can find a broad diversity of solutions for the same task. Even in non-deceptive setups, novelty search achieves solution qualities similar to those obtained in traditional fitness-based evolution. Our study also encompasses variants of novelty search that work in concert with fitness-based evolution to combine the exploratory character of novelty search with the exploitatory character of objective-based evolution. We show that these variants can further improve the performance of novelty search. Overall, our study shows that novelty search is a promising alternative for the evolution of controllers for robotic swarms.

摘要： Objectives: A subset of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck present with a cervical metastasis from an unknown primary site. Currently, many of these patients have human papillomavirus (HPV) positive tumors, making the oropharynx the most likely primary site. Objectives: 1) Develop a minimally invasive approach to identify and definitively treat patients initially diagnosed with carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) using transoral robotic surgery (TORS). Additionally, we anticipate that this aggressive approach will yield the primary lesion in a higher subset of patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review study was conducted to evaluate a novel minimally-invasive management approach using TORS to assess the primary site. Results: We identified 12 patients with CUP of the head and neck that had undergone this approach from December 2011 to April 2012. Ten patients were classified as HPV positive using p16 staining as surrogate marker. The primary site was identified in 10 of 12 patients (83%), the majority of which was found to be the base of tongue. Conclusions: We have developed a minimally invasive surgical approach using TORS for the diagnosis and subsequent management of the patient with CUP. Using this algorithm, we are able to move from frozen section directly to an en bloc definitive resection in many patients. Our results show a significant rate of primary tumor identification using a robotic-assisted approach and support the rationale for further investigation of this technique.

摘要： The article reports that Imperial College London has been awarded a grant for research in robotics by David Willets, British Minister for universities and science, from Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funds.

关键词： 机器人学   眼睛   研究人员   计算机视觉   数字模型   数据导入   研究所   记忆卡  

摘要： 当机器人仅依靠计算机视觉时，它只能勉强搜索周边的目标。卡耐基一梅隆大学机器人研究所的一名研究人员称，通过利用所有提供给它的信息，例如目标的位置、大小、形状、能否被移动，机器人能通过对目标的不断探索来逐步改善对目标的理解与认知。卡内基梅隆大学的研究人员建立了目标物体数字模型以及图像，然后将这些数据导入机器人管家（HERB）的记忆卡中，因此，机器人能够识别出所需要进行处理的对象。实际上，所有机器人方面的专家为了让他们的机器人能识别物体所做的操作都是类似的。

关键词： 并联机器人   刚柔耦合动力学   有限元分析   动态特性  

摘要： 主要探讨了并联机器人刚柔耦合系统的动力学仿真分析方法,通过有限元软件与多体系统动力学软件相结合,建立了3-RPS并联机器人的多体系统动力学模型.借助刚体和柔体相结合的分析方法,分析了并联机器人的力学特性,获得了机器人在带载运动过程中机械手末端的位移变化和误差曲线,以及机器人各支链连杆的危险部位和应力变化曲线.采用刚柔耦合相结合的分析方法,更加直观、准确地模拟了机器人的实际工作状况,提高了对于在动载作用下零件动态响应分析的准确性,为并联机器人的结构设计与优化提供了重要的理论依据.

关键词： 水中机器人比赛   电源模块   升压电路   USB口充电  

摘要： 水中机器人比赛是一项全国性质的赛事,水中机器人以舵机为驱动模组,以电池为动力源。本文提出了一种以单节锂电池为动力源,采用升压模块的电源模组,同时采用USB口充电技术,并在实际应用中取得了一定的应用效果。

关键词： 机器人竞赛   青少年   教练员   论坛   中国   成功   机器人技术   创造性理念  

摘要： 2013年7月19日，中国青少年机器人竞赛第2届教练员论坛在长春建筑大学成功举行。论坛由中国青少年机器人竞赛委员会组织，以“机器人技术与科技教育”为主题，以主题演讲的形式开展。与会嘉宾围绕青少年机器人技术与科学教育的关系、如何结合创造性理念指导竞赛工作等话题进行了深入讨论。