dexterous gripper for in hand manipulation with embedded object localization algorithm

Abstract Since the last decade, thanks to the spreading of the concept of Industry 4.0 and Smart Factory, more and more companies have started to investigate the robotic field looking for reliable solutions aiming at improving the efficiency of assembly lines. Promising technologies are connected to the speeding up of production stages like fast algorithms for object localization, as well as dexterous grippers for manipulation and assembly. Nowadays, most of the solutions for pick and place tasks involve the use of robotic grippers for grasping objects, while robotic manipulators are responsible for their accurate placements. Focusing on the grippers, although their simple structure can be appreciated, it greatly reduces their in-hand manipulation abilities, making unfeasible the twists of grasped objects and their release in a desired pose. As consequence, the efficiency of the pick and place operation is reduced since several adjustments of the robotic arm are required to accomplish the task. In this paper, a novel dexterous gripper coupled with a vision system algorithm for object localization and pose estimation are presented, and their performances in manipulating different objects are discussed. The designed gripper has a symmetrical structure with two finger modules, each one consisting in a couple of linear actuators arranged mutually orthogonal, so the translations in two axis, namely y and z directions, are allowed. As terminal part of each finger there is a revolute joint to whom is attached a fingertip modelled according to the shape of the target objects and easily replaceable. The embedded vision system algorithm adopted estimates position and orientation of the objects on a flat surface, and it coordinates the gripper placement to grasp them. The case study of the handling of a Spanish fan is presented and discussed in details

Pleiotropic contribution of rbfox1 to psychiatric and neurodevelopmental phenotypes in two zebrafish models

RBFOX1 is a highly pleiotropic gene that contributes to several psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Both rare and common variants in RBFOX1 have been associated with several psychiatric conditions, but the mechanisms underlying the pleiotropic effects of RBFOX1 are not yet understood. Here we found that, in zebrafish, rbfox1 is expressed in spinal cord, mid- and hindbrain during developmental stages. In adults, expression is restricted to specific areas of the brain, including telencephalic and diencephalic regions with an important role in receiving and processing sensory information and in directing behaviour. To investigate the contribution of rbfox1 to behaviour, we used rbfox1sa15940, a zebrafish mutant line with TL background. We found that rbfox1sa15940 mutants present hyperactivity, thigmotaxis, decreased freezing behaviour and altered social behaviour. We repeated these behavioural tests in a second rbfox1 mutant line with a different genetic background (TU), rbfox1del19, and found that rbfox1 deficiency affects behaviour similarly in this line, although there were some differences. rbfox1del19 mutants present similar thigmotaxis, but stronger alterations in social behaviour and lower levels of hyperactivity than rbfox1sa15940 fish. Taken together, these results suggest that mutations in rbfox1 lead to multiple behavioural changes in zebrafish that might be modulated by environmental, epigenetic and genetic background effects, and that resemble phenotypic alterations present in Rbfox1-deficient mice and in patients with different psychiatric conditions. Our study, thus, highlights the evolutionary conservation of rbfox1 function in behaviour and paves the way to further investigate the mechanisms underlying rbfox1 pleiotropy on the onset of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background: Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage 653 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage 653 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods: A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD) initiative constitutes the study population. Urinary albumin excretion (ACR) and estimated GFR (eGFR) were retrieved and analyzed. The incidence of stage 653 CKD (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or eGFR reduction > 30% from baseline was evaluated. Results: The mean estimated GFR was 98 \ub1 17 mL/min/1.73m2 and the proportion of patients with albuminuria was 15.3% (n = 654) at baseline. About 8% (n = 337) of patients developed one of the two renal endpoints during the 4-year follow-up period. Age, albuminuria (micro or macro) and baseline eGFR < 90 ml/min/m2 were independent risk factors for stage 653 CKD and renal function worsening. When compared to patients with eGFR > 90 ml/min/1.73m2 and normoalbuminuria, those with albuminuria at baseline had a 1.69 greater risk of reaching stage 3 CKD, while patients with mild eGFR reduction (i.e. eGFR between 90 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) show a 3.81 greater risk that rose to 8.24 for those patients with albuminuria and mild eGFR reduction at baseline. Conclusions: Albuminuria and eGFR reduction represent independent risk factors for incident stage 653 CKD in T1DM patients. The simultaneous occurrence of reduced eGFR and albuminuria have a synergistic effect on renal function worsening

Molecular diagnosis of bloodstream infections: planning to (physically) reach the bedside

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Faster identification of infecting microorganisms and treatment options is a first-ranking priority in the infectious disease area, in order to prevent inappropriate treatment and overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Standard bacterial identification is intrinsically time-consuming, and very recently there has been a burst in the number of commercially available nonphenotype-based techniques and in the documentation of a possible clinical impact of these techniques. RECENT FINDINGS: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is now a standard diagnostic procedure on cultures and hold promises on spiked blood. Meanwhile, commercial PCR-based techniques have improved with the use of bacterial DNA enrichment methods, the diversity of amplicon analysis techniques (melting curve analysis, microarrays, gel electrophoresis, sequencing and analysis by mass spectrometry) leading to the ability to challenge bacterial culture as the gold standard for providing earlier diagnosis with a better 'clinical' sensitivity and additional prognostic information. SUMMARY: Laboratory practice has already changed with MALDI-TOF MS, but a change in clinical practice, driven by emergent nucleic acid-based techniques, will need the demonstration of real-life applicability as well as robust clinical-impact-oriented studies

A new lumped approach for the simulation of the magnetron injection gun for megawatt-class eu gyrotrons

In the framework of the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) project, one of the key components of the reactor is the ECRH (Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating). This system has the duty to heat the plasma inside the tokamak, using high frequency and power radio waves, produced by sets of 1MW gyrotrons. One of the main issues related to the gyrotron operation is the output power drop that happens right after the beginning of a pulse. In this work, we study the underlying phenomena that cause the power drop, focusing on the gyrotron’s MIG (Magnetron Injection Gun) of the 1MW, 170 GHz European Gyrotron prototype for ITER. It is shown how the current emission and the temperature of the emitter are tightly bound, and how their interaction causes the power drop, observed experimentally. Furthermore, a simple yet effective lumped-parameter model to describe the MIG’s cathode thermal dynamics is developed, which is able to predict the power output of the gyrotron by simulating the propagation of the heat inside this component. The model is validated against test results, showing a good capability to reproduce the measured behavior of the system, while still being open to further improvements