Combined joint-cartesian mapping for simultaneous shape and precision teleoperation of anthropomorphic robotic hands

There are many applications involving robotic hands in which teleoperation-based approaches are preferred to autonomous solutions. The main reason is that cognitive skills of human operators are desirable in some task scenarios, in order to overcome limitations of robotic hands abilities in dealing with unstructured environments and/or unpredetermined requirements. In particular, in this work we focus on the use of anthropomorphic grasping devices and, specifically, on their teleoperation based on movements of the human operator's hand (the master hand.) Indeed, the mapping of human hand configurations to an anthropomorphic robotic hand (the slave device) is still an open problem, because of the presence of dissimilar kinematics between master and slave that produce shape and/or Cartesian errors - as addressed within our study. In this work, we propose a novel algorithm that combines joint and Cartesian mappings in order to enhance the preservation of both finger shapes and fingertip positions during the teleoperation of the robotic hand. In particular, a transition between the joint and Cartesian mappings is realized on the basis of the distance between the fingertip of the master hands' thumb and the opposite fingers, in which the mapping of the thumb fingertip is specifically addressed. The result of the testing of the algorithm with a ROS-based simulator of a commercially available robotic hand is reported, showing the effectiveness of the proposed mapping

Fatores ambientais sobre pesos em diferentes idades de ovinos da raça Santa Inês no Nordeste do Brasil.

Com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos de ambiente sobre as características de crescimento dos cordeiros, foram analisados registros de 4094 cordeiros da raça Santa Inês provenientes de rebanhos dos estados da Paraíba, Ceará e Sergipe, coletados num período de 23 anos (1983 a 2005). Foram avaliados os efeitos da estação, do ano de nascimento, sexo do cordeiro, tipo de nascimento e idade da mãe ao parto sobre os pesos corporais ao nascimento (PN), aos 56 dias de idade (P56), aos 112 dias de idade (P112) e aos 196 dias de idade (P196). Os cordeiros nascidos na estação chuvosa e seca não apresentaram diferenças significativas para PN, P56 e P112, porém no P196 os animais nascidos em estação chuvosa apresentaram pesos maiores. Os cordeiros machos foram mais pesados que as fêmeas em todas as idades estudadas. Cordeiros nascidos de parto simples pesaram mais que os nascidos de parto duplo, entretanto, houve interação significativa entre sexo e tipo de parto em que foi observado que fêmeas nascidas de parto simples tiveram pesos maiores que os machos de parto duplo em todas as idades avaliadas. Desta forma, torna-se evidente a necessidade de inclusão e ajuste destas características, como ferramentas de auxílio na avaliação genética e seleção dos animais visando melhoria no desempenho de ovinos da raça Santa Inês. Environmental factors on weights of different ages of Santa Inês sheep in the Northeasterner of Brazil. Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate environmental effects on growth performance in Santa Inês lambs, were using data of 4.094 lambs proceeding from Paraíba, Ceará and Sergipe states, collected over an 23-year period (1983 to 2005). The environmental effects of season of birth (winter or summer), sex of lamb, age of dam at lambing and type of birth (single or twins), were important sources of variation to explain differences in weigth at birth (WB), at 56 (W56), 112 (W112) and 196 (W196) days of age. The lambs born in the rain and dry no observed significant differences for WB,WP112 and W56, but the W196 animals born in the rainr season showed higher weights. Males were heavier than female lambs at all ages. Lambs born as singles were heavier (P < 0.01) than lambs born as twins at all ages, however, there was significant interaction between sex and type of birth, that was observed that females lambs born as single had larger weights than the males of twins in all ages. Adjustment factors for sex of lamb, type of birth and age of ewe at lambing need to be estimated and considered in selection programs to improve growth trait of Santa Inês

Estimação de componentes de variância e parâmetros genéticos para pesos do nascimento aos 196 dias de idade em ovinos Santa Inês por meio de modelo multicaracterística.

Resumo: O trabalho foi conduzido com o objetivo de estimar os componentes de variância e parâmetros genéticos para os pesos ao nascer, 56, 112 e 196 dias de idade em ovinos Santa Inês por meio de um modelo animal em análise multicaracterística. O modelo de análise inclui os efeitos aleatórios genéticos aditivos direto e materno e de ambiente permanente materno. Os efeitos fixos utilizados na análise foram os de grupo contemporâneo e idade da mãe ao parto, como covariável. As herdabilidades diretas estimadas para os pesos ao nascer, 56, 112 e 196 dias de idade foram, respectivamente, 0,17, 0,05, 0,08 e 0,10. Os resultados encontrados indicam que o ganho genético obtido por meio de seleção individual será pequeno. O efeito materno apresentou influência sobre os pesos estudados. Variance components and genetics parameters estimation for birth weight to the 196-days in Santa Inês sheep using multiple-trast model. Abstract: The study was carried out with the objective to stimate the variance components and genetics parameters for birth weights 56, 112 and 196-day in Santa Inês sheep using multiple-trast animal model. The molysis model includes the direct additive and maternal genetic effect and permanent maternal environmental effect. The fixed effects used in molysis were the contemporary group and age of dam lombing, as (co)varience. The estimate direct heritability for the weights at the birth, 56, 112 and 196 days of age were 0,17, 0,05, 0,08 and 0,10 respectively. The found results indicate that the genetic gain obtained through individual selection it will be small. The maternal effect presented influence on the weights studied

The ultra-hot-Jupiter KELT-16 b: Dynamical Evolution and Atmospheric Properties

Abstract We present broad-band photometry of 30 planetary transits of the ultra-hot Jupiter KELT-16 b, using five medium-class telescopes. The transits were monitored through standard B, V, R, I filters and four were simultaneously observed from different places, for a total of 36 new light curves. We used these new photometric data and those from the TESS space telescope to review the main physical properties of the KELT-16 planetary system. Our results agree with previous measurements but are more precise. We estimated the mid-transit times for each of these transits and combined them with others from the literature to obtain 69 epochs, with a time baseline extending over more than four years, and searched for transit time variations. We found no evidence for a period change, suggesting a lower limit for orbital decay at 8 Myr, with a lower limit on the reduced tidal quality factor of Q^{\prime }_{\star }&gt;(1.9 \pm 0.8) \times 10^5 with $95\%$ confidence. We built up an observational, low-resolution transmission spectrum of the planet, finding evidence of the presence of optical absorbers, although with a low significance. Using TESS data, we reconstructed the phase curve finding that KELT-16 b has a phase offset of 25.25 ± 14.03 ○E, a day- and night-side brightness temperature of 3190 ± 61 K and 2668 ± 56 K, respectively. Finally, we compared the flux ratio of the planet over its star at the TESS and Spitzer wavelengths with theoretical emission spectra, finding evidence of a temperature inversion in the planet’s atmosphere, the chemical composition of which is preferably oxygen-rich rather than carbon-rich.</jats:p

In vitro phosphorylation as tool for modification of silk and keratin fibrous materials

An overview is given of the recent work on in vitro enzymatic phosphorylation of silk fibroin and human hair keratin. Opposing to many chemical "conventional" approaches, enzymatic phosphorylation is in fact a mild reaction and the treatment falls within "green chemistry" approach. Silk and keratin are not phosphorylated in vivo, but in vitro. This enzyme-driven modification is a major technological breakthrough. Harsh chemical chemicals are avoided, and mild conditions make enzymatic phosphorylation a real "green chemistry" approach. The current communication presents a novel approach stating that enzyme phosphorylation may be used as a tool to modify the surface charge of biocompatible materials such as keratin and silk