Abstract: An underwater vehicle for performing a variety of linear motions and turning motions with better stability and agility is disclosed. The underwater vehicle includes a main body, a front-drive mechanism, a rear-drive mechanism, and a steering assembly. The main body has a front end and a rear end, which defines a longitudinal axis extending from the front end to the rear end of the main body. The front-drive mechanism is connected to the main body to provide a forward propelling force in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The steering assembly is fixed to the rear end and coupled to the rear-drive mechanism. The steering assembly is configured to rotate the rear-drive mechanism with respect to the longitudinal axis by a body angle for providing a lateral force on the main body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hetero-stiffness robotic device with a central body portion having a head end and a tail end. A rigid rotatable head propeller extends from the head end while a flexible rotatable tail propeller extends from the tail end. A head motor positioned in the central body portion rotates the rigid rotatable head propeller and a tail motor positioned in the central body portion rotates the flexible rotatable tail propeller. A controller independently controls a rotational speed of the head motor and the tail motor. The head and tail propellers may have helical shapes. The hetero-stiffness propulsion gives the robotic device a high level of environmental adaptivity over a wide range of viscosities. The device demonstrates advantages in linearity, straightness, bi-directional locomotion ability, and efficiency, which provides a critical competence for moving in low Reynolds number environments.

Abstract: An electromechanical sensor and a method of sensing an object or a tactile input using the sensor. The sensor includes: a base provided with a magnetic sensor arranged to detect a change in magnetic flux at the position of the magnetic sensor; a flexible film adjacent to the magnetic sensor; and a magnetic element provided on the flexible film; wherein the magnetic element is arranged to move relative to the magnetic sensor when the flexible film is reversibly deformed by an external force applied to the flexible film.

Abstract: An underwater vehicle for performing a variety of linear motions and turning motions with better stability and agility is disclosed. The underwater vehicle includes a main body, a front-drive mechanism, a rear-drive mechanism, and a steering assembly. The main body has a front end and a rear end, which defines a longitudinal axis extending from the front end to the rear end of the main body. The front-drive mechanism is connected to the main body to provide a forward propelling force in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The steering assembly is fixed to the rear end and coupled to the rear-drive mechanism. The steering assembly is configured to rotate the rear-drive mechanism with respect to the longitudinal axis by a body angle for providing a lateral force on the main body.

Abstract: A system for ankle rehabilitation includes a motorized platform arranged to hold an ankle of a subject to be rehabilitated; a first sensor module arranged to detect signals representing movement intention of the ankle on the motorized platform; a second sensor module arranged to detect signals representing actual movement of the ankle on the motorized platform; and a processor arranged to process the signals detected by the first sensor module and the signals detected by the second sensor module, for control of movement of the motorized platform.

Abstract: An electromechanical sensor and a method of sensing an object or a tactile input using the sensor. The sensor includes: a base provided with a magnetic sensor arranged to detect a change in magnetic flux at the position of the magnetic sensor; a flexible film adjacent to the magnetic sensor; and a magnetic element provided on the flexible film; wherein the magnetic element is arranged to move relative to the magnetic sensor when the flexible film is reversibly deformed by an external force applied to the flexible film.

Abstract: A robot for atomization and disinfection is provided, which includes a robot body, an aerosol generator arranged outside the robot body for spraying aerosol mist particles into air, an aerosol concentration detector arranged outside the robot body for detecting an aerosol concentration in the air, and a main controller arranged inside the robot body and connected to the aerosol generator and the aerosol concentration detector for controlling a spray volume of the aerosol mist particles in real time according to the aerosol concentration after the aerosol generator sprays aerosol mist particles into the air. The aerosol concentration is dynamically monitored in real time, and the sterilization aerosol is supplemented in real time according to the concentration change, so as to maintain the stability of the concentration of the sterilization aerosol, improve the intelligence of space disinfection for epidemic prevention, and reduce the burden of manual disinfection.

Abstract: A robot and a system for a medical operation of corona viruses e.g., COVID-19 sampling are provided. The robot includes a resilient connector, connecting plates connected with the resilient connector, stretchable and retractable assemblies, a driving assembly and a flexible sampling assembly; two ends of the stretchable and retractable assembly are respectively connected with adjacent two connecting plates, the stretchable and retractable assembly includes stretchable and retractable components divided into at least two stretchable and retractable groups and arranged around the resilient connector, the driving assembly drive the stretchable and retractable component to be switchably stretched or retracted, the flexible sampling assembly is configured to collect COVID-19 specimens of respiratory tract. The robot can be bent and moved freely in special-shaped human respiratory tract, realize secretions sampling of human respiratory tract and reduce pain and difficulty of examination.

Abstract: This invention provides parasitic millirobots that can effectively adapt to an unstructured environment and coherently interact with diverse objects in order to fulfil various application needs. Particularly, a minimalist millirobot construction strategy by splashing composited agglutinate magnetic spray (M-spray) is adopted, which is capable of self-turning multifarious milli-/centi-objects into parasitic millirobots on-demand. Through taking full advantage of the objects' inherent structure and a covered thin drivable film, the M-spray demonstrates superior handling (from 1-D to 3-D structures) and loading capabilities (up to thousand-fold and hundred-fold of its volume and weight, respectively) while with neglectable size increment (as low as 1%) to target.

Abstract: A soft body robotic device includes a body made at least partly from a polylactic-acid-based material, and a magnetic movement mechanism connected to the body. The magnetic movement mechanism is configured to support movement of the soft body robotic device and to interact with an external magnetic control device for movement of the soft body robotic device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hetero-stiffness robotic device with a central body portion having a head end and a tail end. A rigid rotatable head propeller extends from the head end while a flexible rotatable tail propeller extends from the tail end. A head motor positioned in the central body portion rotates the rigid rotatable head propeller and a tail motor positioned in the central body portion rotates the flexible rotatable tail propeller. A controller independently controls a rotational speed of the head motor and the tail motor. The head and tail propellers may have helical shapes. The hetero-stiffness propulsion gives the robotic device a high level of environmental adaptivity over a wide range of viscosities. The device demonstrates advantages in linearity, straightness, bi-directional locomotion ability, and efficiency, which provides a critical competence for moving in low Reynolds number environments.

Abstract: A layered material suitable as substrate for a three-dimensional cell culture includes a transparent carrier layer and a transparent conductive layer as well as a photoconductive layer comprising titanium oxide phthalocyanine. A method for producing the layered material and an article comprising it and a receiving unit are disclosed. A mold-free method is provided for forming a three-dimensional hydrogel as well as for forming a three-dimensional cell culture by using the layered material or article. Uses of the layered material and of the three-dimensional hydrogel and three-dimensional cell culture are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for use in optical imaging, a system for using in optical imaging, and an optical system includes a controller arranged to determine an intermediate position of a sample upon a detection of a completion of a first movement of the sample, and to derive an optimal position associated with the intermediate position; a manipulator arranged to move the sample from the intermediate position to the optimal position with a second movement; wherein the sample is arranged to be observed using an optical instrument in the optimal position.

Abstract: A soft body robotic device includes a body made at least partly from a polylactic-acid-based material, and a magnetic movement mechanism connected to the body. The magnetic movement mechanism is configured to support movement of the soft body robotic device and to interact with an external magnetic control device for movement of the soft body robotic device.

Abstract: A system for ankle rehabilitation includes a motorised platform arranged to hold an ankle on a subject to be rehabilitated; a first sensor module arranged to detect signals representing movement intention of the ankle on the motorized platform; a second sensor module arranged to detect signals representing actual movement of the ankle on the motorized platform; and a processor arranged to process the signals detected by the first sensor module and the signals detected by the second sensor module, for control of movement of the motorised platform.

Abstract: A method for use in optical imaging, a system for using in optical imaging, and an optical system includes a controller arranged to determine an intermediate position of a sample upon a detection of a completion of a first movement of the sample, and to derive an optimal position associated with the intermediate position; a manipulator arranged to move the sample from the intermediate position to the optimal position with a second movement; wherein the sample is arranged to be observed using an optical instrument in the optimal position.

Abstract: A method for manipulating an object for imaging by an imaging device includes the steps of rotating the object about a rotation axis into a plurality of angular positions; capturing an image of the object at each of the plurality of angular positions; and determining a respective translation required of the object for the plurality of angular positions, the translation being along a plane substantially orthogonal to the rotation axis; wherein the respective translation is arranged to align the object to the rotation axis so as to maintain the object within a field of view of the imaging device.

Abstract: A method for manipulating an object for imaging by an imaging device includes the steps of rotating the object about a rotation axis into a plurality of angular positions; capturing an image of the object at each of the plurality of angular positions; and determining a respective translation required of the object for the plurality of angular positions, the translation being along a plane substantially orthogonal to the rotation axis; wherein the respective translation is arranged to align the object to the rotation axis so as to maintain the object within a field of view of the imaging device.

Abstract: A layered material suitable as substrate for a three-dimensional cell culture includes a transparent carrier layer and a transparent conductive layer as well as a photoconductive layer comprising titanium oxide phthalocyanine. A method for producing the layered material and an article comprising it and a receiving unit are disclosed. A mold-free method is provided for forming a three-dimensional hydrogel as well as for forming a three-dimensional cell culture by using the layered material or article. Uses of the layered material and of the three-dimensional hydrogel and three-dimensional cell culture are also disclosed. The layered material, cell culture and methods provided overcome significant drawbacks of currently known technologies and allows for forming various three-dimensional patterns with high flexibility and controllability via fast and relative simple and inexpensive methods. The provided layered material and article comprising it can be produced and assembled with advantageously small dimensions.