Deformable registration has been widely used in neuroscience studies for spatial normalization of brain images onto the standard space. Because of possible large anatomical differences across different individual brains, registration performance could be limited when trying to estimate a single directed deformation pathway, i.e., either from template to subject or from subject to template. Symm...

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of flexor tendon lengthening performed for hammer toes or curly toes in children, after a mean follow up of 31 months. Specific attention was given to postoperative active flexion of the toe. The deformity improved in all patients, but less in the fourth and fifth toe. Active flexion returned and strength was recovered in all p...

In this contribution, three nonlinear control strategies are presented for a two-degree-offreedom parallel robot that is actuated by two pairs of pneumatic muscle actuators as depicted in Fig. 1. Pneumatic muscles are innovative tensile actuators consisting of a fibrereinforced vulcanised rubber hose with appropriate connectors at both ends. The working principle is based on a rhombical fibre s...

An experimental study concerning particle behaviors in a horizontal dilute swirling flow pneumatic conveying was performed. Measurements of particle velocities and concentration profiles have been carried out using the photographic image technique. From the experimental results, it is found that mean particle velocity of swirling flow pneumatic conveying is lower than that of conventional pneum...

One strategy for actuating soft machines (e.g., tentacles, grippers, and simple walkers) uses pneumatic inflation of networks of small channels in an elastomeric material. Although the management of a few pneumatic inputs and valves to control pressurized gas is straightforward, the fabrication and operation of manifolds containing many (>50) independent valves is an unsolved problem. Complex p...