Группа учёных из университета Мичигана (Michigan State University) создала материал, который может непосредственно преобразовывать тепловой градиент в электричество с невиданной ранее эффективностью.

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Категория: Энергия | Нет комментариев »

We present several biologically inspired concept designs and feasibility analyses for underwater swimming exoskeletons. These designs are biologically inspired, based on observations of dolphins, sea turtles, and penguins. Biologically inspired designs have the advantages of stealth, maneuverability, and a natural interface when compared to propeller driven underwater propulsion devices. We present a lower body concept, based on dolphin locomotion and an upper body concept based on sea turtle and penguin locomotion. The dolphin based concept has the advantages of using the wearer’s most powerful muscle groups, of being the most natural to swim with, and of leaving the user’s hands free for other tasks. The sea-turtle based concept has the advantage of novelty and may have appeal as a recreational device. We predict that with actuation and energy storage components available today, an exoskeleton that produces a cruising speed of over 1 m/s and a top speed of over 1.5 m/s is feasible. We estimate that cruising at 1 m/s can be achieved with less than 504 Watts power consumption, which translates into 2.4 kg of off-the-shelf silver-zinc batteries per hour of operation.

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Категория: Научные статьи | Нет комментариев »

We have been developing exoskeleton systems to assist the motion of physically weak persons such as elderly, disabled, and injured persons. The proposed exoskeletons are controlled basically based on the electromyogram (EMG) signals. Even though the EMG signals contain very important information, however, it is not very easy to predict the user’s upper-limb motion (elbow and shoulder motion) based on the EMG signals in real-time because of the difficulty in using the EMG signals as the controller input signals. In this paper, we propose a control method for a 3DOF exoskeleton system for human upper-limb motion assist considering the effect of bi-articular muscles.

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We developed straight style transfer equipment for a person with disabled legs. It realizes travel in a standing position even on uneven ground, standing-up motion from a chair, and ascending stairs. This equipment comprises three modules: a pair of elastic crutches, a powered lower extremity orthosis, and a pair of mobile platforms. We show the conceptual design of the equipment and the motion of each module. Cooperative operations using three modules are discussed through simulations. We verified travel in a standing position, including rotation, through experiments using prototypes of elastic crutches and mobile platforms.

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Категория: Научные статьи | Нет комментариев »

This article introduces an instrumented glove and its application for robotic and human-assisted material handling manipulators. In its simplest form, worn by an operator, the sensory glove measures the force the wearer imposes on any part of the material handling robot or the object being maneuvered by the material handling robot. This measured force is then transmitted as radio frequency (RF) signals to the controller of the material handling robot, which in turn maneuvers the load so that the human operator only needs to exert a small portion of the force, leaving the actuator of the system to provide the remaining force required. Therefore, the actuators of the material handling system add exertion only in response to the operator’s hand force on the material handling system, or on the object maneuvered by the robot. Our experimental glove has proven entirely effective in manipulating objects naturally similar to the way we manipulate objects manually without activating many switches and pushbuttons to command the device.

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Категория: Научные статьи | Нет комментариев »