Telenursing RoboPuppet

The goal of this project is to improve the TRINA nursing robot’s ability to perform common medical tasks by designing an improved input device. The selected solution was to create a RoboPuppet, a DH parameter scale model of Baxter’s arms with angle sensors. A RoboPuppet allows for direct manipulation of Baxter’s joint space with one-to-one correspondence. Actuators were integrated to provide the opportunity for gravity compensation and haptic feedback. The puppet was successful in manipulating Baxter’s arms smoothly and precisely

Comparative Analysis of Outsourcing Railcar Maintenance

The purpose of this project was to analyze Brunswick Rail’s recent transition to outsourcing railcar maintenance. The sponsor agency, Brunswick Rail, is a Russian freight railcar leasing company. In March 2016, the company began outsourcing railcar maintenance to reduce operating expenses. There are three phases to this report. First, the transition from insourcing to outsourcing maintenance was audited. Second, the best practices of railcar leasing companies in North America and Europe were researched. Third, recommendations for Brunswick Rail were derived