Xueshan Gao, Yan Wang, Dawei Zhou and Koki Kikuchi
The purpose of this paper is to present an omni‐directional floor‐cleaning robot equipped with four omni‐directional wheels. The research purposes are to design a robot for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an omni‐directional floor‐cleaning robot equipped with four omni‐directional wheels. The research purposes are to design a robot for cleaning jobs in domestic, narrow and crowded places and to provide a robotics‐study platform in a laboratory.
Design/methodology/approach
The robot system using Swedish wheels, one dust collector (brush) switching device and a sort of air‐bag sensing device is designed. The kinematics and the motion control conditions of the robot are analyzed. Specifically, a design method of wheels is described.
Findings
The configuration of the robot, parameters of the wheel and controlling methods are studied and demonstrated. The smooth locomotion capability and high‐working efficiency are verified by experiments.
Practical implications
The robot can perform its work in semi‐autonomous and tele‐operated mode. Moreover, the robot can pivot around, avoid obstacles and is provided with automatic power management system.
Originality/value
The research target is to provide a kind of robotic cleaner especially for crowded public or narrow places and educational robotics‐study platform in a laboratory.
Details
Keywords
Tomonori Hasegawa, Koki Hirata and Kunichika Matsumoto
This article analyzes the challenges of infectious disease control under a super-aged society through Japan’s experience with COVID-19.
Abstract
Purpose
This article analyzes the challenges of infectious disease control under a super-aged society through Japan’s experience with COVID-19.
Design/methodology/approach
This article provides an overview of Japan’s COVID-19 measures and their characteristics, discusses their successes and failures, and identifies future challenges.
Findings
Japan’s basic strategy for COVID-19 consists of three parts: the border defense (Stage 1), slowing down the spread (Stage 2), and damage control (Stage 3). One key policy feature in Stage 2 and Stage 3 is based on “voluntary restriction”. It had a certain effect, but it was prolonged with each recurring “wave of infection”, resulting in economic exhaustion and people’s dissatisfaction. Thus, the effect of the voluntary restriction has weakened, while the percentage of people who have been vaccinated is improving, making it difficult to predict the damage of the next “wave”. Under the hyper-aged society, it was necessary to identify and protect particularly vulnerable areas, i.e., psychiatry hospitals, chronic care hospitals, and long term care (LTC) facilities. On the other hand, secondary impacts extend to young people. The most serious one is the decrease in births which further accelerates the aging of society.
Originality/value
This study is original as it investigated why Japan’s unique countermeasures against COVID-19 without mandatory lockdown worked well for a considerable period. It also revealed that secondary impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic are broader and more significant than the direct loss of life, and that the social system, especially super-aged society with many vulnerable areas should be reformed in consideration of the threat of infectious diseases. Lessons from the Japanese case may contribute to other countries.