/pdf/convex-analysisnoer-san-nojin-zhan-nituite-5dl2rbmoyr.pdf

Convex Analysisの二,三の進展について

This review comprises a detailed survey of ongoing methodologies for soft actuators, highlighting approaches suitable for nanometer- to centimeter-scale robotic applications. Soft robots present a special design challenge in that their actuation and sensing mechanisms are often highly integrated with the robot body and overall functionality. When less than a centimeter, they belong to an even more special subcategory of robots or devices, in that they often lack on-board power, sensing, computation, and control. Soft, active materials are particularly well suited for this task, with a wide range of stimulants and a number of impressive examples, demonstrating large deformations, high motion complexities, and varied multifunctionality. Recent research includes both the development of new materials and composites, as well as novel implementations leveraging the unique properties of soft materials.

Soft Actuators for Small-Scale Robotics.

Continuum robotic manipulators articulate due to their inherent compliance. Tendon actuation leads to compression of the manipulator, extension of the actuators, and is limited by the practical constraint that tendons cannot support compression. In light of these observations, we present a new linear model for transforming desired beam configuration to tendon displacements and vice versa. We begin from first principles in solid mechanics by analyzing the effects of geometrically nonlinear tendon loads. These loads act both distally at the termination point and proximally along the conduit contact interface. The resulting model simplifies to a linear system including only the bending and axial modes of the manipulator as well as the actuator compliance. The model is then manipulated to form a concise mapping from beam configuration-space parameters to n redundant tendon displacements via the internal loads and strains experienced by the system. We demonstrate the utility of this model by implementing an optimal feasible controller. The controller regulates axial strain to a constant value while guaranteeing positive tendon forces and minimizing their magnitudes over a range of articulations. The mechanics-based model from this study provides insight as well as performance gains for this increasingly ubiquitous class of manipulators.

Mechanics Modeling of Tendon-Driven Continuum Manipulators

A sensor system is adapted for use with an article of footwear and includes an insert member including a first layer and a second layer, a port connected to the insert and configured for communication with an electronic module, a plurality of force and/or pressure sensors on the insert member, and a plurality of leads connecting the sensors to the port.

Footwear having sensor system

Shape-programmable matter is a class of active materials whose geometry can be controlled to potentially achieve mechanical functionalities beyond those of traditional machines. Among these materials, magnetically actuated matter is particularly promising for achieving complex time-varying shapes at small scale (overall dimensions smaller than 1 cm). However, previous work can only program these materials for limited applications, as they rely solely on human intuition to approximate the required magnetization profile and actuating magnetic fields for their materials. Here, we propose a universal programming methodology that can automatically generate the required magnetization profile and actuating fields for soft matter to achieve new time-varying shapes. The universality of the proposed method can therefore inspire a vast number of miniature soft devices that are critical in robotics, smart engineering surfaces and materials, and biomedical devices. Our proposed method includes theoretical formulations, computational strategies, and fabrication procedures for programming magnetic soft matter. The presented theory and computational method are universal for programming 2D or 3D time-varying shapes, whereas the fabrication technique is generic only for creating planar beams. Based on the proposed programming method, we created a jellyfish-like robot, a spermatozoid-like undulating swimmer, and an artificial cilium that could mimic the complex beating patterns of its biological counterpart.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/113/41/E6007.full.pdf

Shape-programmable magnetic soft matter

Force-closure workspace analysis of cable-driven parallel mechanisms

Introduction With the rapid development of technology in the 21st century, the use of multi-media tool in education has become increasingly popular. Notwithstanding their usual engineering applications, robots are being used more in schools. According to Beran et al. (2011), children are also playing more with technologically advanced devices during their playtime. Subsequently, studies were conducted to investigate robot use's influence on children's cognition, language, interaction, social and moral development (Wei et al., 2011; Kozima & Nakagawa, 2007; Shimada, Kanda & Koizumi, 2012; Kahn et al., 2012). Recent studies (Wei, Hung, Lee & Chen, 2011; Highfield, 2010; Chen, Quadir & Teng, 2011) reported that robot use encourages interactive learning, making children more engaged in their learning activities. This increase research on robot application to education needs systematic look at the direction taken this past decade in order to elucidate a roadmap for future studies. Recent reviews on the use of robots in education show the challenges faced by researchers in this field. Benitti (2012) points out that more than 70 papers could have qualified in his review work but only 10 provided quantitative measurement on the use of robots in education. From these ten papers, only those that discuss the potential of using robots in all level of education and highlight the non-engineering benefits were selected. Mubin et al. (2013) analysed research works from through the actual robots used. The major factors identified were robot's role, type (physical form), behaviour (capabilities and interaction capacity), learning activity type, and venue (inside or outside of classroom) where learning takes place. Mubin et al. (2013) and Benitti (2012) find similarity on the topics where robots were being used in education--learning language, science, and technology. Although Mubin et al. (2013) differs by pointing out the various roles played by the robot in education--as tutor, tool, or peer. The reviews provide good starting points for researchers, the criteria (Benitti, 2012) and perspective (Mubin et al., 2013) taken by these two papers could potentially miss those that could be relevant to researchers in the field. Moreover, other factors critical in the use of robot in education may have been overlooked, like the effect of design on interaction or the importance of parent's perception in the success of implementing a robot-in-education project. The aim of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of using robots in studies published within the last decade. We look at effectiveness as having four sub-factors--the study type done by the researcher, the influence of the robots on the behaviour and development of students, the perception of stakeholders (parents, educators and children) about the robots, and the importance of design or robot appearance. To achieve this aim, we would focus on articles on the application of robots in early childhood and lower level education and evidence for the factors would be analysed. The rest of the paper is organized as follows. The review approach, especially the search and selection strategies, is discussed in details in the next section. The discussions on the four factors above are described in the succeeding sections. The conclusion provides a summary and presents the remaining challenges in this research field. Review approach To limit the papers to be reviewed, we implemented a search and selection strategy using specific keywords in electronic databases. We started with 369 articles and narrowed it down to 27. Search strategy Articles reviewed were limited to those published in English from 2003-2013. To gather as many papers as possible, five major databases were searched: IEEE Xplore, Academic Search Premier, ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink. …

/pdf/a-review-on-the-use-of-robots-in-education-and-young-1pqhy8tarp.pdf

A Review on the Use of Robots in Education and Young Children.

Local POE model for robot kinematic calibration

This paper presents a new sensing system for home-based rehabilitation based on optical linear encoder (OLE), in which the motion of an optical encoder on a code strip is converted to the limb joints' goniometric data. A body sensing module was designed, integrating the OLE and an accelerometer. A sensor network of three sensing modules was established via controller area network bus to capture human arm motion. Experiments were carried out to compare the performance of the OLE module with that of commercial motion capture systems such as electrogoniometers and fiber-optic sensors. The results show that the inexpensive and simple-design OLE's performance is comparable to that of expensive systems. Moreover, a statistical study was conducted to confirm the repeatability and reliability of the sensing system. The OLE-based system has strong potential as an inexpensive tool for motion capture and arm-function evaluation for short-term as well as long-term home-based monitoring.

Song Huat Yeo

Papers

Force-closure workspace analysis of cable-driven parallel mechanisms

A Review on the Use of Robots in Education and Young Children.

Local POE model for robot kinematic calibration

A Wearable Sensing System for Tracking and Monitoring of Functional Arm Movement

Workspace analysis of fully restrained cable-driven manipulators