Development of Support System Modeled on Robot Suit HAL for Personalized Education and Learning

The purpose of this paper is to maintain quality education for each student who has her/his own differentiation and needs. To achieve it, we have developed our support system for education and learning. We have examined this support system, whether it improved or did not improve the performance of 98 students in 2015, compared with that in 2014. The results have shown to be more significant than those of the previous year. Moreover, we have observed that students’ behavior toward projects have been becoming greater autonomy and positive attitude in practical class. From those results, we might be able to say that this support system works effectively in personalized education and learning (PEL) by using big data processing

NASA space station automation: AI-based technology review

Research and Development projects in automation for the Space Station are discussed. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based automation technologies are planned to enhance crew safety through reduced need for EVA, increase crew productivity through the reduction of routine operations, increase space station autonomy, and augment space station capability through the use of teleoperation and robotics. AI technology will also be developed for the servicing of satellites at the Space Station, system monitoring and diagnosis, space manufacturing, and the assembly of large space structures

Kinematics analysis and optimization of the exoskeleton’s knee joint

Two major defects of the exoskeleton’s single-axis knee joint were exposed in human-machine coordination experiments, which are chattering of hip and knee joints and pull-feeling at ankle joint. In order to analyze and solve these issues, human gait experiments were conducted to obtain the human gait data, and a kinematic model of the exoskeleton was established. Kinematics analysis of the exoskeleton based on the human’s hip and knee joint angles indicated the obvious human-machine ankle joint movement error; inverse kinematics analysis of the exoskeleton according to the human ankle joint trajectory reflected the abrupt angle changes of exoskeleton’s hip and knee joints. According to these analysis results, kinematics differences between the exoskeleton’s single-axis knee joint and human’s trochlea knee joint were regarded as the primary cause of the defects observed in human-machine coordination experiments. The exoskeleton’s knee joint was optimized in four-bar linkage type to imitate the kinematics characteristics of human’s knee joint. Kinematics simulation results of the optimized exoskeleton showed that human-machine ankle joint movement error and abrupt angle changes of the exoskeleton’s hip and knee joints have been both significantly reduced, thus the effectiveness of the exoskeleton’s knee joint optimization for improving the human-machine coordination could be confirmed

The Future of Humanoid Robots

This book provides state of the art scientific and engineering research findings and developments in the field of humanoid robotics and its applications. It is expected that humanoids will change the way we interact with machines, and will have the ability to blend perfectly into an environment already designed for humans. The book contains chapters that aim to discover the future abilities of humanoid robots by presenting a variety of integrated research in various scientific and engineering fields, such as locomotion, perception, adaptive behavior, human-robot interaction, neuroscience and machine learning. The book is designed to be accessible and practical, with an emphasis on useful information to those working in the fields of robotics, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, computational methods and other fields of science directly or indirectly related to the development and usage of future humanoid robots. The editor of the book has extensive R&D experience, patents, and publications in the area of humanoid robotics, and his experience is reflected in editing the content of the book

Synchronization-Based Control of a Robotic Suit for Walking Assist

信州大学博士（工学）・学位論文・平成24年3月20日授与（甲第562号)・ZHANG XIAThesisZHANG XIA. Synchronization-Based Control of a Robotic Suit for Walking Assist. 信州大学, 2012, 153p, 博士論文doctoral thesi

Ehmi: Review and guidelines for deployment on autonomous vehicles

Human-machine interaction is an active area of research due to the rapid development of autonomous systems and the need for communication. This review provides further insight into the specific issue of the information flow between pedestrians and automated vehicles by evaluating recent advances in external human-machine interfaces (eHMI), which enable the transmission of state and intent information from the vehicle to the rest of the traffic participants. Recent developments will be explored and studies analyzing their effectiveness based on pedestrian feedback data will be presented and contextualized. As a result, we aim to draw a broad perspective on the current status and recent techniques for eHMI and some guidelines that will encourage future research and development of these systems

Machine learning for semi-automated scoping reviews

Scoping reviews are a type of research synthesis that aim to map the literature on a particular topic or research area. Though originally intended to provide a quick overview of a field of research, scoping review teams have been overwhelmed in recent years by a deluge of available research literature. This work presents the interdisciplinary development of a semi-automated scoping review methodology aimed at increasing the objectivity and speed of discovery in scoping reviews as well as the scalability of the scoping review process to datasets with tens of thousands of publications. To this end we leverage modern representation learning algorithms based on transformer models and established clustering methods to discover evidence maps, key themes within the data, knowledge gaps within the literature, and assess the feasibility of follow-on systematic reviews within a certain topic. To demonstrate the wide applicability of this methodology, we apply the here proposed semi-automated method to two separate datasets, a Virtual Human dataset with more than 30,000 peer-reviewed academic articles and a smaller Self-Avatar dataset with less than 500 peer-reviewed articles. To enable collaboration, we provide full access to analyzed datasets, keyword and author word clouds, as well as interactive evidence maps.</p

Design and implementation of flexible microprocessor control for retrofitting to first generation robotic devices

This Master of Science project concerns the design and development of a flexible microprocessor-based controller for a Versatran Industrial Robot. The software and hardware are designed in modules to enhance the flexibility of the controller so that it can be used as the control unit for other forms of workhandling equipment. The hardware of the designed controller is based on the Texas Instruments single board computer and interface printed circuit boards although some specially designed interface hardware was required. The software is developed in two major categories, which are "real-time" modules and "operator communication" modules. The real-time modules were for the control of the hydraulic servo-valves, pneumatic actuators and interlock switches, whilst the operator communication modules were used to assist the operator in programming "handling" sequences". The main advantages of the controller in its present form can be summarised thus:- (i) The down-time between program changes is significantly reduced; (ii) There can be many more positions programmed in a "handling sequence"; (iii)Greater control over axis dynamics can be achieved The software and hardware structure adopted has sufficient flexibility to allow many future enhancements to be provided. For example, as part of a subsequent research project additional facilities are being implemented as follows: a teach hand held pendant is being installed to improve still further the ease with which "handling sequences" can be programmed; improved control algorithms are being implemented and these will facilitate contouring; communication software is being included so that the controller can access via a node a commercially available local area network

Non-linear actuators and simulation tools for rehabilitation devices

Mención Internacional en el título de doctorRehabilitation robotics is a field of research that investigates the applications of robotics in motor function therapy for recovering the motor control and motor capability. In general, this type of rehabilitation has been found effective in therapy for persons suffering motor disorders, especially due to stroke or spinal cord injuries. This type of devices generally are well tolerated by the patients also being a motivation in rehabilitation therapy. In the last years the rehabilitation robotics has become more popular, capturing the attention at various research centers. They focused on the development more effective devices in rehabilitation therapy, with a higher acceptance factor of patients tacking into account: the financial cost, weight and comfort of the device. Among the rehabilitation devices, an important category is represented by the rehabilitation exoskeletons, which in addition to the human skeletons help to protect and support the external human body. This became more popular between the rehabilitation devices due to the easily adapting with the dynamics of human body, possibility to use them such as wearable devices and low weight and dimensions which permit easy transportation. Nowadays, in the development of any robotic device the simulation tools play an important role due to their capacity to analyse the expected performance of the system designed prior to manufacture. In the development of the rehabilitation devices, the biomechanical software which is capable to simulate the behaviour interaction between the human body and the robotics devices, play an important role. This helps to choose suitable actuators for the rehabilitation device, to evaluate possible mechanical designs, and to analyse the necessary controls algorithms before being tested in real systems. This thesis presents a research proposing an alternative solution for the current systems of actuation on the exoskeletons for robotic rehabilitation. The proposed solution, has a direct impact, improving issues like device weight, noise, fabrication costs, size an patient comfort. In order to reach the desired results, a biomechanical software based on Biomechanics of Bodies (BoB) simulator where the behaviour of the human body and the rehabilitation device with his actuators can be analysed, was developed. In the context of the main objective of this research, a series of actuators have been analysed, including solutions between the non-linear actuation systems. Between these systems, two solutions have been analysed in detail: ultrasonic motors and Shape Memory Alloy material. Due to the force - weight characteristics of each device (in simulation with the human body), the Shape Memory Alloy material was chosen as principal actuator candidate for rehabilitation devices. The proposed control algorithm for the actuators based on Shape Memory Alloy, was tested over various configurations of actuators design and analysed in terms of energy eficiency, cooling deformation and movement. For the bioinspirated movements, such as the muscular group's biceps-triceps, a control algorithm capable to control two Shape Memory Alloy based actuators in antagonistic movement, has been developed. A segmented exoskeleton based on Shape Memory Alloy actuators for the upper limb evaluation and rehabilitation therapy was proposed to demosntrate the eligibility of the actuation system. This is divided in individual rehabilitation devices for the shoulder, elbow and wrist. The results of this research was tested and validated in the real elbow exoskeleton with two degrees of freedom developed during this thesis.Programa Oficial de Doctorado en Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y AutomáticaPresidente: Eduardo Rocón de Lima.- Secretario: Concepción Alicia Monje Micharet.- Vocal: Martin Stoele

A feasibility study in the development of an off-line PLC based robot control system

A project report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand. Johannesburg 1990.Robotics are becoming a more prominent force in the industrial environment, and research is being concentrated on control rather than on the robot. The feasibility of a substitute, off-line, plc based control system was investigated. Many advantages are associated with an off-line system, as well as the large financial saving (at the most 50% that of the existing controller) . A PLC with discrete 1/0 modules and a fast counting module were used. Open loop control was looked at, with optical encoders used for position control. Overshoot of the DC motors consistently occurred, and other external factors ensured the unpredictability and instability of open loop control. It was concluded that closed loop control was necessary to ensure accurate positioning and speed control. PLC modules Were investigated, and an axis control system (not yet commercially available) was found to ideally suit the purpose of servo/encoder control. This system makes use of speed and position feedback signals, essential for accurate terminal Control of the robot.MT201