This paper proposes a reversible data hiding method that embeds an L-level data sequence to images in the spatial domain. Though reversible data hiding once distorts the image to hide data into it, the distorted image is completely separated to the original image and the hidden data. The proposed method uses only one parameter to embed and extract data, and it extracts data without any location map. In addition, it can control embedding capacity according to payload for suppression of embedding distortion. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.

It has been pointed out that the hard structure of an EVA glove deteriorates efficiency of tasks in the space environment. We also found a claim that an EVA glove did not allow an astronaut to acquire contact information at the fingertips. In the study, we proposed a SkilMate Hand for space EVA gloves which has both a tactile media and a power assist devices. We locate SkilMate in a wider framework of wearable intelligent machines which assist in affording such working surroundings that they can exhibit their skills in spite of their necessity for wearing special suits typically in hazardous environments. The paper focuses on the development of a finger system of a SkilMate Hand, and begins with determination of the design guidelines through analyses from an interview with an astronaut. To improve the task efficiency, we manufacture a power assist device which compensates the bending moment exerted at a human finger joint utilizing an ultrasonic motor. We show the structure and the control strategy of the motor drives. To overcome the second problem of tactile insensibleness, we produce a tactile media device which is composed of a slip sensor element on the outer side and a vibrotactile display element on the inner side of a SkilMate Hand. Transduction characteristics of both pressure sensitive conductive rubber and piezo-rubber are experimentally examined in the low temperature region. Finally, piezo-rubber is chosen to be used as a slip sensing transducer.

In pattern processing, it is difficult for all features to be extracted correctly. For a system using fuzzy inference, if input datum is lacking, the system does not work well. In the paper, a framework of a modified fuzzy inference method with lack of input data is introduced, and experimental results are provided. In the proposed method that is modified from Mamdani's fuzzy inference, a result of each rule is the adjustment for the purpose of protection from influence of lacking input data. The adjustment of the resulting fuzzy labels at each rule is used as the degree of importance which is set up in the rules by humans. In the results of a simple experiment, the system can infer well with lack of input data using this method. In results of simple experiments using a set of five fuzzy rules (three input and three output), when one or two input data are lacking, the system infers correctly.