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The accuracy and reliability of upper limb motion assessment have received great attention in the field of rehabilitation. Grasping test is widely carried out for motion assessment, which requires patients to grasp objects and move them to target place. The traditional assessments test the upper limb motion ability by therapists, which mainly relies on experience and lacks quantitative indicators. This paper aims to propose a deep learning method based on the vision system of our upper limb rehabilitation robot to recognize the motion trajectory of rehabilitation target objects automatically and quantitatively assess the upper limb motion in the grasping test.

To begin with, an SRF network is designed to recognize rehabilitation target objects grasped in assessment tests. Moreover, the upper limb motion trajectory is calculated through the motion of objects’ central positions. After that, a GAE network is designed to analyze the motion trajectory which reflects the motion of upper limb. Finally, based on the upper limb rehabilitation exoskeleton platform, the upper limb motion assessment tests are carried out to show the accuracy of both object recognition of SRF network and motion assessment of GAE network. The results including object recognition, trajectory calculation and deviation assessment are given with details.

The performance of the proposed networks is validated by experiments that are developed on the upper limb rehabilitation robot. It is implemented by recognizing rehabilitation target objects, calculating the motion trajectory and grading the upper limb motion performance. It illustrates that the networks, including both object recognition and trajectory evaluation, can grade the upper limb motion functionn accurately, where the accuracy is above 95.0% in different grasping tests.

A novel assessment method of upper limb motion is proposed and verified. According to the experimental results, the accuracy can be remarkably enhanced, and the stability of the results can be improved, which provide more quantitative indicators for further application of upper limb motion assessment.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the nonlinear relationship between inventory stickiness and productivity, with investment efficiency being a mediator and environmental dynamism being a moderator.

Using a large panel data collected from 1,479 Chinese listed manufacturing enterprises over the period from 2010 to 2020, this research employs the instrumental variable method combined with two-stage least squares estimators to explore the inverted-U-shaped relationship between inventory stickiness and productivity. Furthermore, the mediating role of investment efficiency and the moderating role of environmental dynamism are demonstrated via two three-model systems.

As its core, productivity initially increases with inventory stickiness until a turning point at the end of the sample, beyond which the incremental effect of inventory stickiness on productivity become negative. That is, an inverted U-shaped relationship between inventory stickiness and productivity is found to exist. Moreover, further mediated moderation analysis highlights that investment efficiency is a key mediator of this relationship, whereas environmental dynamism is a key moderator.

Managers ought to gauge carefully against the tradeoffs between inventory stickiness and productivity. In general, over 90% of manufacturing enterprises have great potential to increase productivity by implementing sticky inventory management. In addition, managers are suggested to place emphasis on investment management and environmental strategy.

This paper contributes to the current understanding about productivity by illustrating and verifying the nonlinear effect of sticky inventory management. It may be the first study to empirically demonstrate the mediating effect of investment efficiency and the moderating effect of environmental dynamism on the relationship between inventory stickiness and productivity.

This study explores the intricate relationship between inventory leanness, financial constraints and digital transformation in listed Chinese manufacturing firms.

Using a large panel data collected from 2,563 Chinese listed manufacturing enterprises over the period from 2012 to 2021, this research employs the instrumental variable method combined with two-stage least squares estimators to explore the U- shaped relationship between inventory leanness and financial constraints. Furthermore, the moderating role of digital transformation is demonstrated.

Contrary to traditional assumptions, our research uncovers a U-shaped relationship between inventory leanness and financial constraints, indicating that excessive inventory reduction can exacerbate financial constraints. Digital transformation plays a significant moderating role, particularly in highly digitalized environments.

Our findings have practical significance for top managers and policymakers. We advocate for a balanced approach to lean inventory management to mitigating financial constraints. The study emphasizes the pivotal role of digital transformation in alleviating the impact of inventory leanness on financial constraints, highlighting the need for digital transformation strategies.

This research provides a comprehensive analysis of inventory leanness, financial constraints and digital transformation dynamics. It challenges conventional thinking by revealing the nonlinear nature of the inventory leanness–financial constraints relationship. The concept of moderation highlights the moderating effect of digital transformation. This study offers practical guidance for practitioners and policymakers.

This study aims to demonstrate the simultaneous effects between inventory leanness and product innovation, with market concentration being a moderator.

Using a large panel data collected from 3071 listed manufacturing enterprises from 2004 to 2021, this research employs a simultaneous system of equations via the three-stage least square method to explore the simultaneous relationship between inventory leanness and product innovation. In addition, the moderating role of market concentration is demonstrated via one four-model system.

As its core, inventory leanness positively impacts product innovation, while product innovation negatively affects inventory leanness. Moreover, there are differential impacts of the leanness of three inventory types on product innovation. Specifically, the inventory leanness of raw material negatively affects product innovation, while the inventory leanness of work-in-process and finished goods positively affect product innovation. Further, moderation analysis highlights that market concentration is a key moderator of this relationship.

Managers should carefully gauge the tradeoffs between inventory leanness and product innovation. Concretely, managers ought to consider the connections between inventory types and product innovation. In addition, managers are suggested to emphasis on market strategy.

This paper not only contributes to the current understanding of inventory leanness by verifying the impact of inventory leanness on product innovation but also investigates the simultaneous relationship between various inventory types and product innovation. Furthermore, it empirically demonstrates the moderating effect of market concentration on the relationship between inventory leanness and product innovation.

Although the adoption of lean inventory management for performance improvement has been widely recognized, sticky inventory management is still a stopgap measure for new small and medium enterprises (SMEs) against survival risks. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the nonlinear relationship between new SMEs inventory stickiness and venture survival by focusing on the moderating effects of environmental dynamism and financial constraints.

Classical moderating model is employed to investigate the effects of environmental dynamism and financial constraints on the relationship between inventory stickiness and venture survival. This study uses the accelerated failure time model for survival analysis and tests the relationships based on a large set of new manufacturing SMEs in China over the period from 1999 to 2007.

The main finding is that inventory stickiness has an inverted U-shaped impact on the likelihood of survival. However, the inflection point of this inverted U-shaped relationship lies at the end of the sample. Further moderation analysis indicates that environmental dynamism positively moderates the inverted U-shaped relationship between inventory stickiness and venture survival, while financial constraints negatively moderate this relationship.

Most new SMEs have great potential to increase the likelihood of survival by improving inventory stickiness before achieving effective lean inventory management. Sticky inventory management can help new SMEs achieve better survival in a dynamic environment. However, new SMEs that are financially constrained should prudently implement sticky inventory management.

This paper contributes to the existing understanding about the likelihood of SMEs survival by addressing the role of sticky inventory management. It may be the first study to empirically demonstrate the moderating effect of environmental dynamism and financial constraints on the inverted U-shaped relationship between inventory stickiness and venture survival.

To remanufacture a disused part, a hybrid process needs to be taken in part production. Therefore, a reasonable machining route is necessary to be developed for the hybrid process. This paper aims to develop a novel process planning algorithm for additive and subtractive manufacturing (ASM) system to achieve this purpose.

First, a skeleton of the model is generated by using thinning algorithm. Then, the skeleton tree is constructed based on topological structure and shape feature. Further, a feature matching algorithm is developed for recognizing the different features between the initial model and the final model based on the skeleton tree. Finally, a reasonable hybrid machining route of the ASM system is generated in consideration of the machining method of each different sub-feature.

This paper proposes a hybrid process planning algorithm for the ASM system. Further, it generates new process planning insights on the hybrid process service provider market.

The proposed process planning algorithm enables engineers to obtain a proper hybrid machining route before product fabrication. And thereby, it extends the machining capability of the hybrid process to manufacture some parts accurately and efficiently.

This study addresses one gap in the hybrid process literature. It develops the first hybrid process planning strategy for remanufacturing of disused parts based on skeleton tree matching, which generates a more proper hybrid machining route than the currently available hybrid strategy studies. Also, this study provides technical support for the ASM system to repair damaged parts.

Rapid prototyping (RP) of large‐scale solid models requires the stereolithographic (STL) file to be precisely partitioned. Especially, the selection of cutting positions is critical for the fabrication and assembly of sub‐models. The purpose of this paper is to present an efficient curvature‐based partitioning for selecting the best‐fit loop and decomposing the large complex model into smaller and simpler sub‐models with similar‐shaped joints, which facilitate the final assembly.

The partition algorithm is benefited from curvature analysis of the model surface, including extracting the feature edges and constructing the feature loops. The efficiency enhancement is achieved by selecting the best‐fit loop and constructing the similar‐shape joints. The utility of the algorithm is demonstrated by the fabrication of large‐scale rapid prototypes.

By using the proposed curvature‐based partition algorithm, the reasonability and efficiency of STL model partition can be greatly improved, and the complexity of sub‐models has been reduced. It is found that the large‐scale model is efficiently partitioned and the sub‐models are precisely assembled using the proposed partitioning.

The curvature‐based partition algorithm is used in the RP field for the first time. Based on the curvature‐based partitioning, the reasonability and efficiency of large‐scale RP is addressed in this paper.

The purpose of this paper is to construct the structure of Chinese enterprise managers' human‐nature view with Chinese characteristics, and also to make comparison analysis on human‐nature views of managers from different types of enterprises, and between managers and ordinary employees. Finally, this paper proposes some human resource management (HRM) suggestions for enterprises in China.

This paper constructs Chinese enterprise managers' humanity view model with Chinese characteristics. First, relevant studies about humanity assumptions from both China and the West are reviewed, followed by the hypotheses of this study. Then, the study adopts the self‐compiled enterprise managers' humanity view questionnaire (EMHVQ), together with interviews, to study managers' views on humanity in Chinese background.

The humanity view of Chinese enterprise managers has its uniqueness. Its structure is first level with two factors and second level with ten factors, an organic unity of “human complexity” and “human interests”. The two factors of the first level are “human complexity” and “human interests”. The dimension “human complexity” includes seven factors: complexity of human needs, validity of reward and punishment, work competency, groupism of behaviors, positivity of attitudes, contingency of management and influence of interpersonal relations; the dimension “human interests” includes three factors: driving function of profits, evasion of responsibility and dependency of incentives. Remarkable differences exist in humanity views among managers from different types of enterprises and between managers and ordinary employees, which will exert great influence on the management style of enterprises in China.

Both in China and the West, few scholars or experts adopt empirical research to construct the structure of managers' humanity‐view model specifically based on China's cultural background. This paper not only contributes to the further development of this field, but also provides valuable suggestions for HRM, both for China and the rest of the world.

Tactile sensation is an important sensory function for robots in contact with the external environment. To better acquire tactile information about objects, this paper aims to propose a three-layer structure of the interdigital flexible tactile sensor.

The sensor consists of a bottom electrode layer, a middle pressure-sensitive layer and a top indenter layer. First, the pressure sensitive material, structure design, fabrication process and circuit design of the sensor are introduced. Then, the calibration and performance test of the designed sensor is carried out. Four functions are used to fit and calibrate the relationship between the output voltage of the sensor and the contact force. Finally, the contact force sensing test of different weight objects and the flexible test of the sensor are carried out.

The performance test results show that the sensitivity of the sensor is 0.93 V/N when it is loaded with 0–3 N and 0.23 V/N when it is loaded with 3–5 N. It shows good repeatability, and the cross-interference between the sensing units is generally low. The contact force sensing test results of different weight objects show that the proposed sensor performs well in contact force. Each part of the sensor is a flexible material, allowing the sensor to achieve bending deformation, so that the sensor can better perceive the contact signs of the grasped object.

The sensor can paste the surface of the paper robot’s gripper to measure the contact force of the grasping object and estimate the contour of the object.

In this paper, a three-layer interdigital flexible tactile sensor is proposed, and the structural parameters of the interdigital electrode are designed to improve the sensitivity and response speed of the sensor. The indenter with three shapes of the prism, square cylinder and hemisphere is preliminarily designed and the prism indenter with better conduction force is selected through finite element analysis, which can concentrate the external force in the sensing area to improve the sensitivity. The sensor designed in this paper can realize the measurement of contact force, which provides a certain reference for the field of robot tactile.