A brief review of affordance in robotic manipulation research

Abstract

This paper presents a brief review of affordance research in robotics, with special concentrations on its applications in grasping and manipulation of objects. The concept of affordance could be a key to realize human-like advanced manipulation intelligence. First, we discuss the concept of affordance while associating with the applications in robotics. Then, we intensively explore the studies that utilize affordance for robotic manipulation applications, such as object recognition, grasping, and object manipulation including tool-use. They obtain and use affordance by several ways like learning from human, using simulation, and real-world execution. Moreover, we show our current work, which is a cloud database for advanced manipulation intelligence. The database accumulates various data related to manipulation task execution and will be an open platform to leverage various affordance techniques.     

Demonstration of the cold sintering process study for the densification and grain growth of ZnO ceramics

With the cold sintering process (CSP), it was found that adding acetic acid to an aqueous solution dramatically changed both the densities and the grain microstructures of the ZnO ceramics. Bulk densities >90% theoretical were realized below 100°C, and the average conductivity of CSP samples at around 300°C was similar to samples conventionally sintered at 1400°C. Frequently, ZnO is also used as a model ceramic system for fundamental studies for sintering. By the same procedure as the grain growth of the conventional sintering, the kinetic grain growth exponent of the CSP samples was determined as N=3, and the calculated activated energy of grain growth was 43 kJ/mol, which is much lower than that reported using conventional sintering. The evidence for grain growth under the CSP is important as it indicates that there is a genuine sintering process being activated at these low temperatures and it is beyond a pressurized densification process.     

Effect of γ-ray Irradiation on the Wettability of TiO2 Single Crystals

The contact angles of the water droplets on TiO₂ single crystal surfaces decreased and became superhydrophilic state by γ-ray irradiation. It was found that these behaviors were dependent on γ-ray irradiation atmosphere, i.e., in air and in N₂ atmosphere (r. h.; 30%) as well as crystal faces of TiO₂ single crystals, i.e., TiO₂ (100) and (110) surfaces. It was also found from the results of UV–Vis and ESR measurements that γ-ray irradiation under N₂ atmosphere led to the oxygen vacancies and associated Ti³⁺, regardless of the presence of gaseous water. Moreover, it was suggested that the organic molecules adsorbed on TiO₂ single crystal surfaces decomposed by γ-ray irradiation.     

Long-chain carboxylic acids containing ether linkage III. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the amine salts of someB-alkoxypropionic acids

Octylamine, dodecylamine, octadecylamine and triethanolamine salts ofβ-dodecyloxy- andβ-tetradecyloxypropionic acids, without or with one and with two oxyethylene groups between the alkoxy group and the propionic acid group, were prepared and examined as the growth inhibiting agents againstStaphylococcus aureus andPenicillium. Some of them were also tested againstTrichophyton asteroides, T. interdigitale, T. granulosus, Epidermophyton floccosum andMicrosporum canis. The effects of the alkyloxy, oxyethylene and amine groups on antibacterial and antifungal activities were determined. The dodecyl radical was more potent than the tetradecyloxy radical. The enhancing effect of the oxyethylene group was obscure in the amine salts. The most effective amine was dodecylamine and its salt ofβ-dodecyloxypropionic acid showed almost the same effectiveness as that of its mercury salt againstTrichophyton. As for the soluble amine salts, it was confirmed that their surface activities had nothing to do with their antibacterial and fungicidal powers.     

Numerical simulation of the flow in an extensional flow mixer. Effect of fluid elasticity on the flow

We discuss the viscoelastic flow of the matrix fluid in an Extensional Flow Mixer (EFM) obtained by a numerical simulation. The effect of the fluid viscoelasticity on the flow state in an EFM was considered by the comparison of the flow states of the purely viscous fluid and the viscoelastic fluid. The mixing performance of the EFM is also considered. The Phan‐Thien Tanner model was used as the constitutive equation of the viscoelastic fluid and the Carreau model was used as that of the purely viscous fluid. Results obtained are as follows: (1) Stagnation flows occur in the converging‐diverging plates (c‐d plates) in the case of viscoelastic fluid. The size of stagnation flow region becomes large when the fluid has a strain‐thickening elongational viscosity. (2) The absolute value of the extensional strain and the pressure drop in the c‐d region increase with fluid elasticity. Meanwhile, the residence time in the c‐d region decreases with that. (3) There is no stagnation region in the c‐d plates for a purely viscous fluid. The stagnation flow has an effect on the estimation value of EFM's performance. The prediction by the purely viscous fluid is not useful for the flow in an EFM because of extremely low accuracy.     

Determining double-bond positions in monoenoic 2-hydroxy fatty acids of glucosylceramides by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

We applied a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method using dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) adducts and were able to determine the double-bond positions in monounsaturated 2-hydroxy fatty acids (2-HFA). 2-HFA methyl esters, prepared from the hydrolysate ofArabidopsis thaliana leaf glucosylceramides, were acetylated and methylthiolated. GC-MS analysis of the resulting DMDS adducts showed simple mass spectra with recognizable molecular ions and a series of key fragment ions indicating the original double-bond positions in the aliphatic chain. Based on this GC-MS elucidation, we confirmed thatArabidopsis leaf glucosylceramides have C₂₂, C₂₃, C₂₄, C₂₅, and C₂₆ chain length 2-HFA with monounsaturation, and all their double bonds are placed at the n−9 position. This procedure is simple, time efficient, and highly sensitive.     

Polymer optical fiber for near infrared use

Using the empirical simulation that we developed to estimate loss spectra of amorphous polymers, we predicted the intrinsic loss spectrum of fluorine-containing polyarylate (FPAr) that should have a small attenuation loss in the near infrared region. Loss of FPAr is smaller than that of poly (methyl methacrylate), which is a typical optical polymer used as a core material in polymer optical fiber (POF), above 720 nm. FPAr was synthesized by phase transfer catalyzed polycondensation of 2,2-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane with isophthaloyl dichloride. Its glass-transition temperature (T_g) by DSC is 163°C. This indicates that FPAr has higher heat resistance than polycarbonate (PC) by about 10°C. A film of 100μm thick has over 85% transmittance from 330 to 900 nm. Values from a tension test are similar to those of PC. As a result, FPAr is expected to be a good core polymer for POF, because of its high T_g, good transparency, and good flexibility. Next, the POF made of FPAr was fabricated by a melt-flow spinning method. It had larger attenuation loss than predicted. The difference from the simulation was extrinsic loss caused by the fabricating process. Therefore, when a more suitable fabricating process is developed, loss of FPAr-POF can be decreased, so that it will be applicable to optical communications in the near infrared region. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Active slip systems and their contribution to deformation phenomena by indentation of the cube face of face-centered cubic metals

New models are proposed for the distributions of active slip systems induced by a cone and a ball indentation on the (001) plane of f.c.c. metals. By employing modified elastic stress fields, three or four primary slip systems are predicted to be individually active in the octant bounded by the [110] and [010] axes.The observed slip traces, surface topography and the shape of dislocation clustering zones are shown to be in reasonable agreement with those expected by the activation of the predicted slip systems. It is also shown that the anisotropy of the extent of this plastic region can be related to that of the elastic stress field.     

THERMOELECTRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MICROSCALE THIN-FILM THERMOCOUPLES

Microscale thin-film thermocouples (TFTCs), which can be fabricated using existing microelectronics technology on the surfaces of electronic de vices with film thicknesses as small as tens of angstroms, ha ve smaller thermoelectric potential compared to thick-film cases. The qualititati ve characteristics of TFTCs, which ha ve not yet been modeled successfully, ha ve been analyzed based on the model of distributed electric potential across the interface of two metals. The steady-state solution of the electron distribution and the electric potential distribution by solving the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation and the Poisson equation simultaneously show the decrease in the thermoeleectric potential quantitatively.     

Liquid flow circulating within an unbaffled vessel agitated with an unsteady forward–reverse rotating impeller

Liquid‐phase mixing is a common operation, often performed in vessels using mechanically rotating impellers. To enhance axial mixing the vessels are generally equipped with baffles; however, in industries where cleaning the vessel interior is a major concern, i.e. food and pharmaceuticals, and crystallization, where baffles can disturb particle growth, unbaffled vessels are preferred. One method of agitation in unbaffled vessels is an impeller that periodically changes either the direction or rate of rotation: so‐called unsteady rotation. For use in an enhanced agitation vessel, an agitation technology using an unsteady forward–reverse rotating impeller in an unbaffled vessel was investigated. Such unsteady agitation is expected to enhance mixing. However, knowledge of the liquid flows in such an apparatus remains elusive. Thus an aim of this work was to characterize the circulation flow in such a system. Circulation by a disk turbine impeller with six flat blades was studied through examination of tracer particle trajectories. Images showing flow patterns with the forward–reverse rotating impeller resembled those obtained with a unidirectionally rotating impeller in a baffled vessel. The pattern was characterized by a circulation loop whose pathway exits from the impeller rotational region and returns to that region past the wall and bottom of the vessel. Time‐series particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) images obtained during one forward–reverse rotation of the impeller showed that the flow near the vessel wall reduced the periodic fluctuation downstream and that a flow that was almost independent of time was induced near the vessel bottom. For the flow from the bottom to the impeller, unsteadiness was provided by proximity to the impeller. Based on the intensity distribution of the unsteady flow produced by this type of forward–reverse rotating impeller within the vessel, the unsteady flow was shown to have the potential to reach the region near the vessel wall. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry