Fault tolerant approach for biosignal-based robot control

This paper proposes a fault tolerant framework for biosignal-based robot control with multiple sensor electrodes. In this approach, to cope with sensor faults, a reliable joint torque estimation model is selected from a group of estimation models based on sensor failure classifiers. The correlation among the electromyography (EMG) signal streams is used as input feature vectors for fault detection. To validate our proposed method, we artificially disconnect an EMG electrode or detach one side of an EMG probe from the skin surface during elbow-joint torque estimation experiments with five participants. When one EMG sensor electrode experiences one of the problems, the experimental results show that the joint torque can be estimated with significantly fewer errors using our proposed approach than a joint torque estimation method without sensor fault detection or than a method with a conventional sensor fault detection algorithm. Furthermore, we controlled a mannequin-arm-attached one-DOF exoskeleton based on the estimated torque profiles by generating movements with the estimated torque derived from the selected model.     

Transient analysis of the release and reduction of NOx using a Pt/Ba/Al2O3 catalyst

The release and reduction of NO_x in a NO_x storage-reduction (NSR) catalyst were studied with a transient reaction analysis in the millisecond range, which was made possible by the combination of pulsed injection of gases and time resolved time-of-flight mass spectrometry. After an O₂ pulse and a subsequent NO pulse were injected into a pellet of the Pt/Ba/Al₂O₃ catalyst, the time profiles of several gas products, NO, N₂, NH₃ and H₂O, were obtained as a result of the release and reduction of NO_x caused by H₂ injection. Comparing the time profiles in another analysis, which were obtained using a model catalyst consisting of a flat 5 nmPt/Ba(NO₃)₂/cordierite plate, the release and reduction of NO_x on Pt/Ba/Al₂O₃ catalyst that stored NO_x took the following two steps; in the first step NO molecules were released from Ba and in the second step the released NO was reduced into N₂ by H₂ pulse injection. When this H₂ pulse was injected in a large amount, NO was reduced to NH₃ instead of N₂.

A only small amount of H₂O was detected because of the strong affinity for alumina support. We can analyze the NO_x regeneration process to separate two steps of the NO_x release and reduction by a detailed analysis of the time profiles using a two-step reaction model. From the result of the analysis, it is found that the rate constant for NO_x release increased as temperature increase.     

A Mutant D‐Fructose‐6‐Phosphate Aldolase (Ala129Ser) with Improved Affinity towards Dihydroxyacetone for the Synthesis of Polyhydroxylated Compounds

A mutant of D ‐fructose‐6‐phosphate aldolase (FSA) of Escherichia coli, FSA A129S, with improved catalytic efficiency towards dihydroxyacetone (DHA), the donor substrate in aldol addition reactions, was explored for synthetic applications. The k_cat/K_M value for DHA was 17‐fold higher with FSA A129S than that with FSA wild type (FSA wt). On the other hand, for hydroxyacetone as donor substrate FSA A129S was found to be 3.5‐fold less efficient than FSA wt. Furthermore, FSA A129S also accepted glycolaldehyde (GA) as donor substrate with 3.3‐fold lower affinity than FSA wt. This differential selectivity of both FSA wt and FSA A129S for GA makes them complementary biocatalysts allowing a control over donor and acceptor roles, which is particularly useful in carboligation multi‐step cascade synthesis of polyhydroxylated complex compounds. Production of the mutant protein was also improved for its convenient use in synthesis. Several carbohydrates and nitrocyclitols were efficiently prepared, demonstrating the versatile potential of FSA A129S as biocatalyst in organic synthesis.     

Effect of spatial relationship between arc plasma and substrate on the properties of transparent conducting Ga-doped ZnO thin films prepared by vacuum arc plasma evaporation

The effect of the spatial relationship between the arc plasma flow and the substrate surface on the resulting film thickness and electrical properties is investigated in transparent conducting Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) thin films deposited by a vacuum arc plasma evaporation (VAPE) method. It was found that the resulting electrical properties of GZO thin films produced by a VAPE deposition on a fixed substrate were considerably dependent on both the film thickness and the location on the substrate surface, extending from the area nearest the arc plasma source to that at the opposite end of the substrate in a direction parallel to the arc plasma flow; with GZO thin films deposited with various thicknesses in the range from 20 to 200 nm, the films exhibited a thickness dependence of resistivity that was considerably affected by the location on the substrate surface. The variation of resistivity relative to the location on the substrate surface was related to that of carrier concentration, which is mainly attributed to the distribution of the amount of oxygen reaching the substrate surface. In GZO thin films deposited with a thickness of 30-40 nm at a substrate temperature of 250 °C, a resistivity as low as 4 × 10^− 4 Ω cm was obtained in the area of the substrate nearest the arc plasma source.     

Superconductivity in the tetragonal phase of La1.9Bi0.1CuO4+δ annealed under high oxygen pressure

We have investigated the relation between the crystal structure and superconductivity in La_1.9Bi_0.1CuO_4+δ , in which the phase separation observed in La₂CuO_4+δ is suppressed. A phase diagram in theT?δ plane is given for La_1.9Bi_0.1CuO_4+δ with excess oxygen. For very smallδ values, the crystal structure is orthorhombic, and an orthorhombic-tetragonal phase transition occurs markedly atδ ～ 0.03 in the measured temperature range between 13 and 293 K. Superconductivity is observed in the range of 0.04<δ<0.11. This is clear evidence thathigh-T _c superconductivity also appears in the tetragonal phase.     

Detection of surface antigens on living cells through incorporation of immunorecognition into the distinct positioning of cells with positive and negative dielectrophoresis

Rapid determination of surface antigens on cells is possible by immobilization of cells accumulated by positive dielectrophoresis (p-DEP) via effective surface immunoreactions and removal of unbound cells by negative DEP (n-DEP). The DEP device for cell manipulation comprises a microfluidic channel with an upper indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and a lower ITO microband array electrode (band electrode) modified with an antibody. Cells with the surface antigen introduced into the channel immediately accumulated on the surface of the band electrode during p-DEP generated by the application of ac voltage between the ITO electrode and the band electrode to immobilize by the specific antibody. The removal of accumulated cells to the gap region during n-DEP was used for rapid estimation of the residual cells with a specific surface antigen. We demonstrate here that human promyelocytic leukemia cells with the surface antigen CD33 can be captured on a band electrode modified with anti-CD33 antibody. The time required for the determination of the surface antigen using this compelled accumulation of cells by p-DEP and the separation of unbound cells by n-DEP is decreased to 60 s compared to that required by a cell binding assay using microtiter plates (30 min). Furthermore, the present method for a novel cell binding assay does not require pretreatment such as target labeling or washing of unbound cells and thereby enhancing throughput in the clinic and in cytobiology studies.     

Sensitive and spatially multiplexed detection system based on dielectrophoretic manipulation of DNA-encoded particles used as immunoreactions platform

In this work, we designed a new immunodevice that combines competitive immunoreactions on the microparticles, accumulation of these particles by negative dielectrophoresis (n-DEP), and their subsequent capture through hybridization among single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs). Two widely used pesticides, atrazine and bromopropylate, were used as target molecules to test the resulting simultaneous detection system. For sensing, we prepared two different sets of microparticles: one modified with atrazine-conjugated bovine serum albumin (BSA-2d) and ssDNA-J1(up) and the other with bromopropylate-conjugated aminodextran (AD-155) and ssDNA-J2(up). The microparticles were incubated in a mixture of analyte-specific antibody and analyte at different concentrations to trap the unreacted antibodies prior to being labeled with antibodies conjugated with a fluorescence molecule. A suspension containing both types of microparticles was introduced into an n-DEP device consisting of an interdigitated microarray (IDA) electrode and channel modified with ssDNA-J1(down) and ssDNA-J2(down), which are complementary to ssDNA-J1(up) and ssDNA-J2(up), respectively. The n-DEP force generated by applying AC voltage to the IDA electrode displaced the microparticles toward the encoded areas, causing them to rapidly accumulate on the upper surfaces. Hybridization allowed us to distinguish the microparticles and sense multiple analytes by spatial recognition in the DNA-encoded areas. The fluorescence intensity of the captured particles, which depends on analyte concentrations, was measured selectively by focusing on specific areas. The strategy is advantageous for sensitivity due to the equivalent trapping efficiency by DNA hybridization and large surface area of the microparticle for immunoreactions. The rapidity and simplicity were still supported by particle manipulation. Using this concept, we detect atrazine and bromopropylate simultaneously with limits of detection (LODs) of 0.2 μg·L(-1), which covered the maximum residue level (MRL) in food samples established the European Union (EU) and Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW).     

Synthesis of an AlN Polycrystalline Bulk Layer and Nanotubes by Using NH3 and Bi

A bulk layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) polycrystals was synthesized on a boron nitride crucible surface by heating Al chunks with 5 mol% of bismuth at 1273 K for 3 h under NH₃ gas flow. The fragments of the layer were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The platelet grains of AlN with a size of 0.1–1.0 μm and having preferred orientation of the c -axis perpendicular to the layer were formed at the crucible side. Nanotubes 6–15 μm long and about 20–100 nm thick grew on the gas phase side of the layer.     

Characteristics of N2/SF6 mixture gas in creeping discharge developing in narrow gap with backside electrode

The flashover voltage with a backside electrode was found to be lower than that without the backside electrode. Under microsecond pulse voltage application, we describe the characteristics of a creeping discharge developed in the narrow gap with the backside electrode. Using a CCD camera and ultrahigh‐speed camera, we observed the corona extension processes. The lowest flashover voltage was found to be obtained at positive polarity with a SF₆ content D = 3%. In the corona extension obtained using an ultrahigh‐speed camera, peculiar differences were observed in the corona extension process. The corona extension increased, and rapid flashover was observed at D = 3%. Using a CCD camera, small coronas were detected from the backside electrode. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 158(2): 31–38, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20431     

Gas phase oxidation of benzene to phenol using Pd-Cu composite catalysts. Effect of temperature,feeding gas and catalyst composition

Catalytic oxidation of benzene in the gas phase has been studied as a function of the catalyst composition, reaction temperature and the feed conditions of reactant gases, hydrogen, oxygen, benzene as well as diluting inert gas. The catalyst tested is composed of Pd and Cu(I) ions, both of which are supported on silica gel. If one of the two metal species is lacked from the catalyst, no catalytic activity appears. The product is almost exclusively phenol and some accompanying benzoquinone, in particular at lower temperatures, as minor byproduct.On leave from Hua-Dong Institute of Technology, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.