Special Issue on Assistive Device Technologies

Mechatronics is one of the most powerful technologies to overcome various industrial and social problems arising in the 21st century, for example, realization of the recycle manufacturing system, global consideration on the environment, development of human-oriented technology. The 3rd International Conference on Advanced Mechatronics (ICAM’98)-Innovative Mechatronics for the 21st Century hass been held in Okayama August 3-6, 1998, following the 1st and 2nd held in Tokyo in 1988 and 1993, sponsored by the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. The purpose of the conference is to promote the creation of new technologies and industries such as advanced robotics and human-oriented technology for the coming 21st century. Two plenary talks and 35 technical sessions including 11 specially organized sessions were opened. In technical sessions, a total of 149 papers was presented, of which 61 papers were in organized sessions and 88 papers in general sessions. Some 47 papers came from 17 countries abroad and 102 papers from Japan. A number of registered participants excluding invited guests was 40 from other countries and 163 from Japan. After the technical program, the Advanced Robotics and Mechatronics symposium was held for tutorial reviews of future robotics and mechatronics, mainly focusing on ""human collaboration"" technology. More than 100 persons attended the symposium. Organized sessions included Analysis and Control of Robot Manipulators, Modeling and Control of Nonholonomic Underactuated Systems, Human Perspective Characteristics and Virtual Reality, Robotic Hand Design Grasping and Dexterous Manipulation, Healthcare Robotics, Advanced Fluid Power Control Technology, Advanced Robot Kinematics, Human Directed Robotics, Computer Support for Mechatronics System Design, Robotic Control, and Motion Control of Special Motors. Robotics was a main subject, but fluid power technology, fundamental motion control technology, and so on were also discussed. “Human collaboration” technology dealing with interaction between humans and robots attracted great attention from many participants. General sessions included Manufacturing, Vision, Micro Machine, Electric Actuator, Human-Robot Interface, Processing Technology, Fluid Actuator, Legged Locomotion, Control Strategy, Soft-Computing, Vehicle, Automation for Agriculture, Robot Force Control, Vibration, and Robot Application. Many studies have been presented over comprehensive subjects. This special issue has been organized by editing the papers presented at ICAM’98 for widely distributing the significant results of the conference. I would like to thank the authors in this special issue who have contributed their updated papers. Also, I would like to thank to Prof. Makoto Kaneko (Hiroshima University), whose work has been indispensable in organizing this special issue.