Search Results (182)

Apple harvesting faces increasing challenges owing to rising labor costs and the limited seasonal workforce availability, highlighting the need for robotic harvesting solutions in precision agriculture. This study presents a 6-DOF robotic arm system designed for harvesting in dwarf hedge-planted orchards, featuring a lightweight perception module, a task-adaptive motion planner, and an adaptive soft gripper. A lightweight approach was introduced by integrating the Faster module within the C2f module of the You Only Look Once (YOLO) v8n architecture to optimize the real-time apple detection efficiency. For motion planning, a Dynamic Temperature Simplified Transition Adaptive Cost Bidirectional Transition-Based Rapidly Exploring Random Tree (DSA-BiTRRT) algorithm was developed, demonstrating significant improvements in the path planning performance. The adaptive soft gripper was evaluated for its detachment and load-bearing capacities. Field experiments revealed that the direct-pull method at 150 mN·m torque outperformed the rotation-pull method at both 100 mN·m and 150 mN·m. A custom control system integrating all components was validated in partially controlled orchards, where obstacle clearance and thinning were conducted to ensure operation safety. Tests conducted on 80 apples showed a 52.5% detachment success rate and a 47.5% overall harvesting success rate, with average detachment and full-cycle times of 7.7 s and 15.3 s per apple, respectively. These results highlight the system’s potential for advancing robotic fruit harvesting and contribute to the ongoing development of autonomous agricultural technologies. Full article

The use of aerial robots for inspection and maintenance in industrial settings demands high maneuverability, precise control, and reliable measurements. This study explores the development of a fully customized unmanned aerial manipulator (UAM), composed of a tilting drone and an articulated robotic arm, designed to perform non-destructive in-contact inspections of iron structures. The system is intended to operate in complex and potentially hazardous environments, where autonomous execution is supported by shared-control strategies that include human supervision. A parallel force–impedance control framework is implemented to enable smooth and repeatable contact between a sensor for ultrasonic testing (UT) and the inspected surface. During interaction, the arm applies a controlled push to create a vacuum seal, allowing accurate thickness measurements. The control strategy is validated through repeated trials in both indoor and outdoor scenarios, demonstrating consistency and robustness. The paper also addresses the mechanical and control integration of the complex robotic system, highlighting the challenges and solutions in achieving a responsive and reliable aerial platform. The combination of semi-autonomous control and human-in-the-loop operation significantly improves the effectiveness of inspection tasks in hard-to-reach environments, enhancing both human safety and task performance. Full article

This study investigates the hydrodynamic performance of ships entering a ship lift compartment that is under the influence of upstream channel geometry and proposes a mechanical traction scheme to enhance operational safety and efficiency. Utilizing a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS)-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach with overlapping grid technology, numerical simulations were conducted for both single and grouped ships navigating through varying water depths, speeds, and shore distances. The results revealed significant transverse force oscillations near the floating navigation wall due to unilateral shore effects, posing risks of deviation. The cargo ship experienced drastic resistance fluctuations in shallow-to-very-shallow-water transitions, while tugboats were notably affected by hydrodynamic interactions during group entry. A mechanical traction system with a four-link robotic arm was designed and analyzed kinematically and statically, demonstrating structural feasibility under converted real-ship traction forces (55.1 kN). The key findings emphasize the need for collision avoidance measures in wall sections and validate the proposed traction scheme for safe and efficient ship entry/exit. This research provides critical insights for optimizing ship lift operations in restricted waters. Full article

Background/Objectives: Patients with normal sinus rhythms undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) implantation may benefit from a novel two-lead CRT-D system (CRT-DX), which features an atrial sensing dipole integrated into the right ventricular lead. This single-arm, international, non-controlled investigation focused on the safety and clinical efficacy of CRT-DX devices in CRT-D candidates who do not require atrial pacing. Methods: Patients indicated for CRT-D implantation (resting heart rates > 40 bpm and ≥100 bpm during exercise, no second or higher-degree AV block, and no history of persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation) were enrolled across 21 sites in four European countries. The primary endpoint was the need for an additional RA lead implantation within 12 months. Secondary endpoints comprised any invasive re-intervention to the CRT-DX system or infection. Results: Among the 110 patients (mean age 62 years, 70% male), 60% had an underlying non-ischemic cardiac disease. During 12 months of follow-up, RA lead implantation was required in two patients for atrial undersensing or chronotropic incompetence (RA lead implantation-free rate: 98.2% (95% CI: 92.7–99.5%)). Atrial sensing amplitudes were stable (mean: 4.7 ± 1.7 mV), AV-synchrony was maintained at >99%, and the median percentage of biventricular pacing exceeded 98%. The left ventricular ejection fraction improved by an absolute 14.7%. Conclusions: Using simple, clinically applicable inclusion criteria, the two-lead CRT-DX system demonstrated a low rate of subsequent RA lead implantations (1.8%) and maintained adequate RA sensing amplitudes throughout the observation period. The two-lead CRT-DX concept appears to be a feasible alternative for patients with preserved chronotropic competence. Full article

Efficient new methods are needed to support initiatives to reduce, refine, and/or replace toxicity testing in vertebrates. 5-fluorouracil (5FU), hydroxyurea (HU), and ribavirin (RV) are mammalian teratogens. Skeletal, endocrine organ, and cardiac effects are often associated with teratogenesis, and a simple nematode like C. elegans lacks these systems. However, many genetic pathways required for mammalian morphogenesis have at least some conserved elements in this small, invertebrate model. The C. elegans lifecycle is 3 days. The effects of 5FU, HU, and RV on the C. elegans morphology were evaluated on day 4 post-initiation of the feeding after hatching for continuous and 24 h (early-only) developmental exposures. Continuous exposures to 5FU and HU induced increases in the incidences of abnormal gonadal structures that were significantly reduced in early-only exposure groups. The incidence of prolapse increased with continuous 5FU and HU exposures and was further increased in early-only exposure groups. Intestinal prolapse through the vulval muscle in C. elegans may be related to reported 5FU and HU effects on skeletal muscle and the gastrointestinal tract in mammals. Continuous RV exposures induced a phenotype lacking a uterus and gonad arms, as well as vulval anomalies that were largely, but not completely, reversed with early-only exposures, which is consistent with reported reversible reproductive tract anomalies after an RV exposure in mammals. These findings suggest that C. elegans can be used to detect the hazard risk from chemicals that adversely affect conserved pathways involved in organismal morphogenesis, but to determine the fit-for-purpose use of this model in chemical safety evaluations, further studies using larger and more diverse chemical test panels are needed. Full article

Time-of-flight sensors have emerged as a viable solution for real-time distance sensing in robotic safety applications due to their compact size, fast response, and contactless operation. This study addresses one of the key challenges with time-of-flight sensors, focusing on how they perceive and evaluate the environment, particularly in the presence of complex geometries and reflective surfaces. Using a Universal Robots UR5e arm in a controlled indoor workspace, two different sensors were tested across eight scenarios involving objects of varying shapes, sizes, materials, and reflectivity. Quantitative metrics including the root mean square error, mean absolute error, area difference, and others were used to evaluate measurement accuracy. Results show that the sensor’s field of view and operating principle significantly affect its spatial resolution and object boundary detection, with narrower fields of view providing more precise measurements and wider fields of view demonstrating greater resilience to specular reflections. These findings offer valuable insights into selecting appropriate ToF sensors for integration into robotic safety systems, particularly in environments with reflective surfaces and complex geometries. Full article

This study aims to evaluate the real-world efficacy and safety of aflibercept 8 mg intravitreal injections (IVTs) in pretreated patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) throughout the first three IVTs. Background: Established anti-vascular-endothelial-growth-factor (anti-VEGF) therapies positively impact the progression of nAMD but require frequent administration, thus burdening patients and the healthcare system. Pivotal trials of the recently approved aflibercept 8 mg have demonstrated extended dosing intervals with comparable safety to standard treatments. However, real-world data is still scarce. Methods: A retrospective, single-center single-arm analysis was conducted on 22 eyes from 18 pretreated nAMD patients. Eyes were switched from other anti-VEGF agents to aflibercept 8 mg injections continuing a treat-and-extend regimen (no loading dose after switching). Treatment intervals and structural (central subfield thickness (CST); disease activity) and functional (best corrected visual acuity (BCVA)) outcomes were assessed at baseline (date of first aflibercept 8 mg injection) and at follow-up examinations until follow-up 3. Safety data, including intraocular pressure changes, were recorded. Results: Over a median follow-up of 16.6 weeks (IQR 15.1–27.0), patients switched to aflibercept 8 mg showed prolonged intervals between injections (5.5 weeks vs. 7 weeks, p < 0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test), reduced disease activity, stable CST, and stable BCVA. One patient experienced transient intraocular pressure elevation, which resolved without intervention. No other adverse events were observed. Conclusions: Treatment with aflibercept 8 mg appears to provide effective disease control with prolonged treatment intervals in switched nAMD patients in routine clinical practice. These findings further indicate the potential for reducing treatment burden. Full article

Background: Sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) and dynapenia (loss of strength) are prevalent in older adults aged 70 years and over. Both have an impact on their functional ability and quality of life, with type II muscle fibres being particularly affected. Although traditional resistance training (TRT) is effective, it presents technical difficulties and an increased risk of injury among this vulnerable population. Isometric strength training (IST) is a potentially safer, more accessible and more effective alternative. Objective: To describe the protocol of a single-arm, pre-post intervention trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and applicability of a 16-week IST programme on muscle strength, skeletal muscle mass, quality of life and applicability (safety, acceptability, perceived difficulty) in 18 older adults aged 70 years and above with a diagnosis of sarcopenia and dynapenia. The influence of genetic and environmental factors on the variability of response to IST will also be explored. Methodology: The participants, who have all been diagnosed with sarcopenia according to EWGSOP2 (European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2) criteria, will perform two IST sessions per week for 16 weeks. Each 30-min session will consist of one progressive set (total duration 45 s to 90 s) for each of the eight major muscle groups. This series will include phases at 20% and 40% of individual Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC), culminating in 100% Maximal Effort (ME), using the CIEX SYSTEM machine with visual feedback. The primary outcome variables will be: change in knee extensor MVIC and change in Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (ASMMI). Secondary variables will be measured (other components of sarcopenia, quality of life by EQ-5D-5L, use of Likert scales, posture and physiological variables), and saliva samples will be collected for exploratory genetic analyses. The main statistical analyses will be performed with t-tests for related samples or their non-parametric analogues. Discussion: This protocol details a specific IST intervention and a comprehensive evaluation plan. The results are expected to provide evidence on the feasibility and effects of IST among older adults with sarcopenia and dynapenia. Understanding individual variability in response, including genetic influence, could inform the design of more personalised and effective exercise strategies for this population in the future. Full article

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), although increasingly less necessary, is still required in specific breast cancer surgery scenarios, such as cases with a high axillary tumor burden. However, traditional practices are being reassessed due to the associated morbidity and impacts on recovery. This review explores five critical and controversial innovations in ALND: (1) same-day discharge, (2) omission of surgical drains, (3) application of fibrin sealants, (4) minimally invasive techniques, and (5) their collective influence on quality of life (QoL). Same-day discharge has proven to be safe and cost-effective, increasing patient satisfaction without raising complication rates. The omission of drains, while slightly increasing seroma volumes, is linked to shorter hospital stays and fewer complications. The use of fibrin sealants shows promising results in reducing the seroma volume and duration, expediting recovery, although their routine use remains under debate. Minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques reduce morbidity and improve cosmetic outcomes while maintaining oncological safety. Quality of life (QoL) is essential in the evaluation of breast cancer treatment and is evaluated using tools such as EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-BR23, and FACT-B, SF-36, which assess physical, emotional, and psychosocial recovery. Innovations in ALND seem to improve QoL by minimizing pain, increasing arm function, and reducing psychological stress, underscoring the importance of patient-centered strategies. Although axillary lymphadenectomy increases arm morbidity compared to sentinel node biopsy, its overall impact on quality of life appears limited, likely due to the overlapping effects of systemic therapies and breast surgery. Full article

The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections necessitates the exploration of alternative antimicrobial strategies, with phage therapy emerging as a viable option. However, the effectiveness of naturally occurring phages can be significantly limited by bacterial defense systems that include adsorption blocking, restriction–modification, CRISPR-Cas immunity, abortive infection, and NAD+ depletion defense systems. This review examines these bacterial defenses and their implications for phage therapy, while highlighting the potential of phages’ bioengineering to overcome these barriers. By leveraging synthetic biology, genetically engineered phages can be tailored to evade bacterial immunity through such modifications as receptor-binding protein engineering, anti-CRISPR gene incorporation, methylation pattern alterations, and enzymatic degradation of bacterial protective barriers. “Armed phages”, enhanced with antimicrobial peptides, CRISPR-based genome-editing tools, or immune-modulating factors, offer a novel therapeutic avenue. Clinical trials of bioengineered phages, currently SNIPR001 and LBP-EC01, showcase their potential to safely and effectively combat MDR infections. SNIPR001 has completed a Phase I clinical trial evaluating safety in healthy volunteers, while LBP-EC01 is in Phase II trials assessing its performance in the treatment of Escherichia coli-induced urinary tract infections in patients with a history of drug-resistant infections. As “armed phages” progress toward clinical application, they hold great promise for precision-targeted antimicrobial therapies and represent a critical innovation in addressing the global antibiotic resistance crisis. Full article

Objectives: Currently, there are a lack of data on the use of systemic lidocaine infusion in critically ill surgical patients, particularly regarding optimal dosing and monitoring. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of conducting a subsequent full-scale, randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the use of systemic lidocaine infusion in surgical intensive care units (ICUs). Methods: A single-center, prospective, single-arm pilot trial was conducted at the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) at Houston Methodist Hospital. The study population included 12 subjects over 18 years old who were admitted to the surgical ICU after open abdominal surgery. A low-dose lidocaine infusion of 10–30 mcg/kg/min within 1 h of ICU admission. Results: The feasibility outcomes encompassed recruitment, retention, and withdrawal rates. The study initially screened 18 participants, all of whom were successfully enrolled, resulting in a recruitment rate of 100%. However, 6 participants (33.3%) from the enrolled group were subsequently withdrawn for various reasons, resulting in a retention rate of 12 participants (66.7%). All 12 remaining participants were included in the analysis at the baseline stage. The safety outcomes included adverse events and serum lidocaine levels, with no serious adverse events reported. Dizziness and hypertension were the most frequently reported adverse events in their respective categories, affecting 16.7% of patients each. Four patients (33%) exhibited elevated lidocaine levels exceeding 5 mcg/mL; however, no clinical features of lidocaine toxicity were observed. This study adhered to the CONSORT 2010 extension for pilot and feasibility trials. In accordance with these guidelines, no formal hypothesis testing for efficacy was performed. The exploratory outcomes included a reduction in opioid requirements, as measured by morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs), and pain scores. The median MMEs decreased from 22.6 on postoperative day 0 to 2.5 on day 3. The pain scores decreased by 1.09 units per day (β = −1.09; 95% CI: −1.82 to −0.36; p = 0.003); however, the absence of a control group limits the robustness of this observation. Conclusions: A large-scale, randomized controlled trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of systemic lidocaine infusion in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) seems feasible, with minor adjustments to the eligibility criteria and improved collaboration among nurses, anesthesiologists, and surgeons. Full article

The accurate real-time estimation of the remaining useful life (RUL) of lithium-polymer (LiPo) batteries is a critical enabler for ensuring the safety, reliability, and operational efficiency of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Nevertheless, achieving such prognostics on resource-constrained embedded platforms remains a considerable technical challenge. This study proposes an end-to-end TinyML-based framework that integrates embedded sensor data fusion with an optimized feedforward neural network (FFNN) model for efficient RUL estimation under strict hardware limitations. The system collects voltage, discharge time, and capacity measurements through a lightweight data fusion pipeline and leverages the Edge Impulse platform with the EON™Compiler for model optimization. The trained model is deployed on a dual-core ARM Cortex-M0+ Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller, communicating wirelessly with a LabVIEW-based visualization system for real-time monitoring. Experimental validation on an 80-gram UAV equipped with a 1100 mAh LiPo battery demonstrates a mean absolute error (MAE) of 3.46 cycles and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 3.75 cycles. Model testing results show an overall accuracy of $98.82\%$, with a mean squared error (MSE) of 55.68, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 5.38, and a variance score of 0.99, indicating strong regression precision and robustness. Furthermore, the quantized (int8) version of the model achieves an inference latency of 2 ms, with memory utilization of only 1.2 KB RAM and 11 KB flash, confirming its suitability for real-time deployment on resource-constrained embedded devices. Overall, the proposed framework effectively demonstrates the feasibility of combining embedded sensor data fusion and TinyML to enable accurate, low-latency, and resource-efficient real-time RUL estimation for UAV battery health management. Full article

Previous studies have shown that 5-aminolevulinic acid phosphate together with sodium ferrous citrate, which is marketed as a food supplement, appears to be an important metabolic regulator in depleted T cell metabolism. Therefore, it was hypothesized that its administration in subjects vaccinated against COVID-19 could enhance their immune system. Therefore, the aim of our proof-of-concept study was to determine the safety (by adverse events monitoring) and the tolerability (by subject questionnaires) and to investigate immune-boosting properties (by Immunoglobulins) in which 200 subjects were randomized in a ratio of 1:1 within 2 arms. In the intervention arm, the study product was administered together with the vaccines Covishield or Covaxin, and up to 21 days thereafter with a 150 mg daily dose, whereas in the control arm, the subjects were vaccinated only. No safety issues were detected, and the evaluation of the subject questionnaires showed no limitation of the well-being, which confirms the excellent tolerability of 5-aminolevulinic acid phosphate with sodium ferrous citrate. Moreover, the ‘Change in Immunoglobulin G levels’, although statistically insignificant, showed strong signals of its immune supportive potential. However, further studies are recommended to verify the results. Full article

Improved surveillance systems provide early warnings and improve public safety. Such systems are desperately needed in light of the rising number of armed robberies in private and public places. A YOLOv8-based system specifically intended for CCTV-based armed robbery detection was developed to meet this demand in this study. The system identified weapons such as handguns, assault weapons, shotguns, and others in real-time, utilizing a custom-trained model. The system demonstrated a strong performance with an overall anomaly detection accuracy of 87.50%. The confidence level was 1.2 m (58.79) and 2 m (59.74) in determining the optimal height and distance considering the positioning of the CCTV camera. The low confidence level was attributed to the mixture of images from a general database from the Internet along with self-captured images that resulted in the overfitting of the datasets. Although improvements are needed to increase the confidence level by using real guns in training the model and reducing false negatives, the potential of YOLOv8 to enhance public safety has been confirmed by providing early warnings of armed robberies. Full article

This paper presents an intelligent navigation wearable device for visually impaired individuals. The system aims to improve their independent travel capabilities and reduce the negative emotional impacts associated with visible disability indicators in travel tools. It employs an RGB-D camera and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor to facilitate real-time obstacle detection and recognition via advanced point cloud processing and YOLO-based target recognition techniques. An integrated intelligent interaction module identifies the core obstacle from the detected obstacles and translates this information into multidimensional auxiliary guidance. Users receive haptic feedback to navigate obstacles, indicating directional turns and distances, while auditory prompts convey the identity and distance of obstacles, enhancing spatial awareness. The intuitive vibrational guidance significantly enhances safety during obstacle avoidance, and the voice instructions promote a better understanding of the surrounding environment. The device adopts an arm-mounted design, departing from the traditional cane structure that reinforces disability labeling and social stigma. This lightweight mechanical design prioritizes user comfort and mobility, making it more user-friendly than traditional stick-type aids. Experimental results demonstrate that this system outperforms traditional white canes and ultrasonic devices in reducing collision rates, particularly for mid-air obstacles, thereby significantly improving safety in dynamic environments. Furthermore, the system’s ability to vocalize obstacle identities and distances in advance enhances spatial perception and interaction with the environment. By eliminating the cane structure, this innovative wearable design effectively minimizes social stigma, empowering visually impaired individuals to travel independently with increased confidence, ultimately contributing to an improved quality of life. Full article