Mihnea Marin

Facilitating Knowledge Transfer to Drive Innovation in SMEs

Small and medium sized companies (SMEs) need to be innovative in order to survive in or to integrate into the international market. Survival and integration depend on the deployment of their knowledge environments/bases, on the acquisition and creation of new knowledge, on learning abilities and the efficient use of new technologies to manage internal and external knowledge flows. In this paper we firstly present eLearning which has the potential to support knowledge sharing, creation and transfer of individual and organisational knowledge through interactive methods of on-line delivery of information, collaborative procedures, targeted training and through blending with other education methods. Secondly we briefly describe Communities of Practice (CoPs) as proper environments for groups aiming at creating and sharing knowledge and solving practice problems and which can be used to facilitate the informal transfer of knowledge that drives productivity and innovation. We give as an example a project where we use eLearning 2.0 and procedures based on Web 2.0 techniques, to support knowledge sharing, knowledge transfer and networking in CoPs.

Open Web-Based Learning Environments and Knowledge Forums to Support Disabled People

E-learning supported by Web-based learning environments could particularly help people with disabilities or social difficulties to be integrated in our contemporary life and knowledge-based economy. Integrated knowledge forums should be used within rehabilitation of disabled people as interactive social-technical communication spaces. In this paper after a short presentation of open Web-based learning environments, knowledge forums and of some recent results about e- learning and the disabled we give as examples for environments the learning portals supporting such forums developed within two European projects.

Design of a new prosthetic mechanical system used in human ankle joint disarticulation

In this paper we follow to elaborate a new prosthetic mechanical system used in ankle joint disarticulation from the human lower limb structure. The prosthetic system has on base cam mechanisms which assure the angular amplitude corresponding to the one created by the human ankle joint but also assure the damping necessary for plantar or dorsal flexion process fulfilment.

Upper Limb Motions Analysis for Development of an Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robotic System

The therapists from Prokinetic Rehabilitation Clinic identified the need of a passive rehabilitation robotic system with 3 degrees of freedom for the upper limb. This paper presents the work for the design and development of this kind of rehabilitation robotic system. This project aims to use a user-centered design process to create an upper limb rehabilitation robotic system for patients and therapists from Prokinetic Rehabilitation Clinic. The end-users are and will be involved actively, continuously throughout the system design, development and testing. Upper limb motion analysis has been done using the Vicon system, for simple motions and for functional motions. The positions, velocities and accelerations of each interest joint were obtained. We used this analysis in order to implement the control algorithms for the rehabilitation procedures with an upper limb rehabilitation robotic system. We designed the mechanical, actuation and control systems for this upper limb rehabilitation robotic system.

Human Upper Limb Experimental Analysis for Complex Motions Used in Robotics

In this paper an experimental research was performed in case of a human complex motion. The research aim was to evaluate the joint trajectories and angular variations of a human upper limb. Thus an experimental motion analysis was performed, by using a modern equipment called VICON Equipment and the interest joints are: shoulder, elbow and wrist. The experimental activity was developed on a human subject when perform a complex motion from baseball sport. The obtained results will be useful for the temporal recovery of the athletes’ complex motions after a severe injury or to reshape the upper arm behavior when strikes the ball in case of baseball athletes.

Morphofunctional muscle changes influence on foot stability in multiple sclerosis during gait prediction: The rehabilitation potential

BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis patients may suffer muscle changes that involve gait disorders of the kinetic and kinematic parameters also their gait may be clinically symmetrical or asymmetrical. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to analyze how the muscle change, could affect the biomechanical parameters of foot stability during the gait, by disturb the motor control. METHODS The study group consisted of 13 patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, presenting clinically detectable abnormal gait. The biomechanical evaluation included the foot axes and angles -external and internal rotation; the foot angle deviation from the gait direction; the subtalar angle. RESULTS The values of the foot angle were between -10.74∘ to 26.38∘ for the left foot and between -11.16∘ to 30.04∘ for the right foot. The foot axis angle is the axis of the foot in relation to the gait direction, and the subtalar angle is in relation to the vertical axis of the foot. The rotation of the right foot into pronation during the initial contact phase was followed by supination in the semi-support phase, to return to the neutral position during the propulsion phase, which meant being in free zone of minimal risk. CONCLUSIONS Biomechanical analysis of the foot angle and of subtalar angle in the patients with multiple sclerosis allows us to objectify the existence of a right-left asymmetry, the behavior ankle-foot during the gait. At the same time this evolution is closely correlated with the contact surface that tends to increase, which means involving the reflex mechanisms that place the foot in the zone of minimum risk and assure the stability of the body.

Human Upper Limb Motions Video Analysis Used for Rehabilitation Robotics

This paper presents ongoing research activities for development of an upper limb rehabilitation robotic system needed to a rehabilitation clinic. The medical and technical requirements analysis for an upper limb rehabilitation robotic system were established, the upper limb motion video analysis were done. The video analysis aim was to evaluate the joint trajectories and range of motion of a human upper limb. An experimental motion analysis was performed using a modern equipment and the interest joints were elbow and wrist. The experimental activity was developed on a human subject when performs motions. The obtained results will be useful for the rehabilitation robotics, in order to implement the rehabilitation exercises with an upper limb rehabilitation robotic system.

Experimental Approach Regarding the Analysis of Human Complex Motions

In this paper an experimental research was performed in case of a human complex motion. The research aim was to evaluate the joint trajectories and angular variations of the main human locomotion system. Thus an experimental motion analysis was performed, by using two modern equipments in parallel, one called VICON Equipment and the other called CONTEMPLAS. The experimental activity was developed on a human subject when perform a complex motion for hitting a ball. The obtained results will be useful for the improvement of the athletes’ complex motions on sports such as football in the way of conserving the energy or to reshape the foot behavior when strikes the ball.

Structural Design and Kinematics Study of a Mechanism for Quadruped Walking

In this paper we present the kinematics model of a biomechanism which represent the legs of a four legged mammal. The anterior and posterior legs are realized as plane mechanisms, with articulated bars. Each anterior leg has a complex structure with three closed contours, mean while each posterior leg has only two closed contours. Each mechanism is actuated by an electric motor. The geometric and kinematics modelling of the anterior leg mechanism is achieved by means of some vectorial and scalar equations. Also, the kinematics simulation is achieved by means of Msc.Adams software, considering as basis, the upper platform of each mechanism.

Design Considerations Regarding a New Knee Orthosis

Orthoses are common devices to correct or prevent gait abnormalities in children. In this paper we present a new design for knee orthoses with a modular structure used for childrens locomotion recovery through kinetotherapeutic procedures, after some bone fractures or surgical interventions at the lower limb level. This research consists of an experimental analysis on children walking, a complete human lower limb dynamic analysis, modeling and simulation of a new knee orthosis. A new modular knee orthosis validated by analytical results and computer simulation using MSC Adams software was developed and is presented here.