M.K. O'Malley and R.O. Ambrose
Robonaut is a humanoid robot designed by the Robotic Systems Technology Branch at NASA's Johnson Space Center in a collaborative effort with Defense Advanced Research Projects…
Abstract
Robonaut is a humanoid robot designed by the Robotic Systems Technology Branch at NASA's Johnson Space Center in a collaborative effort with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. This paper describes the implementation of haptic feedback into Robonaut and Robosim, the computer simulation of Robotonaut. In the first experiment, we measured the effects of varying feedback to a teleoperator during a handrail grasp task. Second, we conducted a teleoperated task, inserting a flexible beam into an instrumented receptacle. In the third experiment, we used Robonaut to perform a two‐arm task where a compliant ball was translated in the robot's workspace. The experimental results are encouraging as the Dexterous Robotics Lab continues to implement force feedback into its teleoperator hardware architecture.
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‘Comprehensive re‐organization is in a state of unstable equilibrium, like the tides of Liverpool Bay.’ Mr N. A. Pannell, chairman of Liverpool Education Committee, said. Since…
Abstract
‘Comprehensive re‐organization is in a state of unstable equilibrium, like the tides of Liverpool Bay.’ Mr N. A. Pannell, chairman of Liverpool Education Committee, said. Since his party's return to office in the local elections of last May there had been no massive changes yet made in council policy — indeed, a long way ahead, ideally all new schools might be comprehensive. Any objection that he had was not to the purpose‐built school but to the bodged‐up amalgamation of separate schools, some distance apart, and in unsuitable buildings.
Karol Seweryn and Jurek Z. Sasiadek
This paper aims to present a novel method for identification and classification of rotational motion for uncontrolled satellites. These processes are shown in context of close…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a novel method for identification and classification of rotational motion for uncontrolled satellites. These processes are shown in context of close proximity orbital operations. In particular, it includes a manipulator arm mounted on chaser satellite and used to capture target satellites. In such situations, a precise extrapolation of the target’s docking port position is needed to determine the manipulator arm motion. The outcome of this analysis might be used in future debris removal or servicing space missions.
Design/methodology/approach
Nonlinear, and in some special cases, chaotic nature of satellite rotational motion was considered. Four parameters were defined: range of motion toward docking port, dominant frequencies, fractal dimension of the motion and its time dependencies.
Findings
The qualitative analysis was performed for presented cases of spacecraft rotational motion and for each case the respective parameters were calculated. The analysis shows that it is possible to detect the type of rotational motion.
Originality/value
A novel procedure allowing to estimate the type of satellite rotational motion based on fractal approach was proposed.
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Mohamed Raessa, Weiwei Wan and Kensuke Harada
This paper aims to present a hierarchical motion planner for planning the manipulation motion to repose long and heavy objects considering external support surfaces.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a hierarchical motion planner for planning the manipulation motion to repose long and heavy objects considering external support surfaces.
Design/methodology/approach
The planner includes a task-level layer and a motion-level layer. This paper formulates the manipulation planning problem at the task level by considering grasp poses as nodes and object poses for edges. This paper considers regrasping and constrained in-hand slip (drooping) during building graphs and find mixed regrasping and drooping sequences by searching the graph. The generated sequences autonomously divide the object weight between the arm and the support surface and avoid configuration obstacles. Cartesian planning is used at the robot motion level to generate motions between adjacent critical grasp poses of the sequence found by the task-level layer.
Findings
Various experiments are carried out to examine the performance of the proposed planner. The results show improved capability of robot arms to manipulate long and heavy objects using the proposed planner.
Originality/value
The authors’ contribution is that they initially develop a graph-based planning system that reasons both in-hand and regrasp manipulation motion considering external supports. On one hand, the planner integrates regrasping and drooping to realize in-hand manipulation with external support. On the other hand, it switches states by releasing and regrasping objects when the object is in stably placed. The search graphs' nodes could be retrieved from remote cloud servers that provide a large amount of pre-annotated data to implement cyber intelligence.
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Teleoperated minimally invasive surgical robots can significantly enhance a surgeon's accuracy, dexterity and visualization. However, current commercially available systems do not…
Abstract
Teleoperated minimally invasive surgical robots can significantly enhance a surgeon's accuracy, dexterity and visualization. However, current commercially available systems do not include significant haptic (force and tactile) feedback to the operator. This paper describes experiments to characterize this problem, as well as several methods to provide haptic feedback in order to improve surgeon's performance. There exist a variety of sensing and control methods that enable haptic feedback, although a number of practical considerations, e.g. cost, complexity and biocompatibility, present significant challenges. The ability of teleoperated robot‐assisted surgical systems to measure and display haptic information leads to a number of additional exciting clinical and scientific opportunities, such as active operator assistance through “virtual fixtures” and the automatic acquisition of tissue properties.
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Brett Browning, Jeremy Searock, Paul E. Rybski and Manuela Veloso
To adapt the segway RMP, a dynamically balancing robot base, to build robots capable of playing soccer autonomously.
Abstract
Purpose
To adapt the segway RMP, a dynamically balancing robot base, to build robots capable of playing soccer autonomously.
Design/methodology/approach
Focuses on the electro‐mechanical mechanisms required to make the Segway RMP autonomous, sensitive, and able to control a football.
Findings
Finds that turning a Segway RMP into a soccer‐playing robot requires a combined approach to the mechanics, electronics and software control.
Research implications
Although software algorithms necessary for autonomous operation and infrastructure supplying logging and debugging facilities have been developed, the scenario of humans and robots playing soccer together has yet to be addressed.
Practical implications
Turning the model into a soccer playing robot demonstrates the technique of combining mechanics, electronics and software control.
Originality/value
Shows how the model as a base platform can be developed into a fully functional, autonomous, soccer‐playing robot.
A. Yao and M. Soleimani
Electrical impedance measurement and imaging are techniques that are widely used in a range of applications. Electro‐conductive knitted structure is a major new development in…
Abstract
Purpose
Electrical impedance measurement and imaging are techniques that are widely used in a range of applications. Electro‐conductive knitted structure is a major new development in wearable computing. The purpose of this paper is to carry out a preliminary investigation of applying electrical impedance analysis to predict the behavior of electro‐conductive knitted structure. This can potentially pave the way for a low‐cost solution for pressure mapping imaging.
Design/methodology/approach
Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has been used as a mapping technique for deformation imaging in conductive knitted fabric. EIT is an imaging system used to generate a map of electrical conductivity. Pressure and deformation mapping scanner is being developed based on electrical conductivity imaging of the conductive area generated in a fabric. The results are presented using these new sensors with various deformations.
Findings
Experimental results show the feasibility of qualitative deformation imaging. In particular, it is promising that multiple deformations can be mapped using the proposed technique. The paper also demonstrates preliminary results regarding quantitative pressure and deformation mapping using EIT technique.
Research limitations/implications
The results presented in the paper are laboratory‐based experiments for proof of principle and will be evaluated in specific application areas in future.
Originality/value
The paper shows, for the first time, detection of multiple pressure points as well as quantifying the pressure map using the new imaging sensor. The sensor proposed here can be used for robotic touch sensing application, as well as some biomechanical observations.
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Russell Cropanzano, Marion Fortin and Jessica F. Kirk
Justice rules are standards that serve as criteria for formulating fairness judgments. Though justice rules play a role in the organizational justice literature, they have seldom…
Abstract
Justice rules are standards that serve as criteria for formulating fairness judgments. Though justice rules play a role in the organizational justice literature, they have seldom been the subject of analysis in their own right. To address this limitation, we first consider three meta-theoretical dualities that are highlighted by justice rules – the distinction between justice versus fairness, indirect versus direct measurement, and normative versus descriptive paradigms. Second, we review existing justice rules and organize them into four types of justice: distributive (e.g., equity, equality), procedural (e.g., voice, consistent treatment), interpersonal (e.g., politeness, respectfulness), and informational (e.g., candor, timeliness). We also emphasize emergent rules that have not received sufficient research attention. Third, we consider various computation models purporting to explain how justice rules are assessed and aggregated to form fairness judgments. Fourth and last, we conclude by reviewing research that enriches our understanding of justice rules by showing how they are cognitively processed. We observe that there are a number of influences on fairness judgments, and situations exist in which individuals do not systematically consider justice rules.
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President Bill Clinton has had many opponents and enemies, most of whom come from the political right wing. Clinton supporters contend that these opponents, throughout the Clinton…
Abstract
President Bill Clinton has had many opponents and enemies, most of whom come from the political right wing. Clinton supporters contend that these opponents, throughout the Clinton presidency, systematically have sought to undermine this president with the goal of bringing down his presidency and running him out of office; and that they have sought non‐electoral means to remove him from office, including Travelgate, the death of Deputy White House Counsel Vincent Foster, the Filegate controversy, and the Monica Lewinsky matter. This bibliography identifies these and other means by presenting citations about these individuals and organizations that have opposed Clinton. The bibliography is divided into five sections: General; “The conspiracy stream of conspiracy commerce”, a White House‐produced “report” presenting its view of a right‐wing conspiracy against the Clinton presidency; Funding; Conservative organizations; and Publishing/media. Many of the annotations note the links among these key players.