Robots with a gentle touch: advances in assistive robotics and prosthetics

As healthcare costs rise and an aging population makes an increased demand on services, so new techniques must be introduced to promote an individuals independence and provide these services. Robots can now be designed so they can alter their dynamic properties changing from stiff to flaccid, or from giving no resistance to movement, to damping any large and sudden movements. This has some strong implications in health care in particular for rehabilitation where a robot must work in conjunction with an individual, and might guiding or assist a persons arm movements, or might be commanded to perform some set of autonomous actions. This paper presents the state-of-the-art of rehabilitation robots with examples from prosthetics, aids for daily living and physiotherapy. In all these situations there is the potential for the interaction to be non-passive with a resulting potential for the human/machine/environment combination to become unstable. To understand this instability we must develop better models of the human motor system and fit these models with realistic parameters. This paper concludes with a discussion of this problem and overviews some human models that can be used to facilitate the design of the human/machine interfaces.

Gaming and social interactions in the rehabilitation of brain injuries: a pilot study

Physical rehabilitation of brain injuries and strokes is a time consuming and costly process. Over the past decade several studies have emerged looking at the use of highly sophisticated technologies, such as robotics and virtual reality to tap into the needs of clinicians and patients. While such technologies can be a valuable tool to facilitate intensive movement practice in a motivating and engaging environment, success of therapy also depends on self-administered therapy beyond hospital stay. With the emergence of low-cost gaming consoles such as the Nintendo Wii, new opportunities arise for home-therapy paradigms centred on social interactions and values, which could reduce the sense of isolation and other depression related complications. In this paper we examine the potential, user acceptance and usability of an unmodified Nintendo Wii gaming console as a low-cost treatment alternative to complement current rehabilitation programmes.

Application of constrained predictive control on a 3D crane system

This paper describes the SIMULINK implementation of a constrained predictive control algorithm based on quadratic programming and linear state space models, and its application to a laboratory-scale 3D crane system. The algorithm is compatible with Real Time. Windows Target and, in the case of the crane system, it can be executed with a sampling period of 0.01 s and a prediction horizon of up to 300 samples, using a linear state space model with 3 inputs, 5 outputs and 13 states.

A comparison of the Oxford and Manus intelligent hand prostheses

Historically, commercial hand prosthesis have adopted a low level of innovation mainly due to the strict conditions such a system must undergo. The difficult feedback to the prosthesis user has limited the functional range of commercial systems. Nevertheless, the use of advanced sensors in combination with performing hand mechanisms and microcontrollers could lead to more natural and functional prototypes. The Oxford and Manus intelligent hand prostheses are examples of innovative approaches. This paper compares and contrasts the technological solutions implemented in both systems to address the design conditions.

What is networked robotics?

Networked Robotics is an area that straddles robotics and network technology. A robot system controlled via the WWW exploits the Internet network and hence is one realisation of networked robotics. A set of field robots that exploit wireless networks to share and distribute tasks might also be considered an exemplar of networked robotics. But isn't this just an exemplar of distributed robotics? And if so, what does networked robotics bring to the 'robotics' table? These are questions and issues addressed in this paper. The paper will propose that networks are at once both enabling and constraining to robotics. They enlarge the scope of the robotics discipline yet introduce challenges that must be overcome if that potential is to be fully realized. In short, when the network becomes a design issue - normally when performance of the system is at a premium - networked robotics is at play.

Intelligent cores and intelligent agents: two approaches to achieve autonomy in swarm-array computing

How can a bridge be built between autonomic computing approaches and parallel computing systems? How can autonomic computing approaches be extended towards building reliable systems? How can existing technologies be merged to provide a solution for self-managing systems? The work reported in this paper aims to answer these questions by proposing Swarm-Array Computing, a novel technique inspired from swarm robotics and built on the foundations of autonomic and parallel computing paradigms. Two approaches based on intelligent cores and intelligent agents are proposed to achieve autonomy in parallel computing systems. The feasibility of the proposed approaches is validated on a multi-agent simulator.

A mathematical model, implementation and study of a swarm system

The work reported in this paper is motivated towards the development of a mathematical model for swarm systems based on macroscopic primitives. A pattern formation and transformation model is proposed. The pattern transformation model comprises two general methods for pattern transformation, namely a macroscopic transformation method and a mathematical transformation method. The problem of transformation is formally expressed and four special cases of transformation are considered. Simulations to confirm the feasibility of the proposed models and transformation methods are presented. Comparison between the two transformation methods is also reported.

Modeling camera orientation and 3D structure from a sequence of images taken by a perambulating commercial video camera

In this paper we report the degree of reliability of image sequences taken by off-the-shelf TV cameras for modeling camera rotation and reconstructing 3D structure using computer vision techniques. This is done in spite of the fact that computer vision systems usually use imaging devices that are specifically designed for the human vision. Our scenario consists of a static scene and a mobile camera moving through the scene. The scene is any long axial building dominated by features along the three principal orientations and with at least one wall containing prominent repetitive planar features such as doors, windows bricks etc. The camera is an ordinary commercial camcorder moving along the axial axis of the scene and is allowed to rotate freely within the range +/- 10 degrees in all directions. This makes it possible that the camera be held by a walking unprofessional cameraman with normal gait, or to be mounted on a mobile robot. The system has been tested successfully on sequence of images of a variety of structured, but fairly cluttered scenes taken by different walking cameramen. The potential application areas of the system include medicine, robotics and photogrammetry.

Minimum jerk trajectory control for rehabilitation and haptic applications

Smooth trajectories are essential for safe interaction in between human and a haptic interface. Different methods and strategies have been introduced to create such smooth trajectories. This paper studies the creation of human-like movements in haptic interfaces, based on the study of human arm motion. These motions are intended to retrain the upper limb movements of patients that lose manipulation functions following stroke. We present a model that uses higher degree polynomials to define a trajectory and control the robot arm to achieve minimum jerk movements. It also studies different methods that can be driven from polynomials to create more realistic human-like movements for therapeutic purposes.

Magnetic compliant suspension concept for space robotics

This paper proposes a Dual-Magnet Magnetic Compliance Unit (DMCU) for use in medium sized space rover platforms to enhance terrain handling capabilities and speed of traversal. An explanation of magnetic compliance and how it can be applied to space robotics is shown, along with an initial mathematical model for this system. A design for the DMCU is proposed along with a 4-wheeled DMCU Testing Rig.

Future issues with robots and cyborgs

In this article, four different practical experiments in robotics and human/machine merger are firstly described and then considered with regard to their ethical implications. Results from the experiments are discussed in terms of their meaning and application possibilities. The article is written from the perspective of scientific experimentation, opening up realistic possibilities to be faced in the future rather than giving conclusive comments on the technologies employed. Human implantation and the merger of biology and technology are key elements.

Adaptive recursive control of a soil testing load frame

Recursive Learning Control (RLC) has the potential to significantly reduce the tracking error in many repetitive trajectory applications. This paper presents an application of RLC to a soil testing load frame where non-adaptive techniques struggle with the highly nonlinear nature of soil. The main purpose of the controller is to apply a sinusoidal force reference trajectory on a soil sample with a high degree of accuracy and repeatability. The controller uses a feedforward control structure, recursive least squares adaptation algorithm and RLC to compensate for periodic errors. Tracking error is reduced and stability is maintained across various soil sample responses.

Kinematical analysis of redundant drive wire mechanisms with velocity constraint

In this paper, we propose a new velocity constraint type for Redundant Drive Wire Mechanisms. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the proposed velocity constraint module can fix the orientation of the movable part and to use the kinematical analysis method to obtain the moving direction of the movable part. First, we discuss the necessity of using this velocity constraint type and the possible applications of the proposed mechanism. Second, we derive the basic equations of a wire mechanism with this constraint type. Next, we present a method of motion analysis on active and passive constraint spaces, which is used to find the moving direction of a movable part. Finally, we apply the above analysis method on a wire mechanism with a velocity constraint module and on a wire mechanism with four double actuator modules. By evaluating the results, we prove the validity of the proposed constraint type.