PURPOSE The authors evaluated, under conditions simulating implant placement, the cutting efficiency, durability, heat production, and wear of implant drills. MATERIALS AND METHODS Osteotomies were performed on bovine ribs using a surgical unit mounted in a testing apparatus. A software program controlled the apparatus and recorded temperatures, depths, and drilling times. Seven brands of dri...

Hard-bodied robots’ operations always are limited because of their rigid structures. Recently, researchers has been inspired by some animals because they can exhibit complex movement with soft structure. Conventional manipulators operate difficultly because of their rigid links in some highly congested environments. They design soft robots, to replace traditional robots with rigid links. With a...

PURPOSE To investigate the speed profiles of individual training modes in comparison with wheelchair rugby (WCR) competition across player classifications. METHODS Speed profiles of 15 international WCR players were determined using a radio-frequency-based indoor tracking system. Mean and peak speed (m/s), work:rest ratios, and the relative time spent in (%) and number of high-speed activitie...

Ocean wave is one of the renewable energy resources that these days various devices are used to extract its energy. Oscillating Water Column (OWC) installed on the shore is one of the wave energy absorption systems which has received attention due to its simple structure. Investigation of the pneumatic power is of great importance in such systems as the conversion of wave energy to pneumatic en...

In order to improve the impact performance, the structure of hydraulic hammer should be optimized. In this paper, the ranges of eight vital structure parameters of piston and reversing valve system of hydraulic hammer were selected firstly; and then found the best value of different parameters under experiments with the method of computer optimization and the parametric analysis method provided...

This article focuses on an aspect of traditional instruction — the form-only activities commonly called "drills," "mechanical practice," or "pattern practice." The authors first distinguish language as an internalized system from language as a productive skill and review the nature of mechanical pratice. They contend that despite claims made about communicative language teaching and its goals, ...

Integrating wave energy converters with breakwaters is a promising concept for wave energy utilization. On the basis of fulfilling the wave protection demands, pile-supported Oscillating Water Column (OWC)-type breakwaters can also meet the local needs of electricity far from the lands. In the present study, the wave energy extraction and vortex-induced energy loss of pile-supported OWC-type br...

A concert pianist is able to produce a wide range of imaginable nuances of musical expression by actuating the 88 keys on a piano, none of which travel through a distance greater than one centimeter. In this study, we investigated the temporal behaviour of grand piano actions from different manufacturers using different types of touch (‘legato’ versus ‘staccato’). An experimental setup consisti...

New pneumatic actuators developed in the author's laboratory will be presented with their applications to new mechatronics. Examples of them are a pneumatic rubber actuator for compliant robots, a micro pneumatic tube actuator assisting the colonscope insertion, a pneumatic stepping motor with high torque and resolution, a pneumatic drive bicycle, an intelligent pneumatic cylinder which has enc...