Managing a Fleet of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) using Cloud Robotics Platform

In this paper, we provide details of implementing a system for managing a fleet of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) operating in a factory or a warehouse premise. While the robots are themselves autonomous in its motion and obstacle avoidance capability, the target destination for each robot is provided by a global planner. The global planner and the ground vehicles (robots) constitute a multi agent system (MAS) which communicate with each other over a wireless network. Three different approaches are explored for implementation. The first two approaches make use of the distributed computing based Networked Robotics architecture and communication framework of Robot Operating System (ROS) itself while the third approach uses Rapyuta Cloud Robotics framework for this implementation. The comparative performance of these approaches are analyzed through simulation as well as real world experiment with actual robots. These analyses provide an in-depth understanding of the inner working of the Cloud Robotics Platform in contrast to the usual ROS framework. The insight gained through this exercise will be valuable for students as well as practicing engineers interested in implementing similar systems else where. In the process, we also identify few critical limitations of the current Rapyuta platform and provide suggestions to overcome them.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figures, journal pape

Evaluation of novel platinum(II) based AIE compound-encapsulated mesoporous silica nanoparticles for cancer theranostic application

Advanced biomedical research has established that cancer is a multifactorial disorder which is highly heterogeneous in nature and responds differently to different treatment modalities, due to which constant monitoring of therapy response is becoming extremely important. To accomplish this, different theranostic formulations have been evaluated. However, most of them are found to suffer from several limitations extending from poor resolution, radiation damage, to high costs. In order to develop a better theranostic modality, we have designed and synthesized a novel platinum(II)-based 'aggregation induced emission' (AIE) molecule (named BMPP-Pt) which showed strong intra-cellular fluorescence and also simultaneously exhibited potent cytotoxic activity. Due to this dual functionality, we wanted to explore the possibility of using this compound as a single molecule based theranostic modality. This compound was characterized using elemental analysis, NMR and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray structure determination. BMPP-Pt was found to exhibit a high AIE property with emission maxima at 497 nm. For more efficient cancer cell targeting, BMPP-Pt was encapsulated into mesoporous silica nanoparticles (Pt-MSNPs) and the MSNPs were further surface modified with an anti-EpCAM aptamer (Pt-MSNP-E). Pt-MSNPs exhibited higher intracellular fluorescence compared to free BMPP-Pt, though both of them induced a similar degree of cell death via the apoptosis pathway, possibly via cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Anti-EpCAM aptamer modification was found to increase both cytotoxicity and intracellular fluorescence compared to unmodified MSNPs. Our study showed that EpCAM functionalized BMPP-Pt loaded MSNPs can efficiently internalize and induce apoptosis of cancer cells as well as show strong intracellular fluorescence. This study provides clues towards the development of a potential single compound based theranostic modality in future

An infant with bullous mastocytosis: A rare form of bullous disorder

Bullous mastocytosis (BM) is a rare variant of diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis where there is disorderly infiltration of the skin by mast cells. We report a 4-month-old male infant with this rare disease who presented with wrinkled tough skin and generalized multiple bullous lesions. Diagnosis was done by serum tryptase level and histopathological examination. The patient responded well to oral corticosteroid and antihistaminic therapy. Although a congenital disorder, timely diagnosis and treatment can be potentially rewarding in patients with BM