Robotics

Quadcopters or Drones have multiple applications for different purpose such as investigation, assessment, exploration, rescue and decreasing the human strength in an adverse situation. Unmanned air vehicles (UAV) is designed with four propellers to resolve the issue of constancy however it will make the drone further more complex for the dynamic modelling and for the control system. In this research, smart controller is intended to regulate the attitude of drone. Simulation ideal model and fuzzy logic control approach is formulated to implement for four elementary motions i.e. roll, pitch, yaw, and height of our drone for the application of earthquake. The key objective of this research paper is to develop the anticipated output as compare to the desired input.

This paper proposes a novel finite dimensional discrete-time Nonlinear Model Predictive Control. This technique is based on discrete-time state-space models, Taylor series expansion for prediction and performance index optimization. Furthermore, the technique extends the concept of the Lie derivative for the discrete time case using Euler backwards method. The performance validation for the discrete-time Nonlinear Model Predictive Control uses the simulation of a single-link flexible joint robot and the inverted pendulum. Comparison of the proposed finite dimensional discrete-time Nonlinear Model Predictive Control technique with Feedback Linearization Control is also discussed. Analytical and numerical results show excellent performances for both, the single-link flexible joint and inverted pendulum controllers using the proposed discrete-time Nonlinear Model Predictive Control technique.

Abstract: Most approaches to artificial moral agents (AMAs) apparently
take it for granted that a machine could be moral. However, to think that
the categories of morality or immorality apply to machines seems like a
category mistake. This paper inquires into the conditions necessary for a
machine to be moral. In order to do this, it first addresses the question
what is a machine? It then argues that a form of agency is characteristic
of machines in contradistinction of other technical objects and that given
their particular characteristics as machines artificial agents fail to satisfy
one of the basic pre-conditions of moral agents. In conclusion, I ask what
would be necessary for an artificial agent to be a moral agent.

warm robotics systems are characterized by decentralized control, limited communication between robots, use of local information, and emergence of global behavior. Such systems have shown their potential for flexibility and robustness [1]-[3]. However, existing swarm robotics systems are by and large still limited to displaying simple proof-of-concept behaviors under laboratory conditions. It is our contention that one of the factors holding back swarm robotics research is the almost universal insistence on homogeneous system components. We believe that swarm robotics designers must embrace heterogeneity if they ever want swarm robotics systems to approach the complexity required of real-world systems. To date, swarm robotics systems have almost exclusively comprised physically and behaviorally undifferentiated agents. This design decision has its roots in ethological models of self-organizing natural systems. These models serve as inspiration for swarm robotics system designers, but are often highly abstract simplifications of natural systems and, to date, have largely assumed homogeneous agents. Selected dynamics of the systems under study are shown to emerge from the interactions of identical system components, ignoring the heterogeneities (physical, spatial, functional, and informational) that one can find in almost any natural system. The field of swarm robotics currently lacks methods and tools with which to study and leverage the heterogeneity that is present in natural systems. To remedy this deficiency, we propose swarmanoid, an innovative swarm robotics system composed of three different robot types with complementary skills: foot-bots are small autonomous robots specialized in moving on both even and uneven terrains, capable of self-assembling and of transporting objects or other robots; hand-bots are autonomous robots capable of climbing some vertical surfaces and manipulating small objects; and eye-bots are autonomous flying robots that can attach to an indoor ceiling, capable of analyzing the environment from a privileged position to S

Disaster is an uncertain phenomenon that arises due to natural as well as man-made calamities. Disaster often causes a high degree of destruction, especially in a very densely populated region. To handle such a situation, efficient resource management strategies are required. Resource management is the most crucial phase of disaster management. Efficient and in-time allocation of resources is very important; otherwise, it may result in more fatalities. In this context, we propose the resource management algorithm, which deals with both over- and underdemand for resources. Resource management requires efficient resource allocation, and in case of overdemand for resources, it must be followed by resource scheduling. In this paper, we introduce a resource allocation technique which is based on multiple objectives having a different set of constraints. We also propose the resource scheduling algorithm based on various parameters. The proposed algorithm uses multiobjective theory for res...

The purpose of this article is to discuss the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the design of the Deep House project (Fig. 1), an attempt to use estrangement as a method to emancipate a house from a canonical approach to the progressive design of a one-family house project. The main argument in this text is that the results created by Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), whether in the form of GANs, CNNs, or other networks, generate results that fall into the category of Estranged objects. In this article, I would like to offer a possible definition of what architecture in this plateau of thinking represents and how it differentiates from previous attempts to use estrangement to explain the phenomena observed when working with NNs in architecture design. A potpourri of thoughts that demonstrate the intellectual tradition of exploring estrangement, especially in theater and literature, that ultimately circles back to its implications for architecture, particularly in light...

Recent achievements in active capsule endoscopy have allowed controlled inspection of the bowel by magnetic guidance. Capsule localization represents an important enabling technology for such kinds of platforms. In this paper, the authors present a localization method, applied as first step in time-discrete capsule position detection, that is useful for establishing a magnetic link at the beginning of an endoscopic procedure or for re-linking the capsule in the case of loss due to locomotion. The novelty of this approach consists in using magnetic sensors on board the capsule whose output is combined with pre-calculated magnetic field analytical model solutions. A magnetic field triangulation algorithm is used for obtaining the position of the capsule inside the gastrointestinal tract. Experimental validation has demonstrated that the proposed procedure is stable, accurate and has a wide localization range in a volume of about 18 × 10 3 cm 3 . Position errors of 14 mm along the X direction, 11 mm along the Y direction and 19 mm along the Z direction were obtained in less than 27 s of elaboration time. The proposed approach, being compatible with magnetic fields used for locomotion, can be easily extended to other platforms for active capsule endoscopy.

Closed-form mechanisms of relative manipulation robot is an effective structure which helps to improve the accuracy and flexibility in technological processes. Unfortunately, the requirement about knowledge of exact dynamics of closed-form mechanisms of relative manipulation robot is arduous since it consists of numerous joints and links, and the identification of the kinematic relationship of closed-form structure is also complicated. This causes several shortcomings for controlling closed-form mechanisms of relative manipulation robot by using vector control algorithms because these methods require exactly dynamical equations of control systems. In contrast, the fuzzy controllers do not require knowledge of detailed mathematical equations of the control system since the fuzzy sets aim to capture the semantics of natural linguistic terms present in the fuzzy controller knowledge. Moreover, they have capability of handling uncertain and noisy signals, this helps to deal with the external environmental forces. This article proposes a fuzzy-based controller for closed-form mechanisms of relative manipulation robot to overcome mentioned problems by eliminating the identification of exact dynamics and kinematic constraints of closed-form structure. To verify the performance of the proposed method, the fuzzy-based controller is applied to a welding task by using a model of two-component mechanism which includes one closed-form manipulator and one serial manipulator. The welding task is also conducted by using conventional controllers in which the detailed dynamical equation is applied for the proportional-derivative (PD)-type and proportional integral derivative (PID)type computed torque controllers, whereas the fuzzy-based controller just uses several nominal parameters.

This paper considers the distributed data fusion (DDF) problem for general multi-agent robotic sensor networks in applications such as 3D mapping and target search. In particular, this paper focuses on the use of conservative fusion via the weighted exponential product (WEP) rule to combat inconsistencies that arise from double-counting common information between fusion agents. WEP fusion is ideal for fusing arbitrarily distributed estimates in ad-hoc communication network topologies, but current WEP rule variants have limited applicability to general multi-robot DDF. To address these issues, new information-theoretic WEP metrics are presented along with novel optimization algorithms for efficiently performing DDF within a recursive Bayesian estimation framework. While the proposed WEP fusion methods are generalizable to arbitrary probability distribution functions (pdfs), emphasis is placed here on widely-used Bernoulli and Gaussian mixture pdfs. Experimental results for multi-robot 3D mapping and target search applications show the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

This paper takes an interest in examining the potential of robotic pet toys as social companions, which activate social and empathy experiences of the elderly and by doing so, increase their wellbeing. In order to study the benefits of using Golden Pup, a commercial robot dog, we designed and performed a research intervention at a senior day activity center with 10 participants of ages 65-80+ years interested in the firsthand user experiences. This study suggests how robotic pets can be used to activate the social and empathy experiences of elderly, and illuminates the role of reciprocity in building a relationship with a robotic pet. We present novel results on how a robot dog with a natural interface may evoke social and empathy experiences as part of playful, intergenerational group activities.

After robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, total anatomic reconstruction (TR) with the additions of a circumapical urethral dissection, a dynamic detrusor cuff trigonoplasty, and placement of a suprapubic catheter was performed in 49 patients from June to July 2012. Continence at 6 weeks after catheter removal was assessed for an initial group of 23 patients, and also at 2 weeks in an additional 26 patients who most recently had undergone surgery. Follow-up appointments and telephone interviews were used to assess pad use and continence. Of the initial 23 patients receiving the modified TR, 60.9% had 0 pad use at 6 weeks. By 2 weeks, 65.4% of the most recent 26 patients operated on achieved continence with 0-1 pad use. Preservation and reconstruction of the pelvic floor and supporting bladder structures leads to an earlier return of continence. These key steps need to be validated and confirmed in larger and randomized trials.

Crisis management teams (e.g. fire and rescue services, anti-terrorist units ...) are often confronted with dramatic situations where critical decisions have to be made within hard time constraints. Therefore, they need correct information about what is happening on the crisis site. In this context, the View-Finder projects aims at developing robots which can assist the human crisis managers, by gathering data. This paper gives an overview of the development of such an outdoor robot. The presented robotic system is able to detect human victims at the incident site, by using vision-based human body shape detection. To increase the perceptual awareness of the human crisis managers, the robotic system is capable of reconstructing a 3D model of the environment, based on vision data. Also for navigation, the robot depends mostly on visual perception, as it combines a model-based navigation approach using georeferenced positioning with stereo-based terrain traversability analysis for obstacle avoidance. The robot control scheme is embedded in a behavior-based robot control architecture, which integrates all the robot capabilities. This paper discusses all the above mentioned technologies.

crisis coordination decisions, coming from the Permanent Coordination Centre, which can be found on a national or either regional level.The next figure summarizes the global system: The mines have been used for the first time during the American Civil War in the United States (1861-1865). Antitank (ATK) mines were later ameliorated and laid on the battlefields of the First World War: the mineclearing operations didn't pose major problems with those visible or easy-to-detect ATK-mines, reason why Anti-personal mines have been conceived and systematically used on the ATK minefields during the Second World War: such mines prevented the enemy from easy de-mining of the defence system. But the Antipersonal mines are today more and more used as offensive weapons and for sowing the terror among the civilian population of a country affected by guerrilla war: the marking of the minefield does no more exist and the Anti-personal mines, often buried in the ground, remain active after the war: about 60 millions AP-mines infest today 70 countries all over the world, two-third of them in Africa and South-East Asia…AP mines of the Second World War still exist in all the countries of Europe…45 countries are today assisted by the above mentioned European Assistance, namely Afghanistan,

In the event of an emergency due to a fire or other crisis, a necessary but time consuming pre-requisite, that could delay the real rescue operation, is to establish whether the ground or area can be entered safely by human emergency workers. The objective of the VIEW-FINDER project is to develop robots which have the primary task of gathering data. The robots are equipped with sensors that detect the presence of chemicals and, in parallel, image data is collected and forwarded to an advanced Control station (COC). The robots will be equipped with a wide array of chemical sensors, on-board cameras, Laser and other sensors to enhance scene understanding and reconstruction. At the Base Station (BS) the data is processed and combined with geographical information originating from a web of sources; thus providing the personnel leading the operation with in-situ processed data that can improve decision making. This paper will focus on the Crisis Management Information System that has been developed for improving a Disaster Management Action Plan and for linking the Control Station with a out-site Crisis Management Centre, and on the software tools implemented on the mobile robot gathering data in the outdoor area of the crisis.

Purpose -The main purpose of this study is to develop a systematic method that can minimize joint clearance for non-assembly mechanism fabrication using a layer-based fabrication technology. Design/methodology/approach -Joint clearance is one of the key factors affecting a mechanism's performance. Hertz theory is adopted to analyze the joint clearance-penetration displacement relationship and the impact force-displacement relationship. This analysis has indicated the importance of reducing joint clearance. To reduce joint clearance in layer-based fabrication, a drum-shaped roller is proposed for pin joint design in non-assembly mechanism fabrication. Compared to cylindrical pin joint design, a drum-shaped roller joint results in less impact force in mechanism operation. Furthermore, the joint clearance can also be drastically reduced. Findings -Large joint clearance could introduce instability into the dynamic behaviour of a mechanism. By applying a drum-shaped roller, the instability could apparently be alleviated. This has been demonstrated by both simulation and fabrication of a number of mechanisms with and without drum-shaped pin joints. Practical implications -Since the proposed joint design can reduce the joint clearance in rapid fabrication of non-assembly mechanisms, it is possible to expand layer-based rapid fabrication techniques for more mechanism design applications. Originality/value -Layer-based fabrication technologies have two distinct advantages: building parts without geometry restriction; and building subsystems (static or mobile) without the need for assembly. Only very few previous studies have investigated the applications that can benefit from the second advantage due to the limited accuracy of layer-based technologies in making joints of a mechanism. Through the proposed drum-shaped roller pin joint design together with the proposed joint design guidelines, joint clearance can be reduced significantly. Thus, sub-systems or mechanisms built using layer-based technologies could have accuracy close to the design specification. This will expand the application of layer-based technologies to more mechanism or mobile mechanical system studies.

Open-ended learning is a core research field of developmental robotics and AI aiming to build learning machines and robots that can autonomously acquire knowledge and skills incrementally as infants and children. The first contribution of this work is to study the challenges posed by the previously proposed benchmark 'REAL competition' aiming to foster the development of truly open-ended learning robot architectures. The competition involves a simulated camera-arm robot that: (a) in a first 'intrinsic phase' acquires sensorimotor competence by autonomously interacting with objects; (b) in a second 'extrinsic phase' is tested with tasks unknown in the intrinsic phase to measure the quality of knowledge previously acquired. This benchmark requires the solution of multiple challenges usually tackled in isolation, in particular exploration, sparse-rewards, object learning, generalisation, task/goal self-generation, and autonomous skill learning. As a second contribution, we present a set of 'REAL-X' robot architectures that are able to solve different versions of the benchmark, where we progressively release initial simplifications. The architectures are based on a planning approach that dynamically increases abstraction, and intrinsic motivations to foster exploration. REAL-X achieves a good performance level in very demanding conditions. We argue that the REAL benchmark represents a valuable tool for studying open-ended learning in its hardest form.

Open-ended learning is a core research field of developmental robotics and AI aiming to build learning machines and robots that can autonomously acquire knowledge and skills incrementally as infants. The first contribution of this work is to highlight the challenges posed by the previously proposed benchmark 'REAL competition' fostering the development of truly open-ended learning robots. The benchmark involves a simulated camera-arm robot that: (a) in a first 'intrinsic phase' acquires sensorimotor competence by autonomously interacting with objects; (b) in a second 'extrinsic phase' is tested with tasks, unknown in the intrinsic phase, to measure the quality of previously acquired knowledge. The benchmark requires the solution of multiple challenges usually tackled in isolation, in particular exploration, sparse-rewards, object learning, generalisation, task/goal self-generation, and autonomous skill learning. As a second contribution, the work presents a 'REAL-X' architecture. Different systems implementing the architecture can solve different versions of the benchmark progressively releasing initial simplifications. The REAL-X systems are based on a planning approach that dynamically increases abstraction and on intrinsic motivations to foster exploration. Some systems achieves a good performance level in very demanding conditions. Overall, the REAL benchmark represents a valuable tool for studying openended learning in its hardest form.

Open-ended learning is a core research field of developmental robotics and AI aiming to build learning machines and robots that can autonomously acquire knowledge and skills incrementally as infants and children. The first contribution of this work is to study the challenges posed by the previously proposed benchmark 'REAL competition' aiming to foster the development of truly open-ended learning robot architectures. The competition involves a simulated camera-arm robot that: (a) in a first 'intrinsic phase' acquires sensorimotor competence by autonomously interacting with objects; (b) in a second 'extrinsic phase' is tested with tasks unknown in the intrinsic phase to measure the quality of knowledge previously acquired. This benchmark requires the solution of multiple challenges usually tackled in isolation, in particular exploration, sparse-rewards, object learning, generalisation, task/goal self-generation, and autonomous skill learning. As a second contribution, we present a set of 'REAL-X' robot architectures that are able to solve different versions of the benchmark, where we progressively release initial simplifications. The architectures are based on a planning approach that dynamically increases abstraction, and intrinsic motivations to foster exploration. REAL-X achieves a good performance level in very demanding conditions. We argue that the REAL benchmark represents a valuable tool for studying open-ended learning in its hardest form.

Open-ended learning is a core research field of developmental robotics and AI aiming to build learning machines and robots that can autonomously acquire knowledge and skills incrementally as infants. The first contribution of this work is to highlight the challenges posed by the previously proposed benchmark 'REAL competition' fostering the development of truly open-ended learning robots. The benchmark involves a simulated camera-arm robot that: (a) in a first 'intrinsic phase' acquires sensorimotor competence by autonomously interacting with objects; (b) in a second 'extrinsic phase' is tested with tasks, unknown in the intrinsic phase, to measure the quality of previously acquired knowledge. The benchmark requires the solution of multiple challenges usually tackled in isolation, in particular exploration, sparse-rewards, object learning, generalisation, task/goal self-generation, and autonomous skill learning. As a second contribution, the work presents a 'REAL-X' architecture. Different systems implementing the architecture can solve different versions of the benchmark progressively releasing initial simplifications. The REAL-X systems are based on a planning approach that dynamically increases abstraction and on intrinsic motivations to foster exploration. Some systems achieves a good performance level in very demanding conditions. Overall, the REAL benchmark represents a valuable tool for studying openended learning in its hardest form.

Open-ended learning is a core research field of machine learning and robotics aiming to build learning machines and robots able to autonomously acquire knowledge and skills and to reuse them to solve novel tasks. The multiple challenges posed by open-ended learning have been operationalized in the robotic competition REAL 2020. This requires a simulated camera-arm-gripper robot to (a) autonomously learn to interact with objects during an intrinsic phase where it can learn how to move objects and then (b) during an extrinsic phase, to re-use the acquired knowledge to accomplish externally given goals requiring the robot to move objects to specific locations unknown during the intrinsic phase. Here we present a 'baseline architecture' for solving the challenge, provided as baseline model for REAL 2020. Few models have all the functionalities needed to solve the REAL 2020 benchmark and none has been tested with it yet. The architecture we propose is formed by three components: ...

Mental rotation, a classic experimental paradigm of cognitive psychology, tests the capacity of humans to mentally rotate a seen object to decide if it matches a target object. In recent years, mental rotation has been investigated with brain imaging techniques to identify the brain areas involved. Mental rotation has also been investigated through the development of neural-network models, used to identify the specific mechanisms that underlie its process, and with neurorobotics models to investigate its embodied nature. Current models, however, have limited capacities to relate to neuro-scientific evidence, to generalise mental rotation to new objects, to suitably represent decision making mechanisms, and to allow the study of the effects of overt gestures on mental rotation. The work presented in this study overcomes these limitations by proposing a novel neurorobotic model that has a macro-architecture constrained by knowledge held on brain, encompasses a rather general mental ro...

Organisms that live in groups, from microbial symbionts to social insects and schooling fish, exhibit a number of highly efficient cooperative behaviours, often based on role taking and specialisation. These behaviours are relevant not only for the biologist but also for the engineer interested in decentralized collective robotics. We address these phenomena by carrying out experiments with groups of two simulated robots controlled by neural networks whose connection weights are evolved by using genetic algorithms. These algorithms and controllers are well suited to autonomously find solutions to decentralized collective robotic tasks based on principles of self-organization. The paper first presents a taxonomy of role taking and specialisation mechanisms related to evolved neuralnetwork controllers. Then it introduces two cooperation tasks which can be accomplished by either role taking or specialisation and uses these tasks to compare four different genetic algorithms to evaluate their capacity to evolve a suitable behavioural strategy which depends on the task demands. Interestingly, only one of the four algorithms, which appears to have more biological plausibility, is capable of evolving role taking or specialisation when they are needed. The results are relevant for both collective robotics and biology as they can provide useful hints on the different processes that can lead to the emergence of specialisation in robots and organisms.

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Tom Igoe teaches courses in physical computing and networking at the Interactive Telecommunications Program in the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. In his teaching and research, he explores ways to allow digital technologies to sense and respond to a wider range of human physical expression. He co-authored Physical Computing: Sensing and Controlling the Physical World with Computers with Dan O’Sullivan, which has been adopted by numerous digital art and design schools around the world. He is a contributor to MAKE magazine and a collaborator on the Arduino open source microcontroller project. He hopes someday to work with monkeys, as well. Through twenty-six simple projects, Making Things Talk shows how to get your creations to talk with one another by forming networks of smart devices that carry on conversations with you and your environment. Here are just a few of the projects:

In cooperative mobile robotics, we look for formation keeping and maintenance of a geometric configuration during movement. As a solution to these problems, the concept of a virtual structure is considered. Based on this idea, we have developed an efficient flexible virtual structure, describing the dynamic model of n vehicles in formation and where the whole formation is kept dependant. Notes that, for 2D and 3D space navigation, only a rigid virtual structure was proposed in the literature. Further, the problem was limited to a kinematic behavior of the structure. Hence, the flexible virtual structure in dynamic modeling of mobile robots formation presented in this paper, gives more capabilities to the formation to avoid obstacles in hostile environment while keeping formation and avoiding inter-agent collision.

The problem of combination between inertial sensors and CCD cameras is of paramount importance in various applications in robotics and autonomous navigation. In this paper we develop a totally geometric model for analysis of this problem, independently from a camera model and from the structure of the scene (landmarks etc.). This formulation can be used for data fusion in several inertial navigation problems. The estimation is then decoupled from the structure of the scene. We use it in the particular case of the estimation of the gyroscopes bias and we build a nonlinear observer which is easy to compute, provides an estimation of the biais, filters the image, and is by construction very robust to noise.

o direito, perpétuo e sem limites geográficos, de arquivar e publicar esta dissertação através de exemplares impressos reproduzidos em papel ou de forma digital, ou por qualquer outro meio conhecido ou que venha a ser inventado, e de a divulgar através de repositórios científicos e de admitir a sua cópia e distribuição com objectivos educacionais ou de investigação, não comerciais, desde que seja dado crédito ao autor e editor. First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to my supervisor, Prof. Luís Moniz Pereira, who has worked closely with me all these years. For he is knowledgeable in so many research areas, I cannot recall how much I have learnt from him through an enormous number of discussions (not only in this PhD, but also during my Master study). His genuine enthusiasm for new research ideas and his endless desire to sort them out show me an example of an extraordinarily dedicated scientist, which, I believe, will strongly influence my research approach and attitudes for the rest of my career. I truly enjoy and appreciate the many long discussions that he always generously arranges whenever I wish. Furthermore, I am profoundly indebted to his constant (and always speedily) support in all matters, not only in my studies, but also in the everyday life ones. Besides my supervisor, I am most grateful to Francisco Santos, who has been, not only providing me with the significant guidance for the evolutionary part of my PhD research, but also exhibiting essential support and warm friendship. I truly appreciate all the precious scientific connections Francisco has helped to establish, which are undoubtedly crucial for my career, and our several interesting discussions and collaborations during these years. I am very grateful to the members of the Thesis Plan Advisory Committee, Carlos Damásio, Fariba Sadri, and Francisco Santos, who have provided me with essential suggestions to converge into an appropriate plan for my PhD research. I also thank them, plus Tom Lenaerts, for useful suggestions as members of my thesis program examination committee. I thank the course lecturers during my PhD studies, Nuno Marques, Carlos Damásio, Luís Caires, José Alferes, João Leite, for providing me with essential scientific background. I also thank Luís Caires, Nuno Correia, Pedro Barahona, and José Alferes, who were always of great help with respect to the administration issues. I acknowledge the Portuguese national foundation of science and technologies (FCT-MCTES) for giving me the PhD grant (ref. SFRH/BD/62373/2009), which enables me to focus on doing research. I acknowledge the

With haptic and pressure sensor manufacturing in the US totaling $US 1.6 billion in annual revenue—with 2% annual projected growth from 2018 to 2023—and tactical and service clothing manufacturing in the US totaling $US 242.9 million in annual revenue, the potential of advanced wearables continues to grow. As many fields tend toward miniaturized technologies in the modern age, many recent developments have been made for wearable platforms. Within the broad area of wearable platforms, there are many specific applications to consider, such as motion sensing, biomarker detection, monitoring of environmental pollutants, haptic sensors, enhanced soft robotics, and improving the safeguarding capabilities of armor. For these applications, the interfacial phenomena occurring between the continuous and discrete phases within the composite material are responsible for the device's response and bulk properties. Understanding these phenomena at the composite interfaces of the system allows ...

Most dancing robots to date have used patterns of preprogrammed motions or hard-coded interaction rules to produce this behaviour. In a departure from this approach, recently we used a form of embodied chaotic itinerancy (Ikegami, 2007, J. Consc. Studies, 14, p.111; Kaneko et al., 2003, Chaos, 13(3), p. 926) to generate motor movements for a robot in real time. We used the robot's sensors to analyse audio input, processing it at regular time intervals to find the appropriate tempo, and used this information to send input pulses to a FitzHugh-Nagumo neural network model (Aucouturier et al., 2007, Proc. of the 14th ICONIP, Springer-Verlag). The dynamic properties of these neurons allow for interesting chaotic behaviour, as some inputs will produce entrained periodic states, while others produce chaotic or aperiodic responses.

Measurements of visual and oculomotor functions are essential for providing tailored support to visually impaired children. In young or intellectually disabled children these measurements can be difficult or even impossible to perform. Recordings of orienting gaze in response to specific visual information, made with eye tracking, may offer a solution. The aim of this study was to observe and quantify eye tracking (ET)-based gaze responses to provide information about visual and oculomotor functioning, and to compare this information with standard visual function assessments (VFA). One hundred and twenty-six visually impaired children from 1-14 years underwent a VFA. Next they underwent a remote ET test. Four aspects of oculomotor control (nystagmus, fixation, saccades, pursuit) and three visual functions (visual field, contrast, colour) were selected to compare both methods. Performance was assessed (1) during VFA using standard behavioural observation and test scores and (2) after...

12]. This technology is incorporated into personal vehicles, public transport, and smart city infrastructures to create a connected network of safety. It supports autonomous vehicles and ensures safe navigation during critical situations. Traffic accidents are one of the biggest hazards globally and

With rising road construction and maintenance costs and the lack of productivity improvement, automated road construction and maintenance equipment will provide an attractive alternative for the execution of routine work tasks in the future. This paper reviews the typical tasks applicable to this domain, as well as existing and future automated equipment for task execution. The distinction between numerically controlled (NC) machines and autonomous equipment is discussed based on task requirements and machine capabilities. Core technologies for automated equipment are reviewed. Examples of existing numerically controlled equipment are presented. Economic feasibility issues and work safety aspects of automated road construction and maintenance equipment are outlined. The paper concludes that road construction and maintenance tasks have a significant potential for gradual automation due to the repetitiveness and relatively moderate sensory requirements of many tasks. Ultimately, integrated, multitask systems should be feasible once single-purpose automated equipment proves successful.

With rising road construction and maintenance costs and the lack of productivity improvement, automated road construction and maintenance equipment will provide an attractive alternative for the execution of routine work tasks in the future. This paper reviews the typical tasks applicable to this domain, as well as existing and future automated equipment for task execution. The distinction between numerically controlled (NC) machines and autonomous equipment is discussed based on task requirements and machine capabilities. Core technologies for automated equipment are reviewed. Examples of existing numerically controlled equipment are presented. Economic feasibility issues and work safety aspects of automated road construction and maintenance equipment are outlined. The paper concludes that road construction and maintenance tasks have a significant potential for gradual automation due to the repetitiveness and relatively moderate sensory requirements of many tasks. Ultimately, integrated, multitask systems should be feasible once single-purpose automated equipment proves successful.

Background: Robotic radical cystectomy (RC) for cancer is beginning to gain wider acceptance. Yet, the concomitant urinary diversion is typically performed extracorporeally at most centers, primarily because intracorporeal diversion is perceived as technically complex and arduous. Previous reports on robotic, intracorporeal, orthotopic neobladder may not have fully replicated established open principles of reservoir configuration, leading to concerns about long-term functional outcomes. Objective: To illustrate step-by-step our technique for robotic, intracorporeal, orthotopic, ileal neobladder, urinary diversion with strict adherence to open surgical tenets. Design, setting, and participants: From July 2010 to May 2012, 24 patients underwent robotic intracorporeal neobladder at a single tertiary cancer center. This report presents data on patients with a minimum of 3-mo follow-up (n = 8). Surgical procedure: We performed robotic RC, extended lymphadenectomy to the inferior mesenteric artery, and complete intracorporeal diversion. Our surgical technique is demonstrated in the accompanying video. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Baseline demographics, pathology data, 90-d complications, and functional outcomes were assessed and compared with patients undergoing intracorporeal ileal conduit diversion (n = 7). Results and limitations: Robotic intracorporeal urinary diversion was successfully performed in 15 patients (neobladder: 8 patients, ileal conduit: 7 patients) with a minimum 90-d follow-up. Median age and body mass index were 68 yr and 27 kg/m 2 , respectively. In the neobladder cohort, median estimated blood loss was 225 ml (range: 100-700 ml), median time to regular diet was 5 d (range: 4-10 d), median hospital stay was 8 d (range: 5-27 d), and 30-and 90-d complications were Clavien grade 1-2 (n = 5 and 0), Clavien grade 3-5 (n = 2 and 1), respectively. This study is limited by small sample size and short follow-up period. Conclusions: An intracorporeal technique of robot-assisted orthotopic neobladder and ileal conduit is presented, wherein established open principles are diligently preserved. This step-wise approach is demonstrated to help shorten the learning curve of other surgeons contemplating robotic intracorporeal urinary diversion.

Background: Robotic radical cystectomy (RC) for cancer is beginning to gain wider acceptance. Yet, the concomitant urinary diversion is typically performed extracorporeally at most centers, primarily because intracorporeal diversion is perceived as technically complex and arduous. Previous reports on robotic, intracorporeal, orthotopic neobladder may not have fully replicated established open principles of reservoir configuration, leading to concerns about long-term functional outcomes. Objective: To illustrate step-by-step our technique for robotic, intracorporeal, orthotopic, ileal neobladder, urinary diversion with strict adherence to open surgical tenets. Design, setting, and participants: From July 2010 to May 2012, 24 patients underwent robotic intracorporeal neobladder at a single tertiary cancer center. This report presents data on patients with a minimum of 3-mo follow-up (n = 8). Surgical procedure: We performed robotic RC, extended lymphadenectomy to the inferior mesenteric artery, and complete intracorporeal diversion. Our surgical technique is demonstrated in the accompanying video. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Baseline demographics, pathology data, 90-d complications, and functional outcomes were assessed and compared with patients undergoing intracorporeal ileal conduit diversion (n = 7). Results and limitations: Robotic intracorporeal urinary diversion was successfully performed in 15 patients (neobladder: 8 patients, ileal conduit: 7 patients) with a minimum 90-d follow-up. Median age and body mass index were 68 yr and 27 kg/m 2 , respectively. In the neobladder cohort, median estimated blood loss was 225 ml (range: 100-700 ml), median time to regular diet was 5 d (range: 4-10 d), median hospital stay was 8 d (range: 5-27 d), and 30-and 90-d complications were Clavien grade 1-2 (n = 5 and 0), Clavien grade 3-5 (n = 2 and 1), respectively. This study is limited by small sample size and short follow-up period. Conclusions: An intracorporeal technique of robot-assisted orthotopic neobladder and ileal conduit is presented, wherein established open principles are diligently preserved. This step-wise approach is demonstrated to help shorten the learning curve of other surgeons contemplating robotic intracorporeal urinary diversion.

We describe efficient methods for screening clone libraries, based on pooling schemes which we call "random k-sets designs". In these designs, the pools in which any clone occurs are equally likely to be any possible selection of k from the v pools. The values of k and v can be chosen to optimize desirable properties. Random k-sets designs have substantial advantages over alternative pooling schemes: they are efficient, flexible, easy to specify, require fewer pools, and have errorcorrecting and error-detecting capabilities. In addition, screening can often be achieved in only one pass, thus facilitating automation. For design comparison, we assume a binomial distribution for the number of "positive" clones, with parameters n, the number of clones, and c, the coverage. We propose the expected number of resolved positive clones-clones which are definitely positive based upon the pool assays-as a criterion for the efficiency of a pooling design. We determine the value of k which is optimal, with respect to this criterion, as a function of v, n and c. We also describe superior k-sets designs called k-sets packing designs. As an illustration, we discuss a robotically implemented design for a 2.5-fold-coverage, human chromosome 16 YAC library of n = 1, 298 clones. We also estimate the probability each clone is positive, given the pool-assay data and a model for experimental errors.

We describe efficient methods for screening clone libraries, based on pooling schemes which we call "random k-sets designs". In these designs, the pools in which any clone occurs are equally likely to be any possible selection of k from the v pools. The values of k and v can be chosen to optimize desirable properties. Random k-sets designs have substantial advantages over alternative pooling schemes: they are efficient, flexible, easy to specify, require fewer pools, and have errorcorrecting and error-detecting capabilities. In addition, screening can often be achieved in only one pass, thus facilitating automation. For design comparison, we assume a binomial distribution for the number of "positive" clones, with parameters n, the number of clones, and c, the coverage. We propose the expected number of resolved positive clones-clones which are definitely positive based upon the pool assays-as a criterion for the efficiency of a pooling design. We determine the value of k which is optimal, with respect to this criterion, as a function of v, n and c. We also describe superior k-sets designs called k-sets packing designs. As an illustration, we discuss a robotically implemented design for a 2.5-fold-coverage, human chromosome 16 YAC library of n = 1, 298 clones. We also estimate the probability each clone is positive, given the pool-assay data and a model for experimental errors.

Learning and adaptation is fundamental for autonomous agents that operate in a physical world and not a computer network. The paper is providing a general framework of skills learning within behaviour logic framework of agents that communicate, sense and act in the physical world. It is advocated that playfulness can be important in learning and to improving skills of agents.

In the recent years, the increasing use of wireless applications and the demand for a system that could easily connect devices for transfer of data over a long distance without cables became worldwide. This paper presents the Build and interface of a real time wheeled mobile robot installed above it an arm and a camera. Software system can be built in three various programming languages and controlled via the internet using webpage protected with a username and password to make sure it cannot be hacked. The webpage is designed to control the mobile robot remotely through the internet by any web browser such as Mozilla Firefox. Camera is mounted on the animated base in two axes in order to have better visibility.The designed mobile robot can be remotely operated from everywhere around the world without being near the robot. It can be controlled by using any device, whether a laptop, a mobile or a tablet. It can move forward, reverse, turn right and left for a specific distance according to the controller specification. The mobile robot system is used to transfer foreign objects and access to areas that are unable to be accessed by humans. It is also used for purposes of monitoring to fit a camera. The development of this robot is based on Arduino Mega platform which will be interfaced with the microcomputer that is placed on the robot running as a server. After completing the design and testing the robot, time delay is calculated in different cases (LAN and WAN) network. Finally, this prototype of the robot is expected to solve many problems such as placing or picking objects that are far away from the user, picking and placing hazardous objects in the fastest and easiest way.

This is to certify that the thesis entitled, "Understanding the Role of Catalyst Materials and Process Conditions in Biorenewable Transformations" being submitted by Mr. Ejaz Ahmad in the fulfilment of requirements for the award of degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, (India) is authentic record of work carried out by him. Mr. Ejaz Ahmad has worked under my guidance and supervision and has fulfilled the requirements for the submission of this thesis, which to my knowledge has reached the requisite standard. The results contained in this thesis are original and have not been submitted, in part or full, to any other university or institute for the award of any other degree or diploma.