Presents a method with preliminary results on collecting and analysing dynamic data describing some foot motions in 3D space. The overall aim of the research is to represent and compare such data for normal and club-foot patients and to investigate ways in which motion pattern data can effectively be analysed by a computer-based system. The method comprises three steps: first, sensor readings from an electromagnetic device are filtered, interpolated and transformed; second, motion parameters described as roll, pitch and yaw are evaluated from sensor data and projected on to 2D space from selected viewpoints; third, a convex hull analysis based on shape geometry is developed and performed on the projected parameters. Finally, a discussion on the suitability of the method for motion pattern analysis of the foot is presented.

This paper describes a control method for searching suitable gripping points on the outline of generic shapes. It is aimed at robotic grasping tasks where no full geometrical knowledge of the shape is assumed. We first describe the method for a range of 2D generic shapes and then instantiate the method for pick and place operations on known shapes. The algorithms are run on the shape as it appears on the computer screen directly from a vision system. Virtual robotic fingers and associated sensors are then configured and positioned on the screen with three variables being simultaneously controlled. When the control systems reach a steady state, information about virtual finger position and orientation are then used to drive the manipulator.

This paper presents the initial development of a visually guided robotic system for handling food products that are often presented in an unstructured manner. In order to handle the communications between the host and robot controller more effectively, we developed multi-level commands within the host programming environment. Vision guided grasping is described in the context of vector manipulations. The system is able to calculate the grasp vector according to both online visual information and off-line data based on the food product and gripper type in consideration. A case study is presented where the system handles trapezoidal shaped fish products.>

Advanced robotic applications often require a robot to work as a part of an integrated system. Supervisory control of the robot in such cases readily permits incorporation of external sensing systems such as vision. To handle communication between a host and robot controller more effectively, we have developed multilevel commands within the host programming environment. An example application is presented which is a visually guided robot food handling task. The work cell comprises a robot manipulator, a vision system, and a host controller whereby the supervisory control of the robot is achieved.>