High flow nasal therapy in immunocompromised patients with acute respiratory failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

2019

Abstract Purpose The role of high-flow nasal therapy (HFNT) as compared to conventional oxygen therapy (COT) in immunocompromised patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) with acute respiratory failure (ARF) remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis in order to address this issue. Methods We searched PubMed, Medline and Embase until November 7th, 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized prospective and retrospective evidence were selected. Observational studies were considered for sensitivity analysis. Primary outcome was mortality rate; intubation rate was a secondary outcome. Results We included four studies in the primary analysis: one RCT…

A comparison between a two feedback control loop and a reinforcement learning algorithm for compliant low-cost series elastic actuators

2020

Highly-compliant elastic actuators have become progressively prominent over the last years for a variety of robotic applications. With remarkable shock tolerance, elastic actuators are appropriate for robots operating in unstructured environments. In accordance with this trend, a novel elastic actuator was recently designed by our research group for Serpens, a low-cost, open-source and highly-compliant multi-purpose modular snake robot. To control the newly designed elastic actuators of Serpens, a two-feedback loops position control algorithm was proposed. The inner controller loop is implemented as a model reference adaptive controller (MRAC), while the outer control loop adopts a fuzzy pr…

Predatory Open-Access Publishing in Palliative and Supportive Care.

2019

Modelling and Control of a 2-DOF Robot Arm with Elastic Joints for Safe Human-Robot Interaction

2021

Collaborative robots (or cobots) are robots that can safely work together or interact with humans in a common space. They gradually become noticeable nowadays. Compliant actuators are very relevant for the design of cobots. This type of actuation scheme mitigates the damage caused by unexpected collision. Therefore, elastic joints are considered to outperform rigid joints when operating in a dynamic environment. However, most of the available elastic robots are relatively costly or difficult to construct. To give researchers a solution that is inexpensive, easily customisable, and fast to fabricate, a newly-designed low-cost, and open-source design of an elastic joint is presented in this w…

A Perspective Review on Integrating VR/AR with Haptics into STEM Education for Multi-Sensory Learning

2022

As a result of several governments closing educational facilities in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, almost 80% of the world’s students were not in school for several weeks. Schools and universities are thus increasing their efforts to leverage educational resources and provide possibilities for remote learning. A variety of educational programs, platforms, and technologies are now accessible to support student learning; while these tools are important for society, they are primarily concerned with the dissemination of theoretical material. There is a lack of support for hands-on laboratory work and practical experience. This is particularly important for all disciplines related …

Teaching Motion Control in Mechatronics Education Using an Open Framework Based on the Elevator Model

2022

Universities and other educational institutions may find it difficult to afford the cost of obtaining cutting-edge teaching resources. This study introduces the adoption of a novel open prototyping framework in the context of mechatronics education, employing low-cost commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and tools for the motion control module. The goal of this study is to propose a novel structure for the motion control module in the engineering mechatronics curriculum. The objective is to foster a new teaching method. From a methodology perspective, students are involved in a series of well-organised theoretical lectures as well as practical, very engaging group projects in the lab.…

A Trajectory-Driven 3D Non-Stationary mm-Wave MIMO Channel Model for a Single Moving Point Scatterer

2021

This paper proposes a new non-stationary three-dimensional (3D) channel model for a physical millimeter wave (mm-Wave) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channel. This MIMO channel model is driven by the trajectory of a moving point scatterer, which allows us to investigate the impact of a single moving point scatterer on the propagation characteristics in an indoor environment. Starting from the time-variant (TV) channel transfer function, the temporal behavior of the proposed non-stationary channel model has been analyzed by studying the TV micro-Doppler characteristics and the TV mean Doppler shift. The proposed channel model has been validated by measurements performed in an indoor e…

A Novel Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Using The Mayfly Algorithm for Classification

2021

Training of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) have been improved over the years using meta heuristic algorithms that introduce randomness into the training method but they might be prone to falling into a local minima in a high-dimensional space and have low convergence rate with the iterative process. To cater for the inefficiencies of training such an ANN, a novel neural network is presented in this paper using the bio-inspired algorithm of the movement and mating of the mayflies. The proposed Mayfly algorithm is explored as a means to update weights and biases of the neural network. As compared to previous meta heuristic algorithms, the proposed approach finds the global minima cost at f…

A Low-Cost Multi-Modal Auditory-Visual-Tactile Framework for Remote Touch

2020

International audience; Haptic technology for human augmentation provides gains in ability for different applications, whether the aim is to enhance "disabilities" to "abilities", or "abilities" to "super-abilities". Commercially-available devices are generally expensive and tailored to specific applications and hardware. To give researchers a haptic feedback system that is economical, customisable, and fast to fabricate, our group developed a low-cost immersive haptic, audio, and visual experience built by using off-the-shelf (COTS) components. It is composed of a vibrotactile glove, a Leap Motion sensor, and an head-mounted display, integrated together to provide compelling immersive sens…

A Review of the State-of-the-Art of Assistive Technology for People with ASD in the Workplace and in Everyday Life

2019

Part 8: Digital Divide and Social Inclusion; International audience; Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is an incurable brain-based disorder that refers to a wide range of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterised by marked difficulties in communication and social skills, repetitive behaviour, highly focused interests and sensory sensitivity. Autism can present challenges for affected people at the work environment and in everyday life. The barrier for individuals with ASD increases further with changing environmental situations. Individuals with ASD have limited abilities to isolate their Five senses and often experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch…

Predatory Open-Access Publishing in Anesthesiology.

2018

Predatory publishing is an exploitative fraudulent open-access publishing model that applies charges under the pretense of legitimate publishing operations without actually providing the editorial services associated with legitimate journals. The aim of this study was to analyze this phenomenon in the field of anesthesiology and related specialties (intensive care, critical and respiratory medicine, pain medicine, and emergency care). Two authors independently surveyed a freely accessible, constantly updated version of the original Beall lists of potential, possible, or probable predatory publishers and standalone journals. We identified 212 journals from 83 publishers, and the total number…

Burnout in Cardiac Anesthesiologists: Results From a National Survey in Italy

2018

Objective There is increasing burnout incidence among medical disciplines, and physicians working in emergency settings seem at higher risk. Cardiac anesthesiology is a stressful anesthesiology subspecialty dealing with high-risk patients. The authors hypothesized a high risk of burnout in cardiac anesthesiologists. Design National survey conducted on burnout. Setting Italian cardiac centers. Participants Cardiac anesthesiologists. Interventions The authors administered via email an anonymous questionnaire divided into 3 parts. The first 2 parts evaluated workload and private life. The third part consisted of the Maslach Burnout Inventory test with its 3 constituents: high emotional exhaust…

Path Planning for Perception-Driven Obstacle-Aided Snake Robot Locomotion

2020

Development of snake robots have been motivated by the ability of snakes to move efficiently in unstructured and cluttered environments. A snake robot has the potential to utilise obstacles for generating locomotion, in contrast to wheeled robots which are unable to move efficiently in rough terrain. In this paper, we propose a local path planning algorithm for snake robots based on obstacle-aided locomotion (OAL). An essential feature in OAL is to determine suitable push-points in the environment that the snake robot can use for locomotion. The proposed method is based on a set of criteria for evaluating a path, and is a novel contribution of this paper. We focus on local path planning and…

Long-term functional and psychological recovery in a population of acute respiratory distress syndrome patients treated with VV-ECMO and in their car…

2019

Background Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) survivors are affected with long-term physical/mental impairments, with improvements limited mostly to the first year after intensive care (ICU) discharge. Furthermore, caregivers of ICU patients exhibit psychological problems after family-member recovery. We evaluated the long-term physical and mental recovery of ARDS survivors treated with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO), and the long-term psychological impact on their caregivers. Methods Single-center prospective evaluation of a retrospective cohort of 75 ARDS patients treated with VV-ECMO during a seven-year period (25.10.2009-11.08.2016). Primary outcomes w…

The Aquatic Surface Robot (AnSweR), a Lightweight, Low Cost, Multipurpose Unmanned Research Vessel

2021

Even though a few examples of aquatic surface robots exist, they are generally expensive, relatively large and heavy and tailored to custom-made hardware/software components that are not openly available to a broad public. In this work, the Aquatic Surface Robot (AnSweR), a newly-designed, lightweight, low cost, open-source, multipurpose unmanned research vessel is presented. The AnSweR features a lightweight and compact design that makes it fit in a backpack. Low-noise operation (in and above the surface) is achieved with a propulsion system based on two water-jets. Only affordable commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components are adopted. The primary goal of the AnSweR is to map underwater l…

A robust two-feedback loops position control algorithm for compliant low-cost series elastic actuators

2019

Elastic joints are considered to outperform rigid joints in terms of peak dynamics, collision tolerance, robustness, and energy efficiency. Therefore, intrinsically elastic joints have become progressively prominent over the last years for a variety of robotic applications. In this article, a two-feedback loops position control algorithm is proposed for an elastic actuator to deal with the influence from external disturbances. The considered elastic actuator was recently designed by our research group for Serpens, a low-cost, open-source and highly-compliant multi-purpose modular snake robot. In particular, the inner controller loop is implemented as a model reference adaptive controller (M…

Incidence and factors associated with burnout in anesthesiology: A systematic review

2017

Background. Burnout syndrome has reached epidemic levels among physicians (reported around 50%). Anesthesiology is among the most stressful medical disciplines but there is paucity of literature as compared with others. Analysis of burnout is essential because it is associated with safety and quality of care. We summarize evidence on burnout in anesthesiology. Methods. We conducted a systematic review (MEDLINE up to 30.06.2017). We included studies reporting burnout in anesthesiology with no restriction on role or screening test used. Results. Fifteen surveys/studies described burnout in anesthesiology, including different workers profiles (nurses, residents, consultants, and directors). Al…

Aquatic Surface Robots: the State of the Art, Challenges and Possibilities

2020

In this paper, a survey of the state of the art, challenges, and possibilities for aquatic surface robots is presented. To this end, a survey and classification of aquatic surface robots is first outlined. Then, different levels of autonomy are identified for this typology of robots and categorised into environmental complexity, mission complexity, and external system independence. From this perspective, a step-wise approach is adopted on how to increment aquatic surface robots abilities within guidance, navigation, and control in order to target the different levels of autonomy. Possibilities and challenges for designing aquatic surface robots as carriers for conducting research activities…

A Hybrid Algorithm Based on WiFi for Robust and Effective Indoor Positioning

2019

Indoor positioning based on the Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) protocol and the Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) approach is widely exploited because of the existing WiFi infrastructure in buildings and the advancement of built-in smartphone sensors. In this work, a hybrid algorithm that combines WiFi fingerprinting and PDR to both exploit their advantages as well as limiting the impact of their disadvantages is proposed. Specifically, to build a probability map from noisy Received Signal Strength (RSS), a Gaussian Process (GP) regression is deployed to estimate and construct the RSS fingerprints with incomplete data. Mean and variance of generated points are used to estimate WiFi fingerprinting p…

A Novel Adaptive Sliding Mode Controller for a 2-DOF Elastic Robotic Arm

2022

Collaborative robots (or cobots) are robots that are capable of safely operating in a shared environment or interacting with humans. In recent years, cobots have become increasingly common. Compliant actuators are critical in the design of cobots. In real applications, this type of actuation system may be able to reduce the amount of damage caused by an unanticipated collision. As a result, elastic joints are expected to outperform stiff joints in complex situations. In this work, the control of a 2-DOF robot arm with elastic actuators is addressed by proposing a two-loop adaptive controller. For the outer control loop, an adaptive sliding mode controller (ASMC) is adopted to deal with unce…

Adaptive ML-based technique for renewable energy system power forecasting in hybrid PV-Wind farms power conversion systems

2022

Large scale integration of renewable energy system with classical electrical power generation system requires a precise balance to maintain and optimize the supply–demand limitations in power grids operations. For this purpose, accurate forecasting is needed from wind energy conversion systems (WECS) and solar power plants (SPPs). This daunting task has limits with long-short term and precise term forecasting due to the highly random nature of environmental conditions. This paper offers a hybrid variational decomposition model (HVDM) as a revolutionary composite deep learning-based evolutionary technique for accurate power production forecasting in microgrid farms. The objective is to obtai…

uMemristorToolbox: Open source framework to control memristors in Unity for ternary applications

2020

This paper presents uMemristorToolbox, a novel open source framework that reads and writes non-volatile ternary states to memristors. The Unity (C#) framework is a port of the open source Java project Memristor-Discovery and adds a closed-loop ternary memory controller to enable both PC and real-time embedded ternary applications. We validate the closed-loop ternary memory controller in an embedded system case study with 16 M+SDC Tungsten dopant memristors. We measure an average switching speed of 3 Hz, worst case energy usage of 1 μW per switch, 0.03% random write error and no decay in (non-volatile) state retention after 15 minutes. We conclude with observations and open questions when wo…

Investigating the User Experience of Virtual Reality Rehabilitation Solution for Biomechatronics Laboratory and Home Environment

2021

Virtual reality (VR) technology is a promising tool in physical rehabilitation. Research indicates that VR-supported rehabilitation is beneficial for task-specific training, multi-sensory feedback, diversified rehabilitation tasks, and patient motivation. Our first goal was to create a biomechatronics laboratory with a VR setup for increasing immersion and a motion platform to provide realistic feedback to patients. The second goal was to investigate possibilities to replicate features of the biomechatronics laboratory in a home-based training system using commercially available components. The laboratory comprises of a motion platform with 6-degrees-of-freedom (Rexroth eMotion), fitted wit…

The Redesigned Serpens, a Low-Cost, Highly Compliant Snake Robot†

2022

The term perception-driven obstacle-aided locomotion (POAL) was proposed to describe locomotion in which a snake robot leverages a sensory-perceptual system to exploit the surrounding operational environment and to identify walls, obstacles, or other structures as a means of propulsion. To attain POAL from a control standpoint, the accurate identification of push-points and reliable determination of feasible contact reaction forces are required. This is difficult to achieve with rigidly actuated robots because of the lack of compliance. As a possible solution to this challenge, our research group recently presented Serpens, a low-cost, open-source, and highly compliant multi-purpose modular…

Forward Kinematic Modelling with Radial Basis Function Neural Network Tuned with a Novel Meta-Heuristic Algorithm for Robotic Manipulators

2022

The complexity of forward kinematic modelling increases with the increase in the degrees of freedom for a manipulator. To reduce the computational weight and time lag for desired output transformation, this paper proposes a forward kinematic model mapped with the help of the Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN) architecture tuned by a novel meta-heuristic algorithm, namely, the Cooperative Search Optimisation Algorithm (CSOA). The architecture presented is able to automatically learn the kinematic properties of the manipulator. Learning is accomplished iteratively based only on the observation of the input–output relationship. Related simulations are carried out on a 3-Degrees…

Predatory open-access publishing in critical care medicine

2018

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the characteristics and practice of predatory journals in critical care medicine (CCM). Methods We checked a freely accessible online and constantly updated version of the Beall lists of potential predatory publishers/journals in the field of CCM. We checked the journals' websites to retrieve the following data such as: 1) Country and address (checked by Google maps); 2) Article processing charges (APC); 3) Indexing; 4) Editor-in-chief and the Editorial Board (EB) members; 5) Number of published articles; 6) Review time (lapse submission-acceptance); 7) English form. Results We identified 86 CCM journals from 48 publishers. Most journals' reported address was in…

Comparison of KVP and RSI for Controlling KUKA Robots Over ROS

2020

In this work, an open-source ROS interface based on KUKAVARPROXY for control of KUKA robots is compared to the commercial closed-source Robot Sensor Interface available from KUKA. This comparison looks at the difference in how these two approaches communicate with the KUKA robot controller, the response time and tracking delay one can expect with the different interfaces, and the difference in use cases for the two interfaces. The investigations showed that the KR16 with KRC2 has a 50 ms response time, and RSI has a 120 ms tracking delay, with negligible delay caused by the ROS communication stack. The results highlight that the commercial inferface is more reliable for feedback control tas…

Emotional status and fear in patients scheduled for elective surgery during COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide cross-sectional survey (COVID-SURGERY)

2021

Abstract Background Fragmented data exist on the emotional and psychological distress generated by hospital admission during the pandemic in specific populations of patients, and no data exists on patients scheduled for surgery. The aim of this multicentre nationwide prospective cross-sectional survey was to evaluate the impact of pandemic on emotional status and fear of SARS-CoV-2 contagion in a cohort of elective surgical patients in Italy, scheduled for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Twenty-nine Italian centres were involved in the study, for a total of 2376 patients surveyed (mean age of 58 years ± 16.61; 49.6% males). The survey consisted of 28 total closed questions, in…