Michele Perrelli

POIS, a Low Cost Tilt and Position Sensor: Design and First Tests

An integrated sensor for the measurement and monitoring of position and inclination, characterized by low cost, small size and low weight, has been designed, realized and calibrated at the Geomatics Lab of the University of Calabria. The design of the prototype, devoted to the monitoring of landslides and structures, was aiming at realizing a fully automated monitoring instrument, able to send the data acquired periodically or upon request by a control center through a bidirectional transmission protocol. The sensor can be released with different accuracy and range of measurement, by choosing bubble vials with different characteristics. The instrument is provided with a computer, which can be programmed so as to independently perform the processing of the data collected by a single sensor or a by a sensor network, and to transmit, consequently, alert signals if the thresholds determined by the monitoring center are exceeded. The bidirectional transmission also allows the users to vary the set of the monitoring parameters (time of acquisition, duration of satellite acquisitions, thresholds for the observed data). In the paper, hardware and software of the sensor are described, along with the calibration, the results of laboratory tests and of the first in field acquisitions.

EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION OF A SPECIAL LOCKING DRUM BRAKE FOR ROBOTIC APPLICATIONS

The paper presents the development of a novel type of drum brake capable of locking a joint exploiting the effect of self excitation characteristic of this type of brake. A theoretical analysis based on the Reye assumption on wear is first presented, were conditions for self excitement are determined. An initial version of the brake was designed and tested, but it was soon discovered that actuation with solenoids was not appropriate. A second version was then developed where solenoids were replaced by a small motor and reducer placed inside the brake itself, but the resulting drum was too big for the application. Finally a version were the motor and reducer were placed outside the drum was designed. An ad hoc experimental test bed was built using a Maxon motor to control rotation and toque of the drum and to allow an initial wear of the ferodo in order to obtain compliant surfaces. Finally an electronic control of the brakes has been developed.Copyright

ROSA – RObotic System for Angioplasty

This paper describes an innovative robotic system designed to perform transcatheter angioplasty, that can be used in a number of different applications. It is based on a very simple system, including both a measuring unit, called Master, that is the one on which the physician directs the operations, and an actuation device, called Slave, located near to the patient, that actively reproduces the movements commanded by the operator at the passive Master unit. Both systems require a small additional element that takes direct contact with guides and catheters and needs therefore to be sterile on the Slave unit. The system has been designed adding also the possibility of using an alternative Master station equipped with two joysticks and a series of knobs and can drive up to three different Slaves, one dedicated to the guiding catheter, the second and third to balloon catheters and relative guide wires, that may be used also in couple. Two patents have already been presented on this topic.

Upper and Lower Limbs Rehabilitation: DARTAGNAN, An Alternative Solution to Exoskeletal Robots

This article deals with a new robot for rehabilitation, DARTAGNAN, able to work in active or passive modes, on upper and lower human limbs. The presented robot has an hybrid serial/parallel structure with 6 degree of freedoms and a self-balanced mechanical structure. Although it is not an exoskeleton, DARTAGNAN behaves as such thanks to the customized software and to specific end-effectors, which can be appropriately connected to the forearm or lower leg. Thanks to the force/torque sensor the robot is able to treat the patient limb allowing him/her to (i) feel no effort in passive following mode, (ii) feel a specific effort in passive resistive mode or (iii) to actuate directly the limb in case of force deficit or spasticity for the active mode, while performing the exercise. Moreover, one of features of the robot is the possibility to directly calculate the limbs anthropometric parameters without the need of manual measurements to be set up before each treatment.