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New technologies usually have potential, but their mode of action and long-term consequences are not always immediately apparent. This challenge can be met in an interdisciplinary way with approaches that integrate different perspectives. Young scientists have come together to work on meeting this challenge from an interdisciplinary perspective in the Young Forum of Technical Sciences: Technology that people really want. The aim is to support user-centred technology development based on interdisciplinary methods. Engineering, law, social sciences and the humanities can work together to shape technical developments in a way that leads to a form of technology that is adapted to the needs of society. Interdisciplinarity in research and development means mutual permeation of disciplines instead of mere coexistence. The aim is to promote interdisciplinary research groups and projects and to develop common methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are pleased to announce that the 16th Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics Best Paper Award (JRM Best Paper Award 2023) has been decided by the JRM editorial committee. The following paper won the JRM Best Paper Award 2023, severely selected from among all 113 papers published in Vol.34 (2022). The Best Paper Award ceremony was held on December 26, 2023 in hybrid style (both on-site and online; venue: Gakushi-Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan), attended by the authors and JRM editorial committee members who took part in the selection process. The award winners were given certificates and a JPY100,000 honorarium. Editorial committee members who participated online also congratulated them through Zoom. We congratulate the winners and sincerely wish them success in the future. Teppei Tsujita, Yuto Inoue, Yutaka Takagi, Atsushi Konno, Satoko Abiko, Xin Jiang, Atsuhiro Nakagawa, and Masaru Uchiyama Development of Haptic Interface for Neurosurgical Simulators with Micro Scissors Module for Displaying the Cutting Force Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics, Vol.34, No.6, pp. 1284-1296, December 2022 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Robotics represents the most technologically advanced approach in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Its application in general surgery has increased progressively, with some early experience reported in emergency settings. The present position paper, supported by the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES), aims to provide a systematic review of the literature to develop consensus statements about the potential use of robotics in emergency general surgery. Methods: This position paper was conducted according to the WSES methodology. A steering committee was constituted to draft the position paper according to the literature review. An international expert panel then critically revised the manuscript. Each statement was voted through a web survey to reach a consensus. Results: Ten studies (3 case reports, 3 case series, and 4 retrospective comparative cohort studies) have been published regarding the applications of robotics for emergency general surgery procedures. Due to the paucity and overall low quality of evidence, 6 statements are proposed as expert opinions. In general, the experts claim for a strict patient selection while approaching emergent general surgery procedures with robotics, eventually considering it for hemodynamically stable patients only. An emergency setting should not be seen as an absolute contraindication for robotic surgery if an adequate training of the operating surgical team is available. In such conditions, robotic surgery can be considered safe, feasible, and associated with surgical outcomes related to an MIS approach. However, there are some concerns regarding the adoption of robotic surgery for emergency surgeries associated with the following: (i) the availability and accessibility of the robotic platform for emergency units and during night shifts, (ii) expected longer operative times, and (iii) increased costs. Further research is necessary to investigate the role of robotic surgery in emergency settings and to explore the possibility of performing telementoring and telesurgery, which are particularly valuable in emergency situations. Conclusions: Many hospitals are currently equipped with a robotic surgical platform which needs to be implemented efficiently. The role of robotic surgery for emergency procedures remains under investigation. However, its use is expanding with a careful assessment of costs and timeliness of operations. The proposed statements should be seen as a preliminary guide for the surgical community stressing the need for reevaluation and update processes as evidence expands in the relevant literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Origami structures held promise for their flexibility, simultaneous responsiveness, and adaptability, yet they are vulnerable due to the hygroscopic property when exposed to the humid environments. However, the patterning of hydrophobic material along the design enhances the controllability of paper for self-folding to robotics locomotion. The capillary action of sprayed water molecules is localized through the number or sizes of hydrophilic channels defined by the printed wax patterns resulting in large deformation to form various 3D geometries. The patterned paper performed folding actuation with water and unfolding behavior with evaporation without being mechanically manipulated by external forces or moments. The paper actuators further enable the sequential self-folding along the multiple hinges for the cube and diamond structures. Advances in soft robotics for practical applications, the utilization of different swelling/shrinking properties with water and kirigami-inspired programmable structures interact with the lightweight and non-planar objects. The anisotropic properties of paper in response to water spraying combined with folding/unfolding deformations permit the fold-to-pop-up robots for biomimetic locomotion on the plane or water. Two robots deform their body to move forward through bending-relaxation gait. [2020-0083] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pick up and place procedure is one of the essential tasks for handling and transporting the paper coils during diverse cycles of operation in paper industries. The metallic grippers are widely used in several industries for material handling and process automation. The aim of this research is to develop a new approach to handle the soft rolled coils without affecting the orientation of the material. Silicone grades 20, 40, 60 and 80 are selected and the blended polymers of silicone 20/80 and silicone 40/60 grades are synthesized through two roll millings followed by compression molding. The dumb bell samples are prepared as per ASTM D412 standard and uniaxial tensile testing is conducted in Inston machine. The strain-stress data at the strain rate of 250 mm/minute are recorded and the tensile strength of the blended polymers is measured. The results were reasonably good and suggested that the silicone soft gripper system with an acceptable accuracy can be recommended for handling paper coil without any deformations and unwanted marks during handling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft robotics driven by origami can fundamentally advance robotic functionalities by significantly improving continuum, compliance, and configurability. Here, a new field is proposed, "paper robotics," which is based on moisture‐responsive self‐folding of paper substrates into functional 3D machines using origami‐inspired techniques. By properly designing a hydrophobic wax layer and a hygro‐expandable hydrophilic layer, printed bilayer paper will fold automatically into desired shapes through anisotropic swelling that occurs when water is sprayed on the structure. The bilayer actuators can be readily fabricated on paper by the asymmetrical penetration of wax that is printed on both sides of the paper. The patterned paper automatically folds when water is added and unfolds as the water evaporates. The structure can perform various mechanical functions, including gripping and biomimetic locomotion. One of the practical applications, a kirigami paper robotic finger as an electrical switch, is also demonstrated. The functional mechanism based on the swelling and shrinking properties of paper is modeled and critical parameters for the design of the bilayer actuation are thoroughly characterized. This work will be a starting point for paper robotics and open new avenues to merge soft robotics and origami techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic library operations. In the quest to render fast, effective and efficient services, academic libraries have adopted different technologies in the past. Artificial intelligence technologies is the latest among the technologies currently being introduced in libraries. The technology which is considered an intelligent system, come in the form of robots and expert systems which have natural language processing, machine learning and pattern recognition capabilities. This paper examined the features of AI, the application of AI to library operations, examples of academic libraries with AI technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa, the need for AI in libraries and the challenges associated with the adoption of AI in libraries. The study concluded that AI holds a lot of prospects for the improvement of information services delivery in African academic libraries. Consequently, its adoption is a sinequanon to delivering robust library services in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developments in surgery have been geared toward minimizing the invasiveness of the procedure to improve both the treatment itself and the patient's postoperative wellbeing. As such, attention has been directed toward reducing human error and miniaturizing clinical devices by developing smaller devices and robotic systems. While there have already been significant advancements in this area, apparatus can further benefit from being foldable, expandable, and further condensable. By promoting these characteristics, origami engineering, which extrapolates the fundamental principles of paper folding to real-world projects, has become increasingly prevalent in the biomedical field. This paper reviews the field of origami engineering, its fundamental mechanical and mathematical properties, and the recent progress in specific research areas. Then, this paper discusses several devices that have emerged over the past decade in detail based on their characteristics and implementations. Finally, this paper addresses the technical challenges and general research trend of self-folding non-invasive miniature robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intelligent handling of soft product is very convoluted and remains an unsolved problem till now. This setback is very common in many industries where very thin, soft, bi-dimensional and non rigid materials are to be handled. Hence none of the currently available end-effectors are suitable to handle paper coils and there are some constraints noticed in the usage of conventional metal gripper. The aim of this research is to build up a new approach to hold the soft rolled coils without affecting the orientation of the material. Special end-effectors are needed to attain the manipulation of paper coils without causing any damage on the surfaces. The morphology of the paper coil defect is examined. Polyurethane coated gripper pad developed and then XRD tests are conducted on the soft pads to examine its interfacial bonding, hardness and chemical compounds. It is concluded that the paper coil deformation and surface defects are reduced by introducing composite flexible gripper pad like polyurethane material instead of metallic grippers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weeds are one of the primary concerns in agriculture since they compete with crops for nutrients and water, and they also attract insects and pests and are, therefore, hindering crop yield. Moreover, seasonal labour shortages necessitate the automation of such agricultural tasks using machines. For this reason, advances in agricultural robotics have led to many attempts to produce autonomous machines that aim to address the task of weeding both effectively and efficiently. Some of these machines are implementing chemical-based weeding methods using herbicides. The challenge for these machines is the targeted delivery of the herbicide so that the environmental impact of the chemical is minimised. However, environmental concerns drive weeding robots away from herbicide use and increasingly utilise mechanical weeding tools or even laser-based devices. In this case, the challenge is the development and application of effective tools. This paper reviews the progress made in the field of weeding robots during the last decade. Trends during this period are identified, and the current state-of-the-art works are highlighted. Finally, the paper examines the areas where the current technological solutions are still lacking, and recommendations on future directions are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the problem of decentralized, collaborative state estimation in robotic teams. In particular, this paper considers problems where individual robots estimate similar physical quantities, such as each other's position relative to themselves. The use of pseudomeasurements is introduced as a means of modeling such relationships between robots' state estimates and is shown to be a tractable way to approach the decentralized state estimation problem. Moreover, this formulation easily leads to a general-purpose observability test that simultaneously accounts for measurements that robots collect from their own sensors, as well as the communication structure within the team. Finally, input preintegration is proposed as a communication-efficient way of sharing odometry information between robots, and the entire theory is appropriate for both vector-space and Lie-group state definitions. To overcome the need for communicating preintegrated covariance information, a deep autoencoder is proposed that reconstructs the covariance information from the inputs, hence further reducing the communication requirements. The proposed framework is evaluated on three different simulated problems, and one experiment involving three quadcopters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the application of artificially intelligent robots within eldercare and explores a series of ethical considerations, including the challenges that AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology poses to traditional Chinese Confucian filial piety. From the perspective of Confucian ethics, the paper argues that robots cannot adequately fulfill duties of care. Due to their detachment from personal relationships and interactions, the "emotions" of AI robots are merely performative reactions in different situations, rather than actual emotional abilities. No matter how "humanized" robots become, it is difficult to establish genuine empathy and a meaningful relationship with them for this reason. Even so, we acknowledge that AI robots are a significant tool in managing the demands of elder care and the growth of care poverty, and as such, we attempt to outline some parameters within which care robotics could be acceptable within a Confucian ethical system. Finally, the paper discusses the social impact and ethical considerations brought on by the interaction between humans and machines. It is observed that the relationship between humans and technology has always had both utopian and dystopian aspects, and robotic elder care is no exception. AI caregiver robots will likely become a part of elder care, and the transformation of these robots from "service providers" to "companions" seems inevitable. In light of this, the application of AI-augmented robotic elder care will also eventually change our understanding of interpersonal relationships and traditional requirements of filial piety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the problems of valve-turning operation in rescue environments where a wheeled mobile manipulator (WMM) is employed, including the possible occurrence of large internal forces. Rather than attempting to obtain the exact position of the valve, this paper presents a solution to two main problems in robotic valve-turning operations: the radial position deviation between the rotation axes of the tool and the valve handle, which may cause large radial forces, and the possible axial displacement of the valve handle as the valve turns, which may lead to large axial forces. For the former problem, we designed a compliant end-effector with a tolerance of approximately 3.5° (angle) and 9.7 mm (position), and provided a hybrid passive/active compliance method. For the latter problem, a passivity-based force tracking algorithm was employed. Combining the custom-built compliant end-effector and the passivity-based control method can significantly reduce both the radial and the axial forces. Additionally, for valves with different installation types and WMMs with different configurations, we analyzed the minimum required number of actuators for valve turning. Simulation and experimental results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual paper sheets are winded into paper coils and presented to the appropriate equipment for further processes in paper manufacturing industries. The pick up and place operation is one of the essential tasks for handling and transporting the paper coils during various cycles of operation in paper industries. Development of soft pad by using silicone and polyurethane materials had been selected for the aim of this research. Silicone material was selected and the blended polymers from different silicone grades are synthesized through two rolles milling followed by compression molding. SEM examination is conducted to investigate the dispersity of crosslinked silicone and interfacial bonding of them. Though the hardness of both blended mixtures are shore A 50, the mechanical strength of silicone 40/60 is higher than that of silicone 20/80. This variation in strength is due to aggregates present in the resultant matrix of silicone 20/80. Similarly polyurethane coated gripper pad developed and then the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), hardness test and wear tests are conducted on the soft pads to examine its interfacial bonding, hardness and chemical compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imaging systems larger than the James Webb Space Telescope will enable unprecedented astronomy in the future. Larger aperture space-based imagers will also support next-generation Earth Observation missions for national security and disaster monitoring. However, launching and operating such large telescopes in the poses several practical challenges. A key challenge is that mirrors with apertures larger than 3 m cannot be monolithically manufactured so a segmented design is utilized to achieve primary mirror apertures. Even if larger mirrors could be made, it would be impossible to stow them in fairings of most existing and future launch vehicles. Folded-wing designs to deploy segmented primary mirrors, as done with the James Webb Space Telescope, are one approach to overcoming this volumetric challenge but inappropriate for 25 m apertures considered in this study. This paper presents the concept of operations and mission architectures/analysis for on-orbit assembly of a 25 m aperture telescope operating in the visible waveband of the electromagnetic spectrum capable of 1 m spatial resolution from geostationary orbit. Further, a technology demonstration roadmap towards maturing the robotic assembly technology stack is then presented as precursors to the 25 m imaging system. • Robotic on-orbit assembled large telescopes will enable next-gen imaging. • The paper designs a 25 m aperture space telescope. • In-orbit mass of telescope is ∼ 50 tonnes. • Robotic assembly is architected in a NewSpace lens. • Precursor technology demonstrations are then presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a framework for studying folding problems from a motion-planning perspective. The version of the motion-planning problem we consider is that of determining a sequence of motions to transform some configuration of a foldable object (the start) into another configuration (the goal). Modeling foldable objects as tree-like multilink objects allows us to apply motion-planning techniques for articulated objects with many degrees of freedom (many links) to folding problems. An important feature of this approach is that it not only allows us to study foldability questions, such as, can one object be folded (or unfolded) into another object, but it also provides us with another tool for investigating the dynamic folding process itself. The frame-work proposed here has application to traditional motion-planning areas such as automation and animation, to paper-folding problems studied in computational geometry, and to computational biology problems such as protein folding. Preliminary experimental results with paper folding and the folding of small proteins (approximately 60 residues) are quite encouraging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is a crucial function for most autonomous systems, allowing them to both navigate through and create maps of unfamiliar surroundings. Traditional Visual SLAM, also commonly known as VSLAM, relies on frame-based cameras and structured processing pipelines, which face challenges in dynamic or low-light environments. However, recent advancements in event camera technology and neuromorphic processing offer promising opportunities to overcome these limitations. Event cameras inspired by biological vision systems capture the scenes asynchronously, consuming minimal power but with higher temporal resolution. Neuromorphic processors, which are designed to mimic the parallel processing capabilities of the human brain, offer efficient computation for real-time data processing of event-based data streams. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of recent research efforts in integrating event cameras and neuromorphic processors into VSLAM systems. It discusses the principles behind event cameras and neuromorphic processors, highlighting their advantages over traditional sensing and processing methods. Furthermore, an in-depth survey was conducted on state-of-the-art approaches in event-based SLAM, including feature extraction, motion estimation, and map reconstruction techniques. Additionally, the integration of event cameras with neuromorphic processors, focusing on their synergistic benefits in terms of energy efficiency, robustness, and real-time performance, was explored. The paper also discusses the challenges and open research questions in this emerging field, such as sensor calibration, data fusion, and algorithmic development. Finally, the potential applications and future directions for event-based SLAM systems are outlined, ranging from robotics and autonomous vehicles to augmented reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and Communication Technologies have transformed our lives in different social areas, facilitating interpersonal relationships thanks to technological tools. In the specific case of people with disabilities, Assistive Technologies (ATs) break down barriers and increase opportunities to become active members of society with equal opportunities. This paper presents a systematic mapping study that analyzes the current state-of-the-art of ATs proposed in the literature to support the empowering of people with disability. Specifically, this paper focuses on (1) describing a global vision of the scientific literature published in the last 20 years about ATs in the computer science field and (2) identifying research needs, gaps, and trends. For this purpose, an in-depth analysis of 389 primary studies is presented. The information obtained from the mapping process is also constrained. Concretely, 35 ATs versus 22 disabilities are compared, obtaining striking peaks for some disabilities described in the discussion. Finally, the findings show that several areas have been covered only lightly, revealing interesting future directions and challenges for junior researchers. • ATs have the potential to break down barriers for people with disabilities, enabling them to participate more fully in society. This implies a need for rehabilitation programs to incorporate ATs into their strategies to enhance social inclusion. • Given the transformative role of ICT, rehabilitation programs should focus on helping people with disabilities develop the necessary technological skills to utilize ATs effectively. • This work highlights the diversity of ATs and disabilities, suggesting a need for personalized rehabilitation plans that match specific ATs to individual disabilities. • Rehabilitation professionals should be trained to assess and recommend appropriate ATs for each case. Rehabilitation programs should consider incorporating cutting-edge ATs and staying involved in research to contribute to future developments to cover gaps and challenges identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education in solving real-world problems is challenging. To tackle this challenge, a project-based learning approach that integrates robots with cost-effective self-made toys to problem-solving was adopted to assist rural primary school students to apply STEM skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the project-based learning approach which includes lecturing and hands-on activities on primary school students' STEM learning outcomes and attitudes. An experiment was conducted with 25 primary school students who voluntarily participated in a STEM summer-camp programme. Students were asked to assemble a paper house equipped with an IoT control module and LED light switches, and write and edit robot scripts to produce a robot-based storytelling narrative using the paper house they made as a context. The results show that the project-based learning approach was an effective approach for cultivating primary school students' STEM knowledge and skills as evidenced from the post-written test. The relationships between the students' STEM learning outcomes and attitudes were also confirmed by a clustering analysis. Students who had higher learning attitudes also achieved higher STEM learning outcomes; the findings are also supported by the feedback from the open-ended questionnaire items. This study suggests that integrating low-cost self-made toys and robots in project-based learning activities is an effective and practical approach to enhance primary school students' learning outcomes and learning attitudes in STEM education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modular robotic arms can achieve desired performances in different scenarios through the combination of various modules, and concurrently hold the potential to exhibit geometric symmetry and uniform mass symmetry. Therefore, selecting the appropriate combination of modules is crucial for realizing the functions of the robotic arm and ensuring the elegance of the system. To this end, this paper proposes a double deep Q-network (DDQN)-based configuration design algorithm for modular robotic arms, which aims to find the optimal configuration under different tasks. First, a library of small modules of collaborative robotic arms consisting of multiple tandem robotic arms is constructed. These modules are described in a standard format that can be directly imported into the software for simulation, providing greater convenience and flexibility in the development of modular robotic arms. Subsequently, the DDQN design framework for module selection is established to obtain the optimal robotic arm configuration. The proposed method could deal with the overestimation problem in the traditional deep Q-network (DQN) method and improve the estimation accuracy of the value function for each module. In addition, the experience replay mechanism is improved based on the SumTree technique, which enables the algorithm to make effective use of historical experience and prevents the algorithm from falling into local optimal solutions. Finally, comparative experiments are carried out on the PyBullet simulation platform to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the configuration design method developed in the paper. The simulation results show that the proposed DDQN-based method with experience replay mechanism has higher search efficiency and accuracy compared to the traditional DQN scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the challenges posed by a rapidly aging society and its associated socio-economic difficulties, the Japanese government has encouraged the adoption of AI and robotics technologies for care. Conspicuous investments in these technologies in Japan underscore the dominance of techno-politics of innovation and the advocacy for the robotization of care practices. Such narratives — disseminated by the Japanese state, industry, media, and academia — often overlook the perspectives of the expected users of these technologies. This paper, rooted in a 14-month-long ethnographic study conducted at robotics labs in Japan and the UK in 2022–2023, examines the performance and ethical implications of technoscientific imaginaries portraying Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) as already reliable, safe, and efficient. It sheds light on the intricate relationship between science, technology, the state, and society, emphasizing their use as instruments of power for state-led national development objectives. Moreover, it exposes how technology is presented, creating an illusion of efficiency while neglecting the necessity of involving society in co-designing and co-producing these technologies. The paper ultimately advocates for responsible innovation, emphasizing in particular the need for user involvement to ensure these technologies are not only more efficient and reliable, but also more accessible, inclusive, and fairer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a novel approach referred to as the audio-based virtual landmark-based HoloSLAM. This innovative method leverages a single sound source and microphone arrays to estimate the voice-printed speaker's direction. The system allows an autonomous robot equipped with a single microphone array to navigate within indoor environments, interact with specific sound sources, and simultaneously determine its own location while mapping the environment. The proposed method does not require multiple audio sources in the environment nor sensor fusion to extract pertinent information and make accurate sound source estimations. Furthermore, the approach incorporates Robotic Mixed Reality using Microsoft HoloLens to superimpose landmarks, effectively mitigating the audio landmark-related issues of conventional audio-based landmark SLAM, particularly in situations where audio landmarks cannot be discerned, are limited in number, or are completely missing. The paper also evaluates an active speaker detection method, demonstrating its ability to achieve high accuracy in scenarios where audio data are the sole input. Real-time experiments validate the effectiveness of this method, emphasizing its precision and comprehensive mapping capabilities. The results of these experiments showcase the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed system, surpassing the constraints associated with traditional audio-based SLAM techniques, ultimately leading to a more detailed and precise mapping of the robot's surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of its intrinsic complexities, the passive gait of bipedal robots on a sloping ramp is a subject of interest for numerous researchers. What distinguishes the present research from similar works is the consideration of flexibility in the constituent links of this type of robotic systems. This is not a far-fetched assumption because in the transient (impact) phase, due to the impulsive forces which are applied to the system, the likelihood of exciting the vibration modes increases considerably. Moreover, the human leg bones that are involved in walking are supported by viscoelastic muscles and ligaments. Therefore, for achieving more exact results, it is essential to model the robot links with viscoelastic properties. To this end, the Gibbs-Appell formulation and Newton's kinematic impact law are used to derive the most general form of the system's dynamic equations in the swing and transient phases of motion. The most important issue in the passive walking motion of bipedal robots is the determination of the initial robot configuration with which the system could accomplish a periodic and stable gait solely under the effect of gravitational force. The extremely unstable nature of the system studied in this paper and the vibrations caused by the impulsive forces induced by the impact of robot feet with the inclined surface are some of the very serious challenges encountered for achieving the above-mentioned goal. To overcome such challenges, an innovative method that uses a combination of the linearized equations of motion in the swing phase and the algebraic motion equations in the transition phase is presented in this paper to obtain an eigenvalue problem. By solving this problem, the suitable initial conditions that are necessary for the passive gait of this bipedal robot on a sloping surface are determined. The effects of the characteristic parameters of elastic links including the modulus of elasticity and the Kelvin-Voigt coefficient on the walking stability of this type of robotic systems are also studied. The findings of this parametric study reveal that the increase in the Kelvin-Voigt coefficient enhances the stability of the robotic system, while the increase in the modulus of elasticity has an opposite effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational robotics has been adopted to create interactive and engaging learning environments to develop computational thinking (CT) in K-12 learners. This study systematically examined 22 peer-reviewed empirical research articles on the use of educational robotics to develop CT in young learners (pre-kindergarten to 6th grade) published between 2012 and 2021. The findings revealed that using robotics activities to develop CT has mostly been studied in the formal education settings with the duration of robotics curricular activities ranging from 80 minutes to 24 hours. The five CT skills studied most often include Sequencing, Conditionals, Loops, Debugging, and Algorithmic Thinking. The different versions of LEGO Mindstorms are the most frequently adopted robotic kits in the examined studies. The most frequently adopted learning and instructional strategies in the robotics activities include collaborative learning, project-based learning, and embodied learning. This paper identified and discussed developmentally appropriated CT skills, robotics kits, and pedagogical approaches suitable for supporting CT development in young learners. The findings can guide educators and instructional designers for future robotics activity design and development endeavors. This paper also identified gaps in the current research and recommended directions for advancing research in adopting robotics to develop CT in young learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the desired outcome of social good within the wider robotics ecosystem, trust is identified as the central adhesive of the human–robot interaction (HRI) interface. However, building trust between humans and robots involves more than improving the machine's technical reliability or trustworthiness in function. This paper presents a holistic, community-based approach to trust-building, where trust is understood as a multifaceted and multi-staged looped relation that depends heavily on context and human perceptions. Building on past literature that identifies dispositional and learned stages of trust, our proposed decision to trust model considers more extensively the human and situational factors influencing how trust manifests within social relations. Priority is given to the human user of technology—the initiator of human—robot trust relations—at all stages of decision-making. The envisioned formation of optimal conditions in which trust emerges requires the collective participation of practitioners, policymakers, and members of the community. With trust facilitating the smooth transition of robots into more socially embedded roles, positive receptivity of the best engineering project arises from the presence of harmonious robot-human trust relations in community spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robots in tomato greenhouses need to perceive the plant and plant parts accurately to automate monitoring, harvesting, and de-leafing tasks. Existing perception systems struggle with the high levels of occlusion in plants and often result in poor perception accuracy. One reason for this is because they use fixed cameras or predefined camera movements. Next-best-view (NBV) planning presents an alternate approach, in which the camera viewpoints are reasoned and strategically planned such that the perception accuracy is improved. However, existing NBV-planning algorithms are agnostic to the task-at-hand and give equal importance to all the plant parts. This strategy is inefficient for greenhouse tasks that require targeted perception of specific plant parts, such as the perception of leaf nodes for de-leafing. To improve targeted perception in complex greenhouse environments, NBV planning algorithms need an attention mechanism to focus on the task-relevant plant parts. In this paper, the role of attention in improving targeted perception using an attention-driven NBV planning strategy was investigated. Through simulation experiments using plants with high levels of occlusion and structural complexity, it was shown that focusing attention on task-relevant plant parts can significantly improve the speed and accuracy of 3D reconstruction. Further, with real-world experiments, it was shown that these benefits extend to complex greenhouse conditions with natural variation and occlusion, natural illumination, sensor noise, and uncertainty in camera poses. The results clearly indicate that using attention-driven NBV planning in greenhouses can significantly improve the efficiency of perception and enhance the performance of robotic systems in greenhouse crop production. • Method to plan the next-best viewpoint to reconstruct the nodes of tomato plants. • Adding attention mechanism improves the efficiency of next-best-view planning. • Performed systematic evaluations with both simulation and real-world tomato plants. • Effectively handles occlusion in complex greenhouse environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast finite-time output bipartite tracking of networked heterogeneous robotic systems with matrix-weighted digraphs, parametric uncertainties and external disturbances is studied in this article. Besides, solving the fast finite-time bipartite tracking problem in this paper implies that the system states are forced to reach the employed nonsingular finite-time sliding surface in a predefined time, which thus called fast finite-time control. To address the aforementioned issues, a fast finite time hierarchical control algorithm utilizing estimator methodologies are proposed. The Lyapunov stability theory is used to derive some sufficient requirements for performing output bipartite tracking in a fast finite time manner. To verify that the theoretical results are valid, numerical simulation examples are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a flexural Mikaelian lens in thin plate is designed by using conformation transformation. The propagation characteristics of flexural waves in the lens are investigated through rays trajectory equation, simulation analyses, and experimental tests, confirming the self-focusing properties of the Mikaelian lens. Additionally, the study explores the Talbot effect for flexural waves, revealing through simulation studies that the Talbot effect within the Mikaelian lens exhibits nearly diffraction-free properties. Building on the non-diffractive nature of the Talbot effect within the Mikaelian lens, we explore the potential for encoding flexural waves using active interference sources. The simulation and experiment results demonstrate the good performance of the designed active encoding system. This work opens up new avenues for the encoding of flexural waves, presenting promising implications for applications in communication such as structural health monitoring, wireless communication in solid media and data transmission in robotics and other areas related to flexural wave technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This survey introduces 101 new publications on applications of Clifford's geometric algebras (GAs) newly published during 2022 (until mid‐January 2023). The selection of papers is based on a comprehensive search with Dimensions.ai, followed by detailed screening and clustering. Readers will learn about the use of GA for mathematics, computation, surface representations, geometry, image, and signal processing, computing and software, quantum computing, data processing, neural networks, medical science, physics, electric engineering, control and robotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a non‐coupled structure of characteristic compensation dual‐channel observer (CCDCO) for handling systems subjected to composite disturbances. There exist an outer disturbance compensation channel (ODCC) and an inner disturbance compensation channel (IDCC) in the design strategy. Specifically, in the ODCC, the proposed frequency characteristic compensation observer (FCCO) extracts and removes the regular periodic components from the composite disturbances, where the estimation error preserves irregular characteristics. Thus, the estimation error of FCCO and irregular parts are treated as lumped terms estimated via compensation function observer (CFO) in the IDCC. As a solving skill for composite disturbances estimation, CCDCO has two important advantages over previous designs. First, the proposed non‐coupled structure explicitly distinguishes disturbance characteristics according to a priori information known or not. Second, by combining the benefits of the CFO and proposed FCCO, different types of disturbances can be estimated accordingly without coupling of each other. Simulation results on the robotic manipulator are provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new sufficient conditions for state and fault estimation of nonlinear systems. A new approach is proposed to deal with unmeasured premise variables and corrupted outputs. The adopted observer strategy consists of a scheduled gain that depends only on the estimated outputs provided by the observer. The design of such scheduled gain follows from a technical rewriting of the state error and uses the Lyapunov framework to derive sufficient conditions written as linear matrix inequalities. Such conditions are less conservative than existing approaches that deal with unmeasured premise variables. The effectiveness of the developed approach is assessed through a numerical single‐link robotic arm and on a real car‐based experimental setup available at the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The humanoid torso is crucial for the overall performance of a humanoid robot. Developing an effective humanoid spine is essential for enhancing this mechanism. This paper introduces a one-vertebral-disc unit inspired by human spine anatomy. A prototype was created using 3D-printed parts and commercially available components. Two general human-like motions are achieved using two servo motors and two pulleys, reducing the number of servo motors needed. The results indicate that a one-vertebral-disc unit can bend up to 15 degrees. The proposed mechanism functions effectively and successfully mimics human movements. It holds potential for integration into humanoid torsos, enabling efficient performance in human-like tasks in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality observations of the real world are crucial for a variety of applications, including producing 3D printed replicas of small-scale scenes and conducting inspections of large-scale infrastructure. These 3D observations are commonly obtained by combining multiple sensor measurements from different views. Guiding the selection of suitable views is known as the Next Best View (NBV) planning problem. Most NBV approaches reason about measurements using rigid data structures (e.g., surface meshes or voxel grids). This simplifies next best view selection but can be computationally expensive, reduces real-world fidelity and couples the selection of a next best view with the final data processing. This paper presents the Surface Edge Explorer (SEE), a NBV approach that selects new observations directly from previous sensor measurements without requiring rigid data structures. SEE uses measurement density to propose next best views that increase coverage of insufficiently observed surfaces while avoiding potential occlusions. Statistical results from simulated experiments show that SEE can attain similar or better surface coverage with less observation time and travel distance than evaluated volumetric approaches on both small- and large-scale scenes. Real-world experiments demonstrate SEE autonomously observing a deer statue using a 3D sensor affixed to a robotic arm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, research in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) has made rapid progress. It is expected that robots and AI will play a part in the field of nursing and their role might broaden in the future. However, there are areas of nursing practice that cannot or should not be entrusted to robots and AI, because nursing is a highly humane practice, and therefore, there would, perhaps, be some practices that should not be replicated by robots or AI. Therefore, this paper focuses on several ethical concepts (advocacy, accountability, cooperation, and caring) that are considered important in nursing practice, and examines whether it is possible to implement these ethical concepts in robots and AI by analyzing the concepts and the current state of robotics and AI technology. Advocacy: Among the components of advocacy, safeguarding and apprising can be more easily implemented, while elements that require emotional communication with patients, such as valuing and mediating, are difficult to implement. Accountability: Robotic nurses with explainable AI have a certain level of accountability. However, the concept of explanation has problems of infinite regression and attribution of responsibility. Cooperation: If robot nurses are recognized as members of a community, they require the same cooperation as human nurses. Caring: More difficulties are expected in care-receiving than in caregiving. However, the concept of caring itself is ambiguous and should be explored further. Accordingly, our analysis suggests that, although some difficulties can be expected in each of these concepts, it cannot be said that it is impossible to implement them in robots and AI. However, even if it were possible to implement these functions in the future, further study is needed to determine whether such robots or AI should be used for nursing care. In such discussions, it will be necessary to involve not only ethicists and nurses but also an array of society members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of moving objects in simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is a key challenge in contemporary robotics. In this paper, we propose an extension of the EKF-SLAM algorithm that incorporates moving objects into the estimation process, which we term KISS. We have extended the robotic vision toolbox to analyze the influence of moving objects in simulations. Two linear and one nonlinear motion models are used to represent the moving objects. The observation model remains the same for all objects. The proposed model is evaluated against an implementation of the state-of-the-art formulation for moving object tracking, DATMO. We investigate increasing numbers of static landmarks and dynamic objects to demonstrate the impact on the algorithm and compare it with cases where a moving object is mistakenly integrated as a static landmark (false negative) and a static landmark as a moving object (false positive). In practice, distances to dynamic objects are important, and we propose the safety–distance–error metric to evaluate the difference between the true and estimated distances to a dynamic object. The results show that false positives have a negligible impact on map distortion and ATE with increasing static landmarks, while false negatives significantly distort maps and degrade performance metrics. Explicitly modeling dynamic objects not only performs comparably in terms of map distortion and ATE but also enables more accurate tracking of dynamic objects with a lower safety–distance–error than DATMO. We recommend that researchers model objects with uncertain motion using a simple constant position model, hence we name our contribution Keep it Static SLAMMOT. We hope this work will provide valuable data points and insights for future research into integrating moving objects into SLAM algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A digital twin (DT) is a virtual/digital model of any physical object (physical twin), interconnected through data exchange. In the context of Industry 4.0, DTs are integral to intelligent automation driving innovation at scale by providing significant improvements in precision, flexibility, and real-time responsiveness. A critical challenge in developing DTs is achieving a model that reflects real-time conditions with precision and flexibility. This paper focuses on evaluating latency and accuracy, key metrics for assessing the efficacy of a DT, which often hinder scalability and adaptability in robotic applications. This article presents a comprehensive framework for developing DTs using Unity and Robot Operating System (ROS) as the main layers of digitalization and communication. The MoveIt package was used for motion planning and execution for the robotic arm, showcasing the framework's versatility independent of proprietary constraints. Leveraging the versatility and open-source nature of these tools, the framework ensures interoperability, adaptability, and scalability, crucial for modern smart manufacturing applications. Our approach was validated by conducting extensive accuracy and latency tests. We measured latency by timestamping messages exchanged between the physical and digital twin, achieving a latency of 77.67 ms. Accuracy was assessed by comparing the joint positions of the DT and the physical robotic arm over multiple cycles, resulting in an accuracy rate of 99.99%. The results highlight the potential of DTs in enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making in manufacturing environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a novel three-dimensional spatial path planning algorithm based on the Vector Field Histogram* (VFH*) approach, specifically tailored for underwater robotics applications. Our method leverages the strengths of VFH* in obstacle avoidance while enhancing its capability to handle complex three-dimensional environments. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate the superior performance of our algorithm compared to traditional methods, such as RS-RRT algorithm. Our results show significant improvements in terms of computational efficiency and path optimality, making it a viable solution for real-time path planning in dynamic underwater environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RGB-D image mapping is an important tool in applications such as robotics, 3D reconstruction, autonomous navigation, and augmented reality (AR). Efficient and reliable mapping methods can improve the accuracy, real-time performance, and flexibility of sensors in various fields. However, the currently widely used Truncated Signed Distance Field (TSDF) still suffers from the problem of inefficient memory management, making it difficult to directly use it for large-scale 3D reconstruction. In order to address this problem, this paper proposes a highly efficient and accurate TSDF voxel fusion method, RGBTSDF. First, based on the sparse characteristics of the volume, an improved grid octree is used to manage the whole scene, and a hard coding method is proposed for indexing. Second, during the depth map fusion process, the depth map is interpolated to achieve a more accurate voxel fusion effect. Finally, a mesh extraction method with texture constraints is proposed to overcome the effects of noise and holes and improve the smoothness and refinement of the extracted surface. We comprehensively evaluate RGBTSDF and similar methods through experiments on public datasets and the datasets collected by commercial scanning devices. Experimental results show that RGBTSDF requires less memory and can achieve real-time performance experience using only the CPU. It also improves fusion accuracy and achieves finer grid details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the multi-target tracking problem of networked robotic systems (NRSs) within predefined time under a directed interaction topology considering disturbances and physical parameter uncertainties. On the basis of non-singular sliding-mode surface, a new predefined-time estimator-based hierarchical control algorithm is put forward so as to address the tracking problem under the case of multiple moving targets. Using the time base generator (TBG), a distributed estimator algorithm is designed to ensure that the followers can estimate different target states within a predefined-time. Certain sufficient conditions of predefined-time multi-target tracking of NRSs are presented using the Lyapunov stability and neighbor information interaction principle. In the end, numerical simulation experiments are offered to indicate the availability and correctness of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a prosthesis made to compensate for the residual loss of the amputee's limb, the shoulder disarticulation upper limb prosthesis replaces the missing arm function of the shoulder amputee to a certain extent. However, the current upper limb prosthesis mainly interacts with the outside world through the prosthetic hand for grasping and gripping, and the interaction between other parts and the environment is often neglected, which is not in line with the use habits of the human arm. To address this problem, this paper proposes a reinforcement learning–based method for controlling the forearm interaction of a shoulder-disconnected upper limb prosthesis, and analyzes and solves the forces during the interaction, reducing the impact of uncertainty on interaction actions and accelerating training while ensuring the stability of handheld items. We evaluated the performance of the control method during the interaction between the upper limb prosthesis and the external environment through simulation experiments. After the training, the bionic arm was able to push the object into the target range for different objects and pushing distance requirements, which showed the good control effect of the method. Also, the control method can be applied to improve the interaction between the robotic arm and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an innovative autonomous survivor detection pipeline tailored for low‐cost micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) operating in post‐disaster indoor environments. This consists of three main components: (1) a novel pipeline for survivor geotagging, which includes autonomous navigation, mapping, and detection of survivors using thermal images; (2) a navigation strategy to ensure complete thermal scanning coverage for survivor detection using low‐cost commercial grade thermal camera; and (3) robust and accurate survivor detection using YOLOv8x and thermal imaging. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, first, the autonomous navigation algorithm is simulated in Robotic Operating System (ROS) and experimentally validated under different layouts. Second, the YOLOv8x algorithm is pretrained and achieves high accuracy. Finally, a real‐world implementation was conducted with partially covered survivors in a simulated post‐disaster environment. The results demonstrated the proposed pipeline can accurately map the layout of the environment and identify all survivors. This study demonstrates that affordable MAVs with basic thermal cameras can be effectively used to geotag survivors to support rescue missions during post‐disaster events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]