Dalton Matsuo Tavares

Increasing Students' Interest With Low-Cost CellBots

This paper introduces the use of a flexible and affordable educational robot specifically developed for the practical experimentation inherent to technological disciplines. The robot has been designed to be reconfigurable and extendible, serving as an experimental platform across several undergraduate courses. As most students have a mobile cell phone, this was used as the main control computer for the so-called CellBot, thus avoiding any need to deal with the details of microcontrollers or other embedded computing devices. Assessment results are also presented, based on a pre- and post-survey of student opinion administered to 204 science and engineering students from several universities. Among the conclusions are that 83% of the students prefer to use these low-cost robots as tools to improve their learning of the theory in several disciplines, and 71% of the students stated that they prefer to have their own robot to experiment with, instead of using a didactic kit loaned to them by the university.

Scara robot controller using real time linux

Real Time systems have several important characteristics and constraints that had always been related to enterprise-level solutions provided by well known software and hardware suppliers. Real Time Linux and Free Software are making success in this area through low cost and reliable solutions with high levels of flexibility. This paper explores Real Time Linux and other useful free open source tools for Real Time systems, applied to control an industrial SCARA Robot including a Web based Human Machine Interface that is also presented.

Proposal for a device proxy using XIRP

XML-based communication protocol for industrial robots and processor aided peripherals, also known as XML Interface for Robots and Peripherals (XIRP) is a communication protocol standardized by Verband Deutscher Maschinen und Anlagenbau (VDMA) and devised for the control and interaction of industrial robots and processor-based peripherals. Its aim is to reduce the recurring expenses for the development of communication protocols on industrial robots, sensors and actuators. Considering a scenario of adoption and acceptance of this standard, it is important to think how to apply it gradually until the devices can conform with it. As the standard is yet in its early stages (there is only a general agreement available), this paper present a proposal to integrate XIRP in a robotic workcell considering the implementation of an automated device proxy responsible to create the XIRP communication channels so that the device could conform with the standard. This method is intended to allow a major coverage of the standard, regarding processor or nonprocessor aided peripherals.

Tecnologias de monitoramento remoto de sinais vitais de pacientes: uma abordagem teórico-conceitual

Resumo: O progressivo aumento da expectativa de vida desde o final do século passado ocasionou modificações nas características das doenças existentes e acarretou o aumento de doenças crônicas e degenerativas. À vista disso, percebe-se a necessidade do uso de práticas que auxiliem na prevenção e no tratamento de doenças. Neste sentido, tecnologias de monitoramento de pacientes têm se destacado, pois contribuem para a promoção e reabilitação da saúde, ao passo que facilitam o rápido atendimento a emergências e o compartilhamento de informações entre profissionais da saúde. Desta forma, o presente artigo tem como objetivo expor os resultados de um estudo bibliográfico utilizado como base para a arquitetura desenvolvida para o monitoramento remoto de sinais vitais de pacientes atendidos no SUS. Para tanto, utilizou-se de uma pesquisa de cunho teórico-conceitual, tratando-se de uma revisão da literatura.

Simulação computacional de uma arquitetura para monitoramento de sinais vitais de pacientes

Resumo: O monitoramento de pacientes tem se destacado entre as práticas utilizadas para promoção e reabilitação da saúde. Com isso, a inovação tecnológica ganha cada vez mais importância nesse segmento. Como técnica de auxílio a este tipo de inovação, a simulação computacional vem sendo amplamente utilizada. Nesta perspectiva, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo representar, via simulação computacional, uma arquitetura para monitoramento remoto de sinais vitais de pacientes. A pesquisa é classificada como hipotético-dedutiva, a abordagem utilizada é quantitativa e o procedimento de pesquisa empregado é experimental. Para tanto, foi usada a simulação do tipo matemática realizada de forma numérica e estocástica. Este artigo mostra que é possível testar e validar a arquitetura em desenvolvimento para monitoramento de sinais vitais de pacientes, em longa distância, por meio de simulação computacional.

Proposal for an AGV communication system using a cellbot framework

Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS) are considered one of the key strategic systems when coping with current manufacturing environments. FMS uses various technologies integrated in a system, including Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). An AGV which serves an FMS environment usually has four components: the vehicles (uni or multiloaded), the load/deposit stations, the orientation and traffic control system and the communication system. In this research, we specified and implemented a communication system for AGVs intended as a resource for FMS. We used a cellbot framework (MIT App Inventor Beta) in order to make the infrastructure easily available for researchers. The methodology used was based on evolutionary and incremental prototyping. The main contribution of this research is to supply the communication system as an aid in establishing a development basis for orientation, traffic control and even hardware in the loop simulations where online communication with the AGV is required.

Control Architecture for Device Integration (CADI)

The focus of this paper is to present an architecture for the seamless integration of devices in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Our proposal intends to cover any device, regardless of manufacturer or technology level. In this scenario, small lot sizes and the fast adaptability of the production environment is more important than short cycle times. Moreover, the ability to incorporate new devices smoothly must be considered in order to reduce adaptation costs in an otherwise stablished production environment. This is the main difference of our approach when compared, for instance, to the European Unions Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) called SMErobot1. Control Architecture for Device Integration (CADI), although a much modest project, proposes a more flexible approach for transitioning an stablished production environment from a current technology level into a more flexible and automated environment, without the need for an overall adaptation of the work cell and the acquisition of all new equipment. This paper presents CADIs architecture in the form of its subsystems: the tag subsystem, the device proxy and the work cell controller.