Automated Assembly Using Feature Localization

Automated assembly of mechanical devices is studies by researching methods of operating assembly equipment in a variable manner; that is, systems which may be configured to perform many different assembly operations are studied. The general parts assembly operation involves the removal of alignment errors within some tolerance and without damaging the parts. Two methods for eliminating alignment errors are discussed: a priori suppression and measurement and removal. Both methods are studied with the more novel measurement and removal technique being studied in greater detail. During the study of this technique, a fast and accurate six degree-of-freedom position sensor based on a light-stripe vision technique was developed. Specifications for the sensor were derived from an assembly-system error analysis. Studies on extracting accurate information from the sensor by optimally reducing redundant information, filtering quantization noise, and careful calibration procedures were performed. Prototype assembly systems for both error elimination techniques were implemented and used to assemble several products. The assembly system based on the a priori suppression technique uses a number of mechanical assembly tools and software systems which extend the capabilities of industrial robots. The need for the tools was determined through an assembly task analysis of several consumer and automotive products. The assembly system based on the measurement and removal technique used the six degree-of-freedom position sensor to measure part misalignments. Robot commands for aligning the parts were automatically calculated based on the sensor data and executed.

New Progress in Artificial Intelligence

This report concentrates on progress during the last two years at the M.I.T. Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Topics covered include the representation of knowledge, understanding English, learning and debugging, understanding vision and productivity technology. It is stressed that these various areas are tied closely together through certain fundamental issues and problems.

Ata...

Sessão Plenária de Abertura; Relatos por estado sobre o comportamento da cultura de soja na Safra 2007/2008: Paraná, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Bahia, Maranhão e Piauí, Pará, Roraima, Rondônia, Tocantins. Palestras e Resumo: Os desafios da agricultura mundial no século XXI: o mundo poderá vencê-los? O papel da soja e do milho. A semente de soja como tecnologia e base para altas produtividades - série sementes.Problemática das populações de insetos em desequilíbrio e a retomada do Manejo Integrado de Pragas (MIP). Tecnologia de aplicação de produtos fitossanitários na cultura da soja com ênfase para inseticidas e fungicidas na fase reprodutiva. Interações fisiológicas entre glifosato e complexos metálicos. Análise de custos de produção de soja nos estados do Paraná e de Santa Catarina para a safra 2007/08. Comissões Técnicas: Difusão de Tecnologia e Economia Rural, Plantas Daninhas, Ecologia, Fisiologia e Práticas Culturais, Entomologia, Fitopatologia, Genética e Melhoramento, Tecnologia de Sementes. Nutrição Vegetal, Fertilidade e Biologia do Solo. Sessão Plenária Final. Regimento Interno da Reunião de Pesquisa de Soja da Região Central do Brasil. Participantes. Anexos.

Determination of dissociation constants of Strychnos alkaloids from Strychnos nux-vomica L. by capillary electrophoresis

An accurate capillary electrophoresis method was developed for the determination of dissociation constants of five Strychnos alkaloids from Strychnos nux-vomica L. The method relies on measuring the effective mobility of the solute as a function of the buffer pH. The mathematical relationship was strictly derived from the fundamental electrophoresis theory and the dissociation equilibrium of a weak base without any simplifications. Careful optimization of the running buffer permitted base-line resolution of the five structurally similar alkaloids.

Heat capacity and thermodynamic properties of N-(2-cyanoethyl) aniline (C9H10N2)

The low temperature heat capacities of N-(2-cyanoethyl)aniline were measured with an automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from 83 to 353 K. The temperature corresponding to the maximum value of the apparent heat capacity in the fusion interval, molar enthalpy and entropy of fusion of this compound were determined to be 323.33 +/- 0.13 K, 19.4 +/- 0.1 kJ mol(-1) and 60.1 +/- 0.1 J K-1 mol(-1), respectively. Using the fractional melting technique, the purity of the sample was determined to be 99.0 mol% and the melting temperature for the tested sample and the absolutely pure compound were determined to be 323.50 and 323.99 K, respectively. A solid-to-solid phase transition occurred at 310.63 +/- 0.15 K. The molar enthalpy and molar entropy of the transition were determined to be 980 +/- 5 J mol(-1) and 3.16 +/- 0.02 J K-1 mol(-1), respectively. The thermodynamic functions of the compound [H-T - H-298.15] and [S-T - S-298.(15)] were calculated based on the heat capacity measurements in the temperature range of 83-353 K with an interval of 5 K. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.