Path Planning of Multi-Axis Robotic Arm Based on Improved RRT*

An improved RRT∗algorithm,referred to as the AGP-RRT∗algorithm,is proposed to address the problems of poor directionality,long generated paths,and slow convergence speed in multi-axis robotic arm path planning.First,an adaptive biased probabilistic sampling strategy is adopted to dynamically adjust the target deviation threshold and optimize the selection of random sampling points and the direction of generating new nodes in order to reduce the search space and improve the search efficiency.Second,a gravitationally adjustable step size strategy is used to guide the search process and dynamically adjust the step-size to accelerate the search speed of the algorithm.Finally,the planning path is processed by pruning,removing redundant points and path smoothing fitting using cubic B-spline curves to improve the flexibility of the robotic arm.Through the six-axis robotic arm path planning simulation experiments on the MATLAB platform,the results show that the AGP-RRT∗algorithm reduces 87.34%in terms of the average running time and 40.39%in terms of the average path cost;Meanwhile,under two sets of complex environments A and B,the average running time of the AGP-RRT∗algorithm is shortened by 94.56%vs.95.37%,and the average path cost is reduced by 55.28%vs.47.82%,which proves the effectiveness of the AGP-RRT∗algorithm in improving the efficiency of multi-axis robotic arm path planning.

The loaded matrix:neurotrophin-enriched hydrogels for stem cell brain repair in Parkinson's disease

More than 200 years after Parkinson's disease was first described by the English surgeon whose name would eventually be given to the condition,available treatments remain purely symptomatic,leaving a critical unmet clinical need for a diseasemodifying therapy.

High Fe‑Loading Single‑Atom Catalyst Boosts ROS Production by Density Effect for Efficient Antibacterial Therapy

The current single-atom catalysts(SACs)for medicine still suffer from the limited active site density.Here,we develop a synthetic method capable of increasing both the metal loading and mass-specific activity of SACs by exchanging zinc with iron.The constructed iron SACs(h^(3)-FNC)with a high metal loading of 6.27 wt%and an optimized adjacent Fe distance of~4 A exhibit excellent oxidase-like catalytic performance without significant activity decay after being stored for six months and promising antibacterial effects.Attractively,a“density effect”has been found at a high-enough metal doping amount,at which individual active sites become close enough to interact with each other and alter the electronic structure,resulting in significantly boosted intrinsic activity of single-atomic iron sites in h^(3)-FNCs by 2.3 times compared to low-and medium-loading SACs.Consequently,the overall catalytic activity of h^(3)-FNC is highly improved,with mass activity and metal mass-specific activity that are,respectively,66 and 315 times higher than those of commercial Pt/C.In addition,h^(3)-FNCs demonstrate efficiently enhanced capability in catalyzing oxygen reduction into superoxide anion(O_(2)·^(−))and glutathione(GSH)depletion.Both in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrate the superior antibacterial efficacy of h^(3)-FNCs in promoting wound healing.This work presents an intriguing activity-enhancement effect in catalysts and exhibits impressive therapeutic efficacy in combating bacterial infections.

Three-dimensional Tool Radius Compensation for Multi-axis Peripheral Milling

Few function about 3D tool radius compensation is applied to generating executable motion control commands in the existing computer numerical control (CNC) systems. Once the tool radius is changed, especially in the case of tool size changing with tool wear in machining, a new NC program has to be recreated. A generic 3D tool radius compensation method for multi-axis peripheral milling in CNC systems is presented. The offset path is calculated by offsetting the tool path along the direction of the offset vector with a given distance. The offset vector is perpendicular to both the tangent vector of the tool path and the orientation vector of the tool axis relative to the workpiece. The orientation vector equations of the tool axis relative to the workpiece are obtained through homogeneous coordinate transformation matrix and forward kinematics of generalized kinematics model of multi-axis machine tools. To avoid cutting into the corner formed by the two adjacent tool paths, the coordinates of offset path at the intersection point have been calculated according to the transition type that is determined by the angle between the two tool path tangent vectors at the corner. Through the verification by the solid cutting simulation software VERICUTwith different tool radiuses on a table-tilting type five-axis machine tool, and by the real machining experiment of machining a soup spoon on a five-axis machine tool with the developed CNC system, the effectiveness of the proposed 3D tool radius compensation method is confirmed. The proposed compensation method can be suitable for all kinds of threeto five-axis machine tools as a general form.

Anisotropic Force Ellipsoid Based Multi-axis Motion Optimization of Machine Tools

The existing research of the motion optimization of multi-axis machine tools is mainly based on geometric and kinematic constraints, which aim at obtaining minimum-time trajectories and finding obstacle-free paths. In motion optimization, the stiffness characteristics of the whole machining system, including machine tool and cutter, are not considered. The paper presents a new method to establish a general stiffness model of multi-axis machining system. An analytical stiffness model is established by Jacobi and point transformation matrix method. Based on the stiffness model, feed-direction stiffness index is calculated by the intersection of force ellipsoid and the cutting feed direction at the cutter tip. The stiffness index can help analyze the stiffness performance of the whole machining system in the available workspace. Based on the analysis of the stiffness performance, multi-axis motion optimization along tool paths is accomplished by mixed programming using Matlab and Visual C＋＋. The effectiveness of the motion optimization method is verified by the experimental research about the machining performance of a 7-axis 5-linkage machine tool. The proposed research showed that machining stability and production efficiency can be improved by multi-axis motion optimization based on the anisotropic force ellipsoid of the whole machining system.

The development of real time data driving multi-axis linkage and synergic movement control system of 3D variable cross-section roll forming machine

The three dimensional variable cross-section roll forming is a kind of new metal forming technol- ogy which combines large forming force, multi-axis linkage movement and space synergic movement, and the sequential synergic movement of the ganged roller group is used to complete the metal sheet forming according to the shape of the complicated and variable forming part data. The control system should meet the demands of quick response to the test requirements of the product part. A new kind of real time data driving multi-axis linkage and synergic movement control strategy of 3D roll forming is put forward in the paper. In the new control strategy, the forming data are automatically generated according to the shape of the parts, and the multi-axis linkage movement together with cooperative motion among the six stands of the 3D roll forming machine is driven by the real-time information, and the control nodes are also driven by the forming data. The new control strategy is applied to a 48 axis 3D roll forming machine developed by our research center, and the control servo period is less than 10ms. A forming experiment of variable cross section part is carried out, and the forming preci- sion is better than ＋ 0.5mm by the control strategy. The result of the experiment proves that the control strategy has significant potentiality for the development of 3D roll forming production line with large scale, multi-axis ganged and svner^ic movement

Design of a Multi-axis Motion Control Platform Based on LabVIEW’s Fuzzy Control Algorithm

This paper presents a fuzzy control algorithm applied to the position control of a multi-axis motion platform to achieve high precision motion control of the multi-axis motion platform.A LabVIEW-based multi-axis motion control system is designed.This system controls stepper motors using trapezoidal acceleration/deceleration pulse types and fuzzy control algorithms,which effectively avoids mechanical jitter and loss of step in the process of multi-angle motion of the stepper motor,and achieves accurate control of the stepper motor.The TCP/IP(transmission control protocol/internet protocol)communication protocol is used,so that data are output stably and not lost in the process of transmission and communication,achieving the purpose of interconnection of different systems and remote control of equipment.This control system has been tested to maintain a high level of stability and repeatability during actual operation.

Laser Interferometer Based Measurement for Positioning Error Compensation in Cartesian Multi-Axis Systems

Accuracy is one of the most important key indices to evaluate multi-axis systems’ (MAS’s) characteristics and performances. The accuracy of MAS’s such as machine tools, measuring machines and robots is adversely affected by various error sources, including geometric imperfections, thermal deformations, load effects, and dynamic disturbances. The increasing demand for higher dimensional accuracy in various industrial applications has created the need to develop cost-effective methods for enhancing the overall performance of these mechanisms. Improving the accuracy of a MAS by upgrading the physical structure would lead to an exponential increase in manufacturing costs without totally eliminating geometrical deviations and thermal deformations of MAS components. Hence, the idea of reducing MAS’s error by a software-based alternative approach to provide real-time prediction and correction of geometric and thermally induced errors is considered a strategic step toward achieving the full potential of the MAS. This paper presents a structured approach designed to improve the accuracy of Cartesian MAS’s through software error compensation. Four steps are required to develop and implement this approach: (i) measurement of error components using a multidimensional laser interferometer system, (ii) tridimensional volumetric error mapping using rigid body kinematics, (iii) volumetric error prediction via an artificial neural network model, and finally (iv) implementation of the on-line error compensation. An illustrative example using a bridge type coordinate measuring machine is presented.

Mechanical responses of anchoring structure under triaxial cyclic loading

Dynamic load on anchoring structures(AS)within deep roadways can result in cumulative damage and failure.This study develops an experimental device designed to test AS under triaxial loads.The device enables the investigation of the mechanical response,failure mode,instability assessment criteria,and anchorage effect of AS subjected to combined cyclic dynamic-static triaxial stress paths.The results show that the peak bearing strength is positively correlated with the anchoring matrix strength,anchorage length,and edgewise compressive strength.The bearing capacity decreases significantly when the anchorage direction is severely inclined.The free face failure modes are typically transverse cracking,concave fracturing,V-shaped slipping and detachment,and spallation detachment.Besides,when the anchoring matrix strength and the anchorage length decrease while the edgewise compressive strength,loading rate,and anchorage inclination angle increase,the failure intensity rises.Instability is determined by a negative tangent modulus of the displacement-strength curve or the continued deformation increase against the general downward trend.Under cyclic loads,the driving force that breaks the rock mass along the normal vector and the rigidity of the AS are the two factors that determine roadway stability.Finally,a control measure for surrounding rock stability is proposed to reduce the internal driving force via a pressure relief method and improve the rigidity of the AS by full-length anchorage and grouting modification.

State-of-the-art on the anchorage performance of rock bolts subjected to shear load

Rock bolts are extensively utilized in underground engineering as a means of offering support and stability to rock masses in tunnels,mines,and other underground structures.In environments of high ground stress,faults or weak zones can frequently arise in rock formations,presenting a significant challenge for engineering and potentially leading to underground engineering collapse.Rock bolts serve as a crucial structural element for the transmission of tensile stress and are capable of withstanding shear loads to prevent sliding of weak zones within rock mass.Therefore,a complete understanding of the behavior of rock bolts subjected to shear loads is essential.This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of the research progress of rock bolts subjected to shear load in three categories:experiment,numerical simulation,and analytical model.The review focuses on the research studies and developments in this area since the 1970s,providing a comprehensive overview of numerous factors that influence the anchorage performance of rock bolts.These factors include the diameter and angle of the rock bolt installation,rock strength,grouting material,bolt material,borehole diameter,rock bolt preload,normal stress,joint surface roughness and joint expansion angle.The paper reviews the improvement of mechanical parameter setting in numerical simulation of rock bolt shear.Furthermore,it delves into the optimization of the analytical model concerning rock bolt shear theory,approached from the perspectives of both Elastic foundation beam theory coupled with Elastoplasticity theory and Structural mechanic methods.The significance of this review lies in its ability to provide insights into the mechanical behavior of rock bolts.The paper also highlights the limitations of current research and guidelines for further research of rock bolts.

DEVELOPMENT OF NEW GENERATION THERMOMECHANICAL SIMULATOR-MULTI-AXIS RESTRAINT COMPRESSION(MARC-STRAIN^(TM))SYSTEM

Ultrafine grain size is often achieved by severe plastic deformation. A few techniques have been devel- oped to achieve severe plastic deformation,such as equal channel angular (ECA ) processing, torsion, and accumulative roll bonding (ARB) techmpues. This paper will introduce a moftiaxis deformation technique which can achieve essentially unlimited strain with constant deformation volume. The mul- tiaxis deformation can be fully restrained or unrestrained.The bulk volume of a multiaxis restraint compression specimen can be easily machined into mechanical testing specimens for mechanical property measurement and other studies.

Mechanical behavior and failure mechanisms of rock bolts subjected to static-dynamic loads

This study explores the effects of dynamic and static loading on rock bolt performance a key factor in maintaining the structural safety of coal mine roadways susceptible to coal bursts.Employing a housemade load frame to simulate various failure scenarios,pretension-impact-pull tests on rock bolts were conducted to scrutinize their dynamic responses under varied static load conditions and their failure traits under combined loads.The experimental results denote that with increased impact energy,maximum and average impact loads on rock bolts escalate significantly under pretension,initiating plastic deformation beyond a certain threshold.Despite minor reductions in the yield load due to impactinduced damage,pretension aids in constraining post-impact deformation rate and fluctuation degree of rock bolts.Moreover,impact-induced plastic deformation causes internal microstructure dislocation,fortifying the stiffness of the rock bolt support system.The magnitude of this fortification is directly related to the plastic deformation induced by the impact.These findings provide crucial guidance for designing rock bolt support in coal mine roadway excavation,emphasizing the necessity to consider both static and dynamic loads for improved safety and efficiency.

A drug-loaded flexible substrate improves the performance of conformal cortical electrodes

Cortical electrodes are a powerful tool for the stimulation and/or recording of electrical activity in the nervous system.However,the inevitable wound caused by surgical implantation of electrodes presents bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction risks associated with foreign body exposure.Moreover,inflammation of the wound area can dramatically worsen in response to bacterial infection.These consequences can not only lead to the failure of cortical electrode implantation but also threaten the lives of patients.Herein,we prepared a hydrogel made of bacterial cellulose(BC),a flexible substrate for cortical electrodes,and further loaded antibiotic tetracycline(TC)and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone(DEX)onto it.The encapsulated drugs can be released from the BC hydrogel and effectively inhibit the growth of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.Next,therapeutic cortical electrodes were developed by integrating the drug-loaded BC hydrogel and nine-channel serpentine arrays;these were used to record electrocorticography(ECoG)signals in a rat model.Due to the controlled release of TC and DEX from the BC hydrogel substrate,therapeutic cortical electrodes can alleviate or prevent symptoms associated with the bacterial infection and inflammation of brain tissue.This approach facilitates the development of drug delivery electrodes for resolving complications caused by implantable electrodes.

Reinforcing effects of polypropylene on energy absorption and fracturing of cement-based tailings backfill under impact loading

Polypropylene(PP)fiber-reinforced cement-based tailings backfill(FRCTB)is a green compound material with superior crack resistance and has good prospects for application in underground mining.However,FRCTB exhibits susceptibility to dynamic events,such as impact ground pressure and blast vibrations.This paper investigates the energy and crack distribution behavior of FRCTB under dynamic impact,considering the height/diameter(H/D)effect.Split Hopkinson pressure bar,industrial computed tomography scan,and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)experiments were carried out on six types of FRCTB.Laboratory outcomes confirmed fiber aggregation at the bottom of specimens.When H/D was less than 0.8,the proportion of PP fibers distributed along theθangle direction of80°-90°increased.For the total energy,all samples presented similar energy absorption,reflectance,and transmittance.However,a rise in H/D may cause a rise in the energy absorption rate of FRCTB during the peak phase.A positive correlation existed between the average strain rate and absorbed energy per unit volume.The increase in H/D resulted in a decreased crack volume fraction of FRCTB.When the H/D was greater than or equal to 0.7,the maximum crack volume fraction of FRCTB was observed close to the incidence plane.Radial cracks were present only in the FRCTB with an H/D ratio of 0.5.Samples with H/D ratios of 0.5 and 0.6 showed similar distributions of weakly and heavily damaged areas.PP fibers can limit the emergence and expansion of cracks by influencing their path.SEM observations revealed considerable differences in the bonding strengths between fibers and the FRCTB.Fibers that adhered particularly well to the substrate were attracted together with the hydration products adhering to surfaces.These results show that FRCTB is promising as a sustainable and green backfill for determining the design properties of mining with backfill.

Conservation genomic investigation of an endangered conifer,Thuja sutchuenensis,reveals low genetic diversity but also low genetic load

Endangered species generally have small populations with low genetic diversity and a high genetic load.Thuja sutchuenensis is an endangered conifer endemic to southwestern China.It was once considered extinct in the wild,but in 1999 was rediscovered.However,little is known about its genetic load.We collected 67 individuals from five wild,isolated T.sutchuenensis populations,and used 636,151 SNPs to analyze the level of genetic diversity and genetic load in T.sutchuenensis to delineate the conservation units of T.sutchuenensis,based on whole transcriptome sequencing data,as well as target capture sequencing data.We found that populations of T.sutchuenensis could be divided into three groups.These groups had low levels genetic diversity and were moderately genetically differentiated.Our findings also indicate that T.sutchuenensis suffered two severe bottlenecks around the Last Glaciation Period and Last Glacial Maximum.Among Thuja species,T.sutchuenensis presented the lowest genetic load and hence might have purged deleterious mutations efficiently through purifying selection.However,distribution of fitness effects analysis indicated a high extinction risk for T.sutchuenensis.Multiple lines of evidence identified three management units for T.sutchuenensis.Although T.sutchuenensis possesses a low genetic load,low genetic diversity,suboptimal fitness,and anthropogenic pressures all present an extinction risk for this rare conifer.This might also hold true for many endangered plant species in the mountains all over the world.

Observation of tropospheric NO_2 by airborne multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy in the Pearl River Delta region,south China

An airborne multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopic （AMAX-DOAS） instrument was developed and applied to measure tropospheric NO2 in the Pearl River Delta region in the south of China. By combining the measurements in nadir and zenith directions and analyzing the UV and visible spectral region using the DOAS method, information about tropospheric NO2 vertical columns was obtained. Strong tropospheric NO2 signals were detected when flying over heavilly polluted regions and point sources like plants. The AMAX-DOAS results were compared with ground-based MAX-DOAS observations in the southwest of Zhuhai city using the same parameters for radiative transport calculations. The difference in vertical column data between the two instruments is about 8%. Our data were also compared with those from OMI and fair agreement was obtained with a correlation coefficient R of 0.61. The difference between the two instruments can be attributed to the different spatial resolution and the temporal mismatch during the measurements.

Transient response of doubly-curved bio-inspired composite shells resting on viscoelastic foundation subject to blast load using improved first-order shear theory and isogeometric approach

Investigating natural-inspired applications is a perennially appealing subject for scientists. The current increase in the speed of natural-origin structure growth may be linked to their superior mechanical properties and environmental resilience. Biological composite structures with helicoidal schemes and designs have remarkable capacities to absorb impact energy and withstand damage. However, there is a dearth of extensive study on the influence of fiber redirection and reorientation inside the matrix of a helicoid structure on its mechanical performance and reactivity. The present study aimed to explore the static and transient responses of a bio-inspired helicoid laminated composite(B-iHLC) shell under the influence of an explosive load using an isomorphic method. The structural integrity of the shell is maintained by a viscoelastic basis known as the Pasternak foundation, which encompasses two coefficients of stiffness and one coefficient of damping. The equilibrium equations governing shell dynamics are obtained by using Hamilton's principle and including the modified first-order shear theory,therefore obviating the need to employ a shear correction factor. The paper's model and approach are validated by doing numerical comparisons with respected publications. The findings of this study may be used in the construction of military and civilian infrastructure in situations when the structure is subjected to severe stresses that might potentially result in catastrophic collapse. The findings of this paper serve as the foundation for several other issues, including geometric optimization and the dynamic response of similar mechanical structures.

Energy mechanism of bolt supporting effect to fissured rock under static and dynamic loads in deep coal mines

The stability control of fissured rock is difficult,especially under static and dynamic loads in deep coal mines.In this paper,the dynamic mechanical properties,strain rate evolution and energy dissipation of fissured and anchored rocks were respectively obtained by SHPB tests.It was found that bolt can provide supporting efficiency-improving effect for fissured rock against dynamic disturbance,and this effect increased quadratically with decrease in anchoring angles.Then,the energy dissipation mechanism of anchored rock was obtained by slipping model.Furthermore,bolt energy-absorbing mechanism by instantaneous tensile-shear deformation was expressed based on material mechanics,which was the larger the anchoring angle,the smaller the energy absorption,and the less the contribution to supporting efficiency improvement.On this basis,the functional relationship between energy dissipation of anchored rock and energy absorption of bolt was established.Taking the coal-gangue separation system of Longgu coal mine as an example,the optimal anchoring angle can be determined as 57.5°–67.5°.Field monitoring showed fissured rock with the optimal anchoring angle,can not only effectively control the deformation,but also fully exert the energy-absorbing and efficiency-improving effect of bolt itself.This study provides guidance to the stability control and supporting design for deep engineering under the same or similar conditions.

Damage evolution of rock-encased-backfill structure under stepwise cyclic triaxial loading

Rock-encased-backfill(RB)structures are common in underground mining,for example in the cut-andfill and stoping methods.To understand the effects of cyclic excavation and blasting activities on the damage of these RB structures,a series of triaxial stepwise-increasing-amplitude cyclic loading experiments was conducted with cylindrical RB specimens(rock on outside,backfill on inside)with different volume fractions of rock(VF=0.48,0.61,0.73,and 0.84),confining pressures(0,6,9,and 12 MPa),and cyclic loading rates(200,300,400,and 500 N/s).The damage evolution and meso-crack formation during the cyclic tests were analyzed with results from stress-strain hysteresis loops,acoustic emission events,and post-failure X-ray 3D fracture morphology.The results showed significant differences between cyclic and monotonic loadings of RB specimens,particularly with regard to the generation of shear microcracks,the development of stress memory and strain hardening,and the contact forces and associated friction that develops along the rock-backfill interface.One important finding is that as a function of the number of cycles,the elastic strain increases linearly and the dissipated energy increases exponentially.Also,compared with monotonic loading,the cyclic strain hardening characteristics are more sensitive to rising confining pressures during the initial compaction stage.Another finding is that compared with monotonic loading,more shear microcracks are generated during every reloading stage,but these microcracks tend to be dispersed and lessen the likelihood of large shear fracture formation.The transition from elastic to plastic behavior varies depending on the parameters of each test(confinement,volume fraction,and cyclic rate),and an interesting finding was that the transformation to plastic behavior is significantly lower under the conditions of 0.73 rock volume fraction,400 N/s cyclic loading rate,and 9 MPa confinement.All the findings have important practical implications on the ability of backfill to support underground excavations.

Liquefaction susceptibility and deformation characteristics of saturated coral sandy soils subjected to cyclic loadings-a critical review

Coral sandy soils widely exist in coral island reefs and seashores in tropical and subtropical regions.Due to the unique marine depositional environment of coral sandy soils,the engineering characteristics and responses of these soils subjected to monotonic and cyclic loadings have been a subject of intense interest among the geotechnical and earthquake engineering communities.This paper critically reviews the progress of experimental investigations on the undrained behavior of coral sandy soils under monotonic and cyclic loadings over the last three decades.The focus of coverage includes the contractive-dilative behavior,the pattern of excess pore-water pressure(EPWP)generation and the liquefaction mechanism and liquefaction resistance,the small-strain shear modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus and damping,the cyclic softening feature,and the anisotropic characteristics of undrained responses of saturated coral sandy soils.In particular,the advances made in the past decades are reviewed from the following aspects:(1)the characterization of factors that impact the mechanism and patterns of EPWP build-up;(2)the identification of liquefaction triggering in terms of the apparent viscosity and the average flow coefficient;(3)the establishment of the invariable form of strain-based,stress-based,or energy-based EPWP ratio formulas and the unique relationship between the new proxy of liquefaction resistance and the number of cycles required to reach liquefaction;(4)the establishment of the invariable form of the predictive formulas of small strain modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus;and(5)the investigation on the effects of stress-induced anisotropy on liquefaction susceptibility and dynamic deformation characteristics.Insights gained through the critical review of these advances in the past decades offer a perspective for future research to further resolve the fundamental issues concerning the liquefaction mechanism and responses of coral sandy sites subjected to cyclic loadings associated with seismic events in marine environments.