Journal articles on the topic 'Haptics, Robotics, Human guidance, Engineering'

“Don’t automate, augment!” This is the takeaway of the seminal book on the future of work by Davenport and Kirby.*1 The emergence of cyber-physical systems makes radical new products and systems possible and challenges the role of humankind. Throughout the design, manufacturing, use, maintenance, and end-of-life stages, digital aspects (sensing, inferencing, connecting) influence the physical (digital fabrication, robotics) and vice versa. A key takeaway is that such innovations can augment human capabilities to extend our mental and physical skills with computational and robotic support – a notion called “augmented well-being.” Furthermore, agile development methods, complemented by mixed-reality systems and 3D-printing systems, enable us to create and adapt such systems on the fly, with almost instant turnaround times. Following this line of thought, our special issue is entitled “Augmented Prototyping and Fabrication for Advanced Product Design and Manufacturing.” Heavily inspired by the framework of Prof. Jun Rekimoto’s Augmented Human framework,*2 we can discern two orthogonal axes: cognitive versus physical and reflective versus active. As depicted in Fig. 1, this creates four different quadrants with important scientific domains that need to be juxtaposed. The contributions in this special issue are valuable steps towards this concept and are briefly discussed below. AR/VR To drive AR to the next level, robust tracking and tracing techniques are essential. The paper by Sumiyoshi et al. presents a new algorithm for object recognition and pose estimation in a strongly cluttered environment. As an example of how AR/VR can reshape human skills training, the development report of Komizunai et al. demonstrates an endotracheal suctioning simulator that establishes an optimized, spatial display with projector-based AR. Robotics/Cyborg Shor et al. present an augmentation display that uses haptics to go beyond the visual senses. The display has all the elements of a robotic system and is directly coupled to the human hand. In a completely different way, the article by Mitani et al. presents a development in soft robotics: a tongue simulator development (smart sensing and production of soft material), with a detailed account of the production and the technical performance. Finally, to consider novel human-robot interaction, human body tracking is essential. The system presented by Maruyama et al. introduces human motion capture based on IME, in this case the motion of cycling. Co-making Augmented well-being has to consider human-centered design and new collaborative environments where the stakeholders involved in whole product life-cycle work together to deliver better solutions. Inoue et al. propose a generalized decision-making scheme for universal design which considers anthropometric diversity. In the paper by Tanaka et al., paper inspection documents are electronically superimposed on 3D design models to enable design-inspection collaboration and more reliable maintenance activities for large-scale infrastructures. Artificial Intelligence Nakamura et al. propose an optimization-based search for interference-free paths and the poses of equipment in cluttered indoor environments, captured by interactive RGBD scans. AR-based guidance is provided to the user. Finally, the editors would like to express their gratitude to the authors for their exceptional contributions and to the anonymous reviewers for their devoted work. We expect that this special issue will encourage a new departure for research on augmented prototyping for product design and manufacturing. *1 T. H. Davenport and J. Kirby, “Only Humans Need Apply: Winners and Losers in the Age of Smart Machines,” Harper Business, 2016. *2 https://lab.rekimoto.org/about/ [Accessed June 21, 2019]

SUMMARYThe extraction of contour information from objects is essential for purposes of grasping and manipulation. We proposed that human haptic exploration of contours, in the absence of vision, would reveal specialized patterns. Task goals and intrinsic system capacities were assumed to constrain the breadth of processing and the precision with which contour is encoded, thus determining parameters of exploration and ultimately producing movement synergies or “contour exploration procedures.” A methodology for testing these assumptions is described, and the most frequently observed procedures are documented in Part 1. Part 2 will further analyze the procedures, test predictions, and develop implications of the research. The paper (2 parts) is novel in its study of human manipulative behavior from a robotic standpoint; it is thus of interest to robotics research workers interested in the long-term goals of robot manipulation and those interested in an anthropomorphic approach to robotics studies.

The improvement of direct human–robot physical interaction has recently become one of the strongest motivation factors in robotics research. Impedance/admittance control methods are key technologies in several directions of advanced robotics such as dexterous manipulation, haptics and telemanipulation. In this paper, we propose a control scheme and a design technique for stabilising shared impedance/admittance-based bilateral telemanipulation under varying time delay. The proposed scheme introduces delay-adaptive non-linear damping to stabilise the impedance model. A modified version of the tensor product model transformation is applied to determine the tensor product type polytopic linear parameter varying (LPV) representation of the impedance controlled interaction model, such that the value of the actual time delay becomes an external parameter rather than an inherent property of the system. The main benefit of the proposed approach is that the model form it produces is amenable to the immediate application of modern, linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based multi-objective synthesis methods. The viability of the proposed methodology is demonstrated through a single DoF force reflecting tele-grasping application. The results are also confirmed through laboratory experiments which help to further highlight the perspectives of this novel approach.

There exist several methods aimed at human–robot physical interaction (HRpI) to provide physical therapy in patients. The use of haptics has become an option to display forces along a given path so as to it guides the physiotherapist protocol. Critical in this regard is the motion control for haptic guidance to convey the specifications of the clinical protocol. Given the inherent patient variability, a conclusive demand of these HRpI methods is the need to modify online its response with neither rejecting nor neglecting interaction forces but to process them as patient interaction. In this paper, considering the nonlinear dynamics of the robot interacting bilaterally with a patient, we propose a novel adaptive control to guarantee stable haptic guidance by processing the causality of patient interaction forces, despite unknown robot dynamics and uncertainties. The controller implements radial basis neural network with daughter RASP1 wavelets activation function to identify the coupled interaction dynamics. For an efficient online implementation, an output infinite impulse response filter prunes negligible signals and nodes to deal with overparametrization. This contributes to adapt online the feedback gains of a globally stable discrete PID regulator to yield stiffness control, so the user is guided within a perceptual force field. Effectiveness of the proposed method is verified in real-time bimanual human-in-the-loop experiments.

Telepresence robots are becoming popular in social interactions involving health care, elderly assistance, guidance, or office meetings. There are two types of human psychological experiences to consider in robot-mediated interactions: (1) telepresence, in which a user develops a sense of being present near the remote interlocutor, and (2) co-presence, in which a user perceives the other person as being present locally with him or her. This work presents a literature review on developments supporting robotic social interactions, contributing to improving the sense of presence and co-presence via robot mediation. This survey aims to define social presence, co-presence, identify autonomous “user-adaptive systems” for social robots, and propose a taxonomy for “co-presence” mechanisms. It presents an overview of social robotics systems, applications areas, and technical methods and provides directions for telepresence and co-presence robot design given the actual and future challenges. Finally, we suggest evaluation guidelines for these systems, having as reference face-to-face interaction.

Among the possible fields in human society in which robotics can be applied, the possibility of a robotic guard has been imagined since long time. Human guards usually perform a range of tasks in which a robot can provide help. Security personnel not only perform security tasks and patrolling services, but also have to interact with people, providing additional information about the area they safeguard. In this paper, we present the design, development and preliminary tests of RobotMan, an anthropomorphic robot commissioned by a security company that should serve in security roles, such as patrolling large indoor areas and acting as a telepresence platform for the human guards, and guidance roles such as welcoming visitors and providing information. In the preliminary experiment, the new robot and a human guard were employed the roles of security and guidance in a manufacturing center. The results of the experiment collected from 96 participants highlighted differences in participants’ behavior when interacting with the robot rather than the human and a different perception of likeability and authority of the robot depending on subtle differences in its appearance and behavior. These results provide useful indication for the employment of robot guards in a real world situation.

Purpose IEEE Ontologies for Robotics and Automation Working Group were divided into subgroups that were in charge of studying industrial robotics, service robotics and autonomous robotics. This paper aims to present the work in-progress developed by the autonomous robotics (AuR) subgroup. This group aims to extend the core ontology for robotics and automation to represent more specific concepts and axioms that are commonly used in autonomous robots. Design/methodology/approach For autonomous robots, various concepts for aerial robots, underwater robots and ground robots are described. Components of an autonomous system are defined, such as robotic platforms, actuators, sensors, control, state estimation, path planning, perception and decision-making. Findings AuR has identified the core concepts and domains needed to create an ontology for autonomous robots. Practical implications AuR targets to create a standard ontology to represent the knowledge and reasoning needed to create autonomous systems that comprise robots that can operate in the air, ground and underwater environments. The concepts in the developed ontology will endow a robot with autonomy, that is, endow robots with the ability to perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous explicit human guidance. Originality/value Creating a standard for knowledge representation and reasoning in autonomous robotics will have a significant impact on all R&A domains, such as on the knowledge transmission among agents, including autonomous robots and humans. This tends to facilitate the communication among them and also provide reasoning capabilities involving the knowledge of all elements using the ontology. This will result in improved autonomy of autonomous systems. The autonomy will have considerable impact on how robots interact with humans. As a result, the use of robots will further benefit our society. Many tedious tasks that currently can only be performed by humans will be performed by robots, which will further improve the quality of life. To the best of the authors’knowledge, AuR is the first group that adopts a systematic approach to develop ontologies consisting of specific concepts and axioms that are commonly used in autonomous robots.

The Autonomous Air Combat technique has been a lasting research topic for decades. However, no complete solutions seem to have appeared because of the highly dynamic and complex nature of the Autonomous Air Combat problem. In devising the Autonomous Air Combat solutions, we follow similar methodologies in the robotics community, and divide the overall scheme into two folds: the perception of other (enemy/friendly) aircraft, and the guidance/control for own aircraft. While the perception in the first fold serves as a foundation, this paper is mainly focused on the second one. Based on our survey, a review of own aircraft guidance/control in the (primarily one-to-one) Autonomous Air Combat solutions is presented. We divide different Autonomous Air Combat solutions into three groups, i.e. mathematics-based, knowledge-encoded, and learning-driven. In each group, we present the representative methods first; problem definition, solution, and a brief overview of the historical development are illustrated. We also comment on both weakness and strengths for each group/method. We point out certain technical paths/challenges that need to be addressed in the future Autonomous Air Combat development, i.e. to abstract and emulate the human pilot experiences, and to develop the online learning capabilites. Inspired by the state-of-art techniques in other similar fields (robotics, autonomous driving), we also propose potential solutions, i.e. traditional approaches enhanced by the novel data-driven technique. Via this paper, we hope to deliver an in-depth analysis of past experiences and potential challenges/solutions for the Autonomous Air Combat technique. We also advocate referring to the approaches/techniques that are utilized in other similar fields in devising the Autonomous Air Combat solutions.

Human–Robot Collaboration (HRC) is an interdisciplinary research area that has gained attention within the smart manufacturing context. To address changes within manufacturing processes, HRC seeks to combine the impressive physical capabilities of robots with the cognitive abilities of humans to design tasks with high efficiency, repeatability, and adaptability. During the implementation of an HRC cell, a key activity is the robot programming that takes into account not only the robot restrictions and the working space, but also human interactions. One of the most promising techniques is the so-called Learning from Demonstration (LfD), this approach is based on a collection of learning algorithms, inspired by how humans imitate behaviors to learn and acquire new skills. In this way, the programming task could be simplified and provided by the shop floor operator. The aim of this work is to present a survey of this programming technique, with emphasis on collaborative scenarios rather than just an isolated task. The literature was classified and analyzed based on: the main algorithms employed for Skill/Task learning, and the human level of participation during the whole LfD process. Our analysis shows that human intervention has been poorly explored, and its implications have not been carefully considered. Among the different methods of data acquisition, the prevalent method is physical guidance. Regarding data modeling, techniques such as Dynamic Movement Primitives and Semantic Learning were the preferred methods for low-level and high-level task solving, respectively. This paper aims to provide guidance and insights for researchers looking for an introduction to LfD programming methods in collaborative robotics context and identify research opportunities.

To advance robotics toward real-world applications, a growing body of research has focused on the development of control systems for humanoid robots in recent years. Several approaches have been proposed to support the learning stage of such controllers, where the robot can learn new behaviors by observing and/or receiving direct guidance from a human or even another robot. These approaches require dynamic learning and memorization techniques, which the robot can use to reform and update its internal systems continuously while learning new behaviors. Against this background, this study investigates a new approach to the development of an incremental learning and memorization model. This approach was inspired by the principles of neuroscience, and the developed model was named “Hierarchical Constructive Backpropagation with Memory” (HCBPM). The validity of the model was tested by teaching a humanoid robot to recognize a group of objects through natural interaction. The experimental results indicate that the proposed model efficiently enhances real-time machine learning in general and can be used to establish an environment suitable for social learning between the robot and the user in particular.

A computational framework using artificial intelligence (AI) has been suggested in numerous fields, such as medicine, robotics, meteorology, and chemistry. The specificity of each AI model and the relationship between data characteristics and ground truth, allowing their guidance according to each situation, has not been given. Since TVOCs (total volatile organic compounds) cause serious harm to human health and plants, the prevention of such damages with a reduction in their occurrence frequency becomes not an optional process but an essential one in manufacturing, as well as for chemical industries and laboratories. In this study, with consideration of the characteristics of the machine learning technique and ICT (information and communications technology), TVOC sensors are explored as a function of grounded data analysis and the selection of machine learning models, determining their performance in real situations. For representative scenarios, considering features from an ICT semiconductor sensor and one targeting TVOC gas, we investigated suitable analysis methods and machine learning models such as LSTM (long short-term memory), GRU (gated recurrent unit), and RNN (recurrent neural network). Detailed factors for these machine learning models with respect to the concentration of TVOC gas in the atmosphere are compared with original sensory data to obtain their accuracy. From this work, we expect to significantly minimize risk in empirical applications, i.e., maintaining homeostasis or predicting abnormal situations to construct an opportune response.

Low-cost RGB-D cameras are increasingly being used in several research fields, including human–machine interaction, safety, robotics, biomedical engineering and even reverse engineering applications. Among the plethora of commercial devices, the Intel RealSense cameras have proven to be among the most suitable devices, providing a good compromise between cost, ease of use, compactness and precision. Released on the market in January 2018, the new Intel model RealSense D415 has a wide acquisition range (i.e., ~160–10,000 mm) and a narrow field of view to capture objects in rapid motion. Given the unexplored potential of this new device, especially when used as a 3D scanner, the present work aims to characterize and to provide metrological considerations for the RealSense D415. In particular, tests are carried out to assess the device performance in the near range (i.e., 100–1000 mm). Characterization is performed by integrating the guidelines of the existing standard (i.e., the German VDI/VDE 2634 Part 2) with a number of literature-based strategies. Performance analysis is finally compared against the latest close-range sensors, thus providing a useful guidance for researchers and practitioners aiming to use RGB-D cameras in reverse engineering applications.

With the help of wearable robotics, the lower limb exoskeleton becomes a promising solution for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients to recover lower body locomotion ability. However, fewer exoskeleton gait planning methods can meet the needs of patient in real time, e.g., stride length or step width, etc., which may lead to human-machine incoordination, limit comfort, and increase the risk of falling. This work presents a human-exoskeleton-crutch system with the center of pressure (CoP)-based gait planning method to enable the balance control during the exoskeleton-assisted walking with crutches. The CoP generated by crutches and human-machine feet makes it possible to obtain the overall stability conditions of the system in the process of exoskeleton-assisted quasi-static walking, and therefore, to determine the next stride length and ensure the balance of the next step. Thus, the exoskeleton gait is planned with the guidance of stride length. It is worth emphasizing that the nominal reference gait is adopted as a reference to ensure that the trajectory of the swing ankle mimics the reference one well. This gait planning method enables the patient to adaptively interact with the exoskeleton gait. The online gait planning walking tests with five healthy volunteers proved the method’s feasibility. Experimental results indicate that the algorithm can deal with the sensed signals and plan the landing point of the swing leg to ensure balanced and smooth walking. The results suggest that the method is an effective means to improve human–machine interaction. Additionally, it is meaningful for the further training of independent walking stability control in exoskeletons for SCI patients with less assistance of crutches.

Purpose This paper aims to focus on the autonomous behavior selection issue of robotics from the perspective of episodic memory in cognitive neuroscience with biology-inspired attention system. It instructs a robot to follow a sequence of behaviors. This is similar to human travel to a target location by guidance. Design/methodology/approach The episodic memory-driving Markov decision process is proposed to simulate the organization of episodic memory by introducing neuron stimulation mechanism. Based on the learned episodic memory, the robotic global planning method is proposed for efficient behaviors sequence prediction using bottom-up attention. Local behavior planning based on risk function and feasible paths is used for behavior reasoning under imperfect memory. Aiming at the problem of whole target selection under redundant environmental information, a top-down attention servo control method is proposed to effectively detect the target containing multi-parts and distractors which share same features with the target. Findings Based on the proposed method, the robot is able to accumulate experience through memory, and achieve adaptive behavior planning, prediction and reasoning between tasks, environment and threats. Experimental results show that the method can balance the task objectives, select the suitable behavior according to current environment. Originality/value The behavior selection method is integrated with cognitive levels to generate optimal behavioral sequence. The challenges in robotic planning under uncertainty and the issue of target selection under redundant environment are addressed.

The article emphasizes the importance and relevance of engineering education in the face of challenges of the modern information society, development of new technologies and knowledgeintensive industries. Attention is paid to the low level of demand for engineering professions among potential entrants, as well as to the issue of developing competencies needed for a modern engineer, taking into account the requirements of the labour market. The article describes the experience of I.N. Ulianov Chuvash State University on organizing career-guidance work with pupils of educational in-stitutions, including implementation of projects aimed at popularization of engineering education. One of such significant for the region projects is “Engineering classes”, in which senior classes schoolchildren of four leading partner-schools of the University take part. The training program includes lessons on mathematics, physics and computer sciences, reinforcing training of future entrants for getting higher engineering-technical education, as well as an elective part on solving applied engineering tasks from the following sections: electronics, robotics, mechatronics, 3D modeling, engineering graphics, and prototyping. A specific feature of the project is a broad engagement of students majoring in technical directions as tutors into the educational process when schoolchildren perform research and design work. Along with higher levels of knowledge in basic subjects for a future engineer, an active participation of schoolchildren in project activities makes it possible to develop communication skills, acquire experience of team work, which is particularly in demand by employers. The article stresses the important role of the largest industrial regional enterprises in implementing the project. These enterprises provide their production sites to explore the organization of production and professional activities of engineers, as well as participate in holding Olympiads and creative contests and provide opportunities for subsequent target training. Thus, the project «Engineering classes» makes it possible to implement the model of continuing education in a single chain «School-University-Enterprise», thereby creating preconditions for the growth of human capacity in regional high-tech enterprises.

Abstract Result of the Scientific Concerns from the Doctoral School of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics of the Valahia Târgovişte University and the research project of INCDMTM “INTEGRATED MECHATRONIC SYSTEM FOR HUMAN SECURITY INSURANCE FOR THE SAFETY OF OBJECTIVES AND INTERVENTIONS IN RISK - MISO ZONES” (project ID: PED-2016-0924, code PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2016-0707) in the field of robotics, the scientific work “Intelligent Platform with BLDC Drives and Microsystems for Mechatronic Applications in Security and Surveillance “ is the completion of the experimental testing of controlling the movement of a security and surveillance robot, as part of the Ph.D. industrial thesis “Studies, research and contributions on the development of a smart mecatronic robot for security and surveillance applications”. The scientific work ultimately results in an intelligent, original platform that will be used to control the movement of the robot. The platform allows communication between the latest generation BLDC engine (embedded in the drive wheel) and it’s controller and a computerized microsystem that will handle the displacement controls and will also provide the link with the human operator through any remote guidance system that is used. Although designed for an intelligent security and surveillance mechatronic robot, this platform is proven to be extensively versatile for any other type of robot or mobile platform that uses BLDC wheel-drive engines. The project harmoniously combines Mechatronics, Cyber-MixMeatronic, Integronics and Artificial Intelligence into an Intelligent Interoperable Construction.

In some respects, the prospect of returning to some degree of normality is evident on the horizon. However, climate and the future of energy show little sign of a return to prepandemic normalcy. The future of our energy system is being transformed, and oil and gas are crucial for energy stability as well as the transformation. One of the miracles over the past year has been the accumulated knowledge around the human genome and application of this science to the rapid development of efficacious vaccines. As within oil and gas, humans can rise to the challenge to solve complex problems when identified. This is playing out as we see societal drivers around climate change and net-zero carbon emissions. Over the past year, SPE produced 11 events focused on the energy transition and continued the development of the Gaia Sustainability Program initiated by the SPE Health, Safety, Environment, and Sustainability (HSES) discipline. It is now a thriving community of SPE members across all disciplines committed to enabling and empowering all members and other interested parties who wish to engage in the alignment of the future of energy with sustainable development. An on-demand library of Gaia Talks and other resources has been built using the strategic programming framework (www.spe.org/en/gaia). Advances in our understanding and application of technology, and the development of those who can use it to better the world, are highlighted in the selections made for this month’s Technology Focus—genome sequencing of invasive species, technology to identify fatigue, and development of human capital for the industry in Kazakhstan. We must not forget the key element in any strategic improvement of performance: the human being. This starts with developing human capital at the university level. The industry is also working on progressing our understanding and application of human factors and human performance. As mentioned in the October 2020 JPT, the oil and gas industry has formed the Human Performance Oil and Gas (HPOG) alliance modeled after the very successful Dropped Objects Prevention Scheme program. The return to a more-normal life also means that our traditional conference model can reengage membership. Face-to-face meetings accelerate networking and the transfer of knowledge, which is core to the SPE mission. Events focusing on HSES this year include a planned in-person gathering the first week of November: HSES Focus on the Future—Responding to Changes and How the HSES Function Will Grow (3–5 November). This event will primarily cover health, environment, and sustainability with one panel on land transportation safety. It is strategically planned for the same week and at the same hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, where the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers will hold its first Joint Congress on Safety (1–3 November). A key element in building strategies within the SPE HSES discipline is the future of the function. Leading the efforts around this will be the newly formed HSES Executive Advisory Committee (EAC). This EAC, led by Fawaz (Fuzzy) Bitar, senior vice president of HSE and carbon at BP and former chair of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, includes HSE leadership from various upstream operators and contractors and will help with guidance and direction for SPE HSES Technical Director Annamaria Petrone. The EAC will hold a meeting and participate in plenary panels during the SPE HSES event in November. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 202737 6×6 Occupational Health Hazard Risk Rating Matrix: A Useful Tool in the Determination of Risk Levels of Workplace Health Hazards by Bufford Ang, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, et al. OTC 30840 Self-Certification and Safety Compliance for Robotics Platforms by Osama Farouk Zaki, Heriot-Watt University, et al. SPE 201312 Long-Term, Periodic Aerial Surveys Cost-Effectively Mitigate Methane Emissions by Sri Sridharan, Pioneer Natural Resources, et al.

NIETZSCHEAN MEDITATIONS: Untimely Thoughts at the Dawn of the Transhuman Era by Steve Fuller. Posthuman Studies 1, ed. Stefan Lorenz Sorgner. Basel, Switzerland: Schwabe Verlagsgruppe, 2019. 240 pages. Hardcover; $146.00. ISBN: 9783796539466. Paperback; $41.00. ISBN: 9783796540608. *Christians turning to Nietzsche for support may be counterintuitive, but that can be the case with regard to radical human enhancement technology. As addressed in the June 2020 theme issue of Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, transhumanism presents a treacherous landscape that calls for a thoughtful response from theologians and faith communities. The therapies and technologies already impacting the structure--physical, cognitive, affective, and other aspects--of our lives are growing in precision and potency. And, as indicated in the name of this series, "Posthuman Studies," discussions are underway about the replacement of Homo sapiens with techno sapiens. Whether our technological future is heavenly or hellish depends on the values embedded in the technology and how that technology is used, so we who are alive now have a moral imperative to do our part to ensure that technologies of human enhancement unfold responsibly. *All the religions are far behind where they need to be in understanding and making critical assessment of radical human enhancement technology and its champion, a movement called transhumanism. Judaism and Christianity are ahead of other religions in this regard, but even they have much work to do and quickly, given the fast pace of the developing technologies in areas such as genetic engineering, tissue engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. *Steve Fuller is well qualified to critique the transhumanist agenda. Auguste Comte Professor of Social Epistemology at the University of Warwick, UK, and co-editor of the relatively new series, Palgrave Studies in the Future of Humanity and Its Successors, he has written twenty-five books about many subjects, including intelligent design, philosophy of science, and social epistemology, an interdisciplinary field he helped develop. *The three sections of Nietzschean Meditations address the philosophical and theological history of transhumanism, the politics of transhumanism, and the role of death in transhumanism. There is a lot about transhumanism in this volume. This review addresses just a few slices relevant for Christian readers. *The √úbermensch, the future superman (also translated "Superior Man" and "Higher Man") Nietzsche made famous, was denigrated following World War II due to its association with the Nazis. Fuller travels back to Nietzsche's early reception when the superior man was not a racially tinged idea. This makes it possible for Fuller to "remain interested in the early twentieth-century image of Nietzsche as someone who took literally the prospect of transcending the human condition--a futurist who was unafraid to confront the puzzlement and even suffering that it would entail" (p. 10). *As with the transhumanist agenda, a happy outcome for Nietzsche's superman project was not guaranteed. Nietzsche's tightrope walker, which may be understood as a metaphor for the human condition, falls to his death. For Fuller, this does not mean that Christians, committed to transformation, should not make use of these technologies or see them as a means of God's grace. "As Nietzsche might put it--and transhumanists would recognize--we are not superior animals but failed gods" (p. 17). However, Fuller says we cannot regain our standing on our own; it is a grace-gift from God. Along the way, Fuller adeptly maps varieties of transhumanism onto theological (but not necessarily orthodox) positions, for example, Aubrey de Grey's Pelagian-like biological superlongevity program and Ray Kurzweil's Arian-like vision of "divine" consciousness escaping the confines of the body. For Fuller, the Arian "supposes that humans 'always already' possess divine capacities which may have yet to be discovered" (p. 47). And, importantly, short of making choices for transformation, "humans may freely fall into a further degraded state, which may include regarding their degradation as satisfactory if not superior to the time when they were close to God" (p. 18). *Christians can find Nietzsche a thoughtful guide for a proactionary (as opposed to a precautionary) approach to technological possibilities for human enhancement. Being proactive does not mean underestimating the risks these programs entail. While the tightrope walker can reach the other side, humility asks us to recognize that it is a "risky project of self-improvement" (p. 20). But we can face the danger and push through the fear. "However much day-to-day empirical realities remind us of our earthbound nature, we are nevertheless more than just that" (p. 34). And then, rhetorically, Fuller asks: "The question then becomes how to give that 'transcendental' aspect of our being its proper due: Is it just something that we release on special occasions, such as a church service, or is it integral to our ordinary being in the world, propelling us to realize our godlike potential?" (p. 34). In this context, Fuller asserts that faith can be understood as a "creative response to radical uncertainty" and a belief in providence, that is, "that God will always provide what we need to know to improve our position--but the trick is for us to figure what that is" (p. 34). *This book, then, is not so much about Nietzsche as it is a meditation inspired by Nietzsche that provides a sober critique of transhumanism and its possibilities. The Christian religion will do well to provide a theological response to radical human enhancement, and Nietzsche, via Fuller, can provide guidance, albeit from an unlikely source. *Reviewed by Calvin Mercer, Professor of Religion, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858.

The aim of this paper is to present the design of a new long-range robotic arm based on an inflatable structure. Inflatable robotics has potential for improved large payload-to-weight ratios, safe collision, and inspection in areas inaccessible to human beings as in nuclear plants. The robot presented here is intended to operate inspection or maintenance missions in critical installation taking care to not collide with its environment. It is made with innovative inflatable joints and an original actuation system. Prototypes of this inflatable manipulator were constructed using two different manufacturing procedures. Using ls-dyna nonlinear dynamic finite element modeling we have numerically analyzed the specific geometry and dynamical behavior of the resulting joints. The simulations have given insight into understanding the joint bending process and have revealed guidance for optimizing the conception.

Purpose The following article is a “Q&A interview” conducted by Joanne Pransky of Industrial Robot Journal as a method to impart the combined technological, business and personal experience of a prominent, robotic industry PhD-turned successful innovator and entrepreneur regarding turning his lifelong dream into an invention and commercialized product. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Harry Kloor is a successful serial entrepreneur, scientist, technologist, educator, policy advisor, author and Hollywood filmmaker. He is the CEO and co-founder of Beyond Imagination, a company that has developed a suite of exponential technology solutions that deploys artificial intelligence (AI), AR, robotics, machine learning and human–computer interaction technology to enhance and revolutionize the world’s workforce. The company early in 2021 completed BEOMNI 1.0, the world’s first fully functional humanoid robotic system with an AI evolving brain, enabling remote work at a high level of fidelity to be done from around the globe. Kloor describes how he transformed his childhood dream into his brainchild and tangible reality. Findings Kloor was born a groundbreaker who did not take no for an answer. He was born partially crippled with his legs facing backwards. The doctors said that he would spend his life in braces and would never be able to run. His parents told him not to let those ideas limit him and by the age of seven he ran for the first time and went on to become a martial arts master. Kloor’s childhood dream was to create ways to leave his body and inhabit a robotic body so that he could physically be free from his limited mobility. Kloor built his first computer at the age of seven and invented his first product at the age of eight. Kloor's inspiration to study science came largely from science fiction and his 20,000-plus collection of comic books. Knowing the nature of exponential growth, he spent the next 40 years building the expertise, relationships, networks and experience in all areas of exponential technology. Kloor obtained a BA from Southern Oregon State College, an MEd from Southern Oregon University and two simultaneous PhDs, one in chemistry and one in physics, from Purdue University. Kloor co-founded the company Universal Consultants, where he served as chief science consultant, providing guidance to clients in the development of new technological products, patents and policy positions. Kloor was the founder of Stem CC Inc. – a stem cell company that was sold in 2018 to Celularity, one of the world’s most cutting edge clinical-stage cell therapeutics company. Kloor is also the founder and president of Jupiter 9 Productions and is a credited film writer, director and producer. Since his graduation from Purdue University, he has written for Star Trek: Voyager and was the story editor for Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict, a series he co-created/developed. Kloor helped create Taiwan’s animation industry, bringing Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey, the first big animation film that starred major Hollywood stars, to Taiwan. Kloor also sits on the board of Brain Mapping and Therapeutics Society and serves as their Chief Scientific Advisor and Educational Outreach Coordinator. Originality/value Kloor is a “creative consultant and universal problem solver, with an emphasis in technology and education.” Kloor has worked with Dr Peter Diamandis since the first class of the International Space University in 1988. Kloor was one of the five founding team members of XPRIZE serving as its CSO until 2005 and was one of the founders of the Rocket Racing League. He was on the founding team of Singularity University and taught at Singularity’s first summer program. In 2016 he created the $10m Avatar XPRIZE, and in 2018 he co-created the Carbon Extraction XPRIZE which obtained the largest incentive prize in history, a $100m, funded by Elon Musk and the Musk Foundation. Kloor is the only person in world history to earn two PhDs simultaneously in two distinct academic disciplines. In recognition of this achievement, he was named ABC World News’ Person of the Week in August 1994. Kloor has received numerous awards, including The Golden Axon Award from the Society for Brain Mapping & Therapeutics. He has recently created the Kloor Cycle, a four-stage experiential autonomous learning process within Beomni’s “AI Brain,” adapted from Kolb’s Learning Cycles.