The correct grasp of objects is a key aspect for the right fulfillment of a given task. Obtaining a good grasp requires algorithms to automatically determine proper contact points on the object as well as proper hand configurations, especially when dexterous manipulation is desired, and the quantification of a good grasp requires the definition of suitable grasp quality measures. This article reviews the quality measures proposed in the literature to evaluate grasp quality. The quality measures are classified into two groups according to the main aspect they evaluate: location of contact points on the object and hand configuration. The approaches that combine different measures from the two previous groups to obtain a global quality measure are also reviewed, as well as some measures related to human hand studies and grasp performance. Several examples are presented to illustrate and compare the performance of the reviewed measures.

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Grasp quality measures: review and performance

Understanding the driver of an automobile has been attractive to researchers from many different disciplines for more than half a century. On the basis of their acquirements, models of the (human) driver have been developed to better understand, analyse and improve the combined couple of driver and automobile. Due to distinctive demands on the models in accordance with different kinds of applications, a variety of driver models is available. An overview of driver models is given with respect to their application and different methodical modelling approaches. The emphasis is put on the interest of engineers, who generally focus on the automobile (like design and optimization of vehicle components and the overall vehicle dynamics behaviour) by applying their approved (mathematical) methods. Nonetheless, a brief look beyond is added to better complete the view on the involved task of driving and driver modelling for automobile dynamics application.

Driver models in automobile dynamics application

Energy storage systems (ESSs) play a very important role in recent years. Flywheel is one of the oldest storage energy devices and it has several benefits. Flywheel Energy Storage System (FESS) can be applied from very small micro-satellites to huge power networks. A comprehensive review of FESS for hybrid vehicle, railway, wind power system, hybrid power generation system, power network, marine, space and other applications are presented in this paper. There are three main devices in FESS, including machine, bearing, and Power Electronic Interface (PEI). Furthermore, advantages and disadvantages all of them have been presented. In addition a brief review of new and conventional power electronic converters used in FESS, have been discussed. Finally, practical ways to develop this technology in the future are presented.

A comprehensive review of Flywheel Energy Storage System technology

A review on belt and chain continuously variable transmissions (CVT): Dynamics and control

Climbing robots for maintenance and inspections of vertical structures-A survey of design aspects and technologies

A comparison of the performances of full and half toroidal traction drives

This paper is concerned with the shifting behavior of a metal belt CVT. The calculations are performed for the chain belt case by using a one-dimensional model of the belt: the radial thickness of the belt is neglected. The friction forces are modeled on the basis of the Coulomb friction hypothesis. The deformation of the belt, i.e., the variation of its transversal width, is shown to be negligible with respect to the variation of the local groove width caused by the elastic deformation of the pulleys and by the clearance in the bearings. The particular shape of the deformed pulley is described on the basis of Sattler model (1999) who showed that the variation of the groove angle and that one of the local groove width of the pulley can be easily described by simple trigonometric formulas. The paper shows that the characteristic behavior of the transmission during slow shifting maneuvers, referred to as "creep mode, " is caused by the bending of the pulleys, that is to say for rigid pulleys no "creep mode" can be observed. Moreover, the model shows that increasing the rate of change of speed ratio a transition from the "creep-mode" to the so called "slip-mode" behavior of the variator takes place, as experimentally observed.

The Influence of Pulley Deformations on the Shifting Mechanism of Metal Belt CVT

We present a theoretical approach to estimate the fluid leakage in flat seals. The approach is based on the analogy between the seal-substrate interface and a porous medium. We assume that the interface is constituted of a random distribution of noncontact patches (the pores) and small but numerous contact spots (islands). Leakage may occur only through the pores, of which the lateral size and height are distributed according to a probability density function that we calculate on the basis of a recent theory of contact mechanics. Our theoretical approach is based on a percolation scheme that has never been proposed before and we believe it could be useful to stimulate further theoretical or experimental investigations. Within this percolation scheme we apply critical path analysis to calculate the hydraulic conductivity of the medium and compare our predictions with other calculations very recently presented to the scientific community.

Leakage mechanism in flat seals

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) represent a possible sustainable solution for personal urban transportation. Presently, the most limiting characteristic of BEVs is their short range, mainly because of battery technology limitations. A proper design and control of the drivetrain, aimed at reducing the power losses and thus increasing BEV range, can contribute to make the electrification of urban transportation a convenient choice. This paper presents a simulation-based comparison of the energy efficiency performance of six drivetrain architectures for BEVs. Although many different drivetrain and transmission architectures have been proposed for BEVs, no literature was found regarding BEVs equipped with infinitely variable transmissions (IVTs). The analyzed drivetrain configurations are: single- (1G) and two-speed (2G) gear drives, half toroidal (HT) and full toroidal (FT) continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), and infinitely variable transmissions (IVTs) with two different types of internal power flow (IVT-I and IVT-II). An off-line procedure for determining the most efficient control action for each drivetrain configuration is proposed, which allows selecting the optimal speed ratio for each operating condition. The energy consumption of the BEVs is simulated along the UDC (Urban Driving Cycle) and Japanese 10-15 driving cycle, with a backward facing approach. In order to achieve the

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Giacomo Mantriota

Papers

A comparison of the performances of full and half toroidal traction drives

The Influence of Pulley Deformations on the Shifting Mechanism of Metal Belt CVT

Leakage mechanism in flat seals

Energy Consumption of a Battery Electric Vehicle with Infinitely Variable Transmission

Power flows and efficiency in infinitely variable transmissions