Recent Trends and Advances on Robotics and Mechatronics within the IFToMM Technical Committee on Robotics and Mechatronics

A special issue of Robotics (ISSN 2218-6581). This special issue belongs to the section "Intelligent Robots and Mechatronics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 3107

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, Università della Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
Interests: robotics; robot design; mechatronics; walking hexapod; design procedure; mechanics of machinery; leg–wheel
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Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Fib. 16, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Interests: robotics; parallel robots; exoskeletons; linkages
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, China
Interests: compliant mechanical systems and robots; nonholonomic control of space robots; dynamics and control of aerial robots; biomimetic robots

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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada
Interests: parallel manipulators; motion simulators; reduced degree-of-freedom parallel manipulators applications; robot simulation path planning contact tasks

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Guest Editor
Design and Industrial Robots Department, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: exoskeletons; upper extremity; stroke rehabilitation; orthotic devices; foot orthoses

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue cordially invites submissions from members of the IFToMM Technical Committee on Robotics and Mechatronics, focusing on the latest developments and emerging trends in the field. Particularly welcome are contributions from the inspirational presentations delivered at the IFToMM World Congress in 2023 (http://wc2023.jc-iftomm.org/). We invite contributions across a spectrum of topics, including, but not limited to:

  • Automation and Control Systems;
  • Sensing and Perception in Robotics;
  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Mechatronics;
  • Bio-inspired Robotics;
  • Swarm Robotics;
  • Autonomous Vehicles and Drones;
  • Robot Vision and Image Processing;
  • Robot Manipulation and Grasping;
  • Human–machine Interaction;
  • Mechatronic Systems;
  • Cyber-Physical Systems in Robotics;
  • Advanced Actuators and Sensors;
  • Energy Efficiency in Mechatronics;
  • Biomechatronics and Exoskeletons;
  • Robotics in Healthcare and Medical Applications;
  • Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing;
  • Mechatronic System Integration;
  • Control Algorithms for Robotics;
  • Robotics and Mechatronics in Space Exploration;
  • Environmental and Sustainability Considerations in Robotics and Mechatronics.

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Carbone
Prof. Dr. Shaoping Bai
Prof. Dr. Xilun Ding
Prof. Dr. Juan Carretero
Prof. Dr. Adrian Pisla
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Robotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • automation and control systems
  • sensing and perception in robotics
  • artificial intelligence and machine learning in mechatronics
  • bio-inspired robotics
  • swarm robotics
  • autonomous vehicles and drones
  • robot vision and image processing
  • robot manipulation and grasping
  • human–machine interaction
  • mechatronic systems
  • cyber-physical systems in robotics
  • advanced actuators and sensors
  • energy efficiency in mechatronics
  • biomechatronics and exoskeletons
  • robotics in healthcare and medical applications
  • Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing
  • mechatronic system integration
  • control algorithms for robotics
  • robotics and mechatronics in space exploration
  • environmental and sustainability considerations in robotics and mechatronics

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 8463 KiB  
Article
Design of a Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm for Feeding Assistance of Upper-Limb Impaired Patients
by Simone Leone, Luigi Giunta, Vincenzo Rino, Simone Mellace, Alessio Sozzi, Francesco Lago, Elio Matteo Curcio, Doina Pisla and Giuseppe Carbone
Robotics 2024, 13(3), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics13030038 - 26 Feb 2024
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Abstract
This paper delineates the design and realization of a Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm (WMRA), envisioned as an autonomous assistance apparatus for individuals encountering motor difficulties and/or upper limb paralysis. The proposed design solution is based on employing a 3D printing process coupled with optimization [...] Read more.
This paper delineates the design and realization of a Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm (WMRA), envisioned as an autonomous assistance apparatus for individuals encountering motor difficulties and/or upper limb paralysis. The proposed design solution is based on employing a 3D printing process coupled with optimization design techniques to achieve a cost-oriented and user-friendly solution. The proposed design is based on utilizing commercial Arduino control hardware. The proposed device has been named Pick&Eat. The proposed device embodies reliability, functionality, and cost-effectiveness, and features a modular structure housing a 4-degrees-of-freedom robotic arm with a fixing frame that can be attached to commercial wheelchairs. The arm is integrated with an interchangeable end-effector facilitating the use of various tools such as spoons or forks tailored to different food types. Electrical and sensor components were meticulously designed, incorporating sensors to ensure user safety throughout operations. Smooth and secure operations are achieved through a sequential procedure that is depicted in a specific flowchart. Experimental tests have been carried out to demonstrate the engineering feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed design solution as an innovative assistive solution for individuals grappling with upper limb impairment. Its capacity to aid patients during the eating process holds promise for enhancing their quality of life, particularly among the elderly and those with disabilities. Full article
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18 pages, 12793 KiB  
Article
Design and Analysis of VARONE a Novel Passive Upper-Limb Exercising Device
by Luis Daniel Filomeno Amador, Eduardo Castillo Castañeda, Med Amine Laribi and Giuseppe Carbone
Robotics 2024, 13(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics13020029 - 08 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1345
Abstract
Robots have been widely investigated for active and passive rehabilitation therapy of patients with upper limb disabilities. Nevertheless, the rehabilitation assessment process is often ignored or just qualitatively performed by the physiotherapist implementing chart-based ordinal scales or observation-based measures, which tend to rely [...] Read more.
Robots have been widely investigated for active and passive rehabilitation therapy of patients with upper limb disabilities. Nevertheless, the rehabilitation assessment process is often ignored or just qualitatively performed by the physiotherapist implementing chart-based ordinal scales or observation-based measures, which tend to rely on professional experience and lack quantitative analysis. In order to objectively quantify the upper limb rehabilitation progress, this paper presents a noVel pAssive wRist motiOn assessmeNt dEvice (VARONE) having three degrees of freedom (DoFs) based on the gimbal mechanical design. VARONE implements a mechanism of three revolute passive joints with controllable passive resistance. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor is used to quantify the wrist orientation and position, and an encoder module is implemented to obtain the arm positions. The proposed VARONE device can also be used in combination with the previously designed two-DoFs device NURSE (cassiNo-qUeretaro uppeR limb aSsistive dEvice) to perform multiple concurrent assessments and rehabilitation tasks. Analyses and experimental tests have been carried out to demonstrate the engineering feasibility of the intended applications of VARONE. The maximum value registered for the IMU sensor is 36.8 degrees, the minimum value registered is −32.3 degrees, and the torque range registered is around −80 and 80 Nmm. The implemented models include kinematics, statics (F.E.M.), and dynamics. Thirty healthy patients participated in an experimental validation. The experimental tests were developed with different goal-defined exercising paths that the participant had to follow. Full article
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