Probe Tool Research Articles

Material selection for milling fixture of friction stir welding using simulia

Friction stir welding is an innovative welding technique that joins two different materials without the need for consumables. The process involves a profiled probe and shoulder tool that is rotated and plunged between the two workpieces at the interface during the friction stir process. The weld zone undergoes dynamic recrystallization, resulting in a strong bond between the materials. This method offers superior bonding compared to traditional arc welding. In the context of conventional or non-traditional milling machines, friction stir welding is performed. It is necessary to use a milling fixture to attach the plates that need to be butt and lap welded, fixture can be used in underwater FSW. To ensure the workpiece is securely held in place, a fixture or holder is necessary. In this article, friction-stir welding, and a fixture with a clamping setup are constructed. The fixture is carefully designed to consider the movement of the instrument and workpiece, and it is manufactured using CatiaV6 3D experience software. The fixture is then subjected to three different types of testing using Simulia software. The materials tested include cast iron, die steel, and tool steel. After simulation analysis, the best material for friction-stir welding operations is selected.

The EmotionProbe: an exploration of design students’ emotions when designing

AbstractThe emotional experiences significantly impact students' design processes. This research presents the EmotionProbe, a design probe tool for capturing design students' emotions while designing. The tool allows simple data collection, offering important insights into the students' design experiences, introducing the spectrum of emotions that design students go through, and showcasing various analysis approaches, allowing for a richer understanding of the design's emotional dimension. The research highlights the need for an emotional tool supporting students' emotional well-being while designing.

NewsGuesser: Using Curiosity to Reduce Selective Exposure

Selective exposure has long been a concern of HCI researchers as it can lead to ideological polarization and distrust in society. Efforts have tried to reduce selective exposure online by serving diversified news content, but their effectiveness has been limited by users' lack of motivation to engage with the diverse content offered. To address this, we design the NewsGuesser system, which leverages the insight that curiosity can prompt motivation and engagement, by asking readers to guess the source of their news. In interviews with 40 participants, balanced for partisan affiliation, we use NewsGuesser as a probe tool to explore how guessing affects their perceptions of selective exposure. Participants struggled with the guessing game, which revealed a misalignment between users' expectations of different news sources and reality. Faced with the visualizations of the (often inaccurate) guessing results, participants were able to reflect on their own biases and selective exposure. In a number of cases, the guessing process changed participants' impressions of news organizations and some expressed an interest in engaging with more diverse news sources. While many also found the guessing game frustrating, the system and interview results suggest a number of new directions for designing social media and news media platforms.

90 Interconnecting feed efficiency with molecular mechanisms of muscle growth in beef steers

Abstract Feed efficiency is an important factor for improving the sustainability and economic value of beef production. Although feed efficiency is moderately heritable, it is a complex trait affected by numerous factors such as diet, the rumen microbiome, and energy metabolism. Recent work has examined the molecular control of cattle divergent in feed efficiency; however, limited work has focused on the transcriptomic regulation of variation in feed efficiency, specifically, the genes contributing to muscle growth and the variation in feed efficiency in beef production. The hypothesis of this study was that cattle with greater feed efficiency will have increased expression of genes that promote muscle growth and energy metabolism. A total of 100 Angus steers weighing approximately 400 kg were enrolled in 70 d feed efficiency trials to determine residual feed intake (RFI) using the Vytelle GrowSafe 8000 individual feed intake monitoring system. At mid-test, 500-mg of muscle tissue was collected from the wing of the ileum between the axis and transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae and was punched with a biopsy probe tool. The collected biopsy samples were flash frozen in liquid nitrogen for storage until processing. RNA was extracted and 3’ RNA sequencing was conducted on the Novaseq 6000 to determine the differential skeletal muscle transcriptomes of steers differing in RFI. Differential expression analysis was performed with the DESeq2 R package. To determine connections between the differentially expressed genes identified via transcriptional profiling and RFI, gene expression results were examined for correlations. To visualize the correlation matrices, the Corrplot package in R (version 3.4) was utilized. Varying numbers of differentially expressed gene transcripts were detected between steers divergent in RFI (P < 0.05), and were identified with significant correlations to RFI (P < 0.05). Specifically, the genes identified were related to muscle growth and energy metabolism. These results further define the molecular control of muscle growth with regard to RFI, and the opportunity to improve feed efficiency and muscle growth while meeting the needs for food production and sustainability for the growing population.

Mechanistic Elucidation of Nanomaterial-Enhanced First-Generation Biosensors Using Probe Voltammetry of an Enzymatic Reaction.

The incorporation of nanomaterials (NMs) into biosensing schemes is a well-established strategy for gaining signal enhancement. With electrochemical biosensors, the enhanced performance achieved from using NMs is often attributed to the specific physical properties of the chosen nanocomponents, such as their high electronic conductivity, size-dependent functionality, and/or higher effective surface-to-volume ratios. First generation amperometric biosensing schemes, typically utilizing NMs in conjunction with immobilized enzyme and semi-permeable membranes, can possess complex sensing mechanisms that are difficult to study and challenging to understand beyond the observable signal enhancement. This study shows the use of an enzymatic reaction between xanthine (XAN) and xanthine oxidase (XOx), involving multiple electroactive species, as an electrochemical redox probe tool for ascertaining mechanistic information at and within the modified electrodes used as biosensors. Redox probing using components of this enzymatic reaction are demonstrated on two oft-employed biosensing approaches and commonly used NMs for modified electrodes: gold nanoparticle doped films and carbon nanotube interfaces. In both situations, the XAN metabolism voltammetry allows for a greater understanding of the functionality of the semipermeable membranes, the role of the NMs, and how the interplay between the two components creates signal enhancement.

Effect of tool profile on wear and mechanical behaviors of CeO2 and ZrO2-reinforced hybrid magnesium matrix composite developed via FSP technique

A dual/double eccentric-pin tool was used for the reinforcement of the CeO2 and ZrO2 particles into a 5 mm thick AZ31B magnesium alloy through the application of the friction stir processing route to develop a composite with improved properties. A comparison of the developed composite's properties with that of the single pin-processed counterpart was carried out to ascertain the improvement recorded. The structure, hardness, shear punching strength, tensile, corrosion, and wear properties of the hybrid AZ31B/(ZrO2 + CeO2)p composite were investigated. The findings show that the dual/double eccentric pin tool widened the stir zone at the shoulder area, eliminated flow-related voids, and improved the flow of material and the particle distributions within the composite. The extra pin-induced plastic shearing/straining and dynamic recrystallization of the tool meaningfully refined the grain structure (5.6–3.35 μm) and the particle size (6.4–4.8 μm) of the composite while aiding even dislocation spread across the stir zone. In relation to the singular probe tool, the dual/double eccentric-pin tool also enhanced the hardness (102–141 HV), the shear punching strength (148–219 MPa), the tensile strength (175–225 MPa), the wear properties (coefficient of friction, rate, and loss), and the corrosion behavior of the hybrid AZ31B/(ZrO2 + CeO2)p composite due to the uniform and fine particle dispersion-strengthening and the elimination of stress raiser. The dual/double eccentric pin tool is thus recommended as a better tool for improving the performances of Mg-based composites.

A New Fluorescent Probe Tool: ERNathG.

β-d-Glucuronidase (GUS) plays a pivotal role in both clinical treatment assessment and environmental monitoring. Existing tools for GUS detection suffer from (1) poor continuity due to a gap between the optimal pH of the probes and the enzyme and (2) diffusion from the detection site due to lack of an anchoring structure. Here we report a novel GUS pH-matching and endoplasmic reticulum-anchoring strategy for GUS recognition. The new fluorescent probe tool was termed ERNathG, which was designed and synthesized with β-d-glucuronic acid as the GUS-specific recognition site and 4-hydroxy-1,8-naphthalimide as a fluorescence reporting group, with a p-toluene sulfonyl as an anchoring group. This probe enabled the continuous and anchored detection of GUS without pH-adjustment for the related assessment of common cancer cell lines and gut bacteria. The probe's properties are far superior to those of commonly used commercial molecules.

O1-conotoxin Tx6.7 cloned from the genomic DNA of Conus textile that inhibits calcium currents.

Conotoxins exhibit great potential as neuropharmacology tools and therapeutic candidates due to their high affinity and specificity for ion channels, neurotransmitter receptors or transporters. The traditional methods to discover new conotoxins are peptide purification from the crude venom or gene amplification from the venom duct. In this study, a novel O1 superfamily conotoxin Tx6.7 was directly cloned from the genomic DNA of Conus textile using primers corresponding to the conserved intronic sequence and 3' UTR elements. The mature peptide of Tx6.7 (DCHERWDWCPASLLGVIYCCEGLICFIAFCI) was synthesized by solid-phase chemical synthesis and confirmed by mass spectrometry. Patch clamp experiments on rat DRG neurons showed that Tx6.7 inhibited peak calcium currents by 59.29 ± 2.34% and peak potassium currents by 22.33 ± 7.81%. In addition, patch clamp on the ion channel subtypes showed that 10 μM Tx6.7 inhibited 56.61 ± 3.20% of the hCaV1.2 currents, 24.67 ± 0.91% of the hCaV2.2 currents and 7.30 ± 3.38% of the hNaV1.8 currents. Tx6.7 had no significant toxicity to ND7/23 cells and increased the pain threshold from 0.5 to 4 hours in the mouse hot plate assay. Our results suggested that direct cloning of conotoxin sequences from the genomic DNA of cone snails would be an alternative approach to obtaining novel conotoxins. Tx6.7 could be used as a probe tool for ion channel research or a therapeutic candidate for novel drug development.

Morphology and Electrochemistry Drive Corrosion of Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold Films: A Multi-Technique Analysis

Electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) is a common surface finish for high-reliability microelectronics circuitry due to its good solderability, corrosion resistance, layer thickness uniformity and applicability for fine pitch applications1. ENIG deposition is a multistep process in which a 3 to 6 micron (118-236 μ-in) layer of electroless nickel (i.e. Ni-P) is deposited onto the substrate material (typically copper), followed by a galvanic displacement reaction replacing the surface layer of Ni with 0.04 to 0.1 microns (1.6 to 4 μ-in) of gold (Au). Despite ENIG’s widespread use, it continues to suffer from a failure mode known as “black pad” or Ni hypercorrosion during immersion gold deposition2. A cohesive mechanistic explanation for the occurrence of Ni hypercorrosion is not yet established despite extensive study. Recent approaches have attempted to characterize in-situ the influence of bath chemistry; however, the competing influence of all variables of the ENIG process (e.g. temperature, pH, solution chemistry, volume mixing, surface morphology, etc.) make global mechanistic conclusions challenging if not impossible experimentally3. Instead, the work here aims to develop tools to assess an ENIG film of unknown origin or deposition conditions for the risk of corrosion. Therefore, this study utilizes a combination of surface characterization via x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging and electrochemical characterization via cyclic polarization (CP) and scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) to build a multi-technique analysis of ENIG failures.ENIG samples with identical geometries and plating requirements from two domestic vendors (A & B) were obtained. XPS with argon ion sputtering allows for comparison of atomic concentration of Ni, Au and P in ENIG films through their depth as a function of the number of sputter cycles. XPS results show that Vendor A films have a high concentration of Ni in the Au layer and a lower concentration of P near the Au-Ni interface, whereas Vendor B films have a low concentration of Ni in the Au layer and a higher concentration of P near the Au-Ni interface. This indicates a more porous morphology in Vendor A versus B films. SVET is an electrochemical scanning probe tool which allows for real-time observation of cathodic and anodic currents (in a 0.35% NaCl solution) representing existing and developing defect sites on ENIG surfaces. SVET experiments show that Vendor A and B samples exhibit preferential anodic currents on ENIG surfaces corresponding to Ni hypercorrosion defects. Focused ion beam (FIB) lift-outs from SVET samples viewed in TEM give ex-situ confirmation that SVET observations align with the real metal layer structure and chemistry as well as confirming the presence and location of corrosion products. CP curves for samples of each film in a 0.35% NaCl solution demonstrate that both Vendor A and Vendor B films exhibit effective corrosion rates above 1.0 mil per year which is on the order of bare Cu wire in the same electrolyte. Overall, a distinct difference in film morphology between Vendor A and B samples exists; however, both films exhibit substantial electrochemical activity in solution indicating corrosion susceptibility. Taken together, these results show that Ni hypercorrosion can be driven by at least two distinct mechanisms: high porosity in the Au film leading to enhanced Ni migration and reaction at the Au surface; or, P enrichment at the Au-Ni interface leading to enhanced P migration and a more electronegative surface composition. Future work will build out characterization of additional ENIG samples to establish a failure matrix for ENIG films, encompassing a wider variety of unique mechanisms. D. Goyal, T. Lane, P. Kinzie, C. Panichas, K. M. Chong, and O. Villalobos, in "52nd Electronic Components and Technology Conference 2002.(Cat. No. 02CH37345)", p. 732-739. IEEE, 2002.R. Ramanauskas, A. Selskis, J. Juodkazyte, and V. Jasulaitiene, Circuit World, (2013).A. Accogli, E. Gibertini, G. Panzeri, A. Lucotti, and L. Magagnin, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 167 (8), 082507 (2020). SNL is managed and operated by NTESS under DOE NNSA contract DE-NA0003525

Friction stir welding of two major pin contours of AA2024 and AA6061

The research work deals with to join two dissimilar aluminum alloys by solid state welding process compared to fusion welding processes and compared with fusion welding process, fusion welds tend to produce more defects while joining dissimilar materials. The major problem of the two dissimilar metals involve in welding process have different mechanical properties and microstructures which in turn may affect welding parameters like weld current, hold time, weld force etc. In order to overcome these issues, Friction Stir Welding (FSW) can be used to get rid of defects since it uses a non-consumable tool and also produces defect free welds compared to other welding processes. This thesis work aims to joining an aluminum alloy of 2024 and aluminum alloy of 6061. The plates are joined by means of octagon probe tool made of high carbon high chromium steel (D2 tool steel). Other issues while welding dissimilar aluminum alloys are phase transformation change and selection of welding parameters (rotational speed, transvers speed, pin diameter, shoulder diameter, D/d ratio and etc.) From conducted trail experiment aluminum alloy of 2024 and aluminum alloy of 6061 by using octagon probe tool made by HC-HCR tool it was observed that a lower welding speed 500 rpm at starting stage lack of filling took place and after thermo-mechanical heating took place that produce better weld while compared to weld at higher speeds (710 rpm, and 1000 rpm) with same transvers speed of 20 mm/min.

Effect of Different Tool Probe Profiles on Material Flow of Al-Mg-Cu Alloy Joined by Friction Stir Welding.

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) was utilized to butt−join 2024–T4 aluminum alloy plates of 1.9 mm thickness, using tools with conical and tapered hexagonal probe profiles. The characteristic effects of FSW using tools with tapered hexagonal probe profiles include an increase in the heat input and a significant modification of material flow, which have a positive effect on the metallurgical characteristics and mechanical performance of the weld. The differences in mechanical properties were interpreted through macrostructural changes and mechanical properties of the welded joints, which were supported by numerical simulation results on temperature distribution and material flow. The material flow resulting from the tapered hexagonal probe was more complicated than that of the conical probe. If in the first case, the dynamic viscosity and strain rate are homogeneously distributed around the probe, but in the case of the tapered hexagonal probe tool, the zones with maximum values of strain rates and minimum values of dynamic viscosity are located along the six tapered edges of the probe.

Friction stir welding of AA2024 and AA6061 using various pin profile

The research work deals with to join two dissimilar aluminum alloys by solid state welding process compared to fusion welding processes and compared with fusion welding process, fusion welds tend to produce more defects while joining dissimilar materials. The major problem of the two dissimilar metals involve in welding process have different mechanical properties and microstructures which in turn may affect welding parameters like weld current, hold time, weld force etc. In order to overcome these issues, Friction Stir Welding (FSW) can be used to get rid of defects since it uses a non-consumable tool and also produces defect free welds compared to other welding processes. This thesis work aims to joining an aluminum alloy of 2024 and aluminum alloy of 6061. The plates are joined by means of octagon probe tool made of high carbon high chromium steel (D2 tool steel). Other issues while welding dissimilar aluminum alloys are phase transformation change and selection of welding parameters (rotational speed, transvers speed, pin diameter, shoulder diameter, D/d ratio and etc.) From conducted trail experiment aluminum alloy of 2024 and aluminum alloy of 6061 by using octagon probe tool made by HC-HCR tool it was observed that a lower welding speed 500 rpm at starting stage lack of filling took place and after thermo-mechanical heating took place that produce better weld while compared to weld at higher speeds (710 rpm, and 1000 rpm) with same transvers speed of 20 mm/min.

Ontogeny and sex differences in object manipulation and probe tool use by wild tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus).

Tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) are the only Neotropical Primates that regularly use tools in the wild, but only one population of bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) is known to habitually use sticks as probes. In this population, males are typically the only sex to use stick tools, something unexpected, since there are no obvious physical constraints, and females do use stone tools in the wild and sticks in experimental conditions. We investigated the development of probe tool use in eight infants to clarify whether social influences on learning varied between the sexes, as tool use learning by capuchin monkeys is a socially biased process. We found that in the first 10 months of age, females manipulate sticks as much as males, but after 10-12 months of age, males begin to manipulate them at higher frequencies. We examined if social connections-as opportunities for social learning-could explain this difference and verified that, on close distance social networks, infant males and females have similar connections with older males. However, males observe probe tool use events more often than females when close to such events. The higher frequency of manipulation of sticks, as well as the higher rates of probe tool use observation, appear to be the key to understand why only males are probe tool users in this population. Since there are only male potential models of probe use, a sex motivational bias could explain the sex difference in observation; a bias in observation could explain the differences in manipulation-and manipulation rates would certainly influence the chances of individual, trial-and-error learning (a case of "local/stimulus enhancement").

Profile Measurement Using Confocal Chromatic Probe on Ultrahigh Precision Machine Tool

An on-machine measurement (OMM) system is an effective apparatus for achieving an efficient profile compensation and improving machining conditions in ultrahigh precision machining. Herein, we report a new OMM system with a confocal chromatic probe on a five-axis ultrahigh precision machine tool constructed using a real-time position capturing method. The probe and machine tool positions are captured synchronously using a personal computer to generate profile measurement data. Long- and short-term stability, micro step response, and repeatability tests using an optical flat indicates that the system has a precision of approximately ±10 nm. The profile measurement test using a reference sphere indicates that the precision of the OMM system deteriorated at a large slope angle of ±45°. However, the overall accuracy is estimated to be within ±100 nm at a slope angle within ±15°. The linearity test at various slope angles indicates that the decrease in reflected light from a mirror-like surface deteriorates the performance of the probe.

In Situ Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste Using Membrane Interface Probe (MIP) and Hydraulic Profiling Tool (HPT) in an Active and Closed Landfill

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills near a metropolitan area are renewable energy resources to produce heat and methane that can generate electricity. However, it is difficult to use those sources productively because disposed MSW in landfills are spatially and temporally heterogeneous. Regarding the prediction of the sources, the analysis of in situ MSW properties is an alternative way to reduce the uncertainty and to understand complex processes undergoing in the landfill effectively. A hydraulic profiling tool (HPT) and membrane interface probe (MIP) test measures the continuous profile of MSW properties with depth, including hydraulic pressure, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), and the relative concentration of methane at the field. In this study, we conducted a series of the tests to investigate the MSW characteristics of active and closed landfills. MIP results showed that the methane existed closer to right below the top cover in the active landfill and several peak concentrations at different layers of the closed landfill. As the depth and age of the waste increased, the hydraulic pressure increased for both landfills. The average EC results showed that the electrical conductivity decreased with the landfill age. The results of hydraulic properties, temperature, and EC obtained from active and closed sites could be used to estimate the waste age and help designing energy recovery systems.

Self-Assembly Fabrication of Honeycomb-like Magnetic-Fluorescent Fe3O4-QDs Nanocomposites for Bimodal Imaging.

Magnetic-fluorescent nanocomposites have a tremendous potential in biomedicine realms as a revolutionary dual-modality probe tool for more accurate medical detection. However, complicated and inefficient postprocesses pose obstacles to obtaining high-quality magnetic-fluorescent nanocomposites. Thus, the fabrication of magnetic-fluorescent functional nanocomposites via a simple, effective, and ideal method remains a challenge and is still waiting to be tapped. The new synthesis approaches are becoming impending demands and probably enable us to address these above-mentioned problems. In this contribution, we present a novel self-assembly synthesis route for the construction of magnetic-fluorescent bimodal imaging nanocomposites rather than adopting sophisticated postpreparative processes. The Fe3O4 and quatum dots (QDs) nanocomposites were cross-linked fleetly by cerium(III) ion driven coordination bonds in which the cerium(III) ions served as the cross-connecting node and the carboxylate groups acted as bridging ligands. The potential application for dual-modality imaging capability was validated on tumor-bearing mice. This ingenious strategy was extremely efficient and handy for the magnetic-fluorescent Fe3O4-QDs nanocomposite construction. Significantly, our cerium(III) ion driven self-assembly method probably has a wide applicability for nanoparticles and organic molecules containing carboxyl groups but extensive explorations are still necessary.

Prevalence of maxillary and mandibular physiological space in the primary dentition

Introduction: Physiological space is the space between maxillary and mandibular primary central incisors as well as maxillary and mandibular primary lateral incisors that occur during primary dentition period. The absence of physiological space will lead the crowded of permanent dentition due to discrepancy of the size of tooth and jaw. The objective of this study was to evaluate and analyse the prevalence of physiological space of maxillary and mandibular during primary dentition period. Methods: The type of research was a descriptive survey technique. The study was conducted at the Early Childhood Education (PAUD) in Bandung City throughout January-March 2017. The study population was children aged 3-5 years. Multistage cluster sampling used to choose subjects based on the division of the area from the city area to obtain the desired population. The data used were primary data obtained by examining the existence of a gap with a gap width indicator that is used as a benchmark of at least 0.5 mm with the help of WHO probe tool. Data were collected, processed and analysed using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 20. Results: A total of 65 out of 97 subjects had physiological space in their first dentition period. From 97 study subjects (100%) examined, 44 children (45.36%) had maxillary physiological space, and 53 children (54.64%) did not have maxillary physiological space. In 97 research subjects (100%) there were also 48 children (49.48%) having physiological space in the lower jaw, and 49 children (50.52%) did not have physiological space in the lower jaw. Conclusion: Prevalence of the maxillary and mandibular physiological space in the primary dentition period of children in the city of Bandung are 67.01%.

In situ characterization of temperature and gas production using membrane interface probe (MIP) and hydraulic profiling tool (HPT) in an operating municipal solid waste landfill

A modern Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill is a renewable energy resource to produce a significant amount of heat and methane used for generating electricity. However, it is difficult to use those sources effectively because active and post-closure MSW landfills are heterogeneous spatially and temporally and exposed to complex environments with varying pressure and moisture in the landfill. With regard to the prediction of the sources, the analysis of in situ MSW properties is an alternative way to reduce the uncertainty and to understand complex processes undergoing in the landfill effectively. A Hydraulic Profiling Tool (HPT) and Membrane Interface Probe (MIP) measures the continuous profile of MSW properties with depth, including hydraulic pressure, temperature, hydraulic conductivity, electrical conductivity (EC), and concentration of selected volatile organic compounds and methane. In this study, we conducted a series of MIP with HPT tests to investigate the MSW characteristics of a landfill in Nebraska. The results of the test showed an increase in hydraulic pressure and temperature with depth. The EC profile showed a variety of different waste constituents and MIP results showed the methane trapped beneath the top cover. The results in terms of hydraulic properties, temperature and EC obtained from different sites can be used to estimate the waste age and help designing energy recovery systems.

A tool centre point calibration method of a dual-robot NDT system for semi-enclosed workpiece testing

Purpose With the development of materials science and technology, composite workpieces are increasingly used. This paper aims to discuss a non-destructive testing (NDT) solution for semi-enclosed composite workpieces. A dual-robot system with one robot that grips an irregular-shaped ultrasonic probe (tool) is established. Design/methodology/approach According to robotics, this paper defines the orientations of the discrete points coordinate frames in trajectory and proposes an orientation constraint rule between the tool coordinate frame and the scanning trajectory. A four-posture calibration method for calibrating the transformation relationship of the irregular-shaped tool frame relative to the robot flange frame is presented in detail. Findings Calibration and verification experiments were performed, and good-quality C-scan images were obtained by applying the constraint rule and the calibration method. Experimental results show that the calibration method used to determine the tool centre point (TCP) position is correct, effective and efficient; the TCP orientation constraint rule can ensure the extension pole of the irregular-shaped ultrasonic probe is parallel to the axis of the semi-enclosed cylindrical workpieces; and the ultrasonic transducer axis is perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece. Originality/value This paper proposes a constraint method for the posture of an irregular-shaped tool in this scheme. Theoretical foundations for the four-posture calibration method of the irregular-shaped tool for dual-robot-assisted ultrasonic NDT are presented in detail. This strategy has been successfully applied in the NDT experiment of semi-enclosed composite workpieces.

PT105 - Bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) for non-invasive prostate carcinoma (PCa) diagnosis using a novel “finger” probe tool: Results from a cross-sectional, hospital-based study

PT105 - Bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) for non-invasive prostate carcinoma (PCa) diagnosis using a novel “finger” probe tool: Results from a cross-sectional, hospital-based study