Generalized measuring-worm algorithm: high-accuracy mapping and movement via cooperating swarm robots

Recently, many extensive studies have been conducted on robot control via self-positioning estimation techniques. In the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) method, which is one approach to self-positioning estimation, robots generally use both autonomous position information from internal sensors and observed information on external landmarks. SLAM can yield higher accuracy positioning estimations depending on the number of landmarks; however, this technique involves a degree of uncertainty and has a high computational cost, because it utilizes image processing to detect and recognize landmarks. To overcome this problem, we propose a state-of-the-art method called a generalized measuring-worm (GMW) algorithm for map creation and position estimation, which uses multiple cooperating robots that serve as moving landmarks for each other. This approach allows problems of uncertainty and computational cost to be overcome, because a robot must find only a simple two-dimensional marker rather than feature-point landmarks. In the GMW method, the robots are given a two-dimensional marker of known shape and size and use a front-positioned camera to determine the marker distance and direction. The robots use this information to estimate each other’s positions and to calibrate their movement. To evaluate the proposed method experimentally, we fabricated two real robots and observed their behavior in an indoor environment. The experimental results revealed that the distance measurement and control error could be reduced to less than 3 %.     

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type Z in Central Nervous System Disease

Gliomas are among the most common tumors of the central nervous system and include highly malignant subtypes, such as glioblastoma, which are associated with poor prognosis. Effective treatments are therefore urgently needed. Despite the recent advances in neuroimaging technologies, differentiating gliomas from other brain diseases such as multiple sclerosis remains challenging in some patients, and often requires invasive brain biopsy. Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type Z (PTPRZ) is a heavily glycosylated membrane protein that is highly expressed in the central nervous system. Several reports analyzing mouse tumor models suggest that PTPRZ may have potential as a therapeutic target for gliomas. A soluble cleaved form of PTPRZ (sPTPRZ) in the cerebrospinal fluid is markedly upregulated in glioma patients, making it another promising diagnostic biomarker. Intriguingly, PTPRZ is also involved in the process of remyelination in multiple sclerosis. Indeed, lowered PTPRZ glycosylation by deletion of the glycosyltransferase gene leads to reduced astrogliosis and enhanced remyelination in mouse models of demyelination. Here, we review the expression, molecular structure, and biological roles of PTPRZ. We also discuss glioma and demyelinating diseases, as well as the pathological role of PTPRZ and its application as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target.     

Development of Sensor and Control Systems of a Wearable Robot to Walk on a Step

The goal of our study is to develop a system for walking on a step using a wearable robot. Our system consists of (1) sensing of a step from the movement of the walker, (2) detection of the foot placement state related to the step, and (3) generation of gait patterns of climbing and stepping down for the step. In the generation of gait patterns for the step, toe trajectories are generated according to the height of the step to avoid collision of the swinging leg with the step. The hip trajectory is generated by an optimization technique that minimizes the sum of the joint angular jerk of the robot subject to constraints on the hip position and the velocity at toe liftoff. Each joint angle trajectory is calculated from the generated trajectories by means of inverse kinematic equations. We investigated the feasibility of the proposed sensor and control systems for two steps with different heights.     

Thermal and Electric Properties in Hot-Pressed ZrB2–MoSi2–SiC Composites

The thermal and electrical properties of MoSi₂ and/or SiC-containing ZrB₂-based composites and the effects of MoSi₂ and SiC contents were examined in hot-pressed ZrB₂–MoSi₂–SiC composites. The thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity of the ZrB₂–MoSi₂–SiC composites were measured at room temperature by a nanoflash technique and a current–voltage method, respectively. The results indicate that the thermal and electrical conductivities of ZrB₂–MoSi₂–SiC composites are dependent on the amount of MoSi₂ and SiC. The thermal conductivities observed for all of the compositions were more than 75 W·(m·K)⁻¹. A maximum conductivity of 97.55 W·(m·K)⁻¹ was measured for the 20 vol% MoSi₂-30 vol% SiC-containing ZrB₂ composite. On the other hand, the electrical conductivities observed for all of the compositions were in the range from 4.07 × 10–8.11 × 10 Ω⁻¹·cm⁻¹.     

Surface characteristics of chemical conversion coating for Mg-Al alloy

The chemical conversion coating was formed on Mg alloy for low cost and harmlessness in environment by using the colloidal silica as the main component. The film formed at 298 K was thick, which was thought to be the combination of Si and O. In salt spray test, the ratio of black rust on the specimen that did not conducted chemical conversion treatment was five times or more than those of the chemical conversion treated specimen. The film of chemical conversion coating produced by alkali treatment process was thinner than the specimen produced in basic chemical conversion treatment solution.     

Pixel design of pulsed CMOS image sensor for retinal prosthesis with digital photosensitivity control

A newly designed pulse frequency modulation photosensor for use in retinal prosthesis is proposed and demonstrated. The pixel converts the intensity of incident light into biphasic current pulses at frequencies suitable for the electrical stimulation of retinal neurons. Experimental results showed that the device was sensitive over a dynamic range of input light of about 120 dB, and that photosensitivity could be varied from 0 dB to around -40 dB.     

Coefficients for equilibrium partition of a third element between solid and liquid in iron-carbon base ternary alloys and their relation to graphitization during iron-carbon eutectic solidification

During iron-carbon eutectic solidification, the coefficients for partition of a third element between the eutectic liquid and its solid were evaluated thermodynamically. The coefficientk _M ^A/L for the equilibrium partition of the third element (M) between austenite and liquid iron largely depended on the interaction between carbon and the third element and a simplified method for the evaluation ofk _M ^A/L was introduced. The coefficients,K ^S andK ^M, for the partition of the element between the eutectic liquid and its solid in the stable and metastable eutectic solidification, respectively, were also calculated fromk _M ^A/L and the coefficientk _M ^C/A for the equilibrium partition of the element between cementite and austenite. It was indicated by the thermodynamics of the free energy for the co-existing phases that the effect of a third element on graphitization occurring during eutectic solidification was related quantitatively to the value of K which was represented byK ^S-K ^M. The effect of a third element on the difference between the stable and metastable eutectic temperatures and on the carbon activity of liquid iron was closely related to K or the equilibrium partition coefficient,k _M ^C/A .     

Corneal critical barrier against the penetration of dexamethasone and lomefloxacin hydrochloride: evaluation by the activation energy for drug partition and diffusion in cornea

The cornea is a solid barrier against drug permeation. We searched the critical barrier of corneal drug permeation using a hydrophobic drug, dexamethasone (DM), and a hydrophilic drug, lomefloxacin hydrochloride (LFLX). The activation energies for permeability of DM and LFLX across the intact cornea were 88.0 and 42.1 kJ/mol, respectively. Their activation energies for permeability across the cornea without epithelium decreased to 33.1 and 16.6 kJ/mol, respectively. The results show that epithelium is the critical barrier on the cornea against the permeation of a hydrophobic drug of DM as well as a hydrophilic drug of LFLX. The activation energy of partition for DM (66.8 kJ/mol) was approximately 3-fold larger than that of diffusion (21.2 kJ/mol). The results indicate that the partition for the hydrophobic drug of DM to the corneal epithelium is the primary barrier. Thermodynamic evaluation of activation energy for the drug permeation parameters is a good approch to investigate the mechanism of drug permeability.     

Bi-Cu film deposition in aqueous solutions

The relatively uniform bismuth-copper film was electrodeposited between −15 and −20 mV in the sulfate electrolyte containing 4 mmol/L bismuth ion and 2 mmol/L copper ion. Only copper was electrodeposited at −5 mV. The dendritic bismuth-copper film was electrodeposited under −20 mV. The cathodic current became constant between −20 and −400 mV. Therefore, bismuth-copper electrodeposition changes from charge transfer controlling to diffusion controlling at −20 mV. On the other hand, the uniform bismuth-copper film was electrodeposited between −5 and −35 mV in the methanesulfonate electrolyte containing 4 mmol/L bismuth ion and 2 mmol/L copper ion. The dendritic bismuth-copper film was electrodeposited under −35 mV. The potential region for good electrodepositon in methanesulfonate electrolyte is wider than that in sulfate electrolyte. Therefore, it is easy to control electrodeposition conditions by using methanesulfonate electrolyte.     

Dielectric properties of woven fabric glass fiber reinforced polymer-matrix composites in the THz frequency range

Electromagnetic wave transmittances of plain woven fabric glass fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite (PW-GFRP) and eight-harness-stain fabric glass fiber reinforced polyimide matrix composite (8H-GFRP) with 1.0 mm thickness were measured in a terahertz (THz) frequency range. The transmittance values for both composites are nearly zero at a frequency of 1.0 THz. The real parts of the complex dielectric constant, ε′(ω) are 4.45 and 3.87 for PW-GFRP and 8H-GFRP, respectively, in the frequency range from 0.2 to 1.0 THz, and they are almost frequency independent. Conversely, the imaginary parts of the dielectric constant, ε′′(ω) for both composites linearly increases with increase of the frequency from 0.13 to 0.37 for PW-GFRP, and from 0.12 to 0.33 for 8H-GFRP.