Uneven Floors Research Articles

Ground Robots Bring Potential for Efficiency, Safety in FPSO Operations

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 32872, “Evaluation of the Potential Impact of Ground Robots on FPSO Operations,” by Gustavo L.L. da Silva, Maurício M. Cordeiro Jr., and Maurício Galassi, Petrobras, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2024 Offshore Technology Conference. _ The objective of this paper is to present the operator’s learnings in evaluating the processes by which the asset crew of a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel identifies scenarios for the application of robotics in day-to-day offshore activities. The studies reveal a glimpse of the addressable market size of ground robots for routine offshore verification tasks. An initial analysis suggests that 30–50% of the theoretical equivalent of hours per year could be freed. Introduction In the complete paper, the hypothetical use of ground mobile robots to carry out operational activities is considered. For that goal, the capability of robotic platforms to move along an offshore facility (an FPSO, for the purposes of this paper) has been explored. This includes the ability to overcome obstacles, move up and down stairs or ramps, and walk on uneven floors or gratings while being piloted remotely or even doing so autonomously. Some of the considered equipment may have coupled robotic manipulators that also enable them to interact with the environment, allowing them to open or close doors, turn handles, and activate commands. These robotic platforms, in general, include actuator mechanisms and sensors that enable visual inspections, thermography, dimensional analysis, area mapping, gas measurements, noise and vibration analysis, and other operations requiring specific sensing. Operational Requirements A paramount requirement for a robot to be widely used in an FPSO is its ability to operate in hazardous areas. Robotic platforms for hazardous zones are not widely available. However, some companies are quickly advancing in the development and commercialization of these platforms. A Swiss company has already made available a quadruped robot with high mobilization capacity, including the ability to navigate stairs and carry out autonomous missions that have been preprogrammed. An Austrian company has marketed a caterpillar robot that can carry out inspections autonomously in classified areas. Every such activity will demand thorough analysis to properly define technical and process requirements. On FPSO platforms, the procedure for planning any service takes place at least a few days before its execution, a task already demanding many hours. Subsequently, a permit to work (PTW) is issued to perform the service. Sensors and Actuators for a Robotic System Some of the main data-acquisition or processing sensors used in robotic systems are detailed in the complete paper. In this context, “data” means everything that can be processed online or is capable of producing useful information in the future. Cameras for Acquisition of Images and Videos. These can be very useful in the visual inspection of systems or equipment, the visualization of the workspace, or the generation of input for image processing with the purpose of identifying patterns of interest, segmentation, classification, or other aspects related to computer vision.

Do facilitators and barriers to community ambulation differ among stroke survivors in low resource settings? A cross-sectional study in Nigeria

ABSTRACT Purpose Stroke survivors (SSV) in many low- and middle-income countries experience frustrating participation restriction in community ambulation (CA), which impedes community life. This study assessed facilitators and barriers to CA among community-dwelling SSV in a southwest state of Nigeria. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 66 community-dwelling ambulating SSV, purposively recruited from physiotherapy out-patient clinics of selected hospitals in southwest Nigeria. Semi-structured questionnaire containing physical and social environment elements of the ICF domains was administered on respondents. Mobility status at home and community, socio-demographic and clinical data of SSV were also obtained. Responses from open-ended questions were triangulated with appropriate close ended options. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression at p < 0.05 Alpha value. Results Majority of the SSV were independent in their homes (59.1%), used mobility aids (87.9%) and assisted in CA (66.7%). They identified limited physical accessibility by crowds 25 (37.9%), lack of inclined surfaces 40 (95.2%), uneven floors 36 (87.8%), public seating arrangements 33 (78.6%), rain (73.8%) and inability to use services, systems and policies (77.3%) as barriers to CA. Built physical environment was a significant predictor of home (OR = 0.754, p = 0.001) and community mobility (OR = 0.850; p = 0.018), while post-stroke depression was a significant predictor of community mobility (OR = 1.038; p = 0.014). Conclusion Mobility aids, social attitudes and general support were identified as facilitators, whereas barriers to CA included built physical environment, services and policies, products and technology. Facilitators and barriers to CA are similar to some HIC contexts, perceived difficulties and experiences differ for infrastructural and social reasons among others.

Evaluation of Claw Lesions in Beef Cattle Slaughtered in Northern Portugal: A Preliminary Study

Claw diseases have a profound impact on cattle welfare, affecting behaviors such as grazing, rumination, rest, decubitus, and water consumption. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of claw lesions and classify them according to the ICAR Claw Health Atlas (International Committee of Animal Recording) in two slaughterhouses. The influence of claw lesions on carcass weight, classification, and fat deposition was also examined. Involving 343 crossbreed cattle from 103 different extensive or semi-intensive farms, this study found an animal prevalence of claw disorders at 65.8%, with a higher incidence in females (n = 207, 60.35%) compared to males (n = 136, 39.65%). Despite the observed prevalence, claw lesions were not influenced by age or sex (p &gt; 0.05). The main claw lesions identified, including heel horn erosion, double sole, and asymmetric claw, were consistent with the cattle management practices in the study area. These cattle were raised in small, rustic premises with uneven floors, utilizing a mix of manure and plant material as bedding and lacking access to pasture. Also, no negative economic impact was detected concerning carcass weight, classification, or fat deposition. Consequently, it was concluded that the presence of claw lesions in beef cattle raised under the characteristic management of this geographical area does not adversely affect animal health or farm economics.

A solvable walking model for a two-legged robot

We present a solvable biped walking model based on an inverted pendulum with two massless articulated legs capable of walking on uneven floors and inclined planes. The stride of the two-legged robot results from the pendular motion of a standing leg and the articulated motion of a trailing leg. Gaiting is possible due to the pendular motion conservation of energy and the alternating role of the legs, the standing and the trailing leg. The motion on uneven surfaces and inclined planes is possible by imposing the same maximal opening angle between the two legs in the transition between strides and the adaptability of the time of each stride. This model is solvable in closed form and is reversible in time, modelling the different types of biped motion. Several optimisation results for the speed of gaiting as a function of the robot parameters have been derived.

Factors that cause women with osteoporosis to fall

To analyze and compare intrinsic and extrinsic factors that cause falls among women receiving treatment for osteoporosis.A cross-sectional study of women ≥50 years receiving treatment for osteoporosis. Participants filled out questionnaires (demographic characteristics), and researchers took anthropometric measurements of bone mineral density, handgrip strength (HGS), ankle range of motion (ROM), and gait speed (GS). We also evaluated the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (SST), and Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) and investigated the extrinsic factors for falls.We included 144 participants (71.6 [8.3 years]), who reported 133 falls. We classified participants into a non-faller group (NFG; 0 falls, n=71, 49.5%), a faller group (FG; 1 fall, n=42, 28.9%), and a recurrent-faller group (RFG; more than 1 fall, n=31, 21.5%). Most patients had an increased risk of falling according to the TUGT, SST, reduced ankle ROM, and GS (P<.005 for all). FES-I was associated with sporadic and recurrent falls. For the multivariate analysis, the number of falls was influenced by the presence of ramps (RR 0.48, 95% CI, 0.26-0.87, P=.015), uneven surfaces (RR 1.6, 95% CI. 1.05-2.43, P=.028), and antislippery adhesive on stairs (RR 2.75, 95% CI, 1.77-4.28, P<.001).Patients receiving treatment for osteoporosis are influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors that cause falls. Lower-limb strength and power-discriminated participants at a higher risk of falls, but extrinsic factors varied. Only uneven floors and antislippery adhesives on stairs were associated with increased frequency of falls.

Acrobustitis-phimosis in bulls: postoplasty technique performed with the animals in a standing position.

Acrobustitis is the inflammation of the distal prepuce, which can lead to a narrowing of the preputial ostium due to stenosis or growth of fibrous tissue after an inflammatory reaction. This condition usually occurs in cattle with long prepuce, such as Zebu or Zebu's crossbreeds, leading the animal to Impotentia Coeundi, this condition is characterized by the bull's disability to copulate, that leads to lower herd fertility and consequent financial losses. Normally, corrective surgeries are performed on-farm and the animal is placed in a lateral recumbency. However, in some situations the animal is restrained with ropes and remains on the grass, dirt or even on uneven floors, which can cause neuropathies, bloat or hypoxia. Due to a series of complications that can occur in the postoperative period of surgery in the lateral recumbency, this article aims to describe the surgical technique for correcting acrobustitis with the animal in a standing position. Ten corrective surgeries for acrobustitis were performed in adult bulls between 4 and 8 years of age and predominantly of zebu or crossbreeds, with a total recovery of the animals for full reproductive activity.

Architectural accessibility and perception of falls of elderly people in the peridomicile: mixed method.

To describe contents, structure and origin of social representations about falls by elderly people, the peridomiciliary structural conditions that predispose to falls, and to relate the implications of these empirical evidence on the routine of the elderly in the architectural context. Convergent mixed method by triangulation. Qualitative approaches(structural, n=195 and procedural, n=40of the Theory of Social Representations) and quantitative (descriptive sectional, n=183) were used. Elderly people enrolled in primary care were interviewed at home in 2018. Analysis techniques: categorical-thematic, prototypical, statistical, and deductive according to Leininger. Categories of analysis: 1) Peridomicile: fall scenario and 2) Aging and vulnerability: risk of falls in peridomicile. The following environmental characteristics were precursors to falls: uneven floors, holes, unevenness and objects in the pathway. Feelings and behaviors allocated in the possible central core are associated, justifying falls, and determining their causes. There was an association between the peridomiciliary architectural environment and the predictive characteristics of the risk of falls.

Gait Control Applications on Four Legged Robot

A common problem faced by four-legged robots is when they encounter obstacles that have structures that force the robot to lift its legs higher than the robot's ability limit and can disrupt the robot's balance, so it is necessary to add a gait control method. This research has resulted in controlling the movement of a four-legged robot using the wave gait control method to pass obstacles in the form of stairs and uneven floors, where the movement of the robot by lifting one leg at a time makes the balance of the robot very awake. So that the robot can make decisions if the robot encounters obstacles in the form of stairs and uneven floors, the role of the ultrasonic sensor is very decisive in reading the environment. The way for the robot to climb stairs and not fall backwards is to slide the robot's hind legs back so that each robotic footstep will form a triangle. When the robot detects the presence of a stairs, the robot will lift its legs by 50o, while when it detects an uneven floor, the robot's legs will lift its legs by 40o. Based on the results of research conducted with 4 experiments, namely the success of the robot in passing through the trajectory without obstacles by 100%, the success of the robot in crossing the uneven floor by 60%, the success of the robot in passing the stairs by 50%, while the success of the robot in passing the stairs and the uneven floor by 70%.

Design recommendations for socially assistive robots for health and social care based on a large scale analysis of stakeholder positions: Social robot design recommendations

ObjectivesSocially assistive robots (SAR) may have an important role in health and social care. Design of such SAR can be informed through detailed studies with end-users, but we also need shared understanding of SAR between developers and those influencing policy. We aimed to explore the acceptability of using SAR across a broad range of stakeholders who could influence policy and identify design considerations for developers. MethodsWe gave live demonstrations of a range of SAR rather than passive materials such as pictures, and used an acceptability model (Almere Model) as framework for analysis. Eight exhibitions involved live demonstrations and interaction with two robot animals (Paro and Miro), a humanoid (Pepper) and function-oriented telepresence robot (Padbot). 223 health and social care professionals, service users and small companies participated. Unstructured free interactions with robots were video recorded, transcribed, and content analysed. Themes were mapped onto the Almere Model of acceptability where components and design recommendations were deduced. ResultsThree-quarters of attendees interacted with robots (n=167). Practical design changes identified were: (i) improved mobility for uneven floors and carpets, (ii) improved voice recognition and accent interpretation, (iii) better ease of use (mainly Pepper), (iv) enhanced robustness and battery life/autonomous charging, (v) soft, friendly aesthetics, (vi) anthropomorphic or biomorphic design (non-robotic) for friendliness and social presence, (vii) androgynous appearance. ConclusionHealth and social care stakeholders are open to use of SAR and see potential in this field, however, practical issues such as robustness, battery life, voice/accent recognition and mobility need to be addressed. Public Interest SummaryRobots that interact with people in health and care settings may have an important role in improving wellbeing. Detailed studies with end-users should inform SAR design for specific settings, however policy makers and robot developers must also share understanding of suitable design, for robots to be developed appropriate for health and care contexts.We gave live demonstrations of two robot animals (Paro and Miro), a humanoid (Pepper) and telepresence robot (Padbot) at eight events with 223 health and social care professionals, service users and small companies.Interactions with the robots were video recorded and used to assess their acceptability. Participants saw potential for robot use but identified practical concerns. These were: (i) improved mobility for uneven floors and carpets, (ii) improved voice recognition and accent interpretation, (iii) better ease of use (mainly Pepper), (iv) enhanced robustness and battery life/autonomous charging, (v) soft, friendly aesthetics, (vi) anthropomorphic or biomorphic design (non-robotic) for friendliness and social presence, (vii) androgynous appearance.

Quality management of RDP housing construction: myth or reality?

PurposeSouth Africa has a large social housing scheme to provide primary housing for less privileged citizens who obtain an average monthly income of less than R 3,500.00. The government seeks to promote an integrated society by developing sustainable human settlements and quality housing within a subsidy system for different income groups. This study aims to examine whether quality management is applied to the reconstruction and development programme (RDP) housing programme during construction.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative survey approach was selected for this study. This involved using a close-ended questionnaire to collect data amongst 1,893 households who are currently residing in government housing units in the city of Bloemfontein, in the Free State province. The questionnaires were self-administered amongst randomly selected respondents based on their availability at the time of the visit to the above area. However, only the occupants of a household were included in the study. The data gathered were analysed by making use of R-programming software.FindingsThe findings revealed that a low level of quality is evident in the already constructed RDP housing units. Most of the inspected units were built with low-quality building materials or were not well-constructed, with derelict structural frames and finishes being evident in most houses. Respondents also indicated that they were not satisfied with the quality of some aspects of the units, such as the plaster and paint finishes, door frames built into walls and uneven floors and floor finishes. These complaints indicate that little to no quality management was applied at the time of construction or even afterwards during the latent defects period.Research limitations/implicationsThe survey was limited to responses amongst randomly selected government RDP housing occupants in seven communities in Bloemfontein’s periphery, in the Free State Province of South Africa.Practical implicationsThe empirical results from the findings indicate that the South African Government should ensure that quality management is applied during the housing units’ construction. This may mean that a new strategy for verifying the units’ quality will need to be developed, considering the respondents’ concerns by improving the quality of the construction materials and methods used to erect these units. The government should also consider improving contractors’ tender selection criteria to ensure higher quality construction methods, materials and management.Originality/valueThe study has identified quality challenges in constructing the social housing and stated recommendations that will address the identified issues if implemented by the programme implementers. This will help achieve the programme's objective, which is to improve the living conditions of previously disadvantaged individuals through social housing scheme.

Revisiting an old idea: engineering against vector-borne diseases in the domestic environment.

On 21 April 1983 the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene held a joint meeting with the Institute of Civil Engineers at Manson House on ‘Engineering against Insect-borne Diseases in the Domestic Environment’. The summary of a talk by Chris Schofield and Graham White on ‘House design and domestic vectors of disease’ was published in a special issue of the Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.1 The manuscript highlights the home and peri-domestic environment as an important site of transmission for many vector-borne diseases, due to the presence of people, and in some cases animals, on which to feed, and provision of shelter from predators and extreme climate. For example, malaria mosquito vectors such as Anopheles gambiae readily enter houses at night to feed on humans. Aedes aegypti, the mosquito vector of diseases including dengue, yellow fever, Zika and chikungunya, is common in urban areas where water that collects in discarded plastic containers, car tires and water storage containers provides ideal aquatic habitats for this mosquito to lay its eggs. Cracked and uneven floors and walls can provide habitats for flea larvae, house dust mites, sandflies and triatomine bugs; the latter are vectors of leishmaniasis and Chagas disease, respectively. Flooded pit latrines, cracked septic tanks and stormwater drains provide habitats for Culex mosquitoes, which can transmit filariasis and contribute to nuisance biting.

Development of Stable Walking Robot for Accident Condition Monitoring on Uneven Floors in a Nuclear Power Plant

Abstract Even though the potential for an accident in nuclear power plants is very low, multiple emergency plans are necessary because the impact of such an accident to the public is enormous. One of these emergency plans involves a robotic system for investigating accidents under conditions of high radiation and contaminated air. To develop a robot suitable for operation in a nuclear power plant, we focused on eliminating the three major obstacles that challenge robots in such conditions: the disconnection of radio communication, falling on uneven floors, and loss of localization. To solve the radio problem, a Wi-Fi extender was used in radio shadow areas. To reinforce the walking, we developed two- and four-leg convertible walking, a floor adaptive foot, a roly-poly defensive falling design, and automatic standing recovery after falling methods were developed. To allow the robot to determine its location in the containment building, a bar code landmark reading method was chosen. When a severe accident occurs, this robot will be useful for accident condition monitoring. We also anticipate the robot can serve as a workman aid in a high radiation area during normal operations.

R-SLAM: Resilient localization and mapping in challenging environments

Accurate pose estimation plays an important role in solution of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) problem, required for many robotic applications. This paper presents a new approach called R-SLAM, primarily to overcome systematic and non-systematic odometry errors which are generally caused by uneven floors, unexpected objects on the floor or wheel-slippage due to skidding or fast turns. The hybrid approach presented here combines the strengths of feature based and grid based methods to produce globally consistent high resolution maps within various types of environments.The proposed R-SLAM algorithm improves the pose estimation by positioning some of the particles relative to the features existing in the environment. So instead of assuming unimodal Gaussian distribution of particles, as it is in GMapping method, R-SLAM handles the odometry errors better without increasing the number of particles. R-SLAM approach does not necessitate any pre-defined landmarks, yet makes use of them whenever they exist in the environment. Restricted use of the features keeps the computational complexity suitable for real time applications in large scaled environments.A four wheeled, differential drive mobile robot platform and ROS framework have been used to implement and test the proposed method. Field test results reported in this article are obtained in historical Hagia Sophia museum, Istanbul, which occupies an area of 7500 square meters. To provide analogous results, another set of tests are performed on publicly available datasets and SLAM evaluation toolkit developed at the University of Freiburg is used to compare the results.

The effects of parameter variation on the gaits of passive walking models: simulations and experiments

SUMMARYWe have made a systematic study of the gait of a straight leg planar passive walking model through simulations and experiments. Three normalised parameters, which represent the foot radius, the position of the mass centre and the moment of inertia, are used to characterise the walking model.In the simulation, we have obtained the fixed points and the basins of attraction of the walking models with different parameter combinations by the aid of the cell mapping method. With the results of fixed points, we investigated the effects of parameter variations on the gait descriptors, including step length, period, average speed and energy inefficiency. A model that has a large basin of attraction has been obtained, and it can start walking far from its fixed point. However, the size of the basin of attraction is not a good measurement of robustness. Thus, we proposed floors with random slope angles or stairs with random heights to test robustness. Five hundred times of simulations with 100 non-dimensional time units were implemented for each parameter combination. The times that the walker failed to arrive at the end were recorded. The simulation results showed that the model with a larger foot radius and higher position of mass centre has a lower possibility of falling on uneven floors. A large moment of inertia is helpful for walking on a random slope angle floor, while low values of moment of inertia are good for navigating random stairs.Prototype experiments have validated the simulation results, which showed that models with larger feet have a longer step length and high speed. However, period differences were difficult to obtain in the experiments since the differences were very small. We have tested the sensitivity with the initial conditions of the models with different foot radii on a flat floor, and have also tested the robustness of the models on a floor with random slope angles. The times that the model reached the end of the floor were recorded. The experimental results showed that a large foot radius is good for improving the basin of attraction and robustness on uneven floors. Finally, the exceptions of the experiment are explained.

Balance control of a biped robot using camera image of reference object

This paper presents a new balance control scheme for a biped robot. Instead of using dynamic sensors to measure the pose of a biped robot, this paper uses only the visual information of a specific reference object in the workspace. The zero moment point (ZMP) of the biped robot can be calculated from the robot’s pose, which is measured from the reference object image acquired by a CCD camera on the robot’s head. For balance control of the biped robot a servo controller uses an error between the reference ZMP and the current ZMP, estimated by Kalman filter. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm has been proven by the experiments performed on both flat and uneven floors with unknown thin obstacles.

Principle and design of a mobile arm support for people with muscular weakness

This article describes the development of a mobile arm support for people with muscular diseases. The arm support is spring-balanced, with special attention on reduction of operating effort (high balancing quality and low friction), functionality (large range of motion), and aesthetics (inconspicuous design). The spring settings can be adjusted for wearing heavier clothing or picking up an object, a function that can also be used for moving up or down. The device levels itself automatically to compensate for uneven floors, a function that can be overruled to assist forward/backward motion of the arm. Thus, the balancer can compensate for the weight of the arm and be adjusted to generate force to a limited (safe) extent. The principle and design of the mechanism are presented and preliminary field trial results are given. Two users report on 6 months of continuous use of the arm support in their home and social environments.

Canada remembers

Canada remembers

Omni-Directional Mobility Using Active Split Offset Castors

An omni-directional mobility platform design concept using two active split offset castors (ASOC) and one or more conventional castors is presented. An ASOC module consists of two coaxial conventional wheels driven independently and connected to the platform via an offset link. The kinematics and implementation of the omni-directional platform is described and analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the system performance on uneven floors. The fundamental mechanics of the ASOC wheel scrubbing, which is critical to system wear and energy use, is analyzed and compared to conventional active castor designs. The effectiveness of the design is shown experimentally using an intelligent mobility aid for the elderly.

A Non-Invasive Quarry Mapping System

Abstract The meter-grid system, using spikes hammered into the quarry floor as grid nodes, is a common way to map paleontological and archaeological excavations. This method is invasive to the fossil-bearing horizon and can damage or even destroy buried specimens. This potential is greatest when the site is characterized by high bone concentrations, and/or specimen/matrix friability. A new portable mapping system based on a floating-grid was developed to circumvent these problems. This system also is well suited for excavations with uneven quarry floors. The floating-grid system extends over a quarry using retractable wires and mobile posts. It employs a mapping square that hangs from wires extended from a back wall or rebar posts.

Development of a Cleaning Robot System with Cooperative Positioning System

For the development of an automatic floor cleaning robot system, an accurate positioning method in unstructured and dynamically changing environments is indispensable. Dead reckoning is a popular method, but is not reliable for measurement over long distances especially on uneven and slippery floors due to the accumulation error of wheel diameter and slippage. The landmark method, which estimates current position relative to landmarks, cannot be used in an uncharted and an unfamiliar environment. We have proposed a new method called “Cooperative Positioning System (CPS).” The main concept of CPS is to divide the robots into two groups, A and B where group A remains stationary and acts as a landmark while group B moves, then group B stops and acts as a landmark for group A. This process is repeated until the target position is reached. CPS has a far lower accumulation of positioning error than dead reckoning, and can work in three-dimensions. Also, CPS has inherent landmarks and therefore works in uncharted environments. In previous papers, we have introduced the prototype CPS machine models, CPS-I and CPS-II and demonstrated high performance as a positioning system in an unknown and uneven environment. In this paper, we report on the third prototype CPS model, CPS-III, that is designed specifically as an automatic floor-cleaning robot system, and the results of a floor cleaning experiment. In this system, we categorize these robots for two tasks, that is, an accurate positioning task achieved with 3 robots using the CPS strategy, and a floor-cleaning task executed by an omni-directional vehicle, so as to improve the efficiency of the floor-cleaning system. Experiments show that these robots can perform a floor-cleaning task in a corridor within a positioning error of 140.8 mm even after robots move over a distance of 101.7 m.