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Digital Twin with Model Predictive Control for Screw Unfastening by Robots
Get PDFProduct disassembly, critical in remanufacturing, often involves removing screws and bolts, which can be challenging due to degradation, such as rust or thread damage. Here, we develop a digital twin integrated with a Model Predictive Controller to optimise robotic screw unfastening. Using real-time force and torque data from a robot unscrewing an electric vehicle battery pack, the controller predicts and adjusts screwdriver position and spindle speed to minimise applied torque and force. Experimental results demonstrate that this approach improves unscrewing success rates and reduces torque variability compared to manual methods. These findings suggest that combining digital twin technology with MPC can enhance the efficiency and reliability of robotic disassembly processes, supporting sustainable remanufacturing efforts
Optimal Control of Orbit Rendezvous with Low-Thrust on Near-Circular Orbits Using Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle
Get PDFThis paper investigates the optimal control problem of orbital rendezvous for spacecraft in near-circular orbits with a low-thrust propulsion system. Two optimality criteria are considered: time-optimal and motor-time-optimal control. A linearized mathematical model of relative motion between the active and passive spacecraft is employed, which is formulated in dimensionless variables that characterize secular, periodic, and lateral motion components of the relative motion. By applying Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle, the equations governing the optimal relative motion of the spacecraft are derived. To address the discontinuities associated with the bang–bang switching function inherent in the motor-time-optimal problem, and the lack of a suitable initial guess, a homotopy method is adopted, in which the solution to the rendezvous time-optimal problem is used as an initial guess and is gradually deformed into the motor-time-optimal control. Considering the errors introduced by the linearization of the relative motion model, the obtained control law is validated via numerical simulations based on the original nonlinear dynamics of the system. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed trajectory optimization methodology achieves high success rates and rapid convergence, providing valuable theoretical support and practical guidance for mission scenarios with similar trajectory design requirements
Multimodal Control of Manipulators:Coupling Kinematics and Vision for Self-Driving Laboratory Operations
Get PDFAutonomous experimental platforms increasingly rely on robust, vision-guided robotic manipulation to support reliable and repeatable laboratory operations. This work presents a modular motion-execution subsystem designed for integration into self-driving laboratory (SDL) workflows, focusing on the coupling of real-time visual perception with smooth and stable manipulator control. The framework enables autonomous detection, tracking, and interaction with textured objects through a hybrid scheme that couples advanced motion planning algorithms with real-time visual feedback. Kinematic analysis of the manipulator is performed using the screw theory formulations, which provide a rigorous foundation for deriving forward kinematics and the space Jacobian. These formulations are further employed to compute inverse kinematic solutions via the Damped Least Squares (DLS) method, ensuring stable and continuous joint trajectories even in the presence of redundancy and singularities. Motion trajectories toward target objects are generated using the RRT* algorithm, offering optimal path planning under dynamic constraints. Object pose estimation is achieved through a a vision workflow integrating feature-driven detection and homography-guided depth analysis, enabling adaptive tracking and dynamic grasping of textured objects. The manipulator’s performance is quantitatively evaluated using smoothness metrics, RMSE pose errors, and joint motion profiles, including velocity continuity, acceleration, jerk, and snap. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed subsystem delivers stable, smooth, and reproducible motion execution, establishing a validated baseline for the manipulation layer of next-generation SDL architectures
Lessons learned from allergen adsorption on engineered nanomaterials:bridging experimental insights and computational technologies
Get PDFAllergic disease has increased over past decades, coinciding with the use of nanomaterials in medicine, industry, and environmental applications. This trend introduces new opportunities for human exposure to allergen–nanomaterial complexes through different routes like inhalation, ingestion, and dermal exposure. Such interactions have emerged as a determinant influencing immune response. Recent studies reveal that allergen adsorption onto nanomaterial surfaces varies with shape, particle size, surface chemistry, morphology, and agglomeration state. These surface interactions can modify allergen structure, epitope accessibility, and proteolytic stability, thereby reshaping the immune outcomes. Key considerations including dose, exposure route, and kinetics play an important role in determining physiological effects and pathological consequences. This special report provides a comprehensive overview of current research on allergen-nanomaterial interactions, summarizing known mechanisms, structural and immunological consequences, and critically assessing the challenges, gaps, and controversies. Understanding the impact of allergen-nanomaterial interactions on the human immune response demands a cross-disciplinary approach that integrates the complexities in nanotechnology and immunology. Advances in molecular toxicology employing new approach methodologies provide mechanistic insight which can support regulatory science and improve the acceptance of innovative therapeutic strategies in the field of nanomedicine. Allergen-nanomaterial interactions may serve as a model for best practice in this context
Two-to-three-year effectiveness and safety of nurse-led accelerated corneal crosslinking for progressive keratoconus:The Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre Study
Get PDFBackground/Objectives: To examine the two-to-three-year effectiveness and safety of accelerated corneal crosslinking (CXL) treatment performed by ophthalmic nurses for progressive keratoconus and to evaluate the potential prognostic factors for disease progression. Methods: All consecutive eligible patients with progressive keratoconus who underwent nurse-led CXL between February 2019 and December 2021 at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre, UK, were included. A standardised accelerated, epithelium-off CXL protocol was employed, using 10 mW/cm2 ultraviolet-A irradiation for 9 min (5.4 J/cm2). Relevant data, including demographics, corrected-distance-visual-acuity (CDVA), corneal tomographic findings, outcomes and adverse event, were analysed. Only patients that had completed at least a 2-year follow-up post-CXL were included. Results: We included 97 patients (n = 97 eyes); mean age was 26.4±6.5 years and 52.6% were female. Most patients had mild (stage I) keratoconus (49.5%). From baseline to 24-month post-CXL (n = 97 eyes), there was a significant improvement in CDVA, (0.30 ± 0.22 logMAR vs. 0.20±0.18 logMAR; p < 0.001) and Kmax (59.1±6.8 D vs. 58.1±6.4 D; p < 0.001), with similar K1, K2 and thinnest corneal pachymetry (all p > 0.05). There were three (3.1%) cases of clinically significant transient corneal haze noted at 1-week post-CXL. No significant adverse events such as corneal infection/melting were observed. At 36-month post-CXL (n = 31 eyes), the CDVA remained stable, with a significant improvement in Kmax (p < 0.001) and K2 measurements (p = 0.038) from baseline. Conclusions: This study highlights the efficacy, safety and feasibility of nurse-led CXL, serving as a valuable initiative in addressing the increased service demand for keratoconus management and preserving the vision of patients with keratoconus
Individual Management Plan Outcome Score (IMP-OS):Psychometric Evaluation of an Adult Aural Rehabilitation Idiographic Patient-Reported Outcome Measure for Use in Audiology
Get PDFBackground/ObjectiveIdiographic patient-reported outcome measures (I-PROMs) have been shown to be an engaging and meaningful way of collecting therapeutic outcomes in healthcare, but no such tool currently exists in adult aural rehabilitation. This paper describes a new I-PROM, the Individual Management Plan Outcome Score (IMP-OS) that was developed in a North Wales audiology service and aims to assess its psychometric properties.MethodsIMP-OS was compared to two existing condition-specific patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) for convergent validation, and a generic health-related quality of life PROM for divergent validation. Test–retest reliability was also assessed, and normative data were derived, leading to the creation of clinical interpretation recommendations. Convergent, divergent validation and normative data were based on sample A (59 adults) and for test–retest, sample B (15 adults).ResultsIMP-OS was significantly correlated with some condition-specific PROMs, but not with the generic PROM. It had a moderate-excellent test–retest reliability. Normative data showed that scores below 50 would suggest further clinical intervention is warranted, and should guide further therapeutic discussions with the patient.ConclusionsIMP-OS is the first I-PROM in audiology to be psychometrically verified using international best-practice. It has been shown to reflect aspects of hearing-related outcomes that are important to patients and can be easily integrated into current clinical practice thus helping guide patient-centred care
Synovial fluid potentiates local fibroblasts to drive monocyte activation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Get PDFIntroduction: Synovial fibroblasts (S-Fib) are recognized as key drivers of joint inflammation in adult arthritis. Moreover, data are limited on the processes driving monocyte activation in oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (oJIA). Therefore, we aimed to explore if S-Fib from patients with oJIA induce monocyte activation.Methods: S-Fib were isolated from the synovial fluid (SF) of n = 13 patients with oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (oJIA) and n = 4 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to be used as a disease control. Healthy adult S-Fib were purchased. The interaction between monocytes and S-Fib was studied in co-cultures with monocytes isolated from healthy donors. These cells were analyzed by surface marker expression, cytokine production and T-cell activation. Moreover, S-Fib were “re-introduced” to the inflammatory synovial environment by priming or not with pooled cell-free SF from oJIA patients. The S-Fib were subsequently analyzed by cytokine production, ability to induce immune cell chemotaxis and mass spectrometry for proteomic changes, as well as their ability to induce monocyte activation as above.Results: Co-culture with S-Fib induced inflammatory activation of healthy monocytes as characterized by increased CD86 and HLA-DR expression, cytokine production and subsequent T-cell activation. Importantly, there were only minor differences in monocyte activation pattern depending on the source of the co-cultured S-Fib (oJIA, RA or healthy). Interestingly, compared to S-Fib alone, priming of S-Fib with a pool of SF induced an inflammatory phenotype, production of IL-6 and enhanced chemotaxis of monocytes. Additionally, primed S-Fib induced a more pronounced inflammatory phenotype in healthy monocytes compared to S-Fib alone. Finally, direct cell-cell contact between S-Fib and monocytes was required for full induction of the observed monocyte activation.Conclusions: Our data show a contact dependent role for S-Fib in driving inflammation in oJIA by inducing pro-inflammatory monocytes, processes potentiated by inflamed SF. These data further support that targeting cell-cell interactions could be a viable option to explore for novel treatment strategies in arthritis
Comment on:Imaging tests as predictors of progression to rheumatoid arthritis in clinically suspect arthralgia: a systematic review & meta-analysis: reply
No full textReimagining the American Dream of Aging:Filmic Portrayals and Implications for Transformative Advertising Research
Get PDFTransformative advertising research uses institutional theory to position advertising as a site for transformative well-being, highlighting the role of ideology in shaping industry practice and output. Our study into discourses of successful aging in three films addressing the lives of older women demonstrates how film uses cinematography, dialogue, and mise-en-scène to discursively create film templates of successful aging. Templates provide cultural ideological frameworks for film audiences in their materialized representations of subject positions, thereby creating consent for the conditions and consumption that symbolize those positions. Although film can offer advertising and its audiences potentially transformative ideological templates of aging and gender, our findings reveal that templates rest on existing power hierarchies, limiting their potential use as a tool for transformative well-being in industry that could contribute to individual and societal well-being
Decentralization Through Capabilities in Human Centred Technology and Engaging social Media Content:Implications for Social Inclusion
No full textThe current academic understanding of the decentralization of social media content, which promotes more democratic access and participation in content creation and sharing, and its impact on social inclusion within the creator economy, remains limited. This study addresses to this research gap by examining how decentralisation of content is developed through social media content creation practice, and how it impacts the social inclusion of creative individuals from marginalised communities. Drawing on social inclusion literature and social exchange theory, this study employed a mixed-methods approach including semi-structured interviews and structured surveys with content creators from marginalized communities. The findings revealed that engaging social media content, combined with creators’ capabilities in using human centred social media technology, enhances the decentralization of their content, ultimately fostering greater social inclusion. Importantly, creators’ analytics capabilities were found to be a strong predictor of the relationship between engaging content creation and decentralization
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