Abstract: A semiautomatic (1) sensorized apparatus for the execution of inspections of the railway pantograph (P) is detachably associated to a railway pantograph and allows the execution of two distinct tests in succession: i) the first one, which monitors the functional properties of the pantograph, based on the characterization of the thrust force generated by the main suspension; ii) the second, which aims to identify global and local defects, adopting the principle of inspection by means of vibration analysis.

Abstract: An underactuated mechanism has a first rotoidal joint connected to a human torso and rotating about a first joint rotation axis, a hyper-redundant connection mechanism connected to the first rotoidal joint, and a second rotoidal joint rotating about a second joint rotation axis, coplanar with the first joint rotation axis. The second rotoidal joint is remotely actuated by a driven pulley and Bowden cables or by a direct drive actuation system with co-located motor, and is fixed to the hyper-redundant connection mechanism on one side and to a human arm on the other side. The hyper-redundant connection mechanism has at least three members. Two members of the at least three members are rigidly fixed to one of the rotoidal joints, respectively. All members are connected together by rotation joints with axes parallel to one another and arranged to connect one member to a successive member to form a rotation constraint.

Abstract: A method for controlling a mobile robotic apparatus for disinfecting a space includes acquiring, by a data processing unit of the mobile robotic apparatus, a map of the space to be disinfected, acquiring information on a plurality of contact surfaces to be disinfected within the space to be disinfected, each contact surface being associated with a criticality level, determining an amount of ultraviolet-C, UV-C, radiation energy to be deposited, by a UV-C radiation source, on a contact surface, the amount of UV-C radiation energy being determined as a function of the criticality level, distance and orientation of the contact surface with respect to the UV-C radiation source and of set operating features of the UV-C radiation source, determining a respective virtual potential of attraction of the UV-C radiation source towards each contact surface, generating a path trajectory, and controlling the mobile robotic apparatus along the generated path trajectory.

Abstract: A semiautomatic (1) sensorized apparatus for the execution of inspections of the railway pantograph (P) is detachably associated to a railway pantograph and allows the execution of two distinct tests in succession: i) the first one, which monitors the functional properties of the pantograph, based on the characterization of the thrust force generated by the main suspension; ii) the second, which aims to identify global and local defects, adopting the principle of inspection by means of vibration analysis.

Abstract: A portable interface device (1) of haptic human-computer type which can be fixed to a hand (2) of an operator (3), capable of engaging with the operator (3) transmitting on the operator's hand fingertips tactile sensations following the shape of a virtual surface (4), in particular obtained from a real surface (5). The tactile sensations are transmitted to a fingertip by the device (1) through a movable and orientable surface contacting the fingertip while remaining tangential to the virtual surface (4). The device (1), by touching the user's fingertip only at the points of contact with the virtual surface (4), does not provide to the user (3) any tactile sensations on the or on each fingertip when it moves in a free space, obtaining a very high level of transparency of the device. The workspace of the interface device (1) is very high, and can be also infinite, using suitable position tracking systems.

Abstract: An exoskeleton interface apparatus includes five rigid links (2-6) arranged in series, capable of rotating reciprocally at the respective ends for monitoring angular movements of the arm, of the forearm and the wrist of an user (60) and having at the tip an handgrip (30) for engaging with the user (60) by reflecting a force feedback. The rigid links (2-6) can rotate at their ends about rotational joints (11-14) having rotational axes (31-34) incident in the intersection point of the physiological axes of the shoulder. The rotational joints (11-14) are brought into rotation about the respective rotational axes (31-34) by means of respective motors (21-24), for example servo-motor such as torque motors. All the motors (21-24) are mounted on the fixed base link (2) in order to minimize the mass of the parts in movement and the inertia reflected on the user (60).

Abstract: An exoskeleton interface apparatus includes five rigid links (2-6) arranged in series, capable of rotating reciprocally at the respective ends for monitoring angular movements of the arm, of the forearm and the wrist of an user (60) and having at the tip an handgrip (30) for engaging with the user (60) by reflecting a force feedback. The rigid links (2-6) can rotate at their ends about rotational joints (11-14) having rotational axes (31-34) incident in the intersection point of the physiological axes of the shoulder. The rotational joints (11-14) are brought into rotation about the respective rotational axes (31-34) by means of respective motors (21-24), for example servo-motor such as torque motors. All the motors (21-24) are mounted on the fixed base link (2) in order to minimize the mass of the parts in movement and the inertia reflected on the user (60).