The inherent uncertainty associated with unstructured environments makes establishing a successful grasp difficult. Traditional approaches to this problem involve hands that are complex, fragile, require elaborate sensor suites, and are difficult to control. Alternatively, by carefully designing the mechanical structure of the hand to incorporate features such as compliance and adaptability, th...

This paper compares two “steady-hand” type systems. The first is an admittance-controlled, non-backdriveable cooperative manipulation system, in which the robot and the operator simultaneously grasp and manipulate a tool. The second is a pair of haptic interfaces configured for unilateral teleoperation. A recently developed pseudoadmittance control law is applied to the master device, which att...

BACKGROUND Physician adherence to hand hygiene remains low in most hospitals. OBJECTIVES To identify risk factors for nonadherence and assess beliefs and perceptions associated with hand hygiene among physicians. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey of physician practices, beliefs, and attitudes toward hand hygiene. SETTING Large university hospital. PARTICIPANTS 163 physicians. MEASUREMENTS...

Vision-based Pose Estimation (VPE) represents a non-invasive solution to allow a smooth and natural interaction between a human user and a robotic system, without requiring complex calibration procedures. Moreover, VPE interfaces are gaining momentum as they are highly intuitive, such that they can be used from untrained personnel (e.g., a generic caregiver) even in delicate tasks as rehabilita...

The paper describes an application of close-range photogrammetry in the study of the human hand for propulsion in competitive swimming. The study involved the capture of 3-D surface data and modelling of a real and a replica hand. Both real and replica models were used in computer simulation to determine the propulsion parameters for high performance swimming. Custom-made control frame was used...

Skilled piano performance requires considerable movement control to accomplish the high levels of timing and force precision common among professional musicians, who acquire piano technique over decades of practice. Finger movement efficiency in particular is an important factor when pianists perform at very fast tempi. We document the finger movement kinematics of highly skilled pianists as th...

We have investigated how physical capabilities of users with a wide range of abilities are reflected in their interactions with digital devices. In particular, we have investigated how hand strength affects pointing performance of people with and without motor-impairment for different input devices. Our study indicates that people having higher hand strength also have greater control in hand mo...