IMU-based human activity recognition and payload classification for low-back exoskeletons

Nowadays, work-related musculoskeletal disorders have a drastic impact on a large part of the world population. In particular, low-back pain counts as the leading cause of absence from work in the industrial sector. Robotic exoskeletons have great potential to improve industrial workers’ health and life quality. Nonetheless, current solutions are often limited by sub-optimal control systems. Due to the dynamic environment in which they are used, failure to adapt to the wearer and the task may be limiting exoskeleton adoption in occupational scenarios. In this scope, we present a deep-learning-based approach exploiting inertial sensors to provide industrial exoskeletons with human activity recognition and adaptive payload compensation. Inertial measurement units are easily wearable or embeddable in any industrial exoskeleton. We exploited Long-Short Term Memory networks both to perform human activity recognition and to classify the weight of lifted objects up to 15 kg. We found a median F1 score of 90.80 % (activity recognition) and 87.14 % (payload estimation) with subject-specific models trained and tested on 12 (6M-6F) young healthy volunteers. We also succeeded in evaluating the applicability of this approach with an in-lab real-time test in a simulated target scenario. These high-level algorithms may be useful to fully exploit the potential of powered exoskeletons to achieve symbiotic human–robot interaction

A Methodology for Continuous Monitoring of Rail Corrugation on Subway Lines Based on Axlebox Acceleration Measurements

Rail corrugation is a degradation phenomenon that manifests as a quasi-periodic irregularity on the running surface of the rail. It is a critical problem for urban railway lines because it induces ground-borne vibrations transmitted to the buildings near the infrastructure, causing complaints from the inhabitants. A typical treatment to mitigate the rail corrugation problem is the periodic grinding of the rails, performed by dedicated vehicles. The scheduling of rail maintenance is particularly critical because it can be performed only when the service is interrupted. A procedure for the continuous monitoring of rail corrugation is proposed, based on axlebox acceleration measurements. The rail irregularity is estimated from the measured acceleration by means of a frequency domain model of vertical dynamics of the wheel–rail interaction. The results obtained by using two different methods (a state-of-the-art method and a new one) are compared. Finally, the study of the evolution of the power content of the rail irregularity enables the identification of the track sections where corrugation is developing and rail grinding is necessary

Robotic modified radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy

Radical hysterectomy, the complete removal of a woman’s uterus, is usually performed via an abdominal incision that requires a 3–5 day hospital stay and a 6–8 week recovery period. Now, in a handful of hospitals around the world, new robotic technology allows doctors to perform this procedure through small incisions that require a recovery time of only one night in the hospital and a significantly shorter recovery period at home. Watch such a procedure being carried out at the European Institute of Oncology

Application of martensitic SMA alloys as passive dampers of GFRP laminated composites

This paper describes the application of SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) materials to enhance the passive damping of GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic) laminated composite. The SMA has been embedded as reinforcement in the GFRP laminated composite and a SMA/GFRP hybrid composite has been obtained. Two SMA alloys have been studied as reinforcement and characterized by thermo-mechanical tests. The architecture of the hybrid composite has been numerically optimized in order to enhance the structural damping of the host GFRP laminated, without significant changes of the specific weight and of the flexural stiffness. The design and the resultant high damping material are interesting and will be useful in general for applications related to passive damping. The application to a new designed lateral horn of railway collector of the Italian high speed trains is discussed

Design for the Damping of a Railway Collector Based on the Application of Shape Memory Alloys

A new design of a Cu based SMA/GFRP lateral horn of a railway collector is proposed. Synergistic contribution of the performance parameters associated with the SMA, including specific damping, specific stiffness, and volume fraction, as well as those associated with the host composite such as flexural rigidity, SMA through-the-thickness location, and SMA-host interfacial strength, is taken into account. The aim is to increase the structural damping of the first flexural mode of the horn without significantly changing its flexural stiffness and weight. The focus of this work also applies to manufacturability and the cost effectiveness of the component for future industrial production

Reproductive outcomes and fertility preservation strategies in women with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors after fertility sparing surgery

Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors are rare tumors that mainly affect patients of reproductive age. The aim of this study was to investigate the reproductive outcomes and fertility preservation strategies in malignant ovarian germ cell tumors after fertility-sparing surgery. Data in literature support that fertility-sparing surgery is associated with an excellent oncological outcome not only in early stages malignant ovarian germ cell tumors but also in advanced stages. Moreover, the possibility of performing conservative treatment should be considered even in case of relapse or advanced disease, given the high chemosensitivity. Indeed, available data have shown that menstrual function is maintained after platinum-based regimens in over 85–95% of patients with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors and rate of premature menopause reported in literature ranges between 3% and 7.4%, while premature ovarian failure rates are between 3.4% and 5%. Moreover, reproductive outcomes are about 80% with no increase in the risk of teratogenicity compared to general population. Therefore, conservative surgery for malignant ovarian germ cell tumors currently may represent a therapeutic option in patients who wish to preserve fertility but must be available for extended follow-up and after subscribing to informed consent

Application of martensitic SMA alloys as passive dampers of GFRP laminated composites

This paper describes the application of SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) materials to enhance thepassive damping of GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic) laminated composite. The SMA has been embeddedas reinforcement in the GFRP laminated composite and a SMA/GFRP hybrid composite has been obtained.Two SMA alloys have been studied as reinforcement and characterized by thermo-mechanical tests. Thearchitecture of the hybrid composite has been numerically optimized in order to enhance the structural dampingof the host GFRP laminated, without significant changes of the specific weight and of the flexural stiffness. Thedesign and the resultant high damping material are interesting and will be useful in general for applicationsrelated to passive damping. The application to a new designed lateral horn of railway collector of the Italianhigh speed trains is discussed

Impact of covid-19 in gynecologic oncology: A nationwide italian survey of the sigo and mito groups

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused rapid and drastic changes in cancer management. The Italian Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SIGO), and the Multicenter Italian Trials in Ovarian cancer and gynecologic malignancies (MITO) promoted a national survey aiming to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on clinical activity of gynecologist oncologists and to assess the implementation of containment measures against COVID-19 diffusion. Methods: The survey consisted of a self-administered, anonymous, online questionnaire. The survey was sent via email to all the members of the SIGO, and MITO groups on April 7, 2020, and was closed on April 20, 2020. Results: Overall, 604 participants completed the questionnaire with a response-rate of 70%. The results of this survey suggest that gynecologic oncology units had set a proactive approach to COVID-19 outbreak. Triage methods were adopted in order to minimize in-hospital diffusion of COVID-19. Only 38% of gynecologic surgeons were concerned about COVID-19 outbreak. Although 73% of the participants stated that COVID-19 has not significantly modified their everyday practice, 21% declared a decrease of the use of laparoscopy in favor of open surgery (19%). However, less than 50% of surgeons adopted specific protection against COVID-19. Additionally, responders suggested to delay cancer treatment (10%–15%), and to perform less radical surgical procedures (20%–25%) during COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: National guidelines should be implemented to further promote the safety of patients and health care providers. International cooperation is of paramount importance, as heavily affected nations can serve as an example to find out ways to safely preserve clinical activity during the COVID-19 outbreak

Sentinel node biopsy in early vulvar cancer

Lymph node pathologic status is the most important prognostic factor in vulvar cancer; however, complete inguinofemoral node dissection is associated with significant morbidity. Lymphoscintigraphy associated with gamma-probe guided surgery reliably detects sentinel nodes in melanoma and breast cancer patients. This study evaluates the feasibility of the surgical identification of sentinel groin nodes using lymphoscintigraphy and a gamma-detecting probe in patients with early vulvar cancer. Technetium-99m-labelled colloid human albumin was administered perilesionally in 37 patients with invasive epidermoid vulvar cancer (T1–T2) and lymphoscintigraphy performed the day before surgery. An intraoperative gamma-detecting probe was used to identify sentinel nodes during surgery. A complete inguinofemoral node dissection was then performed. Sentinel nodes were submitted separately to pathologic evaluation. A total of 55 groins were dissected in 37 patients. Localization of the SN was successful in all cases. Eight cases had positive nodes: in all the sentinel node as positive; the sentinel node was the only positive node in five cases. Twenty-nine patients showed negative sentinel nodes: all of them were negative for lymph node metastases. Lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel-node biopsy under gamma-detecting probe guidance proved to be an easy and reliable method for the detection of sentinel node in early vulvar cancer. This technique may represent a true advance in the direction of less aggressive treatments in patients with vulvar cancer. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig