Tangential Torque Research Articles

How Tactile Afferents in the Human Fingerpad Encode Tangential Torques Associated with Manipulation: Are Monkeys Better than Us?

Dexterous object manipulation depends critically on information about forces normal and tangential to the fingerpads, and also on torque associated with object orientation at grip surfaces. We investigated how torque information is encoded by human tactile afferents in the fingerpads and compared them to 97 afferents recorded in monkeys (n = 3; 2 females) in our previous study. Human data included slowly-adapting Type-II (SA-II) afferents, which are absent in the glabrous skin of monkeys. Torques of different magnitudes (3.5-7.5 mNm) were applied in clockwise and anticlockwise directions to a standard central site on the fingerpads of 34 human subjects (19 females). Torques were superimposed on a 2, 3, or 4 N background normal force. Unitary recordings were made from fast-adapting Type-I (FA-I, n = 39), and slowly-adapting Type-I (SA-I, n = 31) and Type-II (SA-II, n = 13) afferents supplying the fingerpads via microelectrodes inserted into the median nerve. All three afferent types encoded torque magnitude and direction, with torque sensitivity being higher with smaller normal forces. SA-I afferent responses to static torque were inferior to dynamic stimuli in humans, while in monkeys the opposite was true. In humans this might be compensated by the addition of sustained SA-II afferent input, and their capacity to increase or decrease firing rates with direction of rotation. We conclude that the discrimination capacity of individual afferents of each type was inferior in humans than monkeys which could be because of differences in fingertip tissue compliance and skin friction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We investigated how individual human tactile nerve fibers encode rotational forces (torques) and compared them to their monkey counterparts. Human hands, but not monkey hands, are innervated by a tactile neuron type (SA-II afferents) specialized to encode directional skin strain yet, so far, torque encoding has only been studied in monkeys. We find that human SA-I afferents were generally less sensitive and less able to discriminate torque magnitude and direction than their monkey counterparts, especially during the static phase of torque loading. However, this shortfall in humans could be compensated by SA-II afferent input. This indicates that variation in afferent types might complement each other signaling different stimulus features possibly providing computational advantage to discriminate stimuli.

Design and Optimization of a Pneumatic Clamping System for Direct-Driven Rotary Tables

Modern direct-driven and high-speed rotary tables with torque motor are optimally suited for all handling and assembly applications that require the shortest indexing times and flexible positioning. The following paper is devoted to the study, the design, and the optimization of an innovative table clamping system (brake for accurate positioning) actuated by pneumatic energy, working at a maximum clamping pressure of 6 bar. The challenge for the aforementioned application is related to developing a solution able to provide a maximum tangential torque (with clamping actuated) in the range of thousands of Nm without leveraging the use of high-pressure hydraulic energy. The optimization of the proposed solution is based on the precise calculation of the stresses in order to perform a fatigue assessment and on the elastic deformation of the clamps in order to set the correct tolerances between the mating parts. Eventually, an experimental campaign is carried out in order to tune the numerical model, which is then used to validate the proposed design solution.

A Dynamical Approach to Position Vector of Timelike Curve by Vectorial Momentum, Torque and Tangential Dual Curve

In this study, the position vector of a timelike curve wp is stated by a linear combination of its Serret Frenet frame with differentiable functions. The definition of tangential dual curve of the curve wp is stated by using these differentiable functions. Moreover, tangential torque curve of timelike curve wp is defined and investigated. New dynamically and physical results are stated depending on the torque of the timelike curve wp and the direction of the tangent vector component of the curve. Then, the position vector of a timelike W curve is again stated by differentiable functions. Therefore, solutions of differential equation of the position vector of timelike W curve with two different types depending on the values of curvature and torsion of timelike curve are obtained. By using the differentiable functions obtained as a result of these solutions, tangential dual and torque curve of the timelike W curve are obtained. Depending on the tangential dual and torque curve of the timelike W curve, results are given for two different cases separately.

Comparative analysis of different jet vortex spinning hollow spindle groove structures on yarn mechanism and yarn properties

According to the self-twist jet vortex spinning process, the free fiber end lays flat and rolls rotationally on the surface of the stationary hollow spindle under the high-speed rotating airflow and the tangential friction torque, which results in the self-twist of the fiber. The self-twist will be wound into the yarn body and increases the friction and the cohesion between the fibers in the yarn, which will improve the strength of the yarn. Based on mechanical analysis and numerical simulation, this article obtains the motion trajectory of the free fiber end and designed six different hollow spindle groove micro-feature structures. Combined with experiments, this article analyzes comparatively the influence of different hollow spindle groove micro-feature structures on the free fiber end and the yarn performance, which lays the foundation for the research and the development of jet vortex spinning.

Solution to the problem of Nicolai

Abstract We consider the problem of Nicolai on dynamic stability of an elastic cantilever rod loaded by an axial compressive force P and a twisting tangential torque L in continuous formulation. The problem is to find the stability region for non-equal principal moments of inertia of the rod in the space of three parameters: P, L and the parameter α for the ratio of principal moments of inertia. New governing equations and boundary conditions, which form the basis for analytical and numerical studies, are derived. An important detail of this formulation is that the pre-twisting of the rod due to the torque L is taken into account. The singular point on the stability boundary at the critical Euler force PE is recognized and investigated in detail. For an elliptic cross-section of a uniform rod the stability region is found numerically with the use of the Galerkin method and the exact numerical approach. The obtained numerical results are compared with the analytical formulas of the asymptotic analysis.

The Venus–Earth–Jupiter spin–orbit coupling model

A Venus-Earth-Jupiter spin-orbit coupling model is constructed from a combination of the Venus- Earth-Jupiter tidal-torquing model and the gear e ect. The new model produces net tangential torques that act upon the outer convective layers of the Sun with periodicities that match many of the long-term cycles that are found in the 10 Be and 14 C proxy records of solar activity.

Solution to the problem of Nicolai

We consider the problem of Nicolai on dynamic stability of an elastic cantilever rod loaded by an axial compressive force P and a twisting tangential torque L in continuous formulation. The problem is to find the stability region for non-equal principal moments of inertia of the rod in the space of three parameters: P,L and the parameter α for the ratio of principal moments of inertia. New governing equations and boundary conditions, which form the basis for analytical and numerical studies, are derived. An important detail of this formulation is that the pre-twisting effect of the rod due to the torque L is taken into account. The singular point on the stability boundary at the critical Euler force PE is recognized and investigated in detail. For an elliptic cross-section of a uniform rod the stability region is found numerically with the use of the Galerkin method and the exact numerical approach. The obtained numerical results are compared with the analytical formulas of the asymptotic analysis.

NVH Characteristic Prediction of an Electric Vehicle Reducer

Taking certain electric vehicle as target, tangential electromagnetic torque and harmonic analysis of drive motor is obtained using Ansoft 2D model. The inherent characteristic, propagated error, frequency response characteristics and waterfall curves of bearing are obtained using Romax 3D model. Then the NVH characteristic of driveline under certain rotational speed is evaluated, results can be applied to the structural matching of the driveline system for electric vehicles.

Analysis of Electromagnetic Field and Temperature Field of Low Speed High Torque Permanent Magnet Motor under Locked-Rotor Operation

Low speed high torque direct drive motor has been widely applied in various industries. However, operation faults occur frequently due to the complex working conditions of the motor, especially the locked-rotor fault. Therefore, it is necessary to do deeply research in this case of the electromagnetic field and the temperature field distribution of the motor. Taking a 5kW, 10-pole tangential type Low speed high torque permanent magnet (PM) motor for example, based on field-circuit coupled finite element method, 2-D motor field, circuit and motion coupling is achieved. On this basis, the temperature field of the motor is analyzed. Finally the results which are consistent with the actual project are obtained.

Adaptive control of grip force to compensate for static and dynamic torques during object manipulation

Manipulating a cup by the handle requires compensating for the torque induced by the moment of the mass of the cup relative to the location of the handle. In the present study, we investigated the control strategy of subjects asked to perform grip-lift movements with an object with center of mass located away from the grip axis. Participants were asked to lift the manipulandum with a two-fingers precision grip and stabilize it in front of a visual target. Subjects showed a gradual and slow adaptation of the grip-force scaling across trials: the grip force tended to decrease slowly, and the temporal coordination between grip-force and load-torque rates displayed gradually, better-coordinated patterns. Importantly, this adaptation was much slower than the stabilization of the same parameters measured either when no torque came into play or after previous adaptation to the presence of a torque. In contrast, the maximum rotation induced by the torque was controlled efficiently after only few trials, and an unexpected decrease in the tangential torque produced significant overcompensation. An unexpected increase in torque produced a consistent opposite effect. This shows that the compensation for the dynamic torque was based on an anticipatory, dynamic counter-torque produced by the arm and wrist motor commands. The comparatively slow stabilization of grip-force control suggests a specific adaptation process engaged by the presence of the torque. This paradigm, including tangential torques, clearly constitutes a powerful tool to extract the adaptive component of grip control during object manipulation.

Paradox of Nicolai and related effects

The paper presents a general approach to the paradox of Nicolai and related effects analyzed as a singularity of the stability boundary. We study potential systems with arbitrary degrees of freedom and two coincident eigenfrequencies disturbed by small non-conservative positional and damping forces. The instability region is obtained in the form of a cone having a finite discontinuous increase in the general case when arbitrarily small damping is introduced. This is a new destabilization phenomenon, which is similar to well-known Ziegler’s paradox or the effect of the discontinuous increase of the combination resonance region due to addition of infinitesimal damping. It is shown that only for specific ratios of damping coefficients, the system is stabilized due to presence of small damping. Then, we consider the paradox of Nicolai: the instability of a uniform axisymmetric elastic column loaded by axial force and a tangential torque of arbitrarily small magnitude. We extend the results of Nicolai showing that the column is stabilized by general small geometric imperfections and internal and external damping forces. It is shown that the paradox of Nicolai is related to the conical singularity of the stability boundary which transforms to a hyperboloid with the addition of small dissipation. As a specific example of imperfections, we study the case when cross-section of the column is changed from a circular to elliptic form.

Numerical Simulation Study on the Cold Rolling of Hollow Thread

The cold rolling technology of thread was rapidly developed due to its high efficiency, low cost and perfect property of its production. But theoretical researches on the precise forming were very few, especially for the hollow parts. In the rolling process, empirical (trial and error) methods have been a mainly part. This is unfavorable for the development of the new technology. In this paper, numerical simulation of the cold rolling process of hollow thread was studied. The DEFORM soft was used to perform the simulation work. The stress field, strain field and velocity field in the workpiece were obtained. The change curve of the rolling force and the relation curve of tangential force and torque were obtained. The failure process of hollow thread in the rolling process was also simulated. The failure reason of thin wall thread in the rolling process was analyzed according to the change of effective stress in the workpiece. The result is well agreement with theoretical ones. The further research will be done to promote the application of numerical simulation in the cold rolling of hollow thread parts.

Tangential torque tunes touch

Tangential torque tunes touch

Encoding of tangential torque in responses of tactile afferent fibres innervating the fingerpad of the monkey

Torsional loads are ubiquitous during everyday dextrous manipulations. We examined how information about torque is provided to the sensorimotor control system by populations of tactile afferents. Torsional loads of different magnitudes were applied in clockwise and anticlockwise directions to a standard central site on the fingertip. Three different background levels of contact (grip) force were used. The median nerve was exposed in anaesthetized monkeys and single unit responses recorded from 66 slowly adapting type-I (SA-I) and 31 fast adapting type-I (FA-I) afferents innervating the distal segments of the fingertips. Most afferents were excited by torque but some were suppressed. Responses of the majority of both afferent types were scaled by torque magnitude applied in one or other direction, with the majority of FA-I afferent responses and about half of SA-I afferent responses scaled in both directions. Torque direction affected responses in both afferent types, but more so for the SA-I afferents. Latencies of the first spike in FA-I afferent responses depended on the parameters of the torque. We used a Parzen window classifier to assess the capacity of the SA-I and FA-I afferent populations to discriminate, concurrently and in real-time, the three stimulus parameters, namely background normal force, torque magnitude and direction. Despite the potentially confounding interactions between stimulus parameters, both the SA-I and the FA-I populations could extract torque magnitude accurately. The FA-I afferents signalled torque magnitude earlier than did the SA-I afferents, but torque direction was extracted more rapidly and more accurately by the SA-I afferent population.

Effect of surface slip on Stokes flow past a spherical particle in infinite fluid and near a plane wall

The motion of a spherical particle in infinite linear flow and near a plane wall, subject to the slip boundary condition on both the particle surface and the wall, is studied in the limit of zero Reynolds number. In the case of infinite flow, an exact solution is derived using the singularity representation, and analytical expressions for the force, torque, and stresslet are derived in terms of slip coefficients generalizing the Stokes–Basset–Einstein law. The slip velocity reduces the drag force, torque, and the effective viscosity of a dilute suspension. In the case of wall-bounded flow, advantage is taken of the axial symmetry of the boundaries of the flow with respect to the axis that is normal to the wall and passes through the particle center to formulate the problem in terms of a system of one-dimensional integral equations for the first sine and cosine Fourier coefficients of the unknown traction and velocity along the boundary contour in a meridional plane. Numerical solutions furnish accurate predictions for (a) the force and torque exerted on a particle translating parallel to the wall in a quiescent fluid, (b) the force and torque exerted on a particle rotating about an axis that is parallel to the wall in a quiescent fluid, and (c) the translational and angular velocities of a freely suspended particle in simple shear flow parallel to the wall. For certain combinations of the wall and particle slip coefficients, a particle moving under the influence of a tangential force translates parallel to the wall without rotation, and a particle moving under the influence of a tangential torque rotates about an axis that is parallel to the wall without translation. For a particle convected in simple shear flow, minimum translational velocity is observed for no-slip surfaces. However, allowing for slip may either increase or decrease the particle angular velocity, and the dependence on the wall and particle slip coefficients is not necessarily monotonic.

Factors influencing variability in load forces in a tripod grasp.

The aim of this investigation was to determine the factors that influence the variability in the load force during a precision grip. Subjects grasped an object with three coarse contact surfaces using a tripod grasp of the thumb, index and middle fingers. The orientations of the contact surfaces and their locations relative to the object's center of mass were varied. Forces and torques exerted by each of the three digits were measured or computed from the equilibrium conditions and analyzed during the static hold phase. The static load force depends on the object's weight, but also on the precise location of the center of pressure of each digit, as well as on the magnitude of the tangential torque and horizontal grip force. Variations in these parameters caused deviations in the load forces by as much as 20% or more from their nominal values. For the thumb, the largest source of variability was the vertical location of the center of pressure. For the two fingers, variations in the locations of the centers of pressure (along the horizontal and vertical) and in the magnitudes of the tangential torques had effects that were about equal in magnitude. Since many of the sources of variability in load force are unpredictable, these results point to the importance of online feedback regulation of grip force.

Control of grasp stability in humans under different frictional conditions during multidigit manipulation.

Control of grasp stability under different frictional conditions has primarily been studied in manipulatory tasks involving two digits only. Recently we found that many of the principles for control of forces originally demonstrated for two-digit grasping also apply to various three-digit grasps. Here we examine the control of grasp stability in a multidigit task in which subjects used the tips of the thumb, index, and middle finger to lift an object. The grasp resembled those used when lifting a cylindrical object from above. The digits either all contacted the same surface material or one of the digits contacted a surface material that was more, or less, slippery than that contacted by the other two digits. The three-dimensional forces and torques applied by each digit and the contact positions were measured along with the position and orientation of the object. The distribution of forces among the digits strongly reflected constraints imposed by the geometric relationship between the object's center of mass and the contact surfaces. On top of this distribution, we observed changes in force coordination related to changes in the combination of surface materials. When all digits contacted the same surface material, the ratio between the normal force and tangential load (F(n):L ratio) was similar across digits and scaled to provide an adequate safety margin against slip. With different contact surfaces subjects adapted the F(n):L ratios at the individual digits to the local friction with only small influences by the friction at the other two digits. They accomplished this by scaling the normal forces similarly at all digits and changing the distribution of load among the digits. The surface combination did not, however, influence digit position, tangential torque, or object tilting systematically. The change in load distribution, rather, resulted from interplay between these factors, and the nature of this interplay varied between trials. That is, subjects achieved grasp stability with various combinations of fingertip actions and appeared to exploit the many degrees of freedom offered by the multidigit grasp. The results extend previous findings based on two-digit tasks to multidigit tasks by showing that subjects adjust fingertip forces at each digit to the local friction. Moreover, our findings suggest that subjects adapted the load distribution to the current frictional condition by regulating the normal forces to allow slips to occur early in the lift task, prior to object lift-off.

Control of fingertip forces in multidigit manipulation.

Previous studies of control of fingertip forces in skilled manipulation have focused on tasks involving two digits, typically the thumb and index finger. Here we examine control of fingertip actions in a multidigit task in which subjects lifted an object using unimanual and bimanual grasps engaging the tips of the thumb and two fingers. The grasps resembled those used when lifting a cylindrical object from above; the two fingers were some 4.25 cm apart and the thumb was approximately 5.54 cm from either finger. The three-dimensional forces and torques applied by each digit and the digit contact positions were measured along with the position and orientation of the object. The vertical forces applied tangential to the grasp surfaces to lift the object were synchronized across the digits, and the contribution by each digit to the total vertical force reflected intrinsic object properties (geometric relationship between the object's center of mass and the grasped surfaces). Subjects often applied small torques tangential to the grasped surfaces even though the object could have been lifted without such torques. The normal forces generated by each digit increased in parallel with the local tangential load (force and torque), providing an adequate safety margin against slips at each digit. In the present task, the orientations of the force vectors applied by the separate digits were not fully constrained and therefore the motor controller had to choose from a number of possible solutions. Our findings suggest that subjects attempt to minimize (or at least reduce) fingertip forces while at the same time ensure that grasp stability is preserved. Subjects also avoid horizontal tangential forces, even at a small cost in total force. Moreover, there were subtle actions exerted by the digits that included changes in the distribution of vertical forces across digits and slight object tilt. It is not clear to what extent the brain explicitly controlled these actions, but they could serve, for instance, to keep tangential torques small and to compensate for variations in digit contact positions. In conclusion, we have shown that when lifting an object with a three-digit grip, the coordination of fingertip forces, in many respects, matches what has been documented previously for two-digit grasping. At the same time, our study reveals novel aspects of force control that emerge only in multidigit manipulative tasks.

Resultant forces and moments in mixed-mixed problems of the theory of elasticity

A problem is called mixed-mixed, when both normal and tangential displacements are prescribed on a part of the boundary, while the normal and tangential stresses are prescribed at the rest of the boundary. Exact closed form expressions have been derived for the resultant normal and tangential forces, tilting moment and torque, directly through the prescribed displacements, thus eliminating the need for determination of stresses. The problem solved treats a transversely isotropic elastic half-space, with arbitrary normal and tangential displacements prescribed inside a circle, and the rest of the boundary being stress-free. The interaction between an arbitrary force inside the half-space and a bonded punch is considered as an example. No similar result has ever been reported, even in the case of isotropy.

Control of Grip Force When Tilting Objects: Effect of Curvature of Grasped Surfaces and Applied Tangential Torque

When we manipulate objects in everyday tasks, there are variations in the shape of the grasped surfaces, and the loads that potentially destabilize the grasp include time-varying linear forces and torques tangential to the grasped surfaces. Previous studies of the control of fingertip forces for grasp stability have dealt principally with flat grip surfaces and linear force loads. Here, we studied the regulation of grip force with changes in curvature of grasped surfaces and changes in tangential torque applied by the index finger and thumb when humans lifted an object and rotated it about the horizontal grip axis through an angle of 65 degrees. The curvatures of the matched pair of spherical surfaces varied from -50 m-1 (concave with radius 20 mm) to 200 m-1 (convex with radius 5 mm). The applied tangential torque at the orientation of 65 degrees was varied sixfold. Regardless of the values of curvature and end torque, grip force and tangential torque were coordinated, increasing in parallel throughout the tilt with an approximately linear relationship; the slope of the line increased progressively with increasing surface curvature. This parametric scaling of grip force was directly related to the minimum grip force required to prevent rotational slip, resulting in an adequate safety margin against slip in all cases. We conclude that surface curvature parametrically influences grip force regulation when the digits are exposed to torsional loads. Furthermore, the sensorimotor programs that control the grip force apparently predict the effect of the total load comprising linear forces and tangential torques.