This work is a topic highlight on the surgical treatment of the right colon pathologies,focusing on the literature state of art and comparing the open surgery to the different laparoscopic and robotic procedures.Diffe...This work is a topic highlight on the surgical treatment of the right colon pathologies,focusing on the literature state of art and comparing the open surgery to the different laparoscopic and robotic procedures.Different laparoscopic procedures have been described for the treatment of right colon tumors: Totally laparoscopic right colectomy,laparoscopic assisted right colectomy,laparoscopic facilitated right colectomy,hand-assisted right colectomy,single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy,robotic right colectomy.Two main characteristics of these techniques are the different type of anastomosis: Intracorporeal(for totally laparoscopic right colectomy,single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy,laparoscopic assisted right colectomy and robotic technique) or extracorporeal(for laparoscopic assisted right colectomy,laparoscopic facilitated right colectomy,hand-assisted right colectomy and open right colectomy) and the different incision(suprapubic,median or transverse on the right side of abdomen).The different laparoscopic techniques meet the same oncological criteria of radicalism as the open surgery for the right colon.The totally laparoscopic right colectomy with intracorporeal anastomosis and even more the single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy,remain a technical challenge due to the complexity of procedures(especially for the single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy) and the particular right colon vascular anatomy but they seem to have some theoretical advantages compared to the other laparoscopic and open procedures.Data reported in literature while confirming the advantages of laparoscopic approach,do not allow to solve controversies about which is the best laparoscopic technique(Intracorporeal vs Extracorporeal Anastomosis) to treat the right colon cancer.However,the laparoscopic techniques with intracorporeal anastomosis for the right colon seem to show some theoretical advantages(functional,technical,oncological and cosmetic advantages) even if all studies conclude that further prospective randomized trials are necessary.Robotic technique may be useful to overcome the problems related to inexperience in laparoscopy in some surgical centers.展开更多
Underwater pipeline inspection plays a vital role in the proactive maintenance and management of critical marine infrastructure and subaquatic systems.However,the inspection of underwater pipelines presents a challeng...Underwater pipeline inspection plays a vital role in the proactive maintenance and management of critical marine infrastructure and subaquatic systems.However,the inspection of underwater pipelines presents a challenge due to factors such as light scattering,absorption,restricted visibility,and ambient noise.The advancement of deep learning has introduced powerful techniques for processing large amounts of unstructured and imperfect data collected from underwater environments.This study evaluated the efficacy of the You Only Look Once(YOLO)algorithm,a real-time object detection and localization model based on convolutional neural networks,in identifying and classifying various types of pipeline defects in underwater settings.YOLOv8,the latest evolution in the YOLO family,integrates advanced capabilities,such as anchor-free detection,a cross-stage partial network backbone for efficient feature extraction,and a feature pyramid network+path aggregation network neck for robust multi-scale object detection,which make it particularly well-suited for complex underwater environments.Due to the lack of suitable open-access datasets for underwater pipeline defects,a custom dataset was captured using a remotely operated vehicle in a controlled environment.This application has the following assets available for use.Extensive experimentation demonstrated that YOLOv8 X-Large consistently outperformed other models in terms of pipe defect detection and classification and achieved a strong balance between precision and recall in identifying pipeline cracks,rust,corners,defective welds,flanges,tapes,and holes.This research establishes the baseline performance of YOLOv8 for underwater defect detection and showcases its potential to enhance the reliability and efficiency of pipeline inspection tasks in challenging underwater environments.展开更多
Aiming to solve the steering instability and hysteresis of agricultural robots in the process of movement,a fusion PID control method of particle swarm optimization(PSO)and genetic algorithm(GA)was proposed.The fusion...Aiming to solve the steering instability and hysteresis of agricultural robots in the process of movement,a fusion PID control method of particle swarm optimization(PSO)and genetic algorithm(GA)was proposed.The fusion algorithm took advantage of the fast optimization ability of PSO to optimize the population screening link of GA.The Simulink simulation results showed that the convergence of the fitness function of the fusion algorithm was accelerated,the system response adjustment time was reduced,and the overshoot was almost zero.Then the algorithm was applied to the steering test of agricultural robot in various scenes.After modeling the steering system of agricultural robot,the steering test results in the unloaded suspended state showed that the PID control based on fusion algorithm reduced the rise time,response adjustment time and overshoot of the system,and improved the response speed and stability of the system,compared with the artificial trial and error PID control and the PID control based on GA.The actual road steering test results showed that the PID control response rise time based on the fusion algorithm was the shortest,about 4.43 s.When the target pulse number was set to 100,the actual mean value in the steady-state regulation stage was about 102.9,which was the closest to the target value among the three control methods,and the overshoot was reduced at the same time.The steering test results under various scene states showed that the PID control based on the proposed fusion algorithm had good anti-interference ability,it can adapt to the changes of environment and load and improve the performance of the control system.It was effective in the steering control of agricultural robot.This method can provide a reference for the precise steering control of other robots.展开更多
This paper presents an adaptive formation control method for a heterogeneous robot swarm,utilising a multilevel formation task tree to model various types of formation tasks and a single-state distributed k-winner-tak...This paper presents an adaptive formation control method for a heterogeneous robot swarm,utilising a multilevel formation task tree to model various types of formation tasks and a single-state distributed k-winner-take-all(S-DKWTA)algorithm to address the MRTA problem.In addition,we propose an enhanced load reassignment algorithm to resolve conflicts when using S-DKWTA.The S-DKWTA algorithm demonstrates the capability to manage multiple objectives and dynamically select leaders in real-time,thereby optimising formation efficiency and reducing energy consumption.The proposed approach integrates an enhanced artificial potential field(APF)to govern the motion of heterogeneous robot systems which encompasses both unmanned ground vehicles(UGVs)and unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),thereby achieving collision and obstacle avoidance.Simulations employing UGVs and UAVs swarm to achieve formation movement demonstrate the efficacy of this approach.The amalgamation of S-DKWTA and improved APF ensures stable and adaptable formation control,underscoring its potential for diverse multirobot applications.展开更多
The Chinese SME’s vision shows the bright side of humanoid robots:rather than replacing human workers,they are handling everyday mechanical tasks,leaving human staff to focus on improving service and emotional experi...The Chinese SME’s vision shows the bright side of humanoid robots:rather than replacing human workers,they are handling everyday mechanical tasks,leaving human staff to focus on improving service and emotional experiences.IN the Jinqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone in Pudong New Area,Shanghai,KEENON Robotics,a national-level“Little Giant”(innovative SME),is leading the transformation of the service robots industry.Amid the wave of embodied intelligence development,the humanoid service robots created by this company have become a focal point of the industry and businesses alike.展开更多
In recent years,the rising incidence of gastrointestinal(GI)cancer has triggered an urgent need for effective early intervention strategies.Traditional endoscopic techniques often cause patient discomfort,and it is di...In recent years,the rising incidence of gastrointestinal(GI)cancer has triggered an urgent need for effective early intervention strategies.Traditional endoscopic techniques often cause patient discomfort,and it is difficult to navigate deep regions of complex organ structures.This work proposes a kind of bio-inspired magnetic soft robot(BMSR)to address these challenges.The design of the BMSRs is inspired by the rolling motion of the golden wheel spider.Two six-degree-of-freedom(6-DOF)robotic arms are used,where one arm is responsible for real-time manipulation of the BMSRs,and the other is dedicated to monitoring their status.Under the actuation of an external rotating magnetic field,the BMSRs can flexibly climb on inclined surfaces at any angle,involving the inverted surface.Through the powerful output force,the BMSRs can overcome the mobility barrier induced by different human organs,including mucus,folds,and height differences of up to 8 cm.Such an exceptional mobility enables the BMSRs to deliver drugs in the targeted complex GI environment.Moreover,in combination with an endoscope,it provides real-time visual feedback for precise navigation.In vitro animal experiments validate the feasibility of BMSRs,paving a way for their usage in minimally invasive GI treatment.This work advances the potential applications of magnetic soft robots in the biomedical field.展开更多
Dear Editor,This letter presents a model predictive control(MPC)scheme for human-robot interaction(HRI)in a multi-joint exoskeleton robot(ER)driven by series elastic actuator(SEA).The proposed scheme in robot-in-charg...Dear Editor,This letter presents a model predictive control(MPC)scheme for human-robot interaction(HRI)in a multi-joint exoskeleton robot(ER)driven by series elastic actuator(SEA).The proposed scheme in robot-in-charge(RIC)mode facilitates the ER driven by SEA to provide the required assistance and support for the subject.展开更多
Humans can learn complex and dexterous manipulation tasks by observing videos,imitating and exploring.Multiple endeffectors manipulation of free micron-sized deformable cells is one of the challenging tasks in robotic...Humans can learn complex and dexterous manipulation tasks by observing videos,imitating and exploring.Multiple endeffectors manipulation of free micron-sized deformable cells is one of the challenging tasks in robotic micromanipulation.We propose an imitation-enhanced reinforcement learning method inspired by the human learning process that enables robots to learn cell micromanipulation skills from videos.Firstly,for the microscopic robot micromanipulation videos,a multi-task observation(MTO)network is designed to identify the two end-effectors and the manipulated objects to obtain the spatiotemporal trajectories.The spatiotemporal constraints of the robot's actions are obtained by the task-parameterised hidden Markov model(THMM).To simultaneously address the safety and dexterity of robot micromanipulation,an imitation learning optimisation-based soft actor-critic(ILOSAC)algorithm is proposed in which the robot can perform skill learning by demonstration and exploration.The proposed method is capable of performing complex cell manipulation tasks in a realistic physical environment.Experiments indicated that compared with current methods and manual remote manipulation,the proposed framework achieved a shorter operation time and less deformation of cells,which is expected to facilitate the development of robot skill learning.展开更多
With the progress of Industry 4.0,collaborative robots(cobots) have become a key area of innovation.However,safety standards such as ISO/TS 15066 often lag behind rapid technological advances,failing to balance safety...With the progress of Industry 4.0,collaborative robots(cobots) have become a key area of innovation.However,safety standards such as ISO/TS 15066 often lag behind rapid technological advances,failing to balance safety and innovation.This paper analyzes the conflicts between standards and innovation of industrial cobots,including lag,rigidity,and safetyperformance trade-offs.It proposes flexible standards,regulatory sandboxes,and lifecycle safety approaches to align safety with technological progress.展开更多
Single-cell biomechanics and electrophysiology measuring tools have transformed biological research over the last few decades,which enabling a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of cellular behavior and function....Single-cell biomechanics and electrophysiology measuring tools have transformed biological research over the last few decades,which enabling a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of cellular behavior and function.Despite their high-quality information content,these single-cell measuring techniques suffer from laborious manual processing by highly skilled workers and extremely low throughput(tens of cells per day).Recently,numerous researchers have automated the measurement of cell mechanical and electrical signals through robotic localization and control processes.While these efforts have demonstrated promising progress,critical challenges persist,including human dependency,learning complexity,in-situ measurement,and multidimensional signal acquisition.To identify key limitations and highlight emerging opportunities for innovation,in this review,we comprehensively summarize the key steps of robotic technologies in single-cell biomechanics and electrophysiology.We also discussed the prospects and challenges of robotics and automation in biological research.By bridging gaps between engineering,biology,and data science,this work aims to stimulate interdisciplinary research and accelerate the translation of robotic single-cell technologies into practical applications in the life sciences and medical fields.展开更多
Human life is invaluable,and timely efforts are crucial to rescue individuals trapped under debris following an earthquake.To identify opportunities for improving post-earthquake search and rescue(SAR)robotics,we get ...Human life is invaluable,and timely efforts are crucial to rescue individuals trapped under debris following an earthquake.To identify opportunities for improving post-earthquake search and rescue(SAR)robotics,we get insights through four different sources:(i)A literature review of disaster robotics and victim psychology,(ii)A public survey on earthquake awareness and their view of rescue robots,(iii)Semi-structured interviews with first responders,and(iv)Responses from GenAI chatbots which were prompted to assume the role of expert rescuers.The triangulated analysis show that there are challenges in mobility,autonomy,communication,situational awareness,and human-robot collaboration.The public respondents showed high acceptance of robot-assisted rescue and prioritised survivor detection,sensing,and communication as essential functionalities of robots.The experts expressed limitations in current equipment,the need for improved victim localisation,and interest in XR-based training and robot-assisted debris handling.The GenAI chatbots highlighted structural risk assessment,multi-sensor fusion,and supervised autonomy.Therefore,this study identifies critical robot features,outlines multi-modal interaction requirements,and highlights gaps in current SAR practice.These findings offer robot design directions for developing effective,trustworthy SAR robots,which can be integrated to future response disaster-workflows.展开更多
Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer(CFRP)and aluminum stacked are widely used in aircraft assemble thanks to the high strength-to-weight ratio.Riveting is an important joining technique of stacked structure and requires d...Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer(CFRP)and aluminum stacked are widely used in aircraft assemble thanks to the high strength-to-weight ratio.Riveting is an important joining technique of stacked structure and requires drilling and countersinking.Robotic machining systems are gradually used in the machining of holes due to their high flexibility.However,weakly rigid stacked structure and low-stiffness industrial robot system bring about complex and diverse countersinking depth errors,which significantly affects the fatigue life of components.In this paper,the influence mechanism of ultrasonic energy on the accuracy of robotic countersinking of stacked structure is investigated.Firstly,a workpiece deformation model is established with the thinwalled plate deformation theory,defined as static error.Then,the vibration of the industrial robot is calculated from the acceleration with the frequency domain integration,defined as dynamic error.The suppression of ultrasonic energy on the two kinds of errors were elucidated,respectively.Base on this,a depth compensation model of robotic ultrasonic countersinking is established.Finally,the feasibility of the accuracy compensation is experimentally verified,and the countersinking depth error can be controlled within±0.09 mm.展开更多
In this research,a comparative analysis was conducted on the performance and efficiency of the dual-anchor soft robot(DASR)and the extension-contraction soft robot(ECSR).These robots were constructed by imitating the ...In this research,a comparative analysis was conducted on the performance and efficiency of the dual-anchor soft robot(DASR)and the extension-contraction soft robot(ECSR).These robots were constructed by imitating the locomotion of razor clams.The penetration force for extension actuators and the anchorage force for expansion actuators in dry sand with distinct relative densities were tested by differentiating input air pressure and length-to-diameter ratios(λ).On the basis of the findings,a DASR and an ECSR were developed.DASR comprised two expansion actuators as the head and the tail segments at two ends,and one extension actuator as the middle segment.ECSR was composed of an extension actuator.A method based on the force equilibrium was introduced to ascertain and adjust the geometric parameters(length of each segment)of DASR.The burrowing-out performance and efficiency of DASR and ECSR in sands with distinct relative densities were explored.The results revealed that DASR exhibited high efficiency in dense sand in terms of lower time of burrowing-out,slip-to-advancement ratio,and cost of transport.ECSR might perform better in looser sand in terms of higher average burrowing-out velocity,higher advancement in each cycle,and lower energy consumption.However,it had larger slips than DASR.DASR could realize steady advancement and net displacement in each cycle and effectively decrease slips.These findings demonstrate the benefits and usability of the dual-anchor motion and offer new insights into the application of the dual-anchor mechanism in the burrowing of robots.展开更多
Muscle cell-powered biohybrid robots represent a transformative fusion of biological tissue engineering and robotics,offering unprecedented potential for biomedical applications targeted at drug delivery,regenerative ...Muscle cell-powered biohybrid robots represent a transformative fusion of biological tissue engineering and robotics,offering unprecedented potential for biomedical applications targeted at drug delivery,regenerative medicine,bioengineered heart patches,lab-on-a-chip devices,biosensors,and soft surgical tools.This review categorizes the currently available examples and further explores advanced biofabrication techniques that drive the development of biohybrid systems,with a focus on 3D bioprinting,electrospinning,micro/nano patterning,self-assembly,and microfluidic devices.These fabrication strategies facilitate precise cell alignment,enhance electrical and mechanical properties,and enable the seamless integration of biological components with engineered structures.By incorporating both cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle cells,biohybrid robots achieve controlled actuation,autonomous movement,and adaptability to environmental stimuli.Furthermore,we discuss the latest optimization strategies in biofabrication,addressing key challenges such as scalability,biocompatibility,and functional integration.Biohybrid robots,including swimmers,actuators,and pumps,enable targeted drug delivery,assistive devices,and fluid transport in engineered tissues.Their integration with biological systems advances regenerative medicine,disease modeling,drug screening,and soft robotics.This review provides a comprehensive perspective on the state-of-the-art advancements and potential optimization in the fabrication techniques,paving the way for the next generation of biohybrid robotic systems.展开更多
Objective:Robotic colorectal surgery(RCS)provides a stable,magnifiedthree-dimensional visual field and enhanced ergonomics enabling precise dissection and tremor suppression.We postulate that this technique is associa...Objective:Robotic colorectal surgery(RCS)provides a stable,magnifiedthree-dimensional visual field and enhanced ergonomics enabling precise dissection and tremor suppression.We postulate that this technique is associated with less tissue trauma and improved postoperative outcomes than laparoscopic colorectal surgery(LCS).This study aimed to explore the inflammatoryresponse following RCS by measuring postoperative C-reactive protein(CRP)levels and compare them with LCS data reported in the literature.Methods:This single centre retrospective study included consecutive elective robotic colon and rectum resections via the da Vinci®Xi platform for benign and malignant colorectal tumours,performed by a single surgeon between January 2017 and December 2023 at the Sydney Adventist Hospital,Sydney.CRP values were measured on post-operative days(PODs)3 and 5.A narrative review of the literature was performed via EMBASE,MEDLINE via PubMed and Google Scholar from inception to December 2024 for comparative CRP values following LCS.Descriptive statistical comparisons were performed between the RCS and LCS.Results:One hundred ninety-three patients were identifiedin the RCS cohort.The median age was 73 y(range:62–83 y).Most colectomies were performed for adenocarcinoma(90.2%),with right hemicolectomy being the most common type of procedure(49.3%).The median CRP levels on PODs 3 and 5 were 83.10 mg/L(IQR:49.80–124.12 mg/L)and 26.20 mg/L(IQR:17.70–80.00 mg/L),respectively.The reported CRP after LCS was heterogeneous,with mean POD 3 values ranging from 69 mg/L to 99.5 mg/L,and mean POD 4–5 values ranging from 62.4 mg/L to 72.85 mg/L.Conclusions:There were similar,if not lower,POD 3 and 5 CRP values,suggesting that RCS was probably non-inferior to LCS regarding postoperative tissue trauma.In particular,there appeared to be a quicker recovery of the inflammatory response with RCS.展开更多
The challenge of wastewater treatment facilities is growing as they strive to enhance compliance strength and minimize energy consumption,chemical usage,downtime,and labor requirements in the face of increasingly vari...The challenge of wastewater treatment facilities is growing as they strive to enhance compliance strength and minimize energy consumption,chemical usage,downtime,and labor requirements in the face of increasingly variable influent and climate-related disruptions.The use of recent developments in Internet of Things(IoT),artificial intelligence,and robotics enables a transition to a less reactive mode of operation and more closed-loop automation.This review leads to an understanding of the demonstrations of networked sensing and edge data architecture to enhance observability,transform heterogeneous time-series and multimodal data into monitoring,forecasting,and risk intelligent decision knowledge,and extends robotics ability to measure and intervene in hazardous,distributed,or intermittently observed plant environments.We structure the literature on a deployable sense-think-act structure between unit processes,sensing strategies,Artificial Intelligence(AI)tasks,and execution pathways based on supervisory control and robotic operations.The applications of high leverage are evaluated,such as aeration and nutrient removal optimization,chemical dosing and disinfection control,prediction of membrane fouling and cleaning schedules,solids line stabilization,and predictive maintenance of the important assets.In these areas,we highlight aspects of quality of evidence,benchmarking issues,and operational circumstances that will define persistence of reported efficiency improvements after pilots,such as sensor drift and biofouling control,constraint-based control in service of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition(SCADA)/Programmable Logic Controller(PLC)systems,cybersecurity-by-design,and model life cycle governance.We bring it to the maturity perspective of resilient,interoperable,and conscientiously independent Wastewater Treatment Plants(WWTPs)with a research requirement of standardized datasets,hybrid digital twins,uncertainty intentional optimization,and adaptive sampling and inspection by robotized techniques.展开更多
This paper presents an intelligent patrol and security robot integrating 2D LiDAR and RGB-D vision sensors to achieve semantic simultaneous localization and mapping(SLAM),real-time object recognition,and dynamic obsta...This paper presents an intelligent patrol and security robot integrating 2D LiDAR and RGB-D vision sensors to achieve semantic simultaneous localization and mapping(SLAM),real-time object recognition,and dynamic obstacle avoidance.The system employs the YOLOv7 deep-learning framework for semantic detection and SLAM for localization and mapping,fusing geometric and visual data to build a high-fidelity 2D semantic map.This map enables the robot to identify and project object information for improved situational awareness.Experimental results show that object recognition reached 95.4%mAP@0.5.Semantic completeness increased from 68.7%(single view)to 94.1%(multi-view)with an average position error of 3.1 cm.During navigation,the robot achieved 98.0%reliability,avoided moving obstacles in 90.0%of encounters,and replanned paths in 0.42 s on average.The integration of LiDAR-based SLAMwith deep-learning–driven semantic perception establishes a robust foundation for intelligent,adaptive,and safe robotic navigation in dynamic environments.展开更多
Protective hardware is essential for mitigating damage caused by unavoidable falls in humanoid robots.Despite notable progress in fall protection hardware,the theoretical foundation for modeling and the feasibility of...Protective hardware is essential for mitigating damage caused by unavoidable falls in humanoid robots.Despite notable progress in fall protection hardware,the theoretical foundation for modeling and the feasibility of conducting full-scale fall experiments on robots or their surrogates remain somewhat limited.This paper proposes a method for optimizing the thickness of Expandable Polyethylene(EPE),which is used as back protection for the Chubao humanoid robot,based on small-scale impact test data to predict full-scale behavior.The optimal thickness is defined as a balance between compact design and protective effectiveness.An equivalent impact model characterized by four parameters:contact area S,mass m,fall height h,and cushioning material thickness d is introduced to describe impact conditions.The relationship between the peak impact acceleration ap and material thickness d,which forms the core of the method and gives rise to the name AP-D,is analyzed through their plotted curves.After introducing three characteristic parameters and two correction fac-tors,the relationship among the aforementioned variables is derived.Subsequently,both the optimal thickness do and its corresponding peak impact acceleration aop are predicted via nonlinear and linear regression models.Finally,the accuracy and effectiveness of the theoretically derived optimal thickness are validated on both a dummy and the actual robot.With the cushioning material applied,the peak chest acceleration is reduced to 41.57g for the dummy and 32.08g for the robot.展开更多
文摘This work is a topic highlight on the surgical treatment of the right colon pathologies,focusing on the literature state of art and comparing the open surgery to the different laparoscopic and robotic procedures.Different laparoscopic procedures have been described for the treatment of right colon tumors: Totally laparoscopic right colectomy,laparoscopic assisted right colectomy,laparoscopic facilitated right colectomy,hand-assisted right colectomy,single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy,robotic right colectomy.Two main characteristics of these techniques are the different type of anastomosis: Intracorporeal(for totally laparoscopic right colectomy,single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy,laparoscopic assisted right colectomy and robotic technique) or extracorporeal(for laparoscopic assisted right colectomy,laparoscopic facilitated right colectomy,hand-assisted right colectomy and open right colectomy) and the different incision(suprapubic,median or transverse on the right side of abdomen).The different laparoscopic techniques meet the same oncological criteria of radicalism as the open surgery for the right colon.The totally laparoscopic right colectomy with intracorporeal anastomosis and even more the single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy,remain a technical challenge due to the complexity of procedures(especially for the single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy) and the particular right colon vascular anatomy but they seem to have some theoretical advantages compared to the other laparoscopic and open procedures.Data reported in literature while confirming the advantages of laparoscopic approach,do not allow to solve controversies about which is the best laparoscopic technique(Intracorporeal vs Extracorporeal Anastomosis) to treat the right colon cancer.However,the laparoscopic techniques with intracorporeal anastomosis for the right colon seem to show some theoretical advantages(functional,technical,oncological and cosmetic advantages) even if all studies conclude that further prospective randomized trials are necessary.Robotic technique may be useful to overcome the problems related to inexperience in laparoscopy in some surgical centers.
文摘Underwater pipeline inspection plays a vital role in the proactive maintenance and management of critical marine infrastructure and subaquatic systems.However,the inspection of underwater pipelines presents a challenge due to factors such as light scattering,absorption,restricted visibility,and ambient noise.The advancement of deep learning has introduced powerful techniques for processing large amounts of unstructured and imperfect data collected from underwater environments.This study evaluated the efficacy of the You Only Look Once(YOLO)algorithm,a real-time object detection and localization model based on convolutional neural networks,in identifying and classifying various types of pipeline defects in underwater settings.YOLOv8,the latest evolution in the YOLO family,integrates advanced capabilities,such as anchor-free detection,a cross-stage partial network backbone for efficient feature extraction,and a feature pyramid network+path aggregation network neck for robust multi-scale object detection,which make it particularly well-suited for complex underwater environments.Due to the lack of suitable open-access datasets for underwater pipeline defects,a custom dataset was captured using a remotely operated vehicle in a controlled environment.This application has the following assets available for use.Extensive experimentation demonstrated that YOLOv8 X-Large consistently outperformed other models in terms of pipe defect detection and classification and achieved a strong balance between precision and recall in identifying pipeline cracks,rust,corners,defective welds,flanges,tapes,and holes.This research establishes the baseline performance of YOLOv8 for underwater defect detection and showcases its potential to enhance the reliability and efficiency of pipeline inspection tasks in challenging underwater environments.
文摘Aiming to solve the steering instability and hysteresis of agricultural robots in the process of movement,a fusion PID control method of particle swarm optimization(PSO)and genetic algorithm(GA)was proposed.The fusion algorithm took advantage of the fast optimization ability of PSO to optimize the population screening link of GA.The Simulink simulation results showed that the convergence of the fitness function of the fusion algorithm was accelerated,the system response adjustment time was reduced,and the overshoot was almost zero.Then the algorithm was applied to the steering test of agricultural robot in various scenes.After modeling the steering system of agricultural robot,the steering test results in the unloaded suspended state showed that the PID control based on fusion algorithm reduced the rise time,response adjustment time and overshoot of the system,and improved the response speed and stability of the system,compared with the artificial trial and error PID control and the PID control based on GA.The actual road steering test results showed that the PID control response rise time based on the fusion algorithm was the shortest,about 4.43 s.When the target pulse number was set to 100,the actual mean value in the steady-state regulation stage was about 102.9,which was the closest to the target value among the three control methods,and the overshoot was reduced at the same time.The steering test results under various scene states showed that the PID control based on the proposed fusion algorithm had good anti-interference ability,it can adapt to the changes of environment and load and improve the performance of the control system.It was effective in the steering control of agricultural robot.This method can provide a reference for the precise steering control of other robots.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(624B2140).
文摘This paper presents an adaptive formation control method for a heterogeneous robot swarm,utilising a multilevel formation task tree to model various types of formation tasks and a single-state distributed k-winner-take-all(S-DKWTA)algorithm to address the MRTA problem.In addition,we propose an enhanced load reassignment algorithm to resolve conflicts when using S-DKWTA.The S-DKWTA algorithm demonstrates the capability to manage multiple objectives and dynamically select leaders in real-time,thereby optimising formation efficiency and reducing energy consumption.The proposed approach integrates an enhanced artificial potential field(APF)to govern the motion of heterogeneous robot systems which encompasses both unmanned ground vehicles(UGVs)and unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),thereby achieving collision and obstacle avoidance.Simulations employing UGVs and UAVs swarm to achieve formation movement demonstrate the efficacy of this approach.The amalgamation of S-DKWTA and improved APF ensures stable and adaptable formation control,underscoring its potential for diverse multirobot applications.
文摘The Chinese SME’s vision shows the bright side of humanoid robots:rather than replacing human workers,they are handling everyday mechanical tasks,leaving human staff to focus on improving service and emotional experiences.IN the Jinqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone in Pudong New Area,Shanghai,KEENON Robotics,a national-level“Little Giant”(innovative SME),is leading the transformation of the service robots industry.Amid the wave of embodied intelligence development,the humanoid service robots created by this company have become a focal point of the industry and businesses alike.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant 52175556the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund under grant 0004/2022/AKP,0102/2022/A2,and 0078/2023/RIB3+1 种基金the Research Committee of the University of Macao under grants MYRG2022-00068-FST and MYRG-CRG202200004-FST-ICIthe Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation under grant 2023A1515011178。
文摘In recent years,the rising incidence of gastrointestinal(GI)cancer has triggered an urgent need for effective early intervention strategies.Traditional endoscopic techniques often cause patient discomfort,and it is difficult to navigate deep regions of complex organ structures.This work proposes a kind of bio-inspired magnetic soft robot(BMSR)to address these challenges.The design of the BMSRs is inspired by the rolling motion of the golden wheel spider.Two six-degree-of-freedom(6-DOF)robotic arms are used,where one arm is responsible for real-time manipulation of the BMSRs,and the other is dedicated to monitoring their status.Under the actuation of an external rotating magnetic field,the BMSRs can flexibly climb on inclined surfaces at any angle,involving the inverted surface.Through the powerful output force,the BMSRs can overcome the mobility barrier induced by different human organs,including mucus,folds,and height differences of up to 8 cm.Such an exceptional mobility enables the BMSRs to deliver drugs in the targeted complex GI environment.Moreover,in combination with an endoscope,it provides real-time visual feedback for precise navigation.In vitro animal experiments validate the feasibility of BMSRs,paving a way for their usage in minimally invasive GI treatment.This work advances the potential applications of magnetic soft robots in the biomedical field.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62173048,62373065,61873304,62106023)the Key Science and Technology Projects of Jilin Province,China(20230204081YY)the Research and Innovation Team of Anhui Province(2024AH010023)。
文摘Dear Editor,This letter presents a model predictive control(MPC)scheme for human-robot interaction(HRI)in a multi-joint exoskeleton robot(ER)driven by series elastic actuator(SEA).The proposed scheme in robot-in-charge(RIC)mode facilitates the ER driven by SEA to provide the required assistance and support for the subject.
基金supported in part with the General Programme of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant 62576312)the Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province(Grant 2025C01132)the Shandong Province Key R&D Plan Project(Grant 2022LZGC020).
文摘Humans can learn complex and dexterous manipulation tasks by observing videos,imitating and exploring.Multiple endeffectors manipulation of free micron-sized deformable cells is one of the challenging tasks in robotic micromanipulation.We propose an imitation-enhanced reinforcement learning method inspired by the human learning process that enables robots to learn cell micromanipulation skills from videos.Firstly,for the microscopic robot micromanipulation videos,a multi-task observation(MTO)network is designed to identify the two end-effectors and the manipulated objects to obtain the spatiotemporal trajectories.The spatiotemporal constraints of the robot's actions are obtained by the task-parameterised hidden Markov model(THMM).To simultaneously address the safety and dexterity of robot micromanipulation,an imitation learning optimisation-based soft actor-critic(ILOSAC)algorithm is proposed in which the robot can perform skill learning by demonstration and exploration.The proposed method is capable of performing complex cell manipulation tasks in a realistic physical environment.Experiments indicated that compared with current methods and manual remote manipulation,the proposed framework achieved a shorter operation time and less deformation of cells,which is expected to facilitate the development of robot skill learning.
文摘With the progress of Industry 4.0,collaborative robots(cobots) have become a key area of innovation.However,safety standards such as ISO/TS 15066 often lag behind rapid technological advances,failing to balance safety and innovation.This paper analyzes the conflicts between standards and innovation of industrial cobots,including lag,rigidity,and safetyperformance trade-offs.It proposes flexible standards,regulatory sandboxes,and lifecycle safety approaches to align safety with technological progress.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China[62525301,62127811,62433019]the New Cornerstone Science Foundation through the XPLORER PRIZEthe financial support by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation[GZB20240797].
文摘Single-cell biomechanics and electrophysiology measuring tools have transformed biological research over the last few decades,which enabling a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of cellular behavior and function.Despite their high-quality information content,these single-cell measuring techniques suffer from laborious manual processing by highly skilled workers and extremely low throughput(tens of cells per day).Recently,numerous researchers have automated the measurement of cell mechanical and electrical signals through robotic localization and control processes.While these efforts have demonstrated promising progress,critical challenges persist,including human dependency,learning complexity,in-situ measurement,and multidimensional signal acquisition.To identify key limitations and highlight emerging opportunities for innovation,in this review,we comprehensively summarize the key steps of robotic technologies in single-cell biomechanics and electrophysiology.We also discussed the prospects and challenges of robotics and automation in biological research.By bridging gaps between engineering,biology,and data science,this work aims to stimulate interdisciplinary research and accelerate the translation of robotic single-cell technologies into practical applications in the life sciences and medical fields.
文摘Human life is invaluable,and timely efforts are crucial to rescue individuals trapped under debris following an earthquake.To identify opportunities for improving post-earthquake search and rescue(SAR)robotics,we get insights through four different sources:(i)A literature review of disaster robotics and victim psychology,(ii)A public survey on earthquake awareness and their view of rescue robots,(iii)Semi-structured interviews with first responders,and(iv)Responses from GenAI chatbots which were prompted to assume the role of expert rescuers.The triangulated analysis show that there are challenges in mobility,autonomy,communication,situational awareness,and human-robot collaboration.The public respondents showed high acceptance of robot-assisted rescue and prioritised survivor detection,sensing,and communication as essential functionalities of robots.The experts expressed limitations in current equipment,the need for improved victim localisation,and interest in XR-based training and robot-assisted debris handling.The GenAI chatbots highlighted structural risk assessment,multi-sensor fusion,and supervised autonomy.Therefore,this study identifies critical robot features,outlines multi-modal interaction requirements,and highlights gaps in current SAR practice.These findings offer robot design directions for developing effective,trustworthy SAR robots,which can be integrated to future response disaster-workflows.
基金co-supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2024YFB4711201)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.U22A20204,52305472)。
文摘Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer(CFRP)and aluminum stacked are widely used in aircraft assemble thanks to the high strength-to-weight ratio.Riveting is an important joining technique of stacked structure and requires drilling and countersinking.Robotic machining systems are gradually used in the machining of holes due to their high flexibility.However,weakly rigid stacked structure and low-stiffness industrial robot system bring about complex and diverse countersinking depth errors,which significantly affects the fatigue life of components.In this paper,the influence mechanism of ultrasonic energy on the accuracy of robotic countersinking of stacked structure is investigated.Firstly,a workpiece deformation model is established with the thinwalled plate deformation theory,defined as static error.Then,the vibration of the industrial robot is calculated from the acceleration with the frequency domain integration,defined as dynamic error.The suppression of ultrasonic energy on the two kinds of errors were elucidated,respectively.Base on this,a depth compensation model of robotic ultrasonic countersinking is established.Finally,the feasibility of the accuracy compensation is experimentally verified,and the countersinking depth error can be controlled within±0.09 mm.
基金financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,China(No.BK 20221502)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42477147)。
文摘In this research,a comparative analysis was conducted on the performance and efficiency of the dual-anchor soft robot(DASR)and the extension-contraction soft robot(ECSR).These robots were constructed by imitating the locomotion of razor clams.The penetration force for extension actuators and the anchorage force for expansion actuators in dry sand with distinct relative densities were tested by differentiating input air pressure and length-to-diameter ratios(λ).On the basis of the findings,a DASR and an ECSR were developed.DASR comprised two expansion actuators as the head and the tail segments at two ends,and one extension actuator as the middle segment.ECSR was composed of an extension actuator.A method based on the force equilibrium was introduced to ascertain and adjust the geometric parameters(length of each segment)of DASR.The burrowing-out performance and efficiency of DASR and ECSR in sands with distinct relative densities were explored.The results revealed that DASR exhibited high efficiency in dense sand in terms of lower time of burrowing-out,slip-to-advancement ratio,and cost of transport.ECSR might perform better in looser sand in terms of higher average burrowing-out velocity,higher advancement in each cycle,and lower energy consumption.However,it had larger slips than DASR.DASR could realize steady advancement and net displacement in each cycle and effectively decrease slips.These findings demonstrate the benefits and usability of the dual-anchor motion and offer new insights into the application of the dual-anchor mechanism in the burrowing of robots.
基金funded by the National Institutes of Health(R01AR077132)AHA collaborative award(944227)supported by Marie-Curie post-doctoral fellowship awarded by European Commission(GAP-101109659)。
文摘Muscle cell-powered biohybrid robots represent a transformative fusion of biological tissue engineering and robotics,offering unprecedented potential for biomedical applications targeted at drug delivery,regenerative medicine,bioengineered heart patches,lab-on-a-chip devices,biosensors,and soft surgical tools.This review categorizes the currently available examples and further explores advanced biofabrication techniques that drive the development of biohybrid systems,with a focus on 3D bioprinting,electrospinning,micro/nano patterning,self-assembly,and microfluidic devices.These fabrication strategies facilitate precise cell alignment,enhance electrical and mechanical properties,and enable the seamless integration of biological components with engineered structures.By incorporating both cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle cells,biohybrid robots achieve controlled actuation,autonomous movement,and adaptability to environmental stimuli.Furthermore,we discuss the latest optimization strategies in biofabrication,addressing key challenges such as scalability,biocompatibility,and functional integration.Biohybrid robots,including swimmers,actuators,and pumps,enable targeted drug delivery,assistive devices,and fluid transport in engineered tissues.Their integration with biological systems advances regenerative medicine,disease modeling,drug screening,and soft robotics.This review provides a comprehensive perspective on the state-of-the-art advancements and potential optimization in the fabrication techniques,paving the way for the next generation of biohybrid robotic systems.
文摘Objective:Robotic colorectal surgery(RCS)provides a stable,magnifiedthree-dimensional visual field and enhanced ergonomics enabling precise dissection and tremor suppression.We postulate that this technique is associated with less tissue trauma and improved postoperative outcomes than laparoscopic colorectal surgery(LCS).This study aimed to explore the inflammatoryresponse following RCS by measuring postoperative C-reactive protein(CRP)levels and compare them with LCS data reported in the literature.Methods:This single centre retrospective study included consecutive elective robotic colon and rectum resections via the da Vinci®Xi platform for benign and malignant colorectal tumours,performed by a single surgeon between January 2017 and December 2023 at the Sydney Adventist Hospital,Sydney.CRP values were measured on post-operative days(PODs)3 and 5.A narrative review of the literature was performed via EMBASE,MEDLINE via PubMed and Google Scholar from inception to December 2024 for comparative CRP values following LCS.Descriptive statistical comparisons were performed between the RCS and LCS.Results:One hundred ninety-three patients were identifiedin the RCS cohort.The median age was 73 y(range:62–83 y).Most colectomies were performed for adenocarcinoma(90.2%),with right hemicolectomy being the most common type of procedure(49.3%).The median CRP levels on PODs 3 and 5 were 83.10 mg/L(IQR:49.80–124.12 mg/L)and 26.20 mg/L(IQR:17.70–80.00 mg/L),respectively.The reported CRP after LCS was heterogeneous,with mean POD 3 values ranging from 69 mg/L to 99.5 mg/L,and mean POD 4–5 values ranging from 62.4 mg/L to 72.85 mg/L.Conclusions:There were similar,if not lower,POD 3 and 5 CRP values,suggesting that RCS was probably non-inferior to LCS regarding postoperative tissue trauma.In particular,there appeared to be a quicker recovery of the inflammatory response with RCS.
文摘The challenge of wastewater treatment facilities is growing as they strive to enhance compliance strength and minimize energy consumption,chemical usage,downtime,and labor requirements in the face of increasingly variable influent and climate-related disruptions.The use of recent developments in Internet of Things(IoT),artificial intelligence,and robotics enables a transition to a less reactive mode of operation and more closed-loop automation.This review leads to an understanding of the demonstrations of networked sensing and edge data architecture to enhance observability,transform heterogeneous time-series and multimodal data into monitoring,forecasting,and risk intelligent decision knowledge,and extends robotics ability to measure and intervene in hazardous,distributed,or intermittently observed plant environments.We structure the literature on a deployable sense-think-act structure between unit processes,sensing strategies,Artificial Intelligence(AI)tasks,and execution pathways based on supervisory control and robotic operations.The applications of high leverage are evaluated,such as aeration and nutrient removal optimization,chemical dosing and disinfection control,prediction of membrane fouling and cleaning schedules,solids line stabilization,and predictive maintenance of the important assets.In these areas,we highlight aspects of quality of evidence,benchmarking issues,and operational circumstances that will define persistence of reported efficiency improvements after pilots,such as sensor drift and biofouling control,constraint-based control in service of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition(SCADA)/Programmable Logic Controller(PLC)systems,cybersecurity-by-design,and model life cycle governance.We bring it to the maturity perspective of resilient,interoperable,and conscientiously independent Wastewater Treatment Plants(WWTPs)with a research requirement of standardized datasets,hybrid digital twins,uncertainty intentional optimization,and adaptive sampling and inspection by robotized techniques.
基金supported by the National Science and Technology Council of under Grant NSTC 114-2221-E-130-007.
文摘This paper presents an intelligent patrol and security robot integrating 2D LiDAR and RGB-D vision sensors to achieve semantic simultaneous localization and mapping(SLAM),real-time object recognition,and dynamic obstacle avoidance.The system employs the YOLOv7 deep-learning framework for semantic detection and SLAM for localization and mapping,fusing geometric and visual data to build a high-fidelity 2D semantic map.This map enables the robot to identify and project object information for improved situational awareness.Experimental results show that object recognition reached 95.4%mAP@0.5.Semantic completeness increased from 68.7%(single view)to 94.1%(multi-view)with an average position error of 3.1 cm.During navigation,the robot achieved 98.0%reliability,avoided moving obstacles in 90.0%of encounters,and replanned paths in 0.42 s on average.The integration of LiDAR-based SLAMwith deep-learning–driven semantic perception establishes a robust foundation for intelligent,adaptive,and safe robotic navigation in dynamic environments.
基金Natural Science Foundation of Beijing Municipality under Grant L243004the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 62403060.
文摘Protective hardware is essential for mitigating damage caused by unavoidable falls in humanoid robots.Despite notable progress in fall protection hardware,the theoretical foundation for modeling and the feasibility of conducting full-scale fall experiments on robots or their surrogates remain somewhat limited.This paper proposes a method for optimizing the thickness of Expandable Polyethylene(EPE),which is used as back protection for the Chubao humanoid robot,based on small-scale impact test data to predict full-scale behavior.The optimal thickness is defined as a balance between compact design and protective effectiveness.An equivalent impact model characterized by four parameters:contact area S,mass m,fall height h,and cushioning material thickness d is introduced to describe impact conditions.The relationship between the peak impact acceleration ap and material thickness d,which forms the core of the method and gives rise to the name AP-D,is analyzed through their plotted curves.After introducing three characteristic parameters and two correction fac-tors,the relationship among the aforementioned variables is derived.Subsequently,both the optimal thickness do and its corresponding peak impact acceleration aop are predicted via nonlinear and linear regression models.Finally,the accuracy and effectiveness of the theoretically derived optimal thickness are validated on both a dummy and the actual robot.With the cushioning material applied,the peak chest acceleration is reduced to 41.57g for the dummy and 32.08g for the robot.
