Monkeys move robotic arm using brain power

The objective of above-elbow myoelectric prostheses is to reestablish the functionality of missing limbs and increase the quality of life of amputees. By using electromyography (EMG) electrodes attached to the surface of the skin, amputees are able to control motors in myoelectric prostheses by voluntarily contracting the muscles of their residual limb. This work describes the development of an inexpensive myoelectric training tool (MTT) designed to help upper limb amputees learn how to use myoelectric technology in advance of receiving their actual myoelectric prosthesis. The training tool consists of a physical and simulated robotic arm, signal acquisition hardware, controller software, and a graphical user interface. The MTT improves over earlier training systems by allowing a targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) patient to control up to two degrees of freedom simultaneously. The training tool has also been designed to function as a research prototype for novel myoelectric controllers. A preliminary experiment was performed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the MTT as a learning tool and to identify any issues with the system. Five able-bodied participants performed a motor-learning task using the EMG controlled robotic arm with the goal of moving five balls from one box to another as quickly as possible. The results indicate that the subjects improved their skill in myoelectric control over the course of the trials. A usability survey was administered to the subjects after their trials. Results from the survey showed that the shoulder degree of freedom was the most difficult to control.

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Telemanipulation of an Articulated Robotic Arm using a Commercial Virtual Reality Controller

Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering ◽

10.1515/cdbme-2020-3033 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 127-130

Author(s):

Max B. Schäfer ◽

Kent W. Stewart ◽

Nico Lösch ◽

Peter P. Pott

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Real Time ◽

Robotic Arm ◽

Input Device ◽

Robot Assisted ◽

Promising Alternative ◽

Input Devices ◽

Current Input ◽

Current Systems ◽

Robot Assisted Surgery

AbstractAccess to systems for robot-assisted surgery is limited due to high costs. To enable widespread use, numerous issues have to be addressed to improve and/or simplify their components. Current systems commonly use universal linkage-based input devices, and only a few applicationoriented and specialized designs are used. A versatile virtual reality controller is proposed as an alternative input device for the control of a seven degree of freedom articulated robotic arm. The real-time capabilities of the setup, replicating a system for robot-assisted teleoperated surgery, are investigated to assess suitability. Image-based assessment showed a considerable system latency of 81.7 ± 27.7 ms. However, due to its versatility, the virtual reality controller is a promising alternative to current input devices for research around medical telemanipulation systems.

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Low-cost Solar Tracking and Irradiance Measurement using Miniature 5-DoF Robotic Arm and Raspberry Pi

2020 IEEE Eurasia Conference on IOT, Communication and Engineering (ECICE) ◽

10.1109/ecice50847.2020.9301971 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Cheng Yu Ding ◽

Jong-Chyuan Tzou ◽

Shang-Chen Wu

Keyword(s):

Low Cost ◽

Robotic Arm ◽

Raspberry Pi ◽

Irradiance Measurement ◽

Solar Tracking

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Method for Robot Manipulator Joint Wear Reduction by Finding the Optimal Robot Placement in a Robotic Cell

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11125398 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 5398

Author(s):

Tomáš Kot ◽

Zdenko Bobovský ◽

Aleš Vysocký ◽

Václav Krys ◽

Jakub Šafařík ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Angular Velocity ◽

Dynamic Simulation ◽

Robot Manipulator ◽

The Other ◽

Robotic Arm ◽

Robotic Cell ◽

Wear Reduction ◽

Fixed End ◽

Robot Placement ◽

Collaborative Robot

We describe a method for robotic cell optimization by changing the placement of the robot manipulator within the cell in applications with a fixed end-point trajectory. The goal is to reduce the overall robot joint wear and to prevent uneven joint wear when one or several joints are stressed more than the other joints. Joint wear is approximated by calculating the integral of the mechanical work of each joint during the whole trajectory, which depends on the joint angular velocity and torque. The method relies on using a dynamic simulation for the evaluation of the torques and velocities in robot joints for individual robot positions. Verification of the method was performed using CoppeliaSim and a laboratory robotic cell with the collaborative robot UR3. The results confirmed that, with proper robot base placement, the overall wear of the joints of a robotic arm could be reduced from 22% to 53% depending on the trajectory.

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