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Robotic Platform (robotic + platform)
Selected AbstractsComprehensive expression atlas of fibroblast growth factors and their receptors generated by a novel robotic in situ hybridization platformDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 2 2005Murat Burak Yaylaoglu Abstract A recently developed robotic platform termed "Genepaint" can carry out large-scale nonradioactive in situ hybridization (ISH) on tissue sections. We report a series of experiments that validate this novel platform. Signal-to-noise ratio and mRNA detection limits were comparable to traditional ISH procedures, and hybridization was transcript-specific, even in cases in which probes could have hybridized to several transcripts of a multigene family. We established an atlas of expression patterns of fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) and their receptors (Fgfrs) for the embryonic day 14.5 mouse embryo. This atlas provides a comprehensive overview of previously known as well as novel sites of expression for this important family of signaling molecules. The Fgf/Fgfr atlas was integrated into the transcriptome database (www.genepaint.org), where individual Fgf and Fgfr expression patterns can be interactively viewed at cellular resolution and where sites of expressions can be retrieved using an anatomy-based search. Developmental Dynamics 234:371,386, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] An affordable modular mobile robotic platform with fuzzy logic control and evolutionary artificial neural networksJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 8 2004Maurice Tedder Autonomous robotics projects encompass the rich nature of integrated systems that includes mechanical, electrical, and computational software components. The availability of smaller and cheaper hardware components has helped make possible a new dimension in operational autonomy. This paper describes a mobile robotic platform consisting of several integrated modules including a laptop computer that serves as the main control module, microcontroller-based motion control module, a vision processing module, a sensor interface module, and a navigation module. The laptop computer module contains the main software development environment with a user interface to access and control all other modules. Programming language independence is achieved by using standard input/output computer interfaces including RS-232 serial port, USB, networking, audio input and output, and parallel port devices. However, with the same hardware technology available to all, the distinguishing factor in most cases for intelligent systems becomes the software design. The software for autonomous robots must intelligently control the hardware so that it functions in unstructured, dynamic, and uncertain environments while maintaining an autonomous adaptability. This paper describes how we introduced fuzzy logic control to one robot platform in order to solve the 2003 Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC) Autonomous Challenge problem. This paper also describes the introduction of hybrid software design that utilizes Fuzzy Evolutionary Artificial Neural Network techniques. In this design, rather than using a control program that is directly coded, the robot's artificial neural net is first trained with a training data set using evolutionary optimization techniques to adjust weight values between neurons. The trained neural network with a weight average defuzzification method was able to make correct decisions to unseen vision patterns for the IGVC Autonomous Challenge. A comparison of the Lawrence Technological University robot designs and the design of the other competing schools shows that our platforms were the most affordable robot systems to use as tools for computer science and engineering education. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Ultra scale-down prediction using microwell technology of the industrial scale clarification characteristics by centrifugation of mammalian cell brothsBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 2 2009A.S. Tait Abstract This article describes how a combination of an ultra scale-down (USD) shear device feeding a microwell centrifugation plate may be used to provide a prediction of how mammalian cell broth will clarify at scale. In particular a method is described that is inherently adaptable to a robotic platform and may be used to predict how the flow rate and capacity (equivalent settling area) of a centrifuge and the choice of feed zone configuration may affect the solids carry over in the supernatant. This is an important consideration as the extent of solids carry over will determine the required size and lifetime of a subsequent filtration stage or the passage of fine particulates and colloidal material affecting the performance and lifetime of chromatography stages. The extent of solids removal observed in individual wells of a microwell plate during centrifugation is shown to correlate with the vertical and horizontal location of the well on the plate. Geometric adjustments to the evaluation of the equivalent settling area of individual wells (,M) results in an improved prediction of solids removal as a function of centrifuge capacity. The USD centrifuge settling characteristics need to be as for a range of equivalent flow rates as may be experienced at an industrial scale for a machine of different shear characteristics in the entry feed zone. This was shown to be achievable with two microwell-plate based measurements and the use of varying fill volumes in the microwells to allow the rapid study of a fivefold range of equivalent flow rates (i.e., at full scale for a particular industrial centrifuge) and the effect of a range of feed configurations. The microwell based USD method was used to examine the recovery of CHO-S cells, prepared in a 5,L reactor, at different points of growth and for different levels of exposure to shear post reactor. The combination of particle size distribution measurements of the cells before and after shear and the effect of shear on the solids remaining after centrifugation rate provide insight into the state of the cells throughout the fermentation and the ease with which they and accumulated debris may be removed by continuous centrifugation. Hence bioprocess data are more readily available to help better integrate cell culture and cell removal stages and resolve key bioprocess design issues such as choice of time of harvesting and the impact on product yield and contaminant carry over. Operation at microwell scale allows data acquisition and bioprocess understanding over a wide range of operating conditions that might not normally be achieved during bioprocess development. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009; 104: 321,331 © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Automated, scalable culture of human embryonic stem cells in feeder-free conditionsBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 6 2009Rob J. Thomas Abstract Large-scale manufacture of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is prerequisite to their widespread use in biomedical applications. However, current hESC culture strategies are labor-intensive and employ highly variable processes, presenting challenges for scaled production and commercial development. Here we demonstrate that passaging of the hESC lines, HUES7, and NOTT1, with trypsin in feeder-free conditions, is compatible with complete automation on the CompacT SelecT, a commercially available and industrially relevant robotic platform. Pluripotency was successfully retained, as evidenced by consistent proliferation during serial passage, expression of stem cell markers (OCT4, NANOG, TRA1-81, and SSEA-4), stable karyotype, and multi-germlayer differentiation in vitro, including to pharmacologically responsive cardiomyocytes. Automation of hESC culture will expedite cell-use in clinical, scientific, and industrial applications. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 1636,1644. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] High Throughput Screening for the Design and Optimization of Chromatographic Processes: Assessment of Model Parameter Determination from High Throughput Compatible DataCHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (CET), Issue 12 2008A. Susanto Abstract Chromatographic processes can be optimized in various ways, and the two most prominent approaches are based either on statistical data analysis or on experimentally validated simulation models. Both strategies rely heavily on experimental data, the generation of which usually imposes a significant bottleneck on rational process design. The latter approach is followed in this work, and the utilizability of high throughput compatible experiments for the determination of model parameters which are required for in silico process optimization, is assessed. The unknown parameter values are estimated from batch uptake experiments on a robotic platform and from dynamic breakthrough experiments with miniaturized chromatographic columns. The identified model is then validated with respect to process optimization by comparison of model predictions with experimental data from a preparative scale column. In this study, a strong cation exchanger Toyopearl SP-650M and lysozyme solved in phosphate buffer (pH 7), is used as the test system. The utilization of data from miniaturized and high throughput compatible experiments is shown to yield sufficiently accurate results, and minimizes efforts and costs for both parameter estimation and model validation. [source] Dynamic optimization of N -joint robotic limb deploymentsJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 3 2010Wolfgang Fink We describe an approach using a stochastic optimization framework (SOF) for operating complex mobile systems with several degrees of freedom (DOFs), such as robotic limbs with N joints, in environments that can contain obstacles. As part of the SOF, we have employed an efficient simulated annealing algorithm normally used in computationally highly expensive optimization and search problems such as the traveling salesman problem and protein design. This algorithm is particularly suited to run onboard industrial robots, robots in telemedicine, remote spacecraft, planetary landers, and rovers, i.e., robotic platforms with limited computational capabilities. The robotic limb deployment optimization approach presented here offers an alternative to time-intensive robotic arm deployment path planning algorithms in general and in particular for robotic limb systems in which closed-form solutions do not exist. Application examples for a (N = 4)-DOF arm on a planetary exploration rover are presented. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Shared environment representation for a human-robot team performing information fusionJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 11-12 2007Tobias Kaupp This paper addresses the problem of building a shared environment representation by a human-robot team. Rich environment models are required in real applications for both autonomous operation of robots and to support human decision-making. Two probabilistic models are used to describe outdoor environment features such as trees: geometric (position in the world) and visual. The visual representation is used to improve data association and to classify features. Both models are able to incorporate observations from robotic platforms and human operators. Physically, humans and robots form a heterogeneous sensor network. In our experiments, the human-robot team consists of an unmanned air vehicle, a ground vehicle, and two human operators. They are deployed for an information gathering task and perform information fusion cooperatively. All aspects of the system including the fusion algorithms are fully decentralized. Experimental results are presented in form of the acquired multi-attribute feature map, information exchange patterns demonstrating human-robot information fusion, and quantitative model evaluation. Learned lessons from deploying the system in the field are also presented. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||