Parallel Robot

Parallel robot (PR) is a mechanical system that utilized multiple computer-controlled limbs to support one common platform or end effector. Comparing to a serial robot, a PR generally has higher precision and dynamic performance and, therefore, can be applied to many applications. The PR research has attracted a lot of attention in the last three decades, but there are still many challenging issues to be solved before achieving PRs’ full potential. This chapter introduces the state-of-the-art PRs in the aspects of synthesis, design, analysis, and control. The future directions will also be discussed at the end.

Key Players and Key Groups in Teams

This paper contributes to the literature on centrality measures in economics by defining a team game and identifying the key players and key groups
in the game. We extend the work of Ballester et al. (Econometrica, 2006) by incorporating a network outcome component in the players' payoff functions and prove that there is a unique interior Nash Equilibrium in pure strategies. We develop a team intercentrality measure based on alternative scenarios that capture the externality created by teammates on each player.

Measuring Interactions in Networks: Evidence from Soccer Teams

This paper contributes to the literature on centrality measures in economics by defining a team game and identifying the key players in the game. As an illustration of the theory, we create a unique data set from the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament. To capture the interaction between players, we create the passing network of each team. This all allows us to identify the key player and key groups of players for both teams in each game. We then use our measure to explain player ratings by experts and their market values. Our measure is significant in explaining expert ratings. We also find that players having higher intercentrality measures, regardless of their field position have significantly higher market values.

Robot and insect navigation by polarized skylight

A study of a large number of published experiments on the behaviour of insects navigating by skylight has led to the design of a system for navigation in lightly clouded skies, suitable for a robot or drone. The design is based on the measurement of the directions in the sky at which the polarization angle, i.e. the angle χ between the polarized E-vector and the meridian, equals ±π/4 or ±(π/4 + π/3) or ±(π/4 - π/3). For any one of these three options, at any given elevation, there are usually 4 such directions and these directions can give the azimuth of the sun accurately in a few short steps, as an insect can do. A simulation shows that this compass is accurate as well as simple and well suited for an insect or robot. A major advantage of this design is that it is close to being invariant to variable cloud cover. Also if at least two of these 12 directions are observed the solar azimuth can still be found by a robot, and possibly by an insect.

The impact of patient suicide on community mental health teams

Suicide in Scotland is considered an urgent public health issue affecting all aspects of society. The aim of this study was to explore how a patient suicide impacts on members of a community mental health team (CMHT). Six members of one CMHT were interviewed on two occasions, approximately nine months following a patient suicide. An interpretative descriptive model, drawing on elements of grounded theory, phenomenology end ethnography was chosen, using semistructured interviews for data collection. Three main themes of emotional response, communication and clinical implications were clearly described. Emotional response included feelings of shock and surprise, concern and personal impact. Communication included examples of personal, team and management communication in the days and weeks following the suicide. Clinical aspects discussed included the non-replacement of staff and training and experience as sub-themes. Findings in relation to the wider published literature are discussed

The Effect of Community-Based Specialist Palliative Care Teams on Place of Care

BACKGROUND: Prior research on community-based specialist palliative care teams used outcome measures of place of death and/or dichotomous outcome measures of acute care use in the last two weeks of life. However, existing research seldom measured the diverse places of care used and their timing prior to death.

OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to examine the place of care in the last 30 days of life.

METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, patients who received care from a specialist palliative care team (exposed) were matched by propensity score to patients who received usual care in the community (unexposed) in Ontario, Canada. Measured was the percentage of patients in each place of care in the last month of life as a proportion of the total cohort.

RESULTS: After matching, 3109 patients were identified in each group, where 79% had cancer and 77% received end-of-life home care. At 30 days compared to 7 days before death, the exposed group's proportions rose from 33% to 41% receiving home care and 14% to 15% in hospital, whereas the unexposed group's proportions rose from 28% to 32% receiving home care and 16% to 22% in hospital. Linear trend analysis (proportion over time) showed that the exposed group used significantly more home care services and fewer hospital days (p < 0.001) than the unexposed group. On the last day of life (place of death), the exposed group had 18% die in an in-patient hospital bed compared to 29% in usual care.

CONCLUSION: Examining place of care in the last month can effectively illustrate the service use trajectory over time.

Manufacturing System Simulation & Human Robot Interaction in VR:Manufacturing system simulation: Methodologies, software tools, case study in transportation design

Virtual Reality techniques are relatively new, having experienced significant development only during the last few years, in accordance with the progress achieved by computer science and hardware and software technologies. The study of such advanced design systems has led to the realization of an immersive environment in which new procedures for the evaluation of product prototypes, ergonomics and manufacturing operations have been simulated. The application of the environment realized to robotics, ergonomics, plant simulations and maintainability verifications has allowed us to highlight the advantages offered by a design methodology: the possibility of working on the industrial product in the first phase of conception; of placing the designer in front of the virtual reproduction of the product in a realistic way; and of interacting with the same concept. The aim of this book is to present an updated vision of VM through different aspects. We will describe the trends and results achieved in the automotive, aerospace and railway fields, in terms of the Digital Product Creation Process to design the product and the manufacturing process.