388 research outputs found
Aeration-agitation in xantham gum fermentation : improved fermenter design for viscous non-Newtonian cultures
Imperial Users onl
Object Exploration Using a Parallel Jaw Gripper
In this paper we present a system for tactile object exploration. The system is built using a gripper with two parallel fingers, each equipped with a tactile array and a force/torque sensor. We have designed and implemented a set of exploratory procedures for acquiring the following properties: weight, shape, texture, and hardness. The system is successful at extracting these properties from a limited domain of objects. We present a detailed evaluation of the system and the causes of its limitations. The manipulation, motion, and, sensing primitives we have developed in the process of this work could be used for a variety of other tasks, such as model-based recognition, tool manipulation, and assembly
Womenâs Cooperatives in Greece: An On-going Story of Battles, Successes and Problems
Womenâs cooperatives are the most original type of cooperatives in Greece in terms of planning, organization and management, aimed at increasing their family income and upgrading their social status. In most cases, national or European Union projects financed the cooperatives. The aim of this article is to examine the womenâs cooperatives and identify the factors that exhorted farm-women to join them, the effects of such a decision on their lives, as well as the problems they faced during their operation. Forty out of seventy-one cooperatives were examined by means of a structured questionnaire in February 2000. The results indicate that the participation of farm-women in these cooperatives provided them a source of income and gave them independence, power of control and self-esteem. However, efforts must be made in order that their members consider them as enterprises that can operate, survive and develop in a competitive environment.Womenâs cooperatives, Womenâs agrotourist cooperatives, Farmwomen, Greece., Agribusiness,
Improved Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) systems for optimized selectivity
En el presente trabajo de Tesis se aborda el tema de selectividad en la activaciĂłn muscular en las aplicaciones de estimulaciĂłn elĂ©ctrica funcional en el miembro superior. Este tipo de tecnologĂa presenta una serie de problemas, de los cuales se destaca la dificultad de estimular solo un musculo debido al reducido tamaño de ellos y la alta densidad de mĂșsculos presentes. El problema este, llamado âoveflow" en inglĂ©s, aparece debido a la dificultad de controlar el camino de la corriente elĂ©ctrica debajo de la piel hacia el musculo. Los electrodos tipo matriz han sido la apuesta de varios estudios para afrontar estas dificultades y varias soluciones se han presentado los Ășltimos 10 años. Estos estudios se enfocan en el desarrollo de sistemas y de la tecnologĂa electrĂłnica necesaria. Sin embargo, faltan estudios de los parĂĄmetros que influyen en la activaciĂłn selectiva de los mĂșsculos y como optimizar todos estos parĂĄmetros. El objetivo de esta tesis es el desarrollo de un sistema de estimulaciĂłn elĂ©ctrica funcional superficial, basado en los electrodos tipo matriz, que optimiza la selectividad muscular. Se conoce desde la bibliografĂa que el camino de la corriente elĂ©ctrica debajo de la piel depende de una serie de factores. Entre ellos se encuentran la posiciĂłn, la forma y el tamaño del electrodo de cĂĄtodo, la posiciĂłn del electrodo de ĂĄnodo y la impedancia de la membrana de gel del electrodo. Esta tesis se enfoca en optimizar estos factores que permiten modular el campo elĂ©ctrico que se genera debajo del electrodo. El sistema que se ha desarrollado se usĂł con ese objetivo. El sistema se ha evaluado en dos escenarios: en pacientes con temblor y pacientes con lesiĂłn medular
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