We provide the mechanical and dynamical requirements for a robotic finger capable of performing a large number of everyday tasks. To match these requirements, we present a novel actuator and finger design, the everyday finger, that comes close to many characteristics of the human fingers. In particular, we focus on minimizing the size of components to get proper performance without sacrificing compactness. A robotic hand that uses two Everyday fingers demonstrated an 80% success rate in picking up and placing dishes in a rack, and the ability to pick up flat objects like napkins and delicate ones like strawberries. Videos are available at the project website: https://sites.google.com/view/everydayfinger.

Due to its higher capacity factor and proximity to densely populated areas, offshore wind power with integrated energy storage could satisfy > 20% of U.S. electricity demand. Similar results could also be obtained in many parts of the world. The offshore environment can be used for unobtrusive, safe, and economical utility-scale energy storage by taking advantage of the hydrostatic pressure at ocean depths to store energy by pumping water out of concrete spheres and later allowing it to flow back in through a turbine to generate electricity. The storage spheres are an ideal complement to energy harvesting machines, such as floating wind turbines (FWTs). The system could provide near-base-load-quality utility-scale renewable energy and do double duty as the anchoring point for the generation platforms. Analysis indicates that storage can be economically feasible at depths as shallow as 200 m, with cost per megawatt hour of storage dropping until 1500 m before beginning to trend upward. The sweet spot occurs when the concrete wall thickness to withstand the hydrostatic pressure provides enough ballast mass, and this will depend on the strength of used concrete and reinforcement. In addition, the required concrete would use significant amounts of fly ash from coal-fired power plants, and the spheres can serve as artificial reefs.

The focus of this paper is on the design and evaluation of a robust drive mechanism intended to robotically steer a thermal ablation electrode or similar percutaneous instrument. We present the design of an improved screw-spline drive mechanism based on a profiled threaded shaft and nut that reduces the part count and simplifies manufacturing and assembly. To determine the optimal parameters for the profile shape, an analytical expression was derived that relates the tolerance between the nut and shaft to the angular backlash, which was validated using SolidWorks. We outline the forward kinematics of a steering mechanism that is based on the concept of substantially straightening a pre-curved Nitinol stylet by retracting it into a concentric outer cannula, and re-deploying it at a different position. This model was compared to data collected during targeting experiments performed in ex-vivo tissue samples where the distal tip of the stylet was repositioned in ex-vivo bovine tissue and the location of its distal tip was recorded with CT imaging. Results demonstrated that the drive mechanism operated robustly and targeting errors of less than 2mm were achieved.

In poorly constrained extra-vascular environments such as hollow viscera, current catheter navigation techniques are restricted to simple paths and therefore limit a doctor's ability to position the catheter. This paper presents a new catheter positioning system that enables faster and more accurate catheter placement, with fewer scans. The proposed robotic catheter navigation system can execute curved paths and maintain any number of three-dimensional turns using tension stiffening guide-wires composed of a set of disposable friction-locking beads. An external, reusable control system is used to automate the movement of the catheter. This control system uses a custom-designed graphical kinematic analysis program that predicts contact forces, changes in conformation due to external forces, tip deflection and failure modes of the catheter as it advances.

Razor clams (Ensis directus) are one of nature's most adept burrowing organisms, able to dig to 70cm at nearly 1cm/s using only 0.21J/cm. We discovered that Ensis reduces burrowing drag by using motions of its shell to fluidize a thin layer of substrate around its body. We have developed RoboClam, a robot that digs using the same mechanisms as Ensis, to explore how localized fluidization burrowing can be extended to engineering applications. In this work we present burrowing performance results of RoboClam in Ensis' habitat. Using a genetic algorithm to optimize RoboClam's kinematics, the machine was able to burrow at speeds comparable to Ensis, with a power law relationship between digging energy and depth of n = 1.17, close to the n = 1 achieved by the animal. Pushing through static soil has a theoretical energy-depth power law of n = 2, which means that Ensis-inspired digging motions can provide exponential energetic savings over existing burrowing methods.

This paper presents the prototype of a mixed reality system using the computer controlled dental milling machine, which is called MRD Mill. First, overview of the core dental milling machine developed in this study is presented, showing its kinematics and mechanisms to achieve the objective of the dental treatment. Then the paper covers its basic functions, including joystick-based control, NC code-based control, manipulation recording, and replay operation for the manual manipulation. MRD Mill system was installed with a mixed reality technology using the dental milling machine as the core unit. MRD Mill system is designed to support the operation of the dental mill using the mixed reality technology. This paper shows superimpose of trajectory of cutting tool path and virtual objects over the physical model. Then discussion and future direction will be followed.

A new design feature of an integrated circuit (IC) test handler tray is described that significantly improves the convective heat transfer to the tray and the IC devices in the tray. The improved tray incorporates vertically protruding ribs which breakup thermal boundary layers and enhance mixing. High-speed, tray-based handlers can consequently warm or cool trays of devices at substantially faster rates. Design equations for the tray ribs are verified through experimental testing and provide a means to predict the warm-up or cool-down times of the tray and devices.

A very compact electrical test contactor assembly design for a handler is described that gives a means to better match the temperature of the contactors (-60 degC to 160 degC) and the devices under test (DUTs). The resulting design aims for tight temperature control (/spl plusmn/1 degC) of DUTs while minimizing the electrical transmission path length (/spl sim/2.5 cm). A high thermal conductivity plate uses direct current (DC), electric resistance heaters and liquid nitrogen (LN/sub 2/) to control the contactor temperatures. Tests at 90 degC confirm expected hot-temperature performance.