An adaptive scheme for wheelchair navigation collaborative control

In this paper we propose a system where machine and human cooperate at every situation via a reactive emergent behavior, so that the person is always in charge of his/her own motion. Our approach relies on locally evaluating the performance of the human and the wheelchair for each given situation. Then, both their motion commands are weighted according to those efficiencies and combined in a reactive way. This approach benefits from the advantages of typical reactive behaviors to combine different sources of information in a simple, seamless way into an emergent trajectory.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

A new collaborative shared control strategy for continuous elder/robot assisted navigation

In nowadays aging society, many people require mobility assistance. Autonomous wheelchairs may provide some help, but they are not supposed to overtake all control on human mobility, as this is reported to lead to loss of residual capabilities and frustration. Instead, persons and wheelchairs are expected to cooperate. Traditionally, shared control hands control from human to robot depending on a triggering event. In this paper, though, we propose a method to allow constant cooperation between humans and robots, so that both have some weight in the emergent navigating behavior. We have tested the proposed method on a robotized Meyra wheelchair at Santa Lucia Hospedale in Rome with several volunteering in-patients presenting different disabilities. Results in indoor environments have been satisfactory both from a quantitative and qualitative point of view.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

Novel Drug Delivery System Based on Docetaxel-Loaded Nanocapsules as a Therapeutic Strategy Against Breast Cancer Cells

In the field of cancer therapy, lipid nanocapsules based on a core-shell structure are promising vehicles for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs such as docetaxel. The main aim of this work was to evaluate whether docetaxel-loaded lipid nanocapsules improved the anti-tumor effect of free docetaxel in breast cancer cells. Three docetaxel-loaded lipid nanocapsules were synthesized by solvent displacement method. Cytotoxic assays were evaluated in breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cells treated by the sulforhodamine B colorimetric method. Cell cycle was studied by flow cytometry and Annexin V-FITC, and apoptosis was evaluated by using propidium iodide assays. The anti-proliferative effect of docetaxel appeared much earlier when the drug was encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles than when it was free. Docetaxel-loaded lipid nanocapsules significantly enhanced the decrease in IC50 rate, and the treated cells evidenced apoptosis and a premature progression of the cell cycle from G(1) to G(2)-M phase. The chemotherapeutic effect of free docetaxel on breast cancer cells is improved by its encapsulation in lipid nanocapsules. This approach has the potential to overcome some major limitations of conventional chemotherapy and may be a promising strategy for future applications in breast cancer therapy

Variation of the defective structure in neutron irradiation of CdHgTe crystals

Translated from Russian (Fiz. Khim. Obrab. Mater. 1988 v. 22(4) p. 20-22)Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9023.19(VR-Trans--4151)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Wheelchair collaborative control for disabled users navigating indoors

Objective: Mobility is of key importance for autonomous living. Persons with severe disabilities may be assisted by robotic wheelchairs when manual control is not possible. However, these persons should contribute to control as much as they can to avoid loss of residual skills and frustration. Traditionally, wheelchair shared control approaches either give control to person or robot depending on the situation. Methods and materials: We propose a new shared control technique where robot and person contribute simultaneously to control. Their commands are weighted according to their respective local efficiencies and then combined via a reactive navigation strategy. Thus, assistance adapts to the user’s needs. We refer to this approach as collaborative control. Results: Collaborative control was tested in a home environment in Fondazione Santa Lucia (Rome) by 18 volunteers presenting different degrees of physical and cognitive disability. All of them successfully finished a complex test path with assistance. Both users and caregivers’ opinion on the system was very positive. Acceptance was very good according to the psychosocial impact of assistive devices scale. Conclusions: Collaborative control adapts to the person’s needs and assists him/her when necessary, locally compensating any problem related to specific disabilities. An ANOVA returned a p-value of 0.016, meaning that there is significant improvement in task performance when collaborative control is used.Peer Reviewe

An adaptive scheme for wheelchair navigation collaborative control

In this paper we propose a system where machine and human cooperate at every situation via a reactive emergent behavior, so that the person is always in charge of his/her own motion. Our approach relies on locally evaluating the performance of the human and the wheelchair for each given situation. Then, both their motion commands are weighted according to those efficiencies and combined in a reactive way. This approach benefits from the advantages of typical reactive behaviors to combine different sources of information in a simple, seamless way into an emergent trajectory.Peer Reviewe

A metrics review for performance evaluation on assisted wheelchair navigation

In nowadays aging society, many people require assistance for non-pedestrian mobility. In some cases, assistive devices require a certain degree of autonomy when the persons’ disabilities difficult manual control. In this field, it is important to rate user performance to check how much help he/she needs. This paper presents an overview of common metrics for wheelchair navigation, plus some proposed by authors to take into account new approaches to wheelchair control. We present an example of proposed metrics on a robotized Meyra wheelchair at Santa Lucia Hospedale in Rome to prove their meaning and adequacy.Peer Reviewe

A metrics review for performance evaluation on assisted wheelchair navigation

In nowadays aging society, many people require assistance for non-pedestrian mobility. In some cases, assistive devices require a certain degree of autonomy when the persons’ disabilities difficult manual control. In this field, it is important to rate user performance to check how much help he/she needs. This paper presents an overview of common metrics for wheelchair navigation, plus some proposed by authors to take into account new approaches to wheelchair control. We present an example of proposed metrics on a robotized Meyra wheelchair at Santa Lucia Hospedale in Rome to prove their meaning and adequacy.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A new collaborative shared control strategy for continuous elder/robot assisted navigation

In nowadays aging society, many people require mobility assistance. Autonomous wheelchairs may provide some help, but they are not supposed to overtake all control on human mobility, as this is reported to lead to loss of residual capabilities and frustration. Instead, persons and wheelchairs are expected to cooperate. Traditionally, shared control hands control from human to robot depending on a triggering event. In this paper, though, we propose a method to allow constant cooperation between humans and robots, so that both have some weight in the emergent navigating behavior. We have tested the proposed method on a robotized Meyra wheelchair at Santa Lucia Hospedale in Rome with several volunteering in-patients presenting different disabilities. Results in indoor environments have been satisfactory both from a quantitative and qualitative point of view.Peer Reviewe

Analytical and electrochemical investigations of reinforcement corrosion

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:3425.926(TRRL-CR--30) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo