A human-oriented framework for developing assistive service robots

Purpose: Multipurpose robots that can perform a range of useful tasks have the potential to increase the quality of life for many people living with disabilities. Owing to factors such as high system complexity, as-yet unresolved research questions and current technology limitations, there is a need for effective strategies to coordinate the development process.

Method: Integrating established methodologies based on human-centred design and universal design, a framework was formulated to coordinate the robot design process over successive iterations of prototype development.

Results: An account is given of how the framework was practically applied to the problem of developing a personal service robot. Application of the framework led to the formation of several design goals which addressed a wide range of identified user needs. The resultant prototype solution, which consisted of several component elements, succeeded in demonstrating the performance stipulated by all of the proposed metrics.

Conclusions: Application of the framework resulted in the development of a complex prototype that addressed many aspects of the functional and usability requirements of a personal service robot. Following the process led to several important insights which directly benefit the development of subsequent prototypes.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• This research shows how universal design might be used to formulate usability requirements for assistive service robots.

• A framework is presented that guides the process of designing service robots in a human-centred way.

• Through practical application of the framework, a prototype robot system that addressed a range of identified user needs was developed.

     

国内首例达芬奇机器人单孔肾上腺肿瘤切除术的护理配合

目的：探讨国内首例行达芬奇机器人单孔肾上腺肿瘤切除术的护理配合方法。方法：总结我院1例达芬奇机器人单孔肾上腺肿瘤切除术患者的手术护理配合方法。结果：患者手术过程顺利,手术成功,于术后10天顺利出院。结论：达芬奇机器人单孔肾上腺肿瘤切除术具有创伤小、出血少、疼痛减轻、术后恢复快等优势,值得推广。     

Axial reciprocation of rotating impeller: a new concept of antithrombogenecity in centrifugal pump

For long-term application, rotary pumps have to solve the problems of bearing wear and thrombosis along the bearing. Most investigators choose the magnetic bearing to realize zerofriction and no contact between the rotor and stator; the former avoids the mechanical wear and the latter eliminates the possibility of thrombus formation. The authors have tried and found, however, that it is difficult to apply a magnetic bearing to the rotary pump without disturbing its simplicity, reliability and implantability, and have therefore developed a much simpler and much more creative approach to achieve the same results. Instead of using a sliding bearing, a rolling bearing has been devised for the pump, and its friction is about 1/15 of the sliding bearing. Furthermore, a wear-proof material of ultra-high-molecular weight polythene has been adopted to make the rollers, and its anti-wear property is 8 times better than metal. Thereby, the service life of the bearing has been prolonged to ten years according to the documents provided by the producer. In order to prevent the thrombus formation along the bearing, the impeller reciprocates axially as the impeller changes its rotating speed periodically to produce a pulsatile flow. The reciprocation is the result of the effects of a magnetic force between the motor rotor and stator, and a hydraulic force between the blood flow and the impeller. Similar to a piston pump, the oscillating impeller can make the blood flow in and out of the bearing, resulting in wash-out once a circle. This obviously helps to prevent thrombosis along the bearing and in the pump. The endurance tests with saline of this novel pump demonstrated the durability of the device. It promises to be able to assist the circulation of patients permanently, and to be able to replace heart transplantation in the future.     

机器人在口腔医学中的应用进展

随着工业机器人技术的发展,机器人已进入医学领域,为众多医疗应用开发新型机器人,已成为全球机器人领域重要的研究方向。在口腔医学中,机器人已经应用于修复、正畸、种植、牙体牙髓以及口腔外科等领域中。本文主要从以上5个方面介绍了机器人在口腔医学中的应用进展。     

Endonasal Skull Base Tumor Removal Using Concentric Tube Continuum Robots: A Phantom Study

Objectives The purpose of this study is to experimentally evaluate the use of concentric tube continuum robots in endonasal skull base tumor removal. This new type of surgical robot offers many advantages over existing straight and rigid surgical tools including added dexterity, the ability to scale movements, and the ability to rotate the end effector while leaving the robot fixed in space. In this study, a concentric tube continuum robot was used to remove simulated pituitary tumors from a skull phantom. Design The robot was teleoperated by experienced skull base surgeons to remove a phantom pituitary tumor within a skull. Percentage resection was measured by weight. Resection duration was timed. Setting Academic research laboratory. Main Outcome Measures Percentage removal of tumor material and procedure duration. Results Average removal percentage of 79.8 ± 5.9% and average time to complete procedure of 12.5 ± 4.1 minutes (n = 20). Conclusions The robotic system presented here for use in endonasal skull base surgery shows promise in improving the dexterity, tool motion, and end effector capabilities currently available with straight and rigid tools while remaining an effective tool for resecting the tumor.     

下肢康复机器人训练对早期脑卒中偏瘫患者下肢功能的影响

目的:观察下肢康复机器人对早期脑卒中偏瘫患者下肢功能的影响.方法:将80例早期脑卒中患者随机分为观察组和对照组.2组均给予常规康复训练,观察组在此基础上增加下肢康复机器人训练.治疗时间为12周,比较2组治疗前后髋关节和膝关节活动度、FMA下肢评分、FAC步行功能评分、ADL评分情况.结果:2组患者在治疗前各临床评价指标均无显著性差异(P>0.05).治疗12周后,2组的髋关节和膝关节活动度、FMA下肢评分、FAC步行功能评分、ADL评分均高于治疗前(P<0.05),且观察组髋关节和膝关节活动度、FMA下肢评分、FAC步行功能评分、ADL评分均高于对照组(P<0.05).结论:下肢康复机器人可改善早期脑卒中偏瘫患者下肢功能,提高步行能力.     

多功能智能护理床设计与人因功效分析

老龄化社会到来,护理资源严重短缺,造成老人生活质量下降,以科技创新助力智慧养老,是解决老人护理难题的关键。针对半失能老年人渴望有一定的独立自主参与日常活动的诉求,设计了一款床椅一体化多功能移动智能护理床,除了使其具备日常起坐、翻身、如厕等日常需求之外,注重对半失能老人能力的辅助。该智能护理床通过移动机器人辅助自主移动能力,通过语音、动作的识别辅助交互能力,通过全方位智能检测与控制以辅助老人健康管理。在结构设计的基础上,对护理床进行了人因功效仿真,分析结果表明,该护理床对老人的安全性及舒适度符合标准要求。     

Promoting question-asking in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorders: Effectiveness of a robot intervention compared to a human-trainer intervention

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of an applied behaviour analysis (ABA)-based intervention conducted by a robot compared to an ABA-based intervention conducted by a human trainer in promoting self-initiated questions in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: Data were collected in a combined crossover multiple baseline design across participants. Six children were randomly assigned to two experimental groups.

Results: Results revealed that the number of self-initiated questions for both experimental groups increased between baseline and the first intervention and was maintained during follow-up. The high number of self-initiated questions during follow-up indicates that both groups maintained this skill.

Conclusions: The interventions conducted by a robot and a human trainer were both effective in promoting self-initiated questions in children with ASD. No conclusion with regard to the differential effectiveness of both interventions could be drawn. Implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.