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Virtual reality (VR)-based surgical simulators using haptic devices can increase the effectiveness of surgical training for surgeons when performing surgical procedures in hard tissues such as bones or teeth milling. The realism of virtual surgery through a surgical simulator depends largely on the precision and reliability of the haptic device, which reflects the interaction with the virtual model. The quality of perceptiveness (sensation, force/torque) depends on the design of the haptic device, which presents a complex design space due to its multi-criteria and conflicting character of functional and performance requirements. These requirements include high stiffness, large workspace, high manipulability, small inertia, low friction, high transparency, and cost constraints. This thesis proposes a design methodology to improve the realism of force/torque feedback from the VR-based surgical simulator while fulfilling end-user requirements. The main contributions of this thesis are: 1. The development of a model-based and simulation-driven design methodology, where one starts from an abstract, top-level model that is extended via stepwise refinements and design space exploration into a detailed and integrated systems model that can be physically realized. 2. A methodology for creating an analytical and compact model of the quasi-static stiffness of a haptic device, which considers the stiffness of actuation systems, flexible links and passive joints. 3. A robust design optimization approach to find the optimal numerical values for a set of design parameters to maximize the kinematic, dynamic and kinetostatic performances of a 6-degrees of freedom (DOF) haptic device, while minimizing its sensitivity to variations in manufacturing tolerances and cost, and also satisfying the allowed variations in the performance indices. 4. A cost-effective approach for force/torque feedback control using force/torque estimated through a recursive least squares estimation. 5. A model-based control strategy to increase transparency and fidelity of force/torque feedback from the device by compensating for the natural dynamics of the device, friction in joints, gravity of platform, and elastic deformations. / <p>QC 20140415</p>

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1993 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / With the development of microelectronics and computer technology, telemetry computer systems are demanded to provide larger storage capacity and higher storage data rate than ever before. This paper fully considers various factors of a high-speed PCM fiber-optic telemetry system such as data format, data rate, data storage, the width of data storage, storage data rate. All these considerations lead to a new scheme with a semiconductor RAM and a dedicated program as its basic idea. This scheme chooses 1Mbits or 4Mbits static-RAM chips to implement the telemetry data storage device with a total capacity of 4Mbytes, 16Mbytes, or 64Mbytes. The software running on COMPAQ 386/25M or its compatibles is written in Turbo C 2. 0 to fetch, decompose, display and process data stored in the large-capacity RAM. The main task of the system processing software is to identify the flag words of frame sync-code -pattern and then demultiplex the data into separate channel data to be stored in the disk. Besides the ability to recognize specific data format, the software can also rectify data confusion to some extent. The scheme has already been proved to be efficient to receive large capacity of data with features of high data rate, high data storage in a short time.

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This thesis is concerned with the effects of radiation damage in CCDs used for space applications. The manufacturing process and operational principles of CCDs are presented in Chapter 2. The components of the space radiation environment, the two radiation damage mechanisms relevant to CCDs, and the effects of radiation on the operational characteristics of CCDs are described in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 presents a study to assess the suitability of novel L3Vision technology to applications in space. Two L3Vision CCDs were subjected to proton irradiations representative of doses expected to be received by spacecraft in low Earth orbit. Post-irradiation the devices were found to operate as expected, the effects of radiation on the operational characteristics of the devices being comparable to previous studies. The effect of low energy protons on CCDs is the subject of Chapter 5. The study was initiated in response to the finding that soft protons could be focused by the mirror modules of the XMM-Newton spacecraft onto the EPIC CCD detectors. Two EPIC devices were irradiated with protons of a few keV to find that soft protons cause more damage than that expected by the NIEL damage relationship, as they deposit most of their energy within the CCD. The observed change in CTI of the EPIC devices on XMM-Newton is however comparable to the pre-launch prediction, and the component attributable to low energy protons is small, < 20%. Chapter 6 presents a study of a specific radiation induced phenomenon, `Random Telegraph Signals'. Development of analysis software and the irradiation of two CCDs are discussed before a detailed characterisation of the generated RTS pixels is presented. The study shows that the mechanism behind RTS involves a bi-stable defect linked with the E-centre, in combination with the high field regions of a CCD pixel.

The purpose of the research study was to provide improved relaxation training with the use of an electromyography feedback device based on the design of Green et al. (1969). It was intended that this instrument would allow the training of deep muscle relaxation to the point of neuro-muscular silence, while remaining inexpensive enough to be applied in the clinical setting.

Os sistemas de controle solar auxiliam no controle da radiação solar incidente no envoltório, e, de acordo com a NBR 15220-3, é recomendável seu uso para a zona bioclimática 3, na cidade de Porto Alegre. Assim, com a ação de retrofitting, é possível utilizar os sistemas de controle solar como modo de adaptar o envoltório das edificações ao clima local e aos padrões de consumo atuais. Dessa forma, o retrofitting do envoltório pode contribuir com a redução do consumo energético e a dependência de sistemas de refrigeração e aquecimento mecânico. Logo, o objetivo da dissertação é qualificar e quantificar energeticamente os sistemas de controle solar com vistas à redução do consumo energético nos ambientes construídos. Um estudo de caso foi realizado na cidade de Porto Alegre, onde um edifício foi selecionado perante um conjunto de edificações existentes. Com o auxílio de um método expedito de cálculo energético, foi realizada a avaliação energética do envoltório da edificação atual e do seu retrofitting proposto. A edificação passou de nível energético E para nível A, comprovando o êxito do estudo de retrofitting aplicado. A pesquisa concluiu que, alinhado com o encontrado na revisão da literatura, as edificações com grandes aberturas orientadas para oeste são um equívoco de projeto no clima de Porto Alegre e que as ações de retrofitting são uma alternativa de adaptação ao clima local, tornando os edifícios eficientes energeticamente. / Shading systems help to control the incident solar radiation on the envelope, and, according to NBR 15220-3, its use is recommended for the bioclimatic zone 3, in the city of Porto Alegre. Hence, with retrofitting, it is possible to use shading systems as a way of adapting the building envelope to the local climate and current consumption patterns. Thus, the retrofitting of the envelope can contribute to the reduction of the energy consumption and of the dependence on systems of refrigeration and mechanical heating. Therefore, the objective of this dissertation is to qualify and quantify the energy of shading systems in order to reduce energy consumption in built environments. Thus, a case study was conducted in the city of Porto Alegre, where a building was selected from a set of existing buildings. We performed an energetic evaluation of current envelope of buildings and its proposed retrofitting by using a facilitated method for energy calculation. The buildings moved from energy level E to level A, proving the success of the study on the applied retrofitting. We conclude that, as also shown in literature review; buildings with large openings oriented to the west in Porto Alegre are a design misconception due to the city’s climate. Thus, retrofitting actions are alternative ways to adapt to the local climate so that buildings are energy efficient.