Manipulation Of Devices Research Articles

Language Play in Postmodern Literature: A Study of Lydia Davis' Stories

The paper explores the role of language play in postmodern literature through a close examination of Lydia Davis' stories. Known for her minimalist style, Davis employs innovative narrative techniques and distinctive word choices to disrupt conventional storytelling and invite readers into a complex interaction with language. The analysis highlights how Davis’ manipulation of narrative structure and stylistic devices – such as fragmentation, repetition, irony, etc. – transforms language from a simple medium of expression into a subject of inquiry. This study examines the function of language play in her stories, emphasizing how Davis’ techniques reflect broader postmodern themes of ambiguity, subjectivity, and the fluid nature of meaning.

An intuitive guidewire control mechanism for robotic intervention.

Teleoperated Interventional Robotic systems (TIRs) are developed to reduce radiation exposure and physical stress of the physicians and enhance device manipulation accuracy and stability. Nevertheless, TIRs are not widely adopted, partly due to the lack of intuitive control interfaces. Current TIR interfaces like joysticks, keyboards, and touchscreens differ significantly from traditional manual techniques, resulting in a shallow, longer learning curve. To this end, this research introduces a novel control mechanism for intuitive operation and seamless adoption of TIRs. An off-the-shelf medical torque device augmented with a micro-electromagnetic tracker was proposed as the control interface to preserve the tactile sensation and muscle memory integral to interventionalists' proficiency. The control inputs to drive the TIR were extracted via real-time motion mapping of the interface. To verify the efficacy of the proposed control mechanism to accurately operate the TIR, evaluation experiments using industrial grade encoders were conducted. A mean tracking error of 0.32 ± 0.12mm in linear and 0.54 ± 0.07° in angular direction were achieved. The time lag in tracking was found to be 125ms on average using pade approximation. Ergonomically, the developed control interface is 3.5mm diametrically larger, and 4.5g. heavier compared to traditional torque devices. With uncanny resemblance to traditional torque devices while maintaining results comparable to state-of-the-art commercially available TIRs, this research successfully provides an intuitive control interface for potential wider clinical adoption of robot-assisted interventions.

Design and Optimization of a Magnetic Field Generator for Magnetic Particle Imaging with Soft Magnetic Materials

Magnetic field generators are a key component of Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) systems, and their power consumption is a major obstacle on the path to human‐sized scanners. Despite their importance, a focused discussion of these generators is rare, and a comprehensive description of the design process is currently lacking. This work presents a methodology for the design and optimization of selection field generators operating with soft magnetic materials outside the linear regime in the context of MPI. Key elements are a mathematical model of magnetic field generators, a formalism for defining field sequences, and a relationship between power consumption and field sequence. These are used to define the design space of a field generator given its system requirements and constraints. The design process is then formulated as an optimization problem. Subsequently, this methodology is then utilized to design a new magnetic field generator specifically for cerebral imaging studies. The optimization result outperforms our existing MPI field generator in terms of power consumption and field of view size, providing a proof‐of‐concept for the entire methodology. As the approach is very general, it can be extended beyond the MPI context to other areas such as magnetic manipulation of medical devices and micro‐robotics.

“TIPS” and Technical Nuances for Digital Illustration in Neurointerventional Surgery

Medical illustrations represent a precious resource for learning surgical anatomy and surgical techniques, allowing preoperative and postoperative reviews. As traditional hand-drawn illustrations are difficult to use and expressing the area of neurointerventional surgery is time-consuming, we proposed methods for neurointerventional surgeons to create digital illustrations (DIs) for neurointerventional surgery using the iPad-exclusive Procreate application (Savage Interactive, Hobart, Australia). Dedicated "digital pens" were created and used for each endovascular device, creating straightforward representations of neurointerventional procedures and changes over time. DIs in neurointervention easily depict changes to highlighted surgical scenes for various devices with complex configurations and structures. DIs are also versatile, allowing easy intrainstitutional and interinstitutional sharing and discussion of technical tips on the manipulation of medical devices (coils, catheters, stents, etc.) among neurointerventional surgeons worldwide. DIs can be applied as educational tools not only in neurointerventional surgery, but also in craniotomy surgery and for surgical records from other specialties.

External manipulation of the spin-orbit torque and magnetization switching in gradient CoPd single layer via hydrogen

Recent findings regarding spin-orbit torques (SOTs) and current-induced magnetization switching in ferromagnetic (FM) single layers have attracted substantial attention due to the advantage of not necessitating the use of heavy-metal layers. Nevertheless, despite prior studies on the interior structural engineering of the SOT, the external techniques for manipulating the SOT in the FM single layer remains elusive, which is indispensable for the practical application of the single layer SOT devices. Here, we demonstrate external manipulation of SOT generation in CoPd single layer through the fabrication of CoPd film with a composition gradient, utilizing the H2-absorption property of Pd. It is found that the H-induced strain within the CoPd film plays a pivotal role in generating SOT. Meanwhile, we demonstrate that the critical current density required for the current-induced magnetization switching is markedly diminished with the application of H2 due to the enhanced SOT generation and reduced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy. Our findings offer a straightforward method for external manipulation of single layer SOT devices, and hold the potential for applications of the spintronic devices.

Effect of In Situ Heating on the Growth and Electrochromic Properties of Tungsten Trioxide Thin Films.

Electrochromism has emerged as a pivotal technology in the pursuit of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, spurring significant research efforts aimed at the creation of advanced electrochromic devices. Most electrochromic materials are used for smart window applications. However, current electrochromic materials have been applied to new energy vehicles, cell phone back covers, AR glasses, and so on. More application scenarios put forward more requirements for the color of the colored states. Choosing the right color change in the application will be the trend in the future. In this work, tungsten trioxide (WO3) thin films were prepared by adjusting the in situ heating temperature. WO3 with a crystalline structure showed excellent cyclic stability (5000 cycles), electrochromic performance (ΔT = 77.7% at 633 nm, CE = 37.1 cm2/C), relatively fast bleaching/coloring speed (20.0 s/19.4 s), and the darkest coloring effect (L* = 29.32, a* = 7.41, b* = -22.12 for the colored state). These findings offer valuable insights into the manipulation of smart materials and devices, contributing to the advancement of electrochromic technology.

Where scrollbars are clicked, and why

Scrolling is a widely used mean to interact with visual displays, usually to move content to a certain target location on the display. Understanding how user scroll might identify potentially suboptimal use and allows to infer users’ intentions. In the present study, we examined where users click on a scrollbar depending on the intended scrolling action. In two online experiments, click positions were systematically adapted to the intended scrolling action. Click position selection could not be explained as strict optimization of the distance traveled with the cursor, memory load, or motor-cognitive factors. By contrast, for identical scrolling actions click positions strongly depended on the context and on previous scrolls. The behavior of our participants closely resembled behavior observed for manipulation of other physical devices and suggested a simple heuristic of movement planning. The results have implications for modeling human–computer interaction and may contribute to predicting user behavior.

Identification of suspicious behavior through anomalies in the tracking data of fishing vessels

Automated positioning devices can generate large datasets with information on the movement of humans, animals and objects, revealing patterns of movement, hot spots and overlaps among others. However, in the case of Automated Information Systems (AIS), attached to vessels, observed strange behaviors in the tracking datasets may come from intentional manipulation of the electronic devices. Thus, the analysis of anomalies can provide valuable information on suspicious behavior. Here, we analyze anomalies of fishing vessel trajectories obtained with the Automatic Identification System. The map of silent anomalies, those that occur when positioning data are absent for more than 24 hours, shows that they are most likely to occur closer to land, with 87.1% of anomalies observed within 100 km of the coast. This behavior suggests the potential of identifying silence anomalies as a proxy for illegal activities. With the increasing availability of high-resolution positioning of vessels and the development of powerful statistical analytical tools, we provide hints on the automatic detection of illegal activities that may help optimize the management of fishing resources.

Touch or click friendly: Towards adaptive user interfaces for complex applications.

This study evaluated the usability of a direct manipulation device (touchscreen) vs. indirect manipulation devices (mouse and touchpad) on the selected Microsoft (MS) Word tasks as per ISO-9241-11 standard. MS Word was taken as an example of a complex application. The tasks were evaluated in terms of touch-friendly or click-friendly using efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction parameters to propose a customized task menu. The experiment was conducted with fifty-four participants, divided into three MS Word usage-based expertise groups. Each participant performed fifty-six tasks using a mouse, a touchpad, and a touchscreen. To assess task-level usability, individual one-way ANOVAs were performed for each task to gauge both efficiency and effectiveness. It's worth noting that the touchscreen significantly outperformed other input methods in just one specific task regarding effectiveness. Consequently, an ANCOVA was employed, with task completion time as the independent variable and the number of errors as a covariate, to further investigate effectiveness. A total of 19 (34%) of the total tasks were found to be significantly efficient with a mouse, while 21 (37.5%) were significantly efficient with a touchscreen. Based on the results, a customized menu is recommended for MS Word-like applications that combine actions in touch-friendly tasks and mouse-friendly tasks separately.

A Laboratory-Based Multidisciplinary Approach for Effective Education and Training in Industrial Collaborative Robotics

The rapid evolution of robotics across various sectors, including healthcare, manufacturing, and domestic applications, has underscored a significant workforce skills gap. The shortage of qualified professionals in the labor market has had adverse effects on production capacities. Therefore, the significance of education and training for cultivating a skilled workforce cannot be overstated. This research work presents the development of a pedagogical approach centered on laboratory infrastructure designed specifically with multidisciplinary technologies and strategic human–machine interaction protocols to enhance learning in industrial robotics courses. Progressive competencies in laboratory protocols are developed, focusing on programming and simulating real-world industrial robotics tasks, to bridge the gap between theoretical education and practical industrial applications for higher education students. The proposed infrastructure includes a user-configurable maze comprising different colored elements, defining starting points, endpoints, obstacles, and varying track sections. These elements foster a dynamic and unpredictable learning environment. The infrastructure is fabricated using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining and 3D printing techniques. A collaborative robot, the Universal Robots UR3e, is used to navigate the maze and solve the track with advanced computer vision and human–machine communication. The amalgamation of practical experience and collaborative robotics furnishes students with hands-on experience, equipping them with the requisite skills for effective programming and manipulation of robotic devices. Empowering human–machine interaction and human–robot collaboration assists in addressing the industry’s demand for skilled labor in operating collaborative robotic manipulators.

Usefulness of three-dimensional imaging in a flexible endoscopic surgery platform with multi-degrees-of-freedom articulating devices.

Recent studies on endoscopic submucosal dissection have aimed to reduce the difficulty of the procedure by using multi-degrees-of-freedom articulating devices. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of adding three-dimensional (3D) video imaging into simulated endoscopic submucosal dissection tasks using multi-degrees-of-freedom devices. We designed an endoscopic platform with a 3D camera and two multi-degrees-of-freedom devices. Four ex vivo bench tasks were created, and a crossover study comparing 2D and 3D conditions was conducted on 15 volunteers. In each task, performance such as procedure time and accuracy were objectively evaluated. Additionally, a comprehensive visual analogue scale questionnaire was conducted. In the tasks simulating submucosal flap grasping, marking, and full-area incision, the use of 3D imaging significantly improved the speed and accuracy of the multi-degrees-of-freedom device manipulation (p < .01). No significant differences were observed in the task that simulated the dissection procedure. Furthermore, it appears that the accuracy of recognizing curved surfaces may be reduced in the 3D environment. Operators reported subjective increases in recognizability and operability with the 3D camera, along with an increase in asthenopia (p < .01). 3D vision improves the technical accuracy of certain simulated multi-degrees-of-freedom endoscopic submucosal dissection tasks and subjectively improved operating conditions, at the cost of increased eye strain.

A controllable interlayer shielding effect in twisted multilayer graphene quantum dots.

When multilayer graphene (MLG) is subjected to a vertical electric field, electrons traverse across the layers and its interlayer electrical conductance and shielding effect exhibit remarkable diversity, leading to exotic phenomena and diverse applications in photoelectric devices. The rearrangement of electrons induced by this external field is aptly described by polarizability, which quantifies the electronic response to the applied field. In this work, we have developed a polarizability decomposition scheme based on field-induced electron density variations computed using a first-principles approach. This scheme allows us to isolate the inter- and intra-layer contributions from the total polarizability of twisted multilayer graphene (TMG) quantum dots. The inter- and intra-layer counterparts reflect the charge transfer (CT) and field shielding effects among the layers, respectively. While the strongest shield effect is observed between the outermost two layers, the largest CT change is noted in the outermost layers, but small or nearly zero CT changes in the inner layers. Significant CT and shielding effects are observed not only in strongly coupled Bernal stacking, but also in the structures misaligned from full-(AA)N stacking by a small and size-dependent twist angle. The dielectric behaviors of the TMG quantum dots of a few layers are layer-dependent and different from those of typical dielectrics. Moreover, both the shielding and CT effects exhibit variation with thickness, twist angle and disc size, suggesting controllable conductive/dielectric conversion in the vertical direction. Considering the inter- and intralayer polarizability, our study addresses the precise modulation of interlayer conductance and shielding effect for TMG quantum dots, essential for microstructure design and performance manipulation of MLG-based photoelectric devices.

On trajectory control of magnetized spherical solids driven by magnetic force through soft medium

Manipulation of untethered millimeter-sized devices (bots) inside the human body has many medical applications. Most of the prior work focused on movement of such bots inside fluids, usually at low Reynolds numbers. Yet, many medical procedures are performed within soft tissues. Bot translation in soft materials differs dramatically from their motion in fluid. This paper focuses on trajectory control of small, untethered spheres driven magnetically in soft media commonly used to simulate tissues. While spherical bot shapes offer the advantage of potentially rapid change in the direction of motion, the main challenge in controlling trajectories through soft materials is their nonlinear and history dependent response forces associated with irreversible medium modification. This paper introduces control modules for manipulating spherical bots in soft media along elementary trajectories of circular and straight segments, from which more general trajectories may be assembled. The proposed control is based on a phenomenological model of soft media response forces. Numerical implementation of the proposed trajectory control along circular trajectories is shown to compare well with the results of experimental tests indicating that the accuracy on the order of the bot radius is readily achievable for trajectories whose radii of curvature is on the order of 10 bot radii.

Flow tweezing of anisotropic magnetic microrobots in a dynamic magnetic trap for active retention and localized flow sensing.

Controlled manipulation of microscale robotic devices in complex fluidic networks is critical for various applications in biomedical endovascular sensing, lab-on-chip biochemical assays, and environmental monitoring. However, achieving controlled transport and active retention of microscale robots with flow sensing capability has proven to be challenging. Here, we report the dynamic tweezing of an anisotropic magnetic microrobot in a rotating magnetic trap for active retention and localized flow sensing under confined fluidic conditions. We reveal a series of unconventional motion modes and the dynamics of the microrobot transporting in a confined fluidic flow, which manifest themselves as transitions from on-trap centre rolling to large-area revolution and off-trap centre rolling with varying rotating frequencies. By retaining the robot within the magnetic trap and its motion modulated by the field frequency, the off-centre rolling of the microrobot endows it with crucial localized flow sensing capabilities, including flow rate and flow direction determination. The magnetic microrobot serves as a mobile platform for measuring the flow profile along a curved channel, mimicking a blood vessel. Our findings unlock a new strategy to determine the local magnetic tweezing force profile and flow conditions in arbitrary flow channels, revealing strong potential for microfluidics, chemical reactors, and in vivo endovascular flow measurement.

Vortex switching in epitaxial nanodot under uniform electric field: The effect of misfit strain

Epitaxial strain plays an extraordinary role in the formation, evolution, and phase transition of topological domain structures in nanoscale ferroelectrics. Unfortunately, how vortex switching reacts to misfit strain in epitaxial nanodots remains unclear. Based on phase-field simulations, the reversal of vortex chirality in an epitaxial triangular nanodot induced by a uniform electric field applied along various directions is systematically investigated as a function of misfit strain. The results indicate that three basic types of vortex switching exist in an epitaxial triangular nanodot: type I under compressive strain, type II under tensile strain, and a narrow transition type with the characteristics of types I and II. The results show that misfit strain plays a crucial role in determining the type of vortex switching. This work, thus, clarifies the role of misfit strain and could be conducive to facilitating the mechanical manipulation of ferroelectric nanoelectronic devices.

Forensic, legal, and clinical aspects of deaths associated with implanted cardiac devices

As the population ages, the prevalence of heart failure and individuals wearing an implanted cardiac device is increasing. The combination of different underlying pathophysiologies and (the combination of) implanted cardiac devices can become a challenge with regard to the determination of cause and manner of death in such individuals. Additionally, heart disease is frequently associated with mental disease, ranging from anxiety and depression to suicidality and suicide (attempts). At the same time, the correct diagnosis of cause and manner of death is the basis for quality assurance, further therapeutic advances, legal safety, and suicide prevention. By that, an interdisciplinary field between legal medicine, clinicians, and law enforcement opens up. In this field, the different participants can simultaneously benefit from and need each other. For example, legal medicine experts need investigatory results and clinical expertise for the interpretation of readout data of implanted cardiac devices in order to correctly determine the cause of death. A correctly determined cause of death can assist law enforcement and help clinicians to further improve various therapeutic approaches based on correct mortality data collection. In addition, it is the basis for identification of suicides of device carriers, allowing psychological and psychiatric experts to better understand the burden of mental disease in this particular cohort. Against this interdisciplinary background, this manuscript summarizes information about psychiatric comorbidities and suicidality while being on a device. Thereby, basic information on complications and malfunctions of implanted cardiac devices, device-associated deaths with particular emphasis on device manipulation is displayed as basic information needed for correct determination of the cause of death. Also, legal and ethical issues in this field are outlined. The final result is a proposal of an interdisciplinary assessment workflow for a conjoint approach to improve the diagnosis of deaths associated with implanted cardiac devices. It will allow for a differentiation between an individual who died with or due to the device.

Real-time dynamics in strongly correlated quantum-dot systems

We investigate the real-time dynamical properties of Rabi-type oscillation through strongly correlated quantum-dot systems by means of accurate hierarchical equations of motion. It is an extension of the hierarchical Liouville-space approach for addressing strongly correlated quantum-dot systems. We study two paradigmatic models, the single quantum-dot system, and serial coupling double quantum-dot system. We calculate accurately the time-dependent occupancy of quantum-dot systems subject to a sudden change of gate voltage. The Rabi-type oscillation of the occupancy and distinct relaxation time of the quantum-dot systems with different factors are described. This is helpful to understand dissipation and decoherence in real-time dynamics through nanodevices and provides a theoretical frame to experimental investigation and manipulation of molecular electronic devices.

A Novel Endovascular Robotic System for Treatment of Lower Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease: First-in-Human Experience.

To assess the feasibility and first-in-human experience of a novel endovascular robotic system for treatment of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Between November 2021 and January 2022, consecutive patients with obstructive lower extremity PAD and claudication (Rutherford 2-5) with >50% stenosis demonstrated on angiography were enrolled in this study. Lower extremity peripheral arterial intervention was performed using the endovascular robotic system, which consisted of a bedside unit and an interventional console. The primary endpoints were technical success, defined as the successful manipulation of the lower extremity peripheral arterial devices using the robotic system, and safety. The secondary endpoints were clinical success, defined as 50% residual stenosis at the completion of the robot-assisted procedure without major adverse cardiac events and radiation exposure. In total, 5 patients with PAD were enrolled in this study (69.2±6.0 years; 80% men). The novel endovascular robotic system successfully completed the entire procedure of endovascular treatment of lower extremity PAD. Conversion to manual operation, including advancement, retracement, rotation of the guidewires, catheters, sheaths, deployment, and release of the balloons and stent grafts, was not necessary. We achieved the criteria for clinical procedural and technical success in all patients. No deaths, myocardial infarctions, or ruptures occurred in the period up to 30 days after the procedure, and no device-related complications were observed. The robotic system operator had 97.6% less radiation exposure than that at the procedure table, with a mean of 1.40±0.49 μGy. This study demonstrated the safety and feasibility of the robotic system. The procedure reached technical and clinical performance metrics and resulted in significantly lower radiation exposure to the operators at the console compared with that at the procedure table. There were some reports about several robotic systems used in the peripheral arterial disease, but no robotic system was able to perform entire procedure of endovascular treatment of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD).To solve this problem, we designed a remote-control novel endovascular robotic system. It was the first robotic system that can perform entire procedure of endovascular treatment of PAD worldwide. A novelty retrieval report about this is provided in the supplementary materials.The robotic system is compatible with all commercial endovascular surgical devices currently available in the market, including guidewires, catheters and stent delivery systems. It can perform all types of motion, such as forward, backward, and rotation to meet the requirements of all types of endovascular procedures. During the operation, the robotic system can perform these operations in a fine-tuned manner, so it is easy to cross the lesions, which is the key factor influencing the success rate of the operation. In addition, the robotic system can effectively reduce the exposure time to radiation, thereby reducing the risk of occupational injury.

Field-free spin-orbit torque switching assisted by in-plane unconventional spin torque in ultrathin [Pt/Co

Electrical manipulation of magnetization without an external magnetic field is critical for the development of advanced non-volatile magnetic-memory technology that can achieve high memory density and low energy consumption. Several recent studies have revealed efficient out-of-plane spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in a variety of materials for field-free type-z SOT switching. Here, we report on the corresponding type-x configuration, showing significant in-plane unconventional spin polarizations from sputtered ultrathin [Pt/Co]N, which are either highly textured on single crystalline MgO substrates or randomly textured on SiO2 coated Si substrates. The unconventional spin currents generated in the low-dimensional Co films result from the strong orbital magnetic moment, which has been observed by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurement. The x-polarized spin torque efficiency reaches up to −0.083 and favors complete field-free switching of CoFeB magnetized along the in-plane charge current direction. Micromagnetic simulations additionally demonstrate its lower switching current than type-y switching, especially in narrow current pulses. Our work provides additional pathways for electrical manipulation of spintronic devices in the pursuit of high-speed, high-density, and low-energy non-volatile memory.

Generation of Tunable Terahertz Waves from Tailored Versatile Spintronic Meta-Antenna Arrays.

Broadband spintronic terahertz (THz) radiation can be efficiently generated by spin-to-charge current conversion in a ferromagnetic/nonmagnetic heterostructure. There had been many studies on realizing the enhancement or the modulation of spintronic terahertz waves. However, reported devices so far focus on implementing certain specific modulation methods, either related to the spintronic stacks or related to the metamaterial structures. In this study, a set of femtosecond laser-driven versatile spintronic terahertz devices are proposed by integrating meta-antenna structures with W/CoFeB/Pt nanolayer stacks. These monolithic integrated devices exhibit spintronic terahertz wave emission, spectral modulation, and polarization manipulation simultaneously. The terahertz pulses are generated within the ferromagnetic heterostructure interfaces and transmitted along the metallic structures, leading to the modulation of the spintronic terahertz waves. Results have shown that the center-frequency shift is up to 140 GHz and the value of ellipticity can reach 0.6, demonstrating a set of integrated and efficient spintronic terahertz devices to modulate the emitted wave. In addition, compared with the slotline antenna, the maximum peak value of the bandpass band is enhanced up to 1.63 times by carefully designing the metamaterial structure. The spintronic meta-antenna array proposed here paves an integrated way for the manipulation of spintronic terahertz optoelectronic devices.