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.     

Well‐Defined Functional Linear Aliphatic Diblock Copolyethers: A Versatile Linear Aliphatic Polyether Platform for Selective Functionalizations and Various Nanostructures

Low‐temperature anionic ring‐opening homopolymerizations and copolymerizations of two glycidol derivatives (allyl glycidyl ether (AGE) and ethoxyethyl glycidyl ether (EEGE)) are studied using a metal‐free catalyst system, 3‐phenyl‐1‐propanol (PPA) (an initiator) and 1‐tert‐butyl‐4,4,4‐tris(dimethylamino)‐2,2‐bis[tris‐(dimethylamino)phosphoranylidenamino]‐2Λ⁵,4Λ⁵‐catenadi(phosphazene) (t‐Bu‐P₄) (a promoter) in order to obtain well‐defined functional linear polyethers and diblock copolymers. With the aid of the catalyst system, AGE is found to successfully undergo anionic ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) even at room temperature (low reaction temperature) without any side reactions, producing well‐defined linear AGE‐homopolymer in a unimodal narrow molecular weight distribution. Under the same conditions, EEGE also undergoes polymerization, producing a linear EEGE‐homopolymer in a unimodal narrow molecular‐weight distribution. In this case, however, a side reaction (i.e., chain‐transfer reaction) is found to occur at low levels during the early stages of polymerization. The chemical properties of the monomers in the context of the homopolymerization reactions are considered in the design of a protocol used to synthesize well‐defined linear diblock copolyethers with a variety of compositions. The approach, anionic polymerization via the sequential step feed of AGE and EEGE as the first and second monomers, is found to be free from side reactions at room temperature. Each block of the obtained linear diblock copolymers undergoes selective deprotection to permit further chemical modification for selective functionalization. In addition, thermal properties and structures of the polymers and their post‐modification products are examined. Overall, this study demonstrates that a low‐temperature metal‐free anionic ROP using the PPA/t‐Bu‐P₄ catalyst system is suitable for the production of well‐defined linear AGE‐homopolymers and their diblock copolymers with the EEGE monomer, which are versatile and selectively functionalizable linear aliphatic polyether platforms for a variety of post‐modifications, nanostructures, and their applications.     

Multi-scale parallel finite element analyses of LDH sheet formability tests based on crystallographic homogenization method

A multi-scale parallel finite element (FE) procedure based on the crystallographic homogenization method was applied to the LDH sheet formability test analysis. For the multi-scale structure, two scales are considered. One is a microscopic polycrystal structure and the other is a macroscopic elastic plastic continuum. The analysis code can predict the formability of sheet metal in macro-scale, simultaneously the crystal texture and hardening evolutions in the micro-scale (Nakamachi E et al. Int J Plasticity 2007;23:450-8). Since huge computation time is required for the nonlinear dynamic multi-scale FE analysis, parallel computing technique based on domain partitioning of FE model for macro-continuum is introduced into the multi-scale code using the message passing interface (MPI) library and PC cluster (Kuramae H et al. In: Proceedings of the eighth international conference on computational plasticity, Part 1, 2005. p. 622-5). The explicit time stepping solution scheme in the nonlinear multi-scale FE dynamic problem is well-suited for parallel computing on distributed memory environment such as PC cluster because solving simultaneous equation is not required. We measured crystal morphologies of four automotive sheet metals, aluminum alloy sheet metals A6022-T43 and A5182-O, an asymmetrically rolled aluminum alloy sheet metal A6022-ASR, and mild steel HC220YD, by using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) with electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) analyses, and defined a three-dimensional representative volume element (RVE) of micro polycrystal structure, which satisfy the periodicity condition of crystal orientation distribution. We evaluate not only macroscopic formability of the automotive sheet metals by the multi-scale LDH test analysis, but also microcrystalline texture evolution during plastic deformation. Furthermore, a relationship between the macroscopic formability and the microcrystal texture evolution was discussed through looking at multi-scale FE results. It is concluded that the mild steel HC220YD was the highest formability than the aluminum alloy sheet metals because of remaining and generating the γ-fiber texture, such as {1 1 1}〈1 1 0〉-{1 1 1}〈1 1 2〉 orientations, during plastic deformation.     

Thermosetting bismaleimide resins generating covalent and multiple hydrogen bonds

Prepolymerizations of 4,4′‐bismaleimidodiphenylmethane (BMI), diallyl isocyanurate (DAIC), and melamine (ML) at 160–170°C and subsequent compression molding at 200–280°C yielded cured BMI/DAIC/ML resins with feed molar ratios of 4/1/1, 3/1/1, and 2/1/1 (BMI‐DAIC‐ML411, 311, and 211). Similarly, cured BMI/DAIC 1/1 and BMI/ML 3/1 resins (BMI‐DAIC11 and BMI‐ML31) were prepared. The FT‐IR analysis revealed that the maleimide and allyl groups were almost consumed for all the cured resins, and the hydrogen bonding interaction became stronger with decreasing BMI contents for BMI‐DAIC‐MLs. Based on the cured structures elucidated from the FT‐IR result, the numbers of multiple hydrogen bonds and cross‐linking covalent bonds (N_MHB and N_CB), and total cross‐linking bond energy (E_TB) were evaluated to be 0, 7.92, and 618 for BMI‐DAIC‐ML411, 0.71, 7.81, and 627 for BMI‐DAIC‐ML311, and 0.95 mol kg^?1, 7.61 mol kg^?1, and 617 kcal kg^?1 for BMI‐DAIC‐ML211, respectively. A higher order of glass transition and 5% weight loss temperatures for BMI‐DAIC‐MLs was 411 > 311 > 211 in accordance with a higher order of N_CB. BMI‐DAIC‐MLs displayed a weak tan δ peak at 70–150°C due to dissociation of the hydrogen bonds. The flexural strength and modulus of BMI‐DAIC‐ML311 were higher than those of BMI‐DAIC‐ML411 in accordance with the difference of E_TB. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43121.     

Biosynthesis of Trehangelin in Polymorphospora rubra K07–0510: Identification of Metabolic Pathway to Angelyl‐CoA

Trehangelins are trehalose angelates discovered from endophytic actinomycete Polymorphospora rubra K07‐0510. We identified the trehangelin biosynthetic gene cluster, including genes that encode a glycoside hydrolase‐like protein (thgC), α‐amylase (thgD), 3‐ketoacyl‐ACP synthase III (thgI), 3‐ketoacyl‐ACP reductase (thgK), enoyl‐CoA hydratase (thgH) and acyl transferase (thgJ). Heterologous expression of thgH, thgI, thgJ and thgK confirmed the importance of these genes in the biosynthesis of trehangelin A. Enzymatic activity studies showed that ThgI catalyses the condensation of acetyl‐CoA and methylmalonyl‐CoA to 2‐methylacetoacetyl‐CoA (MAA‐CoA), ThgK catalyses NADPH‐dependent reduction of MAA‐CoA to 3‐hydroxy‐2‐methylbutyryl‐CoA (HMB‐CoA) and ThgH catalyses the dehydration of HMB‐CoA to angelyl‐CoA (AN‐CoA). This is the first report on the elucidation of the enzymatic formation of AN‐CoA.     

Study on prevention of angular distortion in fillet-welded T-joint by welding with a trailing reverse-side gas heating

Reduction or control of angular distortion without additional processes is demanded because it takes a lot of time and effort to correct the angular distortion of fillet-welded T-joints. In this study, the reduction or control of angular distortion of both sides of a fillet-welded T-joint by welding with trailing reverse-side gas heating was investigated through a welding experiment and its numerical simulation. First, the effect of gas heating position and intensity on the reduction in angular distortion was experimentally investigated using a gas burner. The results showed that angular distortion became smallest when reverse-side heating using the gas burner was located 50 mm backward of the welding torch. Also, the concentrated gas flame with increased propane and oxygen gas flow was effective for reducing angular distortion. It was clarified that the angular distortion could be controlled completely with an appropriate reverse-side gas heating condition. Next, the numerical simulation model of welding and gas heating was constructed based on comparison with the measured temperature histories and angular distortion. Through the numerical simulation of welding with a trailing reverse-side gas, more detailed understanding of the effect of gas heating condition on reduction in angular distortion was developed. In addition, it was confirmed that the gas heating position for the smallest angular distortion is dependent on the temperature distribution along the thickness of the flange plate.     

Gene Expression over Time during Cell Transformation Due to Non-Genotoxic Carcinogen Treatment of Bhas 42 Cells

The Bhas 42 cell transformation assay (Bhas 42 CTA) is the first Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)-certificated method used as a specific tool for the detection of the cell-transformation potential of tumor-promoting compounds, including non-genotoxic carcinogens (NGTxCs), as separate from genotoxic carcinogens. This assay offers the great advantage of enabling the phenotypic detection of oncotransformation. A key benefit of using the Bhas 42 CTA in the study of the cell-transformation mechanisms of tumor-promoting compounds, including non-genotoxic carcinogens, is that the cell-transformation potential of the chemical can be detected directly without treatment with a tumor-initiating compound since Bhas 42 cell line was established by transfecting the v-Ha-ras gene into a mouse fibroblast cloned cell line. Here, we analyzed the gene expression over time, using DNA microarrays, in Bhas 42 cells treated with the tumor-promoting compound 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), and NGTxC, with a total of three repeat experiments. This is the first paper to report on gene expression over time during the process of cell transformation with only a tumor-promoting compound. Pathways that were activated or inactivated during the process of cell transformation in the Bhas 42 cells treated with TPA were related not only directly to RAS but also to various pathways in the hallmarks of cancer.     

Development of a transparent single-grid-type micro-strip gas chamber based on LCD technology

The liquid crystal display (LCD) technology allows several simple circuits to be built using thin film transistors, thus making fabrication of compact, integrated, large-area, and low-cost micro-pattern gaseous detectors possible. In this work, a single-grid-type micro-strip gas chamber (S-MSGC) using transparent electrodes based on the LCD technology was fabricated and successfully operated in several gas mixtures. The detector was coupled with a multi-pixel photon counter to detect an optical signal through the transparent substrate in Ar/CF₄ gas. Both electrical and optical signals were measured and the light yield of the detector was acquired. Successful operation of the S-MSGC can be considered the very important first step for development of the next target of integrated devices.