Medical Robotics

The relationship between technological and pedagogical innovation has recently created a new field of research at the crossroads between Psychology, Educational Sciences and Artificial Intelligence: Educational Robotics (ER). Through analysis of the achievable educational goals based on the technological status and specific learning modes of different types of robots, it is possible to define three pedagogical paradigms: learning robotics, learning with robotics, and learning by robotics. In this book we address these three paradigms through three themes: human representations of robots, the acceptance and trust shown when interacting with a humanoid, and learning favored by the development and programming of robots in an educational context. These themes allow the authors to fully explore, define and delimit this novel field of research for future application in educational and social contexts. Finally, the book discusses contributions and limitations which have emerged from different methodologies of research, potential educational applications, and concepts of human–robot interaction for the development of the above paradigms.

Mobile Robotics presents the different tools and methods that enable the design of mobile robots; a discipline booming with the emergence of flying drones, underwater mine-detector robots, robot sailboats and vacuum cleaners. Illustrated with simulations, exercises and examples, this book describes the fundamentals of modeling robots, developing the concepts of actuators, sensors, control and guidance. Three-dimensional simulation tools are also explored, as well as the theoretical basis for the reliable localization of robots within their environment. This revised and updated edition contains additional exercises and a completely new chapter on the Bayes filter, an observer that enhances our understanding of the Kalman filter and facilitates certain proofs.

The revised text to the analysis, control, and applications of robotics The revised and updated third edition of Introduction to Robotics: Analysis, Control, Applications , offers a guide to the fundamentals of robotics, robot components and subsystems and applications. The author—a noted expert on the topic—covers the mechanics and kinematics of serial and parallel robots, both with the Denavit-Hartenberg approach as well as screw-based mechanics. In addition, the text contains information on microprocessor applications, control systems, vision systems, sensors, and actuators. Introduction to Robotics gives engineering students and practicing engineers the information needed to design a robot, to integrate a robot in appropriate applications, or to analyze a robot. The updated third edition contains many new subjects and the content has been streamlined throughout the text. The new edition includes two completely new chapters on screw-based mechanics and parallel robots. The book is filled with many new illustrative examples and includes homework problems designed to enhance learning. This important text: Offers a revised and updated guide to the fundamental of robotics Contains information on robot components, robot characteristics, robot languages, and robotic applications Covers the kinematics of serial robots with Denavit-Hartenberg methodology and screw-based mechanics Includes the fundamentals of control engineering, including analysis and design tools Discusses kinematics of parallel robots Written for students of engineering as well as practicing engineers , Introduction to Robotics, Third Edition reviews the basics of robotics, robot components and subsystems, applications, and has been revised to include the most recent developments in the field.

This book is dedicated to the application of metaheuristic optimization in trajectory generation and control issues in robotics. In this area, as in other fields of application, the algorithmic tools addressed do not require a comprehensive list of eligible solutions to effectively solve an optimization problem. This book investigates how, by reformulating the problems to be solved, it is possible to obtain results by means of metaheuristics. Through concrete examples and case studies – particularly related to robotics – this book outlines the essentials of what is needed to reformulate control laws into concrete optimization data. The resolution approaches implemented – as well as the results obtained – are described in detail, in order to give, as much as possible, an idea of metaheuristics and their performance within the context of their application to robotics.

A promising long-term evolution of surgery relies on intracorporeal microrobotics. This book reviews the physical and methodological principles, and the scientific challenges to be tackled to design and control such robots. Three orders of magnitude will be considered, justified by the class of problems encountered and solutions implemented to manipulate objects and reach targets within the body: millimetric, sub-millimetric in the 10- 100 micrometer range, then in the 1-10 micrometer range. The most prominent devices and prototypes of the state of the art will be described to illustrate the benefit that can be expected for surgeons and patients. Future developments nanorobotics will also be discussed.

For readers from both academia and industry wishing to pursue their studies and /or careers in planetary robotics, this book represents a one-stop tour of the history, evolution, key systems, and technologies of this emerging field. The book provides a comprehensive introduction to the key techniques and technologies that help to achieve autonomous space systems for cost-effective, high performing planetary robotic missions. Main topics covered include robotic vision, surface navigation, manipulation, mission operations and autonomy, being explained in both theoretical principles and practical use cases. The book recognizes the importance of system design hence discusses practices and tools that help take mission concepts to baseline design solutions, making it a practical piece of scientific reference suited to a variety of practitioners in planetary robotics.

In order to enable a better understanding of the key concepts of automation, this book develops the fundamental aspects of the field while also proposing numerous concrete exercises and their solutions. The theoretical approach that it presents fundamentally uses the state space and makes it possible to process general and complex systems in a simple way, involving several switches and sensors of different types. This approach requires the use of developed theoretical tools such as linear algebra, analysis and physics, generally taught in preparatory classes for specialist engineering courses.

Offers a comprehensive review of the research and development of mechanically responsive materials and their applications in soft robots Mechanically Responsive Materials for Soft Robotics offers an authoritative guide to the current state of mechanically responsive materials for the development of soft robotics. With contributions from an international panel of experts, the book examines existing mechanically responsive materials such as crystals, polymers, gels, and composites that are stimulated by light and heat. The book also explores the application of mechanical materials to soft robotics. The authors describe the many excellent mechanical crystals developed in recent years that show the ability to bend, twist, rotate, jump, self-heal, and shape memory. Mechanical polymer materials are described for evolution into artificial muscles, photomobile materials, bioinspired soft actuators, inorganic-organic hybrid materials, multi-responsive composite materials, and strain sensor materials. The application of mechanical materials to soft robots is just the beginning. This book reviews the many challenging and versatile applications, such as soft microrobots made from photoresponsive elastomers, four-dimensional printing for assembling soft robots, self-growing of soft robots like plants, and biohybrid robots using muscle tissue. This important book: -Explores recent developments in the use of soft smart materials in robotic systems -Covers the full scope of mechanically responsive materials: polymers, crystals, gels, and nanocomposites -Deals with an interdisciplinary topic of advanced smart materials research -Contains extensive descriptions of current and future applications in soft robotics Written for materials scientists, polymer chemists, photochemists, physical chemists, solid state chemists, inorganic chemists, and robotics engineers, Mechanically Responsive Materials for Soft Robotics offers a comprehensive and timely review of the most recent research on mechanically responsive materials and the manufacture of soft robotics.

Addressing the exploding interest in bioengineering for healthcare applications, this book provides readers with detailed yet easy-to-understand guidance on biomedical device engineering. Written by prominent physicians and engineers, Medical Devices: Surgical and Image-Guided Technologies is organized into stand-alone chapters covering devices and systems in diagnostic, surgical, and implant procedures. Assuming only basic background in math and science, the authors clearly explain the fundamentals for different systems along with such topics as engineering considerations, therapeutic techniques and applications, future trends, and more. After describing how to manage a design project for medical devices, the book examines the following: Instruments for laparoscopic and ophthalmic surgery, plus surgical robotics Catheters in vascular therapy and energy-based hemostatic surgical devices Tissue ablation systems and the varied uses of lasers in medicine Vascular and cardiovascular devices, plus circulatory support devices Ultrasound transducers, X-ray imaging, and neuronavigation An absolute must for biomedical engineers, Medical Devices: Surgical and Image-Guided Technologies is also an invaluable guide for students in all engineering majors and pre-med programs interested in exploring this fascinating field.

Covering the entire spectrum of medical gases, this ready reference offers a comprehensive overview of production, medical gas equipment, medical gas verification, and medical gas safety standards. With a clear focus throughout on safety, the text recommends environmentally responsible manufacturing practices during each step of the process: manufacture, storage, transport, distribution, and in applications. It also discusses standards and regulations, in particular those of the European Union. An essential guide for researchers and professionals whose work includes the manufacture, handling, or use of medical gases.