{"title":"Head movement and facial expression-based human-machine interface for controlling an intelligent wheelchair","authors":"E. Rechy-Ramirez, Huosheng Hu","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064920","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064920","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents a human machine interface (HMI) for hands-free control of an electric powered wheelchair (EPW) based on head movements and facial expressions detected by using the gyroscope and ‘cognitiv suite’ of an Emotiv EPOC device, respectively. The proposed HMI provides two control modes: 1) control mode 1 uses four head movements to display in its graphical user interface the control commands that the user wants to execute and one facial expression to confirm its execution; 2) control mode 2 employs two facial expressions for turning and forward motion, and one head movement for stopping the wheelchair. Therefore, both control modes offer hands-free control of the wheelchair. Two subjects have used the two control modes to operate a wheelchair in an indoor environment. Five facial expressions have been tested in order to determine if the users can employ different facial expressions for executing the commands. The experimental results show that the proposed HMI is reliable for operating the wheelchair safely.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124855800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Kosta, Mukta Bhatele, Prateek Gupta, Preeti Nair, S. Kosta, Siddhartha Choubey, Luni Thakre, Piyush R. Vaghela, Kalpesh N. Patel, B. Dave, Jaiminkumar B. Chavda, Chintan M. Bhatt, T. Nigam
{"title":"Physical model of human blood electronic memristors network","authors":"S. Kosta, Mukta Bhatele, Prateek Gupta, Preeti Nair, S. Kosta, Siddhartha Choubey, Luni Thakre, Piyush R. Vaghela, Kalpesh N. Patel, B. Dave, Jaiminkumar B. Chavda, Chintan M. Bhatt, T. Nigam","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064919","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064919","url":null,"abstract":"For the first time using therapeutic methodology, network of physical model (three memristors in series and parallel combination) of memristor’s was experimentally studied. The combination of memristors manifested memristor’s characteristics (only as defined by Williams of HP, USA). Key potential applications towards biomedical electronics specially man-machine interface, artificial brain, and signal processing is envisaged.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129151139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of ameba-inspired crawler mechanism using worm gear","authors":"J. Nagase, K. Suzumori, N. Saga","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064944","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064944","url":null,"abstract":"In Japan, since the great earthquake, attention has surrounded development of disaster victim relief activity using robots. Development of a robot that is adaptive to various environments in irregular places, rubble, and confined areas is needed. A wheel robot, a snake-like robot, a crawler type robot and a multi-leg robot are all described in the relevant literature as rescue robots that are currently studied. Although these robots have high efficiency and/or high ground-covering ability, they need comparatively large space to move. In this study, a cylindrical crawler robot based on worm-rack mechanism, which does not need large space to move and which has high ground-covering ability, is proposed. This report describes its structure, driven mechanism, design, prototype, and experimental evaluation.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"32 2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131114554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A local hybrid actuator for robotic surgery instruments","authors":"S. Saedi, A. Mirbagheri, A. Jafari, F. Farahmand","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064892","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064892","url":null,"abstract":"A major problem in the design of miniature scale motorised endoscopic instruments is the actuation mechanism at the instrument’s tip, especially when a high level of functionality and multi degrees of freedom (DOF) are concerned. In the present study, a new design for hybrid local-actuation of endoscopic instruments is proposed which includes a micro DC motor and a piezoelectric (PZT) actuator. A compact serial configuration was considered for the actuators. The DC motor provides the long movement course required for opening-closing function of the gripper while the PZT guaranteed the high gripping force needed for holding the needle. The efficacy of the design was evaluated in a simulation study using FEM, and it was shown that the needle holder is capable of applying a sufficiently high gripping force, up to 22 N. The feasibility of the design was further approved in experimental examination of a 4× scaled prototype of the instrument.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"15 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134472803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Towards electromyogram-based grasps classification","authors":"N. M. Kakoty, S. Hazarika","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064900","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.064900","url":null,"abstract":"This paper details a strategy of discriminating grasp types using surface electromyogram (EMG) signals, which has the potential to be applied for controlling extreme upper limb prosthesis. We have investigated the recognition of six grasp types used during 70% of daily living activities based on two-channel EMG. A grasp classification architecture and feature set have been proposed through the iterative development of the feature set as well as the classifier. Three different classifiers and a variety of features have been explored. From the experimental results, we have hypothesised that continuous wavelet transform function coefficients of the EMG signals having entropy values close to the entropy values of preprocessed EMG signals possess maximum informations about the grasp types. Further, sum of discrete wavelet transform coefficients of EMG signals has been established as a primal feature for grasp classification.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"283 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122472604","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Design and development of active endoscope using shape memory alloy actuators","authors":"Aman Arora, P. Bhattacharjee","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059273","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059273","url":null,"abstract":"Minimally invasive surgery is well-accepted in the society because it involves lesser operative trauma for a patient than an equivalent invasive procedure. It causes less pain and scarring, faster recovery, and reduces the incidence of post-surgical complications. An endoscope is considered as one of the most powerful diagnostic and therapeutic tool for dealing abnormalities inside the body. This article aims at deciphering a solution to the problem of passive bending of conventional endoscopes by introducing a concept of active bending by using shape memory alloy (SMA) micro actuators. The developed prototype has many small segments connected to one another by a ball and socket joint, actuated independently which gives rigidity and high degree of manoeuvrability to the scope. The article proposes an algorithm for traversing the scope inside the body and addresses a very important issue of taking it out without causing any damage to the track. A graphical interface gives the practitioner a number of options to orient the scope [on the basis of three-dimensional (3D) discrete points reached by the tip and segment orientations based on camera image] and simultaneously shows a 3D view of orientation of the full scope.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"64 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123757266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of a myoelectric interface for indirect hand grip force and wrist angle measurement/analysis","authors":"A. Jazlan, S. N. Sidek","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059339","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059339","url":null,"abstract":"Limb loss is a growing problem due to the increasing number of accidents worldwide. A cybernetic prosthesis is a device which can assist individuals with hand disabilities by enabling them to have some of the hand capabilities of an able bodied individual. Extracting hand grip force and wrist angle information from forearm electromyogram (EMG) signals is useful to be used as inputs for the control of cybernetic prostheses. By establishing the relationship between forearm EMG and hand grip force/wrist angles, the prosthetic hand can be controlled in a manner that is customised to an amputee’s intent. In this research work, a myoelectric interface which consists of an electronic conditioning circuit to measure EMG signals and software to record and process the EMG signals were developed. Experimental training and testing datasets from five subjects were collected to investigate the relationship between forearm EMG, hand grip force and wrist angle simultaneously.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"79 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126313426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Continuous passive motion-based rehabilitation equipment for the recovery of lower limb bearing joints","authors":"T. Deaconescu, A. Deaconescu, I. Petre","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059274","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059274","url":null,"abstract":"Applying continuous passive rehabilitation movements as part of the recovery programme of patients with post-traumatic disabilities of the bearing joints of the lower limbs requires the development of new high performance equipment. The proposed equipment is designed to be deployed in rehabilitation medical care, its specific objectives being maintenance and recovery of body functions, prevention of dysfunctions, using in this respect kinetic and orthotic techniques, as well as various supporting and adaptive accessories. This paper presents a variant of rehabilitation equipment the novelty of which consists in the utilisation of compliant (soft) fluidic actuators of linear type and variable stiffness. The proposed rehabilitation equipment benefits from a cost efficient, simple and robust construction, being easy to use by persons affected by dysfunctions of the bearing joints. By deploying compliant (soft) actuators, which allow slight deviations from the given position, the human-machine interaction can occur in a gentle and more comfortable manner. This paper presents cinematic and dynamic modelling of the proposed rehabilitation equipment, highlighting its advantages compared to equipments endowed with electric-mechanical linkages.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125645850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An energy harvester from human vibrational kinetic energy for wearable biomedical devices","authors":"J. Song, K. Aw","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059281","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059281","url":null,"abstract":"An electromagnetic kinetic energy harvester has been a topic of considerable interest over recent decades because it is suitable for harvesting human’s kinetic energy at low frequency with the high power density. A small, wearable and portable electromagnetic energy harvester was developed and aimed at applications such as extending the operating period of bio-medical devices through constant charging of batteries. The proposed harvester consists of a snake-shape polydimethylsiloxane cantilever, a coil and anNdFeB magnet enclosed in a polymer casing. Its resonant frequency is ~6.6 Hz and the peak-to-peak output voltage is ~10 mV when tested on a shaker with an acceleration of 0.3 g. When tested at 1.5 g to mimic the acceleration when a person walks, the peak-to-peak output voltage is ~40 mVpp. An unconventional method of voltage rectification has been demonstrated using the combination of a miniature transformer and capacitors to produce unipolar pulses that can be used to trickle charge a battery. Although still not a perfect rectification, nevertheless this method has the potential to replace a diode in the standard rectifier.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"408 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132088863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A human-inspired framework for bipedal robotic walking design","authors":"Ryan W. Sinnet, Shu Jiang, A. Ames","doi":"10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059275","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBR.2014.059275","url":null,"abstract":"This work seeks virtual constraints, or outputs, that are intrinsic to human walking and utilises these outputs to construct controllers which produce human-like bipedal robotic walking. Beginning with experimental human walking data, human outputs are sought, i.e., functions of the kinematics of the human over time, which provides a low-dimensional representation of human walking. It will be shown that, for these outputs, humans act like linear mass-spring-dampers; this yields a time representation of the human outputs through canonical walking functions. Combining these formulations leads to human-inspired controllers that, when utilised in an optimisation problem, provably result in robotic walking that is as ‘human-like’ as possible. This human-inspired approach is applied to multiple human output combinations, from which it is determined which output combination results in the most human-like walking for a robotic model with mean human parameters.","PeriodicalId":375470,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Biomechatronics and Biomedical Robotics","volume":"9 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133405336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}