@article {4270, title = {Scaling of joint mass and metabolism fluctuations in in silico cell-laden spheroids}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, volume = {118}, year = {2021}, abstract = {

Variations and fluctuations are characteristic features of biological systems and are also manifested in cell cultures. Here, we describe a computational pipeline for identifying the range of three-dimensional (3D) cell-aggregate sizes in which nonisometric scaling emerges in the presence of joint mass and metabolic rate fluctuations. The 3D cell-laden spheroids with size and single-cell metabolic rates described by probability density functions were randomly generated in silico. The distributions of the resulting metabolic rates of the spheroids were computed by modeling oxygen diffusion and reaction. Then, a method for estimating scaling exponents of correlated variables through statistically significant data collapse of joint probability distributions was developed. The method was used to identify a physiologically relevant range of spheroid sizes, where both nonisometric scaling and a minimum oxygen concentration (0.04 mol.m-3) is maintained. The in silico pipeline described enables the prediction of the number of experiments needed for an acceptable collapse and, thus, a consistent estimate of scaling parameters. Using the pipeline, we also show that scaling exponents may be significantly different in the presence of joint mass and metabolic-rate variations typically found in cells. Our study highlights the importance of incorporating fluctuations and variability in size and metabolic rates when estimating scaling exponents. It also suggests the need for taking into account their covariations for better understanding and interpreting experimental observations both in vitro and in vivo and brings insights for the design of more predictive and physiologically relevant in vitro models.

}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2025211118}, url = {https://www.pnas.org/content/118/38/e2025211118}, author = {Botte, Ermes and Biagini, Francesco and Magliaro, Chiara and Rinaldo, Andrea and Maritan, Amos and Ahluwalia, Arti} } @proceedings {4106, title = {SIMULTANEOUS AND PROPORTIONAL DECODING OF STIFFNESS AND POSITION INTENTIONS FROM TWO SEMG CHANNELS FOR UL PROSTHETICS}, year = {2020}, month = {07/2020}, abstract = {

To physically interact with a rich variety of environments and situation-oriented requirements, humans continuously adapt both the stiffness and the force of their limbs through antagonistic muscle coactivation. Reflecting this behaviour in prostheses may promote control naturalness and intuitiveness and, consequently, their acceptance in everyday life. We propose a method capable of a simultaneous and proportional decoding of position and stiffness intentions from two surface electro-myographic sensors placed over a pair of antagonistic muscles. First, the algorithm is validated and compared to existing control modalities. Then, the algorithm is implemented in a soft under-actuated prosthetic hand (SoftHand Pro). We investigated the feasibility of our approach in a preliminary study involving one prosthetic user. Our future goal is to evaluate the usability of the proposed approach executing a variety of tasks including physical social interaction with other subjects (see Figure 1). Our hypothesis is that variable stiffness could be a compromise between firm control and safe interaction.

}, url = {https://conferences.lib.unb.ca/index.php/mec/article/view/35}, author = {Capsi-Morales, Patricia and C. Piazza and M. G. Catalano and A. Bicchi and G. Grioli} } @article {4292, title = {Softhandler: An integrated soft robotic system for handling heterogeneous objects}, journal = {IEEE Robotics \& Automation Magazine}, volume = {27}, year = {2020}, pages = {55{\textendash}72}, author = {Angelini, Franco and Petrocelli, Cristiano and Catalano, Manuel G and Garabini, Manolo and Grioli, Giorgio and Bicchi, Antonio} } @article {3641, title = {A Spherical Active Joint for Humanoids and Humans}, journal = {IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters}, volume = {Volume: 4 , Issue: 2 , April 2019}, year = {2019}, month = {01/2019}, author = {S. Mghames and M. G. Catalano and A. Bicchi and G. Grioli} } @conference {3451, title = {Separating haptic guidance from task dynamics: A practical solution via cutaneous devices}, booktitle = {2018 IEEE Haptics Symposium (HAPTICS)}, year = {2018}, month = {March}, pages = {20-25}, keywords = {Biomechanics, cutaneous forces, cutaneous guidance, Dynamics, Exoskeletons, guidance condition, guidance cues, guidance forces, haptic feedback, haptic guidance, haptic interfaces, human movement, kinesthetic guidance, rendering (computer graphics), separate haptic cues, Skin, Task analysis, task completion strategies, task complexity, task dynamics, task forces, Training, Trajectory, Wrist}, doi = {10.1109/HAPTICS.2018.8357147}, author = {E. Pezent and S. Fani and J. Bradley and M. Bianchi and M. K. O{\textquoteright}Malley} } @conference {3761, title = {Shared-autonomy control for intuitive bimanual tele-manipulation}, booktitle = {2018 IEEE-RAS 18th International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids)}, year = {2018}, pages = {1{\textendash}9}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, abstract = {

Existing dual-arm teleoperation systems function on one-to-one coupling of the human and robotic arms to fully exploit the user{\textquoteright}s dexterity during bimanual tele-manipulation. While the individual coordination of the robot end-effectors can be necessary for complex and asymmetric tasks, it may result in a cumbersome user experience during symmetric bimanual tasks (e.g. manipulating and carrying objects). In this paper we propose a novel framework that includes the one-to-one direct control and a new shared autonomy strategy. The user can autonomously choose between the two, and if the new one is selected the robots move in a coordinated way, in which desired positions are extrapolated from the movements and gestures of just one users arm. These gesture commands are interpreted and handled by the control, with the purpose of unloading the users cognitive burden. Lastly, the tele-impedance paradigm, i.e., the remote control of robot impedance and position references, is applied to both controls, to improve remote physical interaction performances. The paper reports on the overall proposed architecture, its implementation and its preliminary validation trough a multi subject experimental campaign.

}, doi = {10.1109/HUMANOIDS.2018.8625047}, url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8625047}, author = {Laghi, Marco and Maimeri, Michele and Marchand, Mathieu and Leparoux, Clara and Catalano, Manuel and Ajoudani, Arash and Bicchi, Antonio} } @article {3448, title = {Simplifying Telerobotics: Wearability and Teleimpedance Improves Human-Robot Interactions in Teleoperation}, journal = {IEEE Robotics Automation Magazine}, volume = {25}, year = {2018}, month = {March}, pages = {77-88}, keywords = {application fields, augmented teleoperation, Autonomous robots, communication, effective design, effective simplification, environmental constraints, feedback, Force feedback, fundamental requirement, haptic feedback devices, haptic interfaces, human workspace, human-robot interaction, human-robot interactions, human-robot interfaces, ideal scenario, integrated approach, integrated interface, integrated system, interaction forces, intuitive information exchange, Kinematics, KUKA lightweight robotic arm, lightweight design, manipulators, master, position control, reduced versions, Robot sensing systems, robotic devices, robotic hand-arm system, robotic manipulator, robotic teleoperation, simplified information exchange, slave robot, stiffness control, synergy, Task analysis, teleimpedance techniques, Telemedicine, teleoperator system, telerobotics, TI control, vision, wearability, wearable feedback, wearable hand/arm}, issn = {1070-9932}, doi = {10.1109/MRA.2017.2741579}, author = {S. Fani and S. Ciotti and M. G. Catalano and G. Grioli and A. Tognetti and G. Valenza and A. Ajoudani and M. Bianchi} } @article {3697, title = {The SoftHand Pro: Functional evaluation of a novel, flexible, and robust myoelectric prosthesis}, journal = {PLOS One}, year = {2018}, author = {S. B. Godfrey and K. Zhao and A. Theuer and M. G. Catalano and M. Bianchi and R. Breighner and D. Bhaskaran and R. Lennon and G. Grioli and M. Santello and A. Bicchi and K. Andrews} } @conference {3747, title = {The softpro project: Synergy-based open-source technologies for prosthetics and rehabilitation}, booktitle = {International Symposium on Wearable Robotics}, year = {2018}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01887-0_71}, author = {C. Piazza and M. G. Catalano and M. Bianchi and E. Ricciardi and D. Pratichizzo and S. Haddadin and Luft, A. R. L. and O. Lambercy and R. Gassert and E. Jakubowitz and H. Van Der Kooij and F. Tonis and F. Bonomo and B. de Jonge and T. Ward and K. Zhao and M. Santello and A. Bicchi} } @conference {3562, title = {A Study on Force-Based Collaboration in Flying Swarms}, booktitle = {Proc. of Swarm Intelligence}, year = {2018}, pages = {3{\textendash}15}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, organization = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Cham}, isbn = {978-3-030-00533-7}, author = {C. Gabellieri and M. Tognon and L. Pallottino and A. Franchi} } @article {3349, title = {Systemic and vascular inflammation in an in-vitro model of central obesity}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, year = {2018}, month = {02/2018}, abstract = {

Metabolic disorders due to over-nutrition are a major global health problem, often associated with obesity and related morbidities. Obesity is peculiar to humans, as it is associated with lifestyle and diet, and so difficult to reproduce in animal models. Here we describe a model of human central adiposity based on a 3-tissue system consisting of a series of interconnected fluidic modules. Given the causal link between obesity and systemic inflammation, we focused primarily on pro-inflammatory markers, examining the similarities and differences between the 3-tissue model and evidence from human studies in the literature. When challenged with high levels of adiposity, the in-vitro system manifests cardiovascular stress through expression of E-selectin and von Willebrand factor as well as systemic inflammation (expressing IL-6 and MCP-1) as observed in humans. Interestingly, most of the responses are dependent on the synergic interaction between adiposity and the presence of multiple tissue types. The set-up has the potential to reduce animal experiments in obesity research and may help unravel specific cellular mechanisms which underlie tissue response to nutritional overload.

}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192824.s001}, url = {http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0192824}, author = {A. Ahluwalia and A. Misto and G. Vozzi and C. Magliaro and G. Mattei and Marescotti MC and AVOGARO, A and Iori, E.} } @article {3725, title = {SoftHand at the CYBATHLON: A user{\textquoteright}s experience}, journal = {JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION}, year = {2017}, doi = {10.1186/s12984-017-0334-y}, author = {S. B. Godfrey and M. Rossi and C. Piazza and M. G. Catalano and M. Bianchi and G. Grioli and K. Zhao and A. Bicchi} } @article {3258, title = {The SoftHand Pro-H: A Hybrid Body-Controlled, Electrically Powered Hand Prosthesis for Daily Living and Working }, journal = {IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine}, year = {2017}, note = {

This work was supported by the European Commission project (Horizon 2020 research program) SOFTPRO 688857, the European Research Council under the Advanced Grant SoftHands {\textquotedblleft}A Theory of Soft Synergies for a New Generation of Artificial Hands,{\textquotedblright} ERC-291166, and the Proof of Concept Project SoftHand Pro-H, ERC-2016-PoC 727536.\ 

}, month = {11/2017}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, issn = {1070-9932}, doi = {10.1109/MRA.2017.2751662}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=8110634}, author = {C. Piazza and M. G. Catalano and S. B. Godfrey and M. Rossi and G. Grioli and M. Bianchi and K. Zhao and A. Bicchi} } @inbook {3221, title = {Strain and angular sensing fabrics for human motion analysis in daily life}, booktitle = {Smart textiles : fundamentals, design, and interaction}, year = {2017}, pages = {49{\textendash}70}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, organization = {Springer International Publishing}, address = {Dordrecht}, author = {F. Lorussi and N. Carbonaro and D. De Rossi and A. Tognetti} } @conference {3726, title = {Synergy-driven performance enhancement of vision-based 3D hand pose reconstruction}, booktitle = {Wireless mobile communication and healthcare : 6th International conference, MobiHealth 2016, Milan, Italy, November 14-16, 2016, Proceedings}, year = {2017}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-58877-3_42}, author = {S. Ciotti and E. Battaglia and I. Oikonomidis and A. Makris and A. Tsoli and A. Bicchi and A. A. Agyros and M. Bianchi} } @article {3226, title = {Systematic Review of fMRI Compatible Devices: Design and Testing Criteria}, journal = {ANNALS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING}, year = {2017}, keywords = {Biomedical Engineering, Compatibility, fMRI, Mechatronic devices, Safety}, doi = {10.1007/s10439-017-1853-1}, url = {http://link.springer.com/journal/volumesAndIssues/10439}, author = {V. Hartwig and N. Carbonaro and A. Tognetti and N. Vanello} } @article {2833, title = {Sample, testing and analysis variables affecting liver mechanical properties: A review}, journal = {Acta Biomaterialia}, year = {2016}, abstract = {

Given the critical role of liver mechanics in regulating cell response and directing the development of tissue fibrosis, accurately characterising its mechanical behaviour is of relevance for both diagnostic purposes as well as for tissue engineering and for the development of in-vitro models. Determining and quantifying the mechanical behaviour of soft biological tissues is, however, highly challenging due to their intrinsic labile nature. Indeed, a unique set of values of liver mechanical properties is still lacking to date; testing conditions can significantly affect sample status and hence the measured behaviour and reported results are strongly dependent on the adopted testing method and configuration as well as sample type and status. This review aims at summarising the bulk mechanical properties of liver described in the literature, discussing the possible sources of variation and their implications on the reported results. We distinguish between the intrinsic mechanical behaviour of hepatic tissue, which depends on sample variables, and the measured mechanical properties which also depend on the testing and analysis methods. Finally, the review provides guidelines on tissue preparation and testing conditions for generating reproducible data which can be meaningfully compared across laboratories.

}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, doi = { http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2016.08.055}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742706116304603}, author = {A. Ahluwalia and G. Mattei} } @inbook {3729, title = {Sensorymotor Synergies: Fusion of Cutaneous Touch and Proprioception in the Perceived Hand Kinematics}, booktitle = {SPRINGER SERIES ON TOUCH AND HAPTIC SYSTEMS}, volume = {Human and Robot Hands}, year = {2016}, url = {https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-26706-7}, author = {A. Moscatelli and M. Bianchi and A. Serio and A. Bicchi and M. Ernst} } @conference {3086, title = {Soft Robots that Mimic the Neuromusculoskeletal System}, booktitle = {3rd International Conference on NeuroRehabilitation (ICNR2016)}, volume = {Converging Clinical and Engineering Research on Neurorehabilitation}, year = {2016}, month = {10/2016}, pages = {259-263}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, abstract = {

In motor control studies, the question on which
parameters human beings and animals control through their
nervous system has been extensively explored and discussed,
and several hypotheses proposed. It is widely acknowledged
that useful inputs in this problem could be provided by
developing artificial replication of the neuromusculoskeletal
system, to experiment different motor control hypothesis. In
this paper we present such device, which reproduces many of
the characteristics of an agonistic-antagonistic muscular pair
acting on a joint.

}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = { 10.1007/978-3-319-46669-9_45}, url = {http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-46669-9_45}, author = {M. Garabini and C. Della Santina and M. Bianchi and M. G. Catalano and G. Grioli and A. Bicchi} } @inbook {2865, title = {The SoftHand Pro: Translation from Robotic Hand to Prosthetic Prototype}, booktitle = {Converging Clinical and Engineering Research on Neurorehabilitation II}, volume = {15}, number = {Biosystems \& Biorobotics }, year = {2016}, note = {

Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on NeuroRehabilitation (ICNR2016), October 18-21, 2016, Segovia, Spain

}, pages = {469-473}, publisher = {Springer International Publishing}, organization = {Springer International Publishing}, abstract = {

This work presents the translation from a humanoid robotic hand to a prosthetic prototype and its first evaluation in a set of 9 persons with amputation. The Pisa/IIT SoftHand is an underactuated hand built on the neuroscientific principle of motor synergies enabling it to perform natural, human-like movements and mold around grasped objects with minimal control input. These features motivated the development of the SoftHand Pro, a prosthetic version of the SoftHand built to interface with a prosthetic socket. The results of the preliminary testing of the SoftHand Pro showed it to be a highly functional design with an intuitive control system. Present results warrant further testing to develop the SoftHand Pro.

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, issn = {978-3-319-46668-2}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-46669-9_78}, url = {http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-46669-9_78}, author = {S. B. Godfrey and M. Bianchi and K. Zhao and M. G. Catalano and R. Breighner and A. Theuer and K. Andrews and G. Grioli and M. Santello and A. Bicchi} } @conference {2725, title = {SoftHand Pro-D: Matching Dynamic Content of Natural User Commands with Hand Embodiment for Enhanced Prosthesis Control}, booktitle = {IEEE International Conference of Robotics and Automation (ICRA2016)}, year = {2016}, note = {

softpro soma softhands

}, pages = {3516 - 3523}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, address = {Stockholm, Sweden, May 16-21}, abstract = {

State of the art of hand prosthetics is divided between simple and reliable gripper-like systems and sophisticate hi-tech poly-articular hands which tend to be complex both in their design and for the patient to operate. In this paper, we introduce the idea of decoding different movement intentions of the patient using the dynamic frequency content of the control signals in a natural way. We move a step further showing how this idea can be embedded in the mechanics of an underactuated soft hand by using only passive damping components.

In particular we devise a method to design the hand hardware to obtain a given desired motion. This method, that we call of the dynamic synergies, builds on the theory of linear descriptor systems, and is based on the division of the hand movement in a slow and a fast components. We use this method to evolve the design of the Pisa/IIT SoftHand in a prototype prosthesis which, while still having 19 degrees of freedom and just one motor, can move along two different synergistic directions of motion (and combinations of the two), to perform either a pinch or a power grasp. Preliminary experimental results are presented, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed design

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, doi = {10.1109/ICRA.2016.7487532}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=\&arnumber=7487532}, author = {C. Piazza and C. Della Santina and M. G. Catalano and G. Grioli and M. Garabini and A. Bicchi} } @article {2660, title = {A synergy-based hand control is encoded in human motor cortical areas}, journal = {eLIFE}, year = {2016}, abstract = {

How the human brain controls hand movements to carry out different tasks is still debated. The concept of\ synergy\ has been proposed to indicate functional modules that may simplify the control of hand postures by simultaneously recruiting sets of muscles and joints. However, whether and to what extent synergic hand postures are encoded as such at a cortical level remains unknown. Here, we combined kinematic, electromyography, and brain activity measures obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging while subjects performed a variety of movements towards virtual objects. Hand postural information, encoded through kinematic synergies, were represented in cortical areas devoted to hand motor control and successfully discriminated individual grasping movements, significantly outperforming alternative somatotopic or muscle-based models. Importantly, hand postural synergies were predicted by neural activation patterns within primary motor cortex. These findings support a novel cortical organization for hand movement control and open potential applications for brain-computer interfaces and neuroprostheses.

}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.13420}, url = {http://elifesciences.org/content/5/e13420v2}, author = {A. Leo and G. Handjaras and M. Bianchi and H. Marino and M Gabiccini and Guidi, A. and E. P. Scilingo and P. Pietrini and A. Bicchi and M. Santello and E. Ricciardi} } @inbook {2887, title = {Synergy-Based Optimal Sensing Techniques for Hand Pose Reconstruction}, booktitle = {Human and Robot Hands}, volume = {Springer Series on Touch and Haptic Systems}, year = {2016}, pages = {259-283}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, abstract = {

Most of the neuroscientific results on synergies and their technical implementations in robotic systems, which are widely discussed throughout this book (see e.g. Chaps.\ 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 12 and 13), moved from the analysis of hand kinematics in free motion or during the interaction with the external environment. This observation motivates both the need for the development of suitable and manageable models for kinematic recordings, as described in Chap.\ 14, and the calling for accurate and economic systems or {\textquotedblleft}gloves{\textquotedblright} able to provide reliable hand pose reconstructions. However, this latter aspect, which represents a challenging point also for many human-machine applications, is hardly achievable in economically and ergonomically viable sensing gloves, which are often imprecise and limited. To overcome these limitations, in this chapter we propose to exploit the bi-directional relationship between neuroscience and robotic/artificial systems, showing how the findings achieved in one field can inspire and be used to advance the state of art in the other one, and vice versa. More specifically, our leading approach is to use the concept of kinematic synergies to optimally estimate the posture of a human hand using non-ideal sensing gloves. Our strategy is to collect and organize synergistic information and to fuse it with insufficient and inaccurate glove measurements in a consistent manner and with no extra costs. Furthermore, we will push forward such an analysis to the dual problem of how to design pose sensing devices, i.e.\ how and where to place sensors on a glove, to get maximum information about the actual hand posture, especially with a limited number of sensors. We will study the optimal design of gloves of different nature. Conclusions that can be drawn take inspiration from and might inspire further investigations on the biology of human hand receptors. Experimental evaluations of these techniques are reported and discussed.

}, isbn = {978-3-319-26705-0}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-319-26706-7_15}, author = {M. Bianchi and Salaris, P. and A. Bicchi} } @article {2867, title = {A Synergy-Based Optimally Designed Sensing Glove for Functional Grasp Recognition}, journal = {Sensors}, volume = {16}, year = {2016}, abstract = {

Achieving accurate and reliable kinematic hand pose reconstructions represents a challenging task. The main reason for this is the complexity of hand biomechanics, where several degrees of freedom are distributed along a continuous deformable structure. Wearable sensing can represent a viable solution to tackle this issue, since it enables a more natural kinematic monitoring. However, the intrinsic accuracy (as well as the number of sensing elements) of wearable hand pose reconstruction (HPR) systems can be severely limited by ergonomics and cost considerations. In this paper, we combined the theoretical foundations of the optimal design of HPR devices based on hand synergy information, i.e., the inter-joint covariation patterns, with textile goniometers based on knitted piezoresistive fabrics (KPF) technology, to develop, for the first time, an optimally-designed under-sensed glove for measuring hand kinematics. We used only five sensors optimally placed on the hand and completed hand pose reconstruction (described according to a kinematic model with 19 degrees of freedom) leveraging upon synergistic information. The reconstructions we obtained from five different subjects were used to implement an unsupervised method for the recognition of eight functional grasps, showing a high degree of accuracy and robustness.

}, keywords = {Haptics}, doi = {10.3390/s16060811}, url = {http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/16/6/811}, author = {S. Ciotti and E. Battaglia and N. Carbonaro and A. Bicchi and A. Tognetti and M. Bianchi} } @conference {2338, title = {Sample-Based Motion Planning for Robot Manipulators with Closed Kinematic Chains}, booktitle = {IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA2015)}, year = {2015}, note = {

softhands pacman walkman

}, pages = {2522 - 2527}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, address = {Seattle, USA, 25 - 30 May}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = {10.1109/ICRA.2015.7139537}, author = {M. Bonilla and E. Farnioli and L. Pallottino and A. Bicchi} } @conference {2561, title = {A Selective Recruitment Strategy for Exploiting Muscle-Like Actuator Impedance Properties}, booktitle = {IEEE International Conference of Intelligent Robots and Systems - IROS2015}, year = {2015}, pages = {2231-2237}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, address = {Hamburg, Germany, 28 Sept - 2 Oct 2015}, abstract = {

Two leading qualities of skeletal muscle that produce good performance in uncertain environments are damage tolerance and the ability to modulate impedance. For this reason, robotics researchers are greatly interested in discovering the key characteristics of muscles that give them these properties and replicating them in actuators for robotic devices. This paper describes a method to harness the redundancy present in muscle-like actuation systems composed of multiple motor units and shows that they have these same two qualities. By carefully choosing which motor units are recruited, the impedance viewed from the environment can be modulated while maintaining the same overall activation level. The degree to which the impedance can be controlled varies with total activation level and actuator length.

Discretizing the actuation effort into multiple parts that work together, inspired by the way muscle fibers work in the human body, produces damage-tolerant behavior. This paper shows that this not only produces reasonably good resolutions without inordinate numbers of units, but gives the control system the ability to set the impedance along with the drive effort to the load.

}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = {10.1109/IROS.2015.7353676}, author = {J. Shultz and G. Mathijssen and B. Vanderborght and A. Bicchi} } @article {1976, title = {Social Robotics and Societies of Robots}, journal = {The Information Society Special Issue: Beyond Industrial Robotics: Social Robots Entering Public and Domestic Spheres}, volume = {31}, year = {2015}, abstract = {

The sustainability of social robotics and other ambitious research programs

depends on the identification of lines of research that are coherent with its

visionary goals while satisfying more stringent constraints of feasibility and near-
term pay-offs. These multiple constraints are naturally conducive to the idea of a

society of robots operating within the physical environments of everyday human

life, developing there rich robot-robot social exchanges, and yet refraining from

any physical contact with human beings.

Achieving the visionary goals of social robotics or its more realistic objectives

requires extensive multidisciplinary cooperation. Accordingly, social robotics

may come to play a significant coordinating role for the constellation of research

communities in robotics. This coordinating role is exemplified here by reference

to a principled approach to robotic hand control based on sensory-motor soft

synergies: pursued in some current investigations on artificial hands, this

approach promises to meet distinctive needs arising in social robotics in the way

of dexterous manipulation of objects that are primarily conceived for human use.

}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Bicchi and G. Tamburrini} } @conference {2543, title = {Soft Actuation in Cyclic Motions: Stiffness Profile Optimization for Energy Efficiency}, booktitle = {15th IEEE RAS Humanoids Conference (HUMANOIDS2015)}, year = {2015}, note = {

saphari walkman

}, pages = {107 - 113}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, abstract = {
In this paper, we investigate the role of variable stiffness in the reduction of the energy cost for mechanical systems that perform desired tasks. The objective is to assess the use of Variable Stiffness Actuation (VSA) by determining an optimal stiffness profile and the associated energy cost of performing a desired task. For the analysis we consider mechanical systems of n-Degrees of Freedom (DoF), using VSA. We find an analytical solution that expresses the optimal stiffness profile during the task as a function of joint trajectories. This stiffness profile can be either constant or variable in time, and it minimizes a cost function, when performing a desired task.
We calculate the cost related to the torque of the system and the additional cost of changing or keeping a stiffness actively constant. Additionally, we discuss some cases for which it is worth to change the stiffness during a task and cases for which a constant stiffness may be better solution. Furthermore, from simulations and experiments we show cases in which using a variable stiffness profile allows cost savings w.r.t. constant
stiffness. The use of variable stiffness depends on the task, i.e. on the joint trajectories and their frequency, as well as on the mechanical implementation of the actuator used.
}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = {10.1109/HUMANOIDS.2015.7363522}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=\&arnumber=7363522}, author = {A. Velasco and M. Garabini and M. G. Catalano and A. Bicchi} } @conference {2275, title = {Sensorized Squeeze Pressure Bioreactor For mechanical modulation of cardiomyocyte phenotype}, booktitle = {Journal of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine}, volume = {8 Suppl 1}, year = {2014}, pages = {67{\textendash}8}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, doi = {10.1002/term.1943}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24912686}, author = {S. Giusti and Vozzi, F. and F. Pagliari and Tirella, A and D. Mazzei and Cabiati, M and S. del Ry and A. Ahluwalia} } @conference {2181, title = {Shaping of foam-like materials through the use of a sonotrode}, booktitle = { International Conference On Innovative Design And Manufacturing}, year = {2014}, address = {Montreal, Quebec, Canada, August 13-15}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {G Fantoni and Tilli, J. and F. A. W. Belo and Ishak, R.} } @article {2204, title = {Smart Sensing Scaffolds}, journal = {Smart Membranes and Sensors: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications}, year = {2014}, pages = {337}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {C. De Maria and Whulanza, Y. and G. Vozzi and A. Ahluwalia} } @article {2234, title = {Special Issue on the Mechanics and Design of Robotic Hands}, year = {2014}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, author = {Dollar, A. and A. Bicchi and M. Cutkosky and Howe, D.} } @article {2290, title = {Sphyga: a multiparameter open source tool for fabricating smart and tunable hydrogel microbeads}, journal = {Biofabrication}, volume = {6}, year = {2014}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, doi = {10.1088/1758-5082/6/2/025009}, author = {Tirella, A and C. Magliaro and M. Penta and M. Troncone and Pimentel, R and A. Ahluwalia} } @article {1986, title = {A Stiffness Estimator for Agonistic{\textendash}Antagonistic Variable-Stiffness-Actuator Devices}, journal = { IEEE Transactions on Robotics}, volume = {30}, year = {2014}, pages = {1269 - 1278 }, abstract = {

Safe physical human-robot interaction, conservation of energy, and adaptability are the main robotic applications that prompted the development of a number of variable stiffness actuators (VSAs). Implemented in a variety of ways, they use various technologies and feature the most diverse mechanical solutions, all of which share a fundamentally unavoidable nonlinear behavior. The control schemes proposed for these actuators typically aim at independent control of the position of the link and its stiffness. Although effective feedback control schemes using position and force sensors are commonplace in robotics, control of stiffness is at present completely open loop: The stiffness is inferred from the mathematical model of the actuator. We consider here the problem of estimating the nonlinear stiffness of VSA in agonistic-antagonistic configuration. We propose an algorithm based on modulating functions that allow us to avoid the need for numerical derivative and for which the tuning is then very simple. An analysis of the error demonstrates the convergence. Simulations are provided, and the algorithm is validated on experimental data.

}, keywords = {Robotics}, issn = {1552-3098}, doi = {10.1109/TRO.2014.2329998}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?tp=\&arnumber=6860244\&queryText\%3DA+stiffness+estimator+for+AA-VSA+devices}, author = {T. Menard and G. Grioli and A. Bicchi} } @conference {1998, title = {A Sensing Architecture for Empathetic Data Systems}, booktitle = {ACM International Conference Proceeding Series}, year = {2013}, month = {7-8 March}, pages = {{\textendash}}, publisher = {ACM Digital Library}, organization = {ACM Digital Library}, doi = {10.1145/2459236.2459253}, url = {http://dx.medra.org/10.1145/2459236.2459253}, author = {J. Wagner and F. Lingenfelser and E. Andr{\'e} and D. Mazzei and A. Tognetti and D. De Rossi and A. Betella and R. Zucca and P Omedas and P. F. M. J. Verschure} } @article {1993, title = {A Sensorized Garment Controlled Virtual Robotic Wheelchair}, journal = {JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT \& ROBOTIC SYSTEMS}, year = {2013}, pages = {{\textendash}}, issn = {0921-0296}, doi = {10.1007/s10846-013-9839-1}, url = {http://dx.medra.org/10.1007/s10846-013-9839-1}, author = {Gulrez, T and A. Tognetti} } @conference {1759, title = {Shortest paths for wheeled robots with limited Field-Of-View: introducing the vertical constraint}, booktitle = {IEEE Conference on Decision and Control}, year = {2013}, pages = {5143 - 5149}, address = {Florence, Italy}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {P Salaris and A. Cristofaro and L. Pallottino and A. Bicchi} } @article {1784, title = {Silk Fibroin/Gelatin Blend Films Crosslinked with Enzymes for Biomedical Applications}, year = {2013}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, doi = {10.1002/mabi.201300156}, author = {P. Taddei and V. Chiono and A. Anghileri and G. Vozzi and G. Freddi and G. Ciardelli} } @conference {1987, title = {Soft-Actuators in Cyclic Motion: Analytical Optimization of Stiffness and Pre-Load}, booktitle = {IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots}, year = {2013}, address = {Atlanta, Georgia, USA}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Velasco and G M Gasparri and M. Garabini and L. Malagia and P Salaris and A. Bicchi} } @conference {1793, title = {{SpHyGa: fabrication of hepatic lobule replicas using tissue derived material composites}}, booktitle = {ESB 2013}, year = {2013}, pages = {ID 520}, address = {Madrid}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {M. La Marca and Tirella, A and G. Mattei and A. Ahluwalia} } @article {2281, title = {SQPR 3.0: A Sensorized Bioreactor for Modulating Cardiac Phenotype}, journal = {Procedia Engineering}, volume = {59}, year = {2013}, pages = {219{\textendash}225}, abstract = {

In cardiac tissue engineering, the use of bioreactors is fundamental for applying controlled mechanical stimuli on cells and recreate a physiological environment for cardiomyocyte cultures. This work is focused on the design of a sensorized Squeeze Pressure bioreactor (SQPR 3.0) able to apply a periodic contactless hydrodynamic pressure on tissue constructs. This system was then tested with H2c9, a murine cardiomyoblast cell line, to investigate the effect of different stimulation times (2h, 24h, 30h) on cell shape and cardiotypic marker expression.

}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {18777058}, doi = {10.1016/j.proeng.2013.05.114}, url = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S187770581301028X}, author = {S. Giusti and F. Pagliari and Vozzi, F. and Tirella, A and D. Mazzei and Cabiati, M and S. del Ry and A. Ahluwalia} } @article {1790, title = {{Strain rate viscoelastic analysis of soft and highly hydrated biomaterials.}}, journal = {Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A}, year = {2013}, abstract = {

Measuring the viscoelastic behaviour of highly hydrated biological materials is challenging because of their intrinsic softness and labile nature. In these materials it is difficult to avoid pre-stress and therefore to establish precise initial stress and strain conditions for lumped parameter estimation using creep or stress-relaxation tests. We describe a method ($ε$M or epsilon dot method) for deriving the viscoelastic parameters of soft hydrated biomaterials which avoids pre-stress and can be used to rapidly test degradable samples. Standard mechanical tests are first performed compressing samples using different strain rates. The dataset obtained is then analysed to mathematically derive the material{\textquoteright}s viscoelastic parameters. In this work a stable elastomer, PDMS, and a labile hydrogel, gelatin, were first tested using the $ε$M, in parallel stress-relaxation was used to compare lumped parameter estimation. After demonstrating that the elastic parameters are equivalent and that the estimation of short time constants is more precise using the proposed method, the viscoelastic behaviour of porcine liver was investigated using this approach. The results show that the constitutive parameters of hepatic tissue can be quickly quantified without the application of any pre-stress and before the onset of time dependent degradation phenomena.

}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {1552-4965}, doi = {10.1002/jbm.a.34914}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23946054}, author = {Tirella, A and G. Mattei and A. Ahluwalia} } @conference {1788, title = {A Strategy for Dynamic Controller Emulation in Packet-Based Networked Control}, booktitle = {International Conference on Informatics in Control (ICINCO {\textquoteright}13)}, year = {2013}, pages = {29-38}, address = {Reykjav{\'\i}k, Iceland}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, doi = {10.5220/0004427100290038}, author = {S. Falasca and M. Gamba and A. Bicchi} } @article {2231, title = {Structured errors in reconstruction methods for Non-Cartesian MR data }, journal = {COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE }, volume = {43}, year = {2013}, month = {12/2013}, pages = {2256-2262}, doi = {10.1016/j.compbiomed.2013.10.013}, author = {Gibiino, F. and V. Positano and Wiesinger, F. and G. Giovannetti and L. Landini and M. F. Santarelli} } @article {1999, title = {Struttura protesica per amputazione mano}, volume = {PI2013A000004}, year = {2013}, pages = {{\textendash}}, author = {Bacchereti, M. and N. Carbonaro and GABRIELE, D. and FERRETTI, L. and PELLICCI, G. and A. Tognetti and Vitetta, N.} } @booklet {2229, title = {Struttura protesica per amputazione mano}, year = {2013}, author = {Bacchereti, M. and N. Carbonaro and G. Dalle Mura and FERRETTI, L. and PELLICCI, G. and A. Tognetti and Vitetta, N.} } @conference {1757, title = {A Subgradient Based Algorithm for Distributed Task Assignment for Heterogeneous Mobile Robots}, booktitle = {IEEE Conference on Decision and Control}, year = {2013}, pages = {3665 - 3670}, address = {Florence, Italy}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A Settimi and L. Pallottino} } @article {1230, title = {Synergy-Based Hand Pose Sensing: Optimal Glove Design}, journal = {International Journal of Robotics Research}, volume = {32}, year = {2013}, pages = {396-406}, abstract = {

In this paper we study the problem of improving human hand pose sensing device performance by exploiting the knowledge on how humans most frequently use their hands in grasping tasks. In a companion paper we studied the problem of maximizing the reconstruction accuracy of the hand pose from partial and noisy data provided by any given pose sensing device (a sensorized "glove") taking into account statistical a priori information. In this paper we consider the dual problem of how to design pose sensing devices, i.e. how and where to place sensors on a glove, to get maximum information about the actual hand posture. We study the continuous case, whereas individual sensing elements in the glove measure a linear combination of joint angles, the discrete case, whereas each measure corresponds to a single joint angle, and the most general hybrid case, whereas both continuous and discrete sensing elements are available. The objective is to provide, for given a priori information and fixed number of measurements, the optimal design minimizing in average the reconstruction error. Solutions relying on the geometrical synergy definition as well as gradient flow-based techniques are provided. Simulations of reconstruction performance show the effectiveness of the proposed optimal design.

}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = {10.1177/0278364912474079}, author = {M. Bianchi and P Salaris and A. Bicchi} } @article {1231, title = {Synergy-based Hand Pose Sensing: Reconstruction Enhancement}, journal = {International Journal of Robotics Research}, volume = {32}, year = {2013}, pages = { 407-424}, abstract = {

Low-cost sensing gloves for reconstruction posture provide measurements which are limited under several regards. They are generated through an imperfectly known model, are subject to noise, and may be less than the number of Degrees of Freedom (DoFs) of the hand. Under these conditions, direct reconstruction of the hand posture is an ill-posed problem, and performance can be very poor. This paper examines the problem of estimating the posture of a human hand using(low-cost) sensing gloves, and how to improve their performance by exploiting the knowledge on how humans most frequently use their hands. To increase the accuracy of pose reconstruction without modifying the glove hardware - hence basically at no extra cost - we propose to collect, organize, and exploit information on the probabilistic distribution of human hand poses in common tasks. We discuss how a database of such an a priori information can be built, represented in a hierarchy of correlation patterns or postural synergies, and fused with glove data in a consistent way, so as to provide a good hand pose reconstruction in spite of insufficient and inaccurate sensing data. Simulations and experiments on a low-cost glove are reported which demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.

}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = {10.1177/0278364912474078}, author = {M. Bianchi and P Salaris and A. Bicchi} } @conference {1664, title = {A synergy-driven approach to a myoelectric hand}, booktitle = {13TH International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics}, year = {2013}, pages = {1 - 6}, address = {June 24-26, 2013, Seattle, WA.}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, url = {10.1109/ICORR.2013.6650377 }, author = {S. B. Godfrey and A. Ajoudani and M. G. Catalano and G. Grioli and A. Bicchi} } @conference {1446, title = {SynGrasp: a MATLAB Toolbox for Grasp Analysis of Human and Robotic Hands}, booktitle = {IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA2013)}, year = {2013}, pages = {1088 - 1093}, keywords = {Robotics}, url = {10.1109/ICRA.2013.6630708 }, author = {M. Malvezzi and G. Gioioso and G. Salvietti and D Prattichizzo and A. Bicchi} } @article {1289, title = {Secure Cooperation of Autonomous Mobile Sensors Using an Underwater Acoustic Network}, journal = {SENSORS}, volume = {12}, year = {2012}, pages = {1967{\textendash}1989}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, issn = {1424-8220}, doi = {10.3390/s120201967}, url = {http://dx.medra.org/10.3390/s120201967}, author = {A. Caiti and V. Calabr{\`o} and G. Dini and A. Lo Duca and A. Munaf{\`o}} } @article {1236, title = {Shortest Paths for Finned, Winged, Legged and Wheeled Vehicles with Side-Looking Sensors}, journal = {International Journal of Robotics Research}, volume = {31}, year = {2012}, pages = {997-1017}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = {10.1177/0278364912446005}, author = {P Salaris and L. Pallottino and A. Bicchi} } @article {1491, title = {Small-Strain Modeling of Helical Dielectric Elastomer Actuators}, journal = {IEEE/ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS}, volume = {17}, year = {2012}, pages = {318{\textendash}325}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {1083-4435}, author = {F. Carpi and D. De Rossi} } @conference {1484, title = {Speech analysis for mood state characterization in bipolar patients}, booktitle = {Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 2012 Annual International Conference of the IEEE}, year = {2012}, pages = {2104{\textendash}2107}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {N. Vanello and Guidi, A. and C. Gentili and Werner, S. and G. Bertschy and G. Valenza and A Lanata and E. P. Scilingo} } @conference {1240, title = {Synergy-based Optimal Desing of Hand Pose Sensing}, booktitle = {International Conference of Intelligent Robots and Systems - IROS 2012- JTCF Award}, year = {2012}, month = {October 7 - 12}, pages = {3929 - 3935 }, address = {Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {M. Bianchi and P Salaris and A. Bicchi} } @conference {RSGB12, title = {On the Synthesis of Feasible and Prehensile Robotic Grasps}, booktitle = {International Conference of Robotics and Automation - ICRA 2012}, year = {2012}, month = {May 14 - 18}, pages = {p. 550 - 556}, address = {Saint Paul, MN, USA}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {C. Rosales and R. Suarez and M Gabiccini and A. Bicchi} } @conference {1871, title = {Secure Cooperation of Mobile Sensors in an Underwater Acoustic Network}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 8th European Conference on Wireless Sensor Networks}, year = {2011}, month = {23-25 February,}, pages = {1{\textendash}2}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Caiti and G. Dini and A. Lo Duca and A. Munaf{\`o}} } @article {1512, title = {Sensing scaffolds to monitor cellular activity using impedance measurements}, journal = {BIOSENSORS \& BIOELECTRONICS}, year = {2011}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {0956-5663}, author = {Whulanza, Y and Ucciferri, N and C. Domenici and G. Vozzi and A. Ahluwalia} } @conference {SPB11, title = {Shortest Paths With Side Sensor}, booktitle = {2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation}, year = {2011}, month = {May 9 - 13}, pages = {4875 - 4882}, address = {Shangai, China}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {P Salaris and L. Pallottino and A. Bicchi} } @article {2007, title = {SoC CMOS UWB Pulse Radar Sensor for Contactless Respiratory Rate Monitoring}, journal = {IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS}, volume = {5}, year = {2011}, pages = {503{\textendash}510}, issn = {1932-4545}, doi = {10.1109/TBCAS.2011.2176937}, url = {http://dx.medra.org/10.1109/TBCAS.2011.2176937}, author = {D. Zito and D. Pepe and M. Mincica and F. Zito and A. Tognetti and A Lanata and D. De Rossi} } @article {2284, title = {Squeeze pressure bioreactor: a hydrodynamic bioreactor for noncontact stimulation of cartilage constructs}, journal = {Tissue engineering. Part C, Methods}, volume = {17}, year = {2011}, pages = {757{\textendash}64}, abstract = {

A novel squeeze pressure bioreactor for noncontact hydrodynamic stimulation of cartilage is described. The bioreactor is based on a small piston that moves up and down, perpendicular to a tissue construct, in a fluid-filled chamber. Fluid displaced by the piston generates a pressure wave and shear stress as it moves across the sample, simulating the dynamic environment of a mobile joint. The fluid dynamics inside the squeeze pressure bioreactor was modeled using analytical and computational methods to simulate the mechanical stimuli imposed on a construct. In particular, the pressure, velocity field, and wall shear stress generated on the surface of the construct were analyzed using the theory of hydrodynamic lubrication, which describes the flow of an incompressible fluid between two surfaces in relative motion. Both the models and in-situ pressure measurements in the bioreactor demonstrate that controlled cyclic stresses of up to 10 kPa can be applied to tissue constructs. Initial tests on three-dimensional scaffolds seeded with chondrocytes show that glycosaminoglycan production is increased with regard to controls after 24 and 48 h of cyclic noncontact stimulation in the bioreactor.

}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {1937-3392}, doi = {10.1089/ten.TEC.2011.0002}, url = {http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/ten.tec.2011.0002 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21410315}, author = {C. De Maria and S. Giusti and D. Mazzei and A. Crawford and A. Ahluwalia} } @inbook {2285, title = {The Squeeze Pressure Bioreactor: Design and Modelling of a Non-Contact Device for Mechanical Stimulation of Tissue Engineered Constructs}, booktitle = {Bioreactors: Design, Properties and Applications}, year = {2011}, pages = {199{\textendash}214}, publisher = {Nova Science Publishers, Inc.}, organization = {Nova Science Publishers, Inc.}, address = {Hauppauge NY}, abstract = {

Diseases of hyaline cartilage represent one of the major health problems, especially in industrialized countries with high life expectancy. The erosion of the articulating surfaces of joints, known as osteoarthritis, currently affects more than 200 million citizens worldwide, and more than 50\% of the patients need or will need a surgical treatment. Articular cartilage is a three dimensional avascular tissue, which covers the ends of all synovial joints. During normal daily function, articular cartilage can be repeatedly subjected to forces up to several time body weight, but it is able to provide articulating joints with a nearly frictionless motion. Despite its tremendously important function, articular cartilage has limited capacity for auto regeneration after degenerative and rheumatic diseases, like arthritis, as well as traumatic injuries. Cartilage problems are a huge and still unsolved medical issue, which therefore represents one of the most important tissue engineering targets requiring high quality products as fast as possible. For this reason, the possibility to recreate in vitro cartilage substitutes as a real alternative to total joint replacement represents an increasing and hopeful market, in which many research groups are still working. At the moment, one of the main findings in invitro cartilage studies is the importance of the role of mechanical stimuli and dynamic loads for the chondrocytes growth and differentiation. Several studies using cartilage explants or chondrocytes seeded in 3D scaffolds have shown that mechanical compressive loads affect the cells metabolic activity and their matrix production. In order to simulate the in vivo environment, the use of bioreactors is becoming fundamental: bioreactors can provide the chemical and mechanical signals that optimize tissue development. Furthermore, bioreactors could be an important instrument to reduce the cost of clinical studies, used as in vitro predictors of in vivo performance. In this way,the use of bioreactors can reduce animal studies, helping the scientists to focus their attention in the right direction before starting pre-clinical studies, which are usually more expensive than preliminary research. In the past few years, several systems for the application of different mechanical stimuli to chondrocytes have been developed. Most of these can generate biomechanical-like forces such as the direct compression, tensile and shear forces, or hydrostatic pressure, in order to stimulate the articular chondrocyctes to increase their matrix production. Generally, the most important requirements that a culture system has to satisfy are high reliability and usability, perfect sterility, easy control of all the important culture parameters and low cost. In this work, a new system, inspired by the synovial environment of mobile joints and able to apply an innovative type of stimulation on articular chondrocytes is described and modeled. The SQPR (SQueeze PRessure) bioreactor chamber is designed to impose a cyclic hydrodynamic pressure on cell cultures, constructs or tissues slices. The basic principle of this new system is the generation of a localized contact less overpressure on articular chondrocytes, using a simple vertical piston movement. This kind of stimulation is particularly useful for neo-tissue or fresh-constructs, in which cells require a dynamic environment to maintain their differentiate state, but at the same time do not tolerate direct compression or high shear stress. When the piston moves down, a controlled hydrodynamic overpressure and a shear stress is generated over the cell surface, stimulating the chondrocytes to improve their matrix production. The fluid dynamics inside the SQPR bioreactor is illustrated from an analytical and numerical point of view. We show how these models can predict the pressure, velocity field and wall shear stress generated on the cell surface of the construct. The bioreactor design is presented in detail and validation tests on chondrocytes are described.

}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, url = {https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product\_info.php?products\_id=22653}, author = {S. Giusti and A. Ahluwalia and C. De Maria}, editor = {Antolli, P. G. and Z. Liu} } @conference {1869, title = {Stabilization of constrained linear systems via smoothed truncated ellipsoids}, booktitle = {IFAC World Congress}, year = {2011}, pages = {{\textendash}}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Balestrino and E. Crisostomi and S Grammatico and A. Caiti} } @conference {1868, title = {A statistical tool for analysing nonlinear properties of dynamical systems}, booktitle = {IEEE Mediterranean Conference on Automation and Control}, year = {2011}, pages = {{\textendash}}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Balestrino and A. Caiti and E. Crisostomi} } @conference {GFMB11, title = {Structural Properties of Compliant Grasps with Underactuated Robotic Hands}, booktitle = {XX Congresso Aimeta}, year = {2011}, note = {

ISBN 978-88-906340-1-7 (online); ISBN 978-88-906340-0-0 (print)

}, month = {September, 12}, address = {Bologna, Italy}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, author = {M Gabiccini and E. Farnioli and M. Malvezzi and A. Bicchi} } @article {1488, title = {Substrate stiffness influences high resolution printing of living cells with an ink-jet system}, journal = {Journal of bioscience and bioengineering}, volume = {112}, year = {2011}, pages = {79{\textendash}85}, abstract = {

The adaptation of inkjet printing technology for the realisation of controlled micro- and nano-scaled biological structures is of great potential in tissue and biomaterial engineering. In this paper we present the Olivetti BioJet system and its applications in tissue engineering and cell printing. BioJet, which employs a thermal inkjet cartridge, was used to print biomolecules and living cells. It is well known that high stresses and forces are developed during the inkjet printing process. When printing living particles (i.e., cell suspensions) the mechanical loading profile can dramatically damage the processed cells. Therefore computational models were developed to predict the velocity profile and the mechanical load acting on a droplet during the printing process. The model was used to investigate the role of the stiffness of the deposition substrate during droplet impact and compared with experimental investigations on cell viability after printing on different materials. The computational model and the experimental results confirm that impact forces are highly dependent on the deposition substrate and that soft and viscous surfaces can reduce the forces acting on the droplet, preventing cell damage. These results have high relevance for cell bioprinting; substrates should be designed to have a good compromise between substrate stiffness to conserve spatial patterning without droplet coalescence but soft enough to absorb the kinetic energy of droplets in order to maintain cell viability.

}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {1347-4421}, doi = {10.1016/j.jbiosc.2011.03.019}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21497548}, author = {Tirella, A and Vozzi, F. and C. De Maria and G. Vozzi and Sandri, T and Sassano, D and Cognolato, L and A. Ahluwalia} } @article {1278, title = {Supporto per camere di coltura cellulare}, year = {2011}, month = {11/2011}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {MI2011A002073}, author = {A. Ahluwalia and Sbrana, T. and D. Mazzei} } @conference {FMDBB10, title = {A Self-Routing Protocol for Distributed Consensus on Logical Information}, booktitle = {IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems}, year = {2010}, month = {October, 18 - 22}, pages = {5151 - 5156}, address = {Taipei, Taiwan}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {A. Fagiolini and S. Martini and D. Di Baccio and A. Bicchi} } @article {GGP10, title = {Sensor Deployment for Network-like Environments}, journal = {IEEE Trans. on Automat. Contr.}, year = {2010}, note = {

Condit. accepted as Technical Note

}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {L. Greco and M. Gaeta and B. Piccoli} } @booklet {GreTR10, title = {Sensor Deployment for Network-like Environments}, year = {2010}, note = {

Full version

}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {L. Greco and M. Gaeta and B. Piccoli} } @inbook {1867, title = {Sensor Systems and Software}, year = {2010}, pages = {111{\textendash}126}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, chapter = {Physical characterization of acoustic communication channel properties in underwater mobile sensor networks}, keywords = {Robotics}, isbn = {9783642115271}, author = {A. Caiti and E. Crisostomi and A. Munaf{\`o}} } @conference {1530, title = {Sensorised "Smart" Scaffold to Monitor Cell Processes Based on Impedance Characteristics}, booktitle = {Congresso Nazionale di Bioingegneria 2010}, year = {2010}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {Whulanza, Y and Ucciferri, N and G. Vozzi and A. Ahluwalia and C. Domenici} } @article {SPFB10, title = {Shortest Paths for a Robot with Nonholonomic and Field-of-View Constraints}, journal = {IEEE Trans. on Robotics}, volume = {26}, number = {2}, year = {2010}, pages = {269 - 281}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {P Salaris and D. Fontanelli and L. Pallottino and A. Bicchi} } @conference {1526, title = {Site Specific Nano-Tuning of Scaffolds Using Inkjet Printing}, booktitle = {NIP Conference}, year = {2010}, address = {Austin, Texas }, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {Tirella, A and F. Montemurro and Vinci, B. and Vozzi, F. and G. Vozzi and Sassano, D and Sandri, T and Cognolato, L and A. Ahluwalia} } @article {2017, title = {Smart Garments for Emergency Operators: The ProeTEX Project}, journal = {IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN BIOMEDICINE}, volume = {14}, year = {2010}, pages = {694{\textendash}701}, issn = {1089-7771}, doi = {10.1109/TITB.2010.2045003}, url = {http://dx.medra.org/10.1109/TITB.2010.2045003}, author = {Curone, D. and Secco, E. L. and A. Tognetti and G. Loriga and Dudnik, G. and Risatti, M. and Whyte, R. and Bonfiglio, A. and G. Magenes} } @article {1519, title = {SOFT-MI: a novel microfabrication technique integrating Soft-lithography and Molecular imprinting for tissue engineering applications}, journal = {BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING}, year = {2010}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {0006-3592}, author = {G. Vozzi and MORELLI, I and Vozzi, F. and ANDREONI, C and SALSEDO, E and MORACHIOLI, A and P. Giusti and G. Ciardelli} } @conference {1535, title = {Soft-MI scaffold for tissue engineering applications}, booktitle = {Congresso Nazionale di Bioingegneria 2010}, year = {2010}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {MORACHIOLI, A and G. Vozzi and F. Montemurro} } @conference {1866, title = {Stabilizability of Linear Differential Inclusions via R-Functions}, booktitle = {IFAC Symposium on Nonlinear Control Systems (NOLCOS)}, year = {2010}, month = {Sep}, pages = {{\textendash}}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Balestrino and A. Caiti and E. Crisostomi and S Grammatico} } @conference {FMDB-NESTER09, title = {Safety and Security in Networked Robotics Systems via Logical Consensus}, booktitle = {International Workshop on Networked embedded and control system technologies: European and Russian R\&D cooperation (NESTER{\textquoteright}09)}, year = {2009}, month = {July, 2 - 5}, address = {Milan, Italy}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {S. Martini and A. Fagiolini and G. Dini and A. Bicchi} } @conference {PBB-CDC09, title = {On the Security of Linear Consensus Networks}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE International Conference on Decision and Control}, year = {2009}, note = {

General Chairs Recognition Awards for Interactive Papers

}, month = {December, 16 - 1}, pages = {4894 - 4901}, address = {Shangai, China}, abstract = {

The task of performing trustworthy computation in a network of autonomous agents in the presence of misbehaving components is the subject of this work. A solution to this problem is relevant for several coordination, formation, and synchronization tasks. Relying only on the information flow of the control protocol, uncooperative behaviors are revealed using an unknown input observer technique. Necessary and sufficient conditions to detect and correctly identify misbehaving nodes are given, together with a study of the genericity of such conditions. It is shown that generically any node of the network can correctly estimate the state of the other agents, and therefore compute any function of the state, provided that the connectivity of the communication graph is strictly greater than the number of misbehaving nodes. An intrusion detection and identification algorithm is described, and its effectiveness is confirmed through a numerical study.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {F. Pasqualetti and A. Bicchi and F. Bullo} } @article {2026, title = {A SENSING SEAT FOR HUMAN AUTHENTICATION}, journal = {IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INFORMATION FORENSICS AND SECURITY}, volume = {4}, year = {2009}, pages = {451{\textendash}459}, issn = {1556-6013}, author = {M. Ferro and G. Pioggia and A. Tognetti and N. Carbonaro and D. De Rossi} } @conference {2031, title = {A sensorized glove for hand rehabilitation}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference}, year = {2009}, month = {3-5 April}, pages = {139{\textendash}140}, doi = {10.1109/NEBC.2009.4967775}, url = {http://dx.medra.org/10.1109/NEBC.2009.4967775}, author = {F. Cutolo and C. Mancinelli and S. Patel and N. Carbonaro and M. Schmid and A. Tognetti and D. De Rossi and P. Bonato} } @conference {FMB-CASE09, title = {Set-Valued Consensus for Distributed Clock Synchronization}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Conference on Automation Science and Engineering}, year = {2009}, month = {August, 22-25}, pages = {116 - 121}, address = {Bangalore}, abstract = {

This paper addresses the clock synchronization problem in a wireless sensor network (WSN) and proposes a distributed solution that consists of a form of consensus, where agents are able to exchange data representing intervals or sets. The solution is based on a centralized algorithm for clock synchronization, proposed by Marzullo, that determines the smallest interval that is in common with the maximum number of measured interval. We first show how to convert such an algorithm into a problem involving only operations on sets, and then we convert it into a set

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {A. Fagiolini and S. Martini and A. Bicchi} } @conference {PSFB-CDC09, title = {Shortest Paths for Non-holonomic Vehicles with Limited Field of View Camera}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE International Conference on Decision and Control}, year = {2009}, month = {December, 16 - 1}, pages = {8434 - 8439}, address = {Shangai, China}, abstract = {

This paper presents a complete characterization of shortest paths for unicycle-like nonholonomic mobile robots equipped with a pinhole camera rigidly fixed with limited Field-Of-View (FOV). We preliminarily provide an alphabet of optimal control words and then we demonstrate how to obtain the partition induced by shortest path in the vehicle plane. The word univocally associated to a region encodes the shortest path from any starting point in that region to the goal point of the mobile robot without violating the FOV constraints.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {L. Pallottino and P Salaris and D. Fontanelli and A. Bicchi} } @article {1538, title = {Simplified cell culture method for the diagnosis of atypical Primary Ciliary}, journal = {THORAX}, volume = {64}, year = {2009}, pages = {1077-81}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {0040-6376}, doi = {10.1136/thx.2008}, author = {M. PIFFERI and F. Montemurro and CANGIOTTI, A M and RAGAZZO, V and DI CICCO, M and Vinci, B. and G. Vozzi and MACCHIA, P and BONER, A L} } @conference {1854, title = {Stability analysis of dynamical systems via R-functions}, booktitle = {Proc. European Control Conference}, year = {2009}, month = {July}, pages = {{\textendash}}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Balestrino and A. Caiti and E. Crisostomi and S Grammatico} } @conference {1857, title = {System performance trade-off in underwater harbour protection}, booktitle = {Proc. Int. Conf. Underwater Acoustic Measurements 09}, year = {2009}, month = {Jun}, pages = {{\textendash}}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Caiti and A. Munaf{\`o} and G. Vettori} } @article {HB08, title = {The Sense of Touch and its Rendering: Progresses in Haptics Research}, volume = {45/2008}, year = {2008}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Berlin, Heidelberg}, abstract = {

Preface: It is no coincidence that in many languages, deeply involving emotions and feelings are described as "touching". Touch appears indeed to be the most direct, less intellectually mediated sense. As such, it should be a fundamental ingredient of any system aimed at providing compelling sensations of remote presence. Generation of high-definition haptic feedback will be crucially important for driving a sense of Presence in next generation immersive VR and teleoperation systems. The perspective in which this book is conceived is that of understanding and enabling an experience of presence not limited to "being there", but extended to "being in touch" with the virtual or remote surroundings. Despite of numerous technological advances in this field it appears that the development of fully immersive haptic displays cannot proceed by technological innovations alone but requires a deep understanding and utilization of the psychophysical mechanisms of human haptic perception. On one hand, technological innovations are needed to increase the richness and accuracy of physically generated haptic stimuli. The generation of a one-to-one copy of the real world seems, however, to be unfeasible due to the inherent complexity of the necessary devices and stringent physiological and mechanical constraints. On the other hand, advances in the understanding of the information processing of the multidimensional sense of touch contribute to overcome these fundamental technological constraints. Limitations of the human perceptual system can be exploited to provide a realistic haptic sensation without getting all the physical parameters completely right. Perceptual limitations already helped in the design of advanced visual and auditory displays. This book summarizes main results of the TOUCH-HapSys research project financially supported by the 5th Framework IST Programme of the European Union. It provides an important contribution towards a new generation of high-fidelity haptic display technologies. The uniqueness of this book is its interdisciplinary approach highlighting the field of haptic research from a neuropsychological as well as a technological point of view. It provides readers with recent advances in the study of human haptic (kinesthetic, tactile, temperature) and mul-timodal (visual, auditory, haptic) perception mechanisms and with innovations in the field of haptic display technology. It shows that both lines of research are intimately connected, not only because biological sciences inspire and enable technology improvement, but also because novel devices offer new facilities for the experimental testing of psychophysical hypotheses. This book is structured in two parts: A. Fundamental Psychophysical and Neuropsychological Research and B. Technology and Applications. Chapters in part A. concentrate on the study of the basic mechanisms of touch, involving neurophysiology, psychophysics, and functional mappings in the brain. In-depth study of the psychophysiology of the sense of touch establishes connections between haptic fundamental perception and virtual-reality oriented technology. Part B. addresses new technologies to significantly improve haptic and multimodal feedback systems. These include novel actuator designs, software solutions for haptic rendering, and applications. The two parts are not however separated, and the many connections and synergies between the two complementary domains of research are highlighted in the text. Finally the editors would like to thank all the authors for their valuable contributions to this book. The quality and freshness found in each chapter are due to the excellent work carried out by the authors.

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, editor = {A. Bicchi and M. Buss and M. Ernst and A. Peer} } @inbook {HB08-1, title = {The Sense of Touch and its Rendering: Progresses in Haptics Research}, series = {Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics (STAR)}, volume = {45/2008}, year = {2008}, pages = {39 - 60}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, type = {Chapter}, chapter = {The Role of Tactile Flow in Processing Dynamic Haptic Stimuli}, address = {Berlin, Heidelberg}, abstract = {

Dynamic stimuli in visual and tactile sensory modalities share fundamental psychophysical features that can be explained by similar computational models. In vision, information about relative motion between objects and the observer are mainly processed by optic flow, which is a 2D field of velocities associated with variation of brightness patterns in the image plane. It provides important information about cues for region and boundary segmentation, shape recovery, and so on. For instance, radial patterns of optic flow are often used to estimate time before contact with an approaching object. We put forward the hypothesis that a similar behavior can be present in the tactile domain, in which an analogous paradigm to optic flow might exist. Moreover, as optic flow is also invoked to explain several visual illusions, including the well-known "barber-pole" effect and Ouchi

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, author = {E. P. Scilingo and N. Sgambelluri and A. Bicchi}, editor = {A. Bicchi and M. Buss and M. Ernst and A. Peer} } @inbook {HB08-2, title = {The Sense of Touch and its Rendering: Progresses in Haptics Research}, series = {Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics (STAR)}, volume = {45/2008}, year = {2008}, pages = {155-178}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, type = {Chapter}, chapter = {Rheological Device}, address = {Berlin, Heidelberg}, abstract = {

In this work we investigate the possibility of mimicking haptic perception by using rheological materials. An analysis of the rheological behaviour of some "smart fluids", such as Electro-rheological Fluids (ERFs) and Magneto-rheological Fluids (MRFs), is provided to design new haptic interfaces capable of reproducing shape and compliance of some virtual objects. Some theoretical design considerations are discussed and supported by magnetic simulations implemented by means of a numerical code. Several prototypes were designed and realized through a progressive enhancement of performance up to a final 3D immersive device. Furthermore, to assess performance a set of psychophysical tests was carried out and experimental results in terms of softness and shape recognition are reported.

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, author = {N. Sgambelluri and E. P. Scilingo and R. Rizzo and A. Bicchi}, editor = {A. Bicchi and M. Buss and M. Ernst and A. Peer} } @article {VHTRTZGCSSGPSBPDRL08, title = {Sensing Glove for Brain Studies: Design and assessment of its Compatibility for fMRI with a Robust Test}, journal = {IEEE - ASME Transactions on Mechatronics}, volume = {13}, number = {3}, year = {2008}, pages = {345-354}, abstract = {

In this paper, we describe a biomimetic-fabric-based sensing glove that can be used tomonitor hand posture and gesture. Our device is made of a distributed sensor network of piezoresistive conductive elastomers integrated into an elastic fabric. This solution does not affect natural movement and hand gestures, and can be worn for a long time with no discomfort. The glove could be fruitfully employed in behavioral and functional studies with functional MRI (fMRI) during specific tactile or motor tasks. To assess MR compatibility of the system, a statistical test on phantoms is introduced. This test can also be used for testing the compatibility of mechatronic devices designed to produce different stimuli inside the MR environment. We propose a statistical test to evaluate changes in SNR and time-domain standard deviations between image sequences acquired under different experimental conditions. fMRI experiments on subjects wearing the glove are reported. The reproducibility of fMRIresults obtained with andwithout the glove was estimated. A good similarity between the activated regions was found in the two conditions.

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, author = {N. Vanello and V. Hartwig and M. Tesconi and E. Ricciardi and A. Tognetti and G. Zupone and R. Gassert and D. Chapuis and N. Sgambelluri and E. P. Scilingo and G. Giovannetti and V. Positano and M. F. Santarelli and A. Bicchi and P. Pietrini and D. De Rossi and L. Landini} } @conference {PMB08, title = {Steering a Leader-Follower Team via Linear Consensus}, booktitle = {Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control}, series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science}, volume = {4981/2008}, year = {2008}, pages = {642-645}, publisher = {Springer-Verlag}, organization = {Springer-Verlag}, abstract = {

The paper considers the problem of driving a formation of autonomous mobile agents. The group of mobile devices is described as a leader{\textendash}follower network, where the followers update their position using a simple local consensus procedure, while the leaders, whose positions represent the control inputs of the network, are free to move. We characterize the transient behavior of the network, and solve the containment problem without relying on auxiliary sensors.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {F. Pasqualetti and S. Martini and A. Bicchi}, editor = {M. Egerstedt and B. Mishra} } @article {1628, title = {Surface modification of a synthetic polyurethane by plasma glow discharge: preparation and characterisation of bioactive monolayers}, journal = {REACTIVE \& FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS}, volume = {68}, year = {2008}, pages = {809{\textendash}821}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {1381-5148}, author = {Sartori, S and Rechichi, A and G. Vozzi and D{\textquoteright}Acunto, M and HEINE, E and P. Giusti and G. Ciardelli} } @conference {1639, title = {Sviluppo e caratterizzazione meccanica di scaffold a base di collagene per la rigenerazione della cartilagine}, booktitle = {Congresso Nazionale Biomateriali 2008}, year = {2008}, pages = {{\textendash}}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {G. Mattei and F. Montemurro and A. Ahluwalia and G. Vozzi} } @article {PB07-TAC, title = {On the Stabilization of Linear Systems Under Assigned I/O Quantization}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control}, volume = {52}, number = {10}, year = {2007}, pages = {1994-2000}, abstract = {

This paper is concerned with the stabilization of discrete-time linear systems with quantization of the input and output spaces, i.e., when available values of inputs and outputs are discrete. Unlike most of the existing literature, we assume that how the input and output spaces are quantized is a datum of the problem, rather than a degree of freedom in design. Our focus is hence on the existence and synthesis of symbolic feedback controllers, mapping output words into the input alphabet, to steer a quantized I/O system to within small invariant neighborhoods of the equilibrium starting from large attraction basins. We provide a detailed analysis of the practical stabilizability of systems in terms of the size of hypercubes bounding the initial conditions, the state transient and the steady state evolution. We also provide an explicit construction of a practically stabilizing controller for the quantized I/O case.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {B. Picasso and A. Bicchi} } @conference {GFBP-07, title = {Steering Dynamical Systems with Finite Plans and Limited Path Length}, booktitle = {European Control Conference}, year = {2007}, pages = {4686-4690}, abstract = {

Complex dynamical systems can be steered by using symbolic input plans. These plans must have a finite descriptive length, and can be expressed by means of words chosen in an alphabet of symbols. In this way, such plans can be sent through a limited capacity channel to a remote system, where they are decoded in suitable control actions. The choice of this symbols is essential to efficiently encode steering plans. To this aim, in this paper, we state the problem of finding symbols maximizing the interval of points reachable by the system along paths with constrained length. We focus on the problem with two symbols, and compare the results with those produced by plans not accounting for the length constraint. Moreover, the behavior of a simple helicopter, steered by both kinds of plans, has been simulated, in order to illustrate the power of the overall control system, and to emphasize the improvements introduced by the new plans.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {L. Greco and A. Fagiolini and A. Bicchi and B. Piccoli} } @article {BBEFKP06, title = {Symbolic Planning and Control of Robot Motion: Finding the Missing Pieces of Current Methods and Ideas}, journal = {Robotics and Automation Magazine}, volume = {14}, number = {1}, year = {2007}, pages = {61-70}, abstract = {

Approaches to robot motion planning and control that involve tools such as automata, languages, temporal logics, and grammars, have been recently termed "symbolic." In this article, we review some existing results, discuss their relevance and applicability, and outline some of the main open questions and challenges in the area.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {C. Belta and A. Bicchi and M. Egerstedt and E. Frazzoli and E. Klavins and G. J. Pappas} } @conference {PHRI06, title = {Safe and Dependable Physical Human-Robot Interaction in Anthropic Domains: State of the Art and Challenges}, booktitle = {Proc. IROS{\textquoteright}06 Workshop on pHRI - Physical Human-Robot Interaction in Anthropic Domains}, year = {2006}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {R. Alami and A Albu-Schaeffer and A. Bicchi and R. Bischoff and R. Chatila and A. De Luca and De Santis, A and G. Giralt and J. Guiochet and G. Hirzinger and F. Ingrand and V. Lippiello and R. Mattone and D. Powell and S. Sen and B. Siciliano and G. Tonietti and L. Villani}, editor = {A. Bicchi and A. De Luca} } @conference {DFPSSDB06, title = {A scalable platform for safe and secure decentralized traffic management of multiagent mobile systems}, booktitle = {ACM Workshop on Real-World Wireless Sensor Networks}, year = {2006}, abstract = {

In this paper we describe the application of wireless sensor networking techniques to address the realization of a safe and secure decentralized traffic management system. We consider systems of many heterogeneous autonomous vehicles moving in a shared environment. Each vehicle is assumed to have different and possibly unspecified tasks, but they cooperate to avoid collisions. We are interested in designing a scalable architecture capable of accommodating a very large and dynamically changing number of vehicles, guaranteeing their safety (i.e., collision avoidance), the achievement of their goals, and security against potential adversaries. By properly distributing and revoking cryptographic keys we are able to protect communications from an external adversary as well as to detect non-cooperative, possibly malicious vehicles and trigger suitable countermeasures. In our architecture, scalability is obtained by decentralization, i.e. each vehicle is regarded as an autonomous agent capable of processing information concerning its own state and the state of only a fixed, small number of {\textquoteleft}{\textquoteleft}neighboring{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} agents. Ad-hoc wireless sensor networks are employed to provide support for this architecture.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {A. Danesi and A. Fagiolini and I. Savino and L. Pallottino and R. Schiavi and G. Dini and A. Bicchi} } @conference {DSSBG06, title = {Security and Advanced Control Issues in a Robotic Platform for Monitoring and Relief}, booktitle = {Proc. of EWSN 2006 February 13-15, ETH Zurich}, year = {2006}, abstract = {

This paper provides an architectural overview and a first implementation of an heterogeneous agent network composed by mobile robots of di

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {A. Danesi and I. M. Savino and R. Schiavi and A. Bicchi and G. Dini} } @article {1273, title = {Sensore di flusso tattile e di parametri ambientali}, year = {2006}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {PI2006A000119}, author = {G. Vozzi and Cisternino, A. and Colombo, D. and D. Mazzei and Migliore, A.} } @inbook {DS06, title = {Skin-like sensor arrays}, booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Sensors}, year = {2006}, pages = {535-556}, publisher = {American Scientific Publishers}, organization = {American Scientific Publishers}, keywords = {Bioengineering, Haptics}, author = {D. De Rossi and E. P. Scilingo} } @mastersthesis {ChailletPhD, title = {On stability and robustness of nonlinear systems {\textendash} Applications to cascaded systems}, year = {2006}, note = {

Obtained Cum Laude. Jury: J.M. Coron, T.I. Fossen (reviewer), A. Lor

}, month = {Jully}, school = {Universit}, type = {phd}, address = {Orsay, France}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Chaillet} } @conference {CHPAmtns06, title = {Stability of sets for nonlinear systems in cascade}, booktitle = {MTNS 2006}, year = {2006}, month = {July}, address = {Kyoto, Japan}, abstract = {

The stability of (not necessarily compact) sets for nonlinear systems in cascade is addressed. It is proved that if two sets are globally asymptotically stable (GAS) for the subsystems taken separately then their cross-product is GAS for the corresponding cascade, provided that the solutions of the latter are globally bounded. In the case of a suitable growth rate of the interconnection in the state of the driven subsystem, we show that this latter requirement can be relaxed to just forward completeness of the cascade. Our results extend similar results on the stability analysis of cascaded systems and find applications in partial stability analysis and adaptive control.

}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Chaillet and E. Panteley} } @conference {FGBPM06, title = {Symbolic Control for Underactuated Differentially Flat Systems}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation}, year = {2006}, pages = {1649-1654}, abstract = {

In this paper we address the problem of generating input plans to steer complex dynamical systems in an obstacle-free environment. Plans considered admit a finite description length and are constructed by words on an alphabet of input symbols, which could be e.g. transmitted through a limited capacity channel to a remote system, where they can be decoded in suitable control actions. We show that, by suitable choice of the control encoding, finite plans can be efficiently built for a wide class of dynamical systems, computing arbitrarily close approximations of a desired equilibrium in polynomial time. Moreover, we illustrate by simulations the power of the proposed method, solving the steering problem for two examples in the class of underactuated systems, which have attracted wide attention in the recent literature.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {A. Fagiolini and L. Greco and A. Bicchi and B. Piccoli and A. Marigo} } @mastersthesis {GrecoPhD, title = {Stability and Stabilization Issues in Switched Systems}, year = {2005}, school = {University of Pisa}, type = {phd}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {L. Greco} } @conference {TocCDC05, title = {Stabilization of a Class of Planar Nonlinear Systems}, booktitle = {44th IEEE CDC-ECC{\textquoteright}05}, year = {2005}, month = {December}, address = {Seville, Spain}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {F. Tocchini and L. Greco and M. Innocenti} } @article {LSTTD05, title = {Strain sensing fabric for hand posture and gesture monitoring}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Information Technology in BioMedicine}, volume = {9}, number = {3}, year = {2005}, month = {September}, pages = {372-381}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {F. Lorussi and E. P. Scilingo and M. Tesconi and A. Tognetti and D. De Rossi} } @conference {ricciardi05:_supram_mt, title = {Supramodal response of human MT+ complex to visual and tactile perception of flow as demonstrated by fMRI studies in sighted and congenitally blind individuals}, booktitle = {11th annual meeting of the organization for Human Brain Mapping}, volume = {1}, year = {2005}, note = {

Toronto

}, pages = {129-129}, keywords = {Haptics}, author = {E. Ricciardi and L. Sani and C. Gentili and N. Vanello and J. V. Haxby and L. Landini and A. Bicchi and P. Pietrini} } @conference {BTS04, title = {Safe and Fast Actuators for Machines Interacting with Humans}, booktitle = {Proc. of the 1st Technical Exhibition Based Conference on Robotics and Automation, TExCRA2004, November 18-19, TEPIA, Tokyo, Japan -}, year = {2004}, pages = {(in press)}, abstract = {

This paper describes a new generation of actuators for robotic applications, and more generally for machines that are designed to interact with humans. Such actuators, called Variable Impedance Actuators, are designed to achieve fast motion control while guaranteeing safety of human operators in worst-case impact situation. The fundamental innovation is to implement safety by purely mechanical, passive means, to guarantee intrinsic safety, while active control is used to recover performance. The design concept, which is the subject of a patent application, has led to the experimental implementation of a Variable Stiffness Actuator. The effectiveness of the VSA has been recently validated theoretically and experimentally by authors.

}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {A. Bicchi and G. Tonietti and R. Schiavi} } @conference {GSLTPD-04, title = {A sensing shirt for monitoring behavioral and autonomic parameters}, booktitle = {55}, year = {2004}, month = {February}, pages = {83}, address = {Innsbruck, Austria}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {A. Gemignani and E. P. Scilingo and G. Loriga and N. Taccini and R. Paradiso and D. De Rossi and B. Ghelarducci} } @conference {PB04mi, title = {Some relations between ergodicity and minimality properties of invariant sets in quantized control systems}, booktitle = {Bifurcations in nonsmooth and hybrid dynamical systems: analysis, control and applications}, series = {S.I.C.C. (Societ\à Italiana Caos e Complessit\à)}, year = {2004}, note = {

poster presentation

}, month = {21-22 October}, address = {Milan}, abstract = {

Linear dynamical systems controlled by quantized inputs exhibit phenomena which are typically non-linear, including chaotic behaviours. We consider discrete-time single-input models of the type x(k+1)=Ax(k)+bu(k). The construction of invariant sets for this class of hybrid systems is of utmost importance for the stabilization problem. We first review a technique to construct invariant sets when an arbitrary quantized input set is assigned. We hence study minimality properties for invariant sets when inputs take integer values. There is a relation between a so-called strong minimality property and ergodicity of the closed-loop dynamics, in particular, ergodicity implies strong minimality. A condition ensuring strong minimality is given in terms of the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of the matrix {\textquoteright}A{\textquoteright}. Two examples are presented: the first one shows that strong minimality does not imply ergodicity. The second one shows that our condition for strong minimality is only sufficient: this is done by exhibition of an ergodic dynamics for which our condition is not satisfied.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {B. Picasso and A. Bicchi} } @conference {GreMED04, title = {Stabilization of a Class of Unstable Switching Systems}, booktitle = {12th IEEE Mediterranean Conference}, year = {2004}, month = {June}, address = {Kusadasi, Turkey}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {L. Greco and F. Tocchini and M. Innocenti} } @article {InnAut03, title = {Sliding Mode Control for Two-Time Scale Systems: Stability Issues}, journal = {Automatica}, volume = {39}, year = {2003}, month = {February}, pages = {273{\textendash}280}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {M. Innocenti and L. Greco and L. Pollini} } @conference {ZBSVB03, title = {Stabilization of a class of discrete-time hybrid automata}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Decision and Control}, year = {2003}, pages = {1147-1152}, abstract = {

In this paper, the problem of stabilizing linear discrete time hybrid automata is considered. A synthesis methodology is obtained by extending to hybrid systems the stabilization techniques based on stable convex combinations, originally developed for switching systems. An algorithm to explore the candidate stabilizing controller actions is proposed and an application to an automotive engine control problem is described.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {M. Zoncu and A. Balluchi and A. Sangiovanni Vincentelli and A. Bicchi} } @inbook {PB03-HSCC, title = {Stabilization of LTI Systems with Quantized State-Quantized Input Static Feedback}, booktitle = {Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control}, series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science}, volume = {LNCS 2623}, year = {2003}, pages = {405-416}, publisher = {Springer-Verlag}, organization = {Springer-Verlag}, address = {Heidelberg, Germany}, abstract = {

This paper is concerned with the stabilization problem for discrete-time linear systems subject to a uniform quantization of the control set and to a regular state quantization, both fixed a priori. As it is well known, for quantized systems only weak (practical) stability properties can be achieved. Therefore, we focus on the existence and construction of quantized controllers (mapping a quantized state into a quantized input set) capable of steering a system to within invariant neighbourhoods of the equilibrium. Such analysis is helpful because it allows to decide a priori whether adesired control objective can be achieved by using a \textit{given} technology (actuators, sensors, communication and computational means).

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {B. Picasso and A. Bicchi}, editor = {A. Pnueli and O. Maler} } @article {SLMD03, title = {Strain-Sensing Fabrics for Wearable Kinaesthetic-Like Systems}, journal = {IEEE Sensors Journal}, volume = {3}, number = {4}, year = {2003}, month = {August}, pages = {460-467}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {E. P. Scilingo and F. Lorussi and A. Mazzoldi and D. De Rossi} } @conference {PBP02, title = {Safety of a decentralized scheme for Free-Flight ATMS using Mixed Integer Linear Programming}, booktitle = {American Control Conference}, year = {2002}, month = {May}, pages = {742-747}, abstract = {

In this paper we consider policies for free-flight management of air traffic. We consider instantaneous and bounded heading angle deviation as conflict avoidance maneuvers. The corresponding model, resulting in a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) problem allow to solve both conflict detection and conflict resolution problems. The developed algorithm proved successful in a centralized implementation with a large number of cooperating aircraft. However, the application of such algorithm to a Free Flight environment, where cooperation can only be expected from neighboring aircraft, poses many challenges. We consider a model of the decentralized conflict resolution strategy that is based on a hybrid system, and sufficient conditions under which a 3-aircraft Free Flight MILP-based scheme guarantees safety of flight are provided.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {L. Pallottino and A. Bicchi and S. Pancanti} } @conference {SLDPGPAGG-02, title = {A Sensing Shirt for Monitoring Body Kinematic and Vital Signs}, booktitle = {Symposium on Telemedicine In Care Delivery, Technology and Application}, year = {2002}, month = {June}, pages = {57-67}, address = {Pisa, Italy}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {E. P. Scilingo and F. Lorussi and D. De Rossi and R. Paradiso and M. Ghignoli and M. Pacelli and G. Anerdi and A. Gemignani and B. Ghelarducci} } @article {1409, title = {Set-membership acoustic tracking of autonomous underwater vehicles}, journal = {ACTA ACUSTICA UNITED WITH ACUSTICA}, volume = {88}, year = {2002}, pages = {648{\textendash}652}, keywords = {Robotics}, issn = {1610-1928}, author = {A. Caiti and A. Garulli and F. Livide and D Prattichizzo} } @article {MDLSP02, title = {Smart textiles for wearable motion capture systems}, journal = {AUTEX Research Journal}, volume = {2}, number = {4}, year = {2002}, month = {December}, pages = {199-203}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, author = {A. Mazzoldi and D. De Rossi and F. Lorussi and E. P. Scilingo and R. Paradiso} } @conference {InnACC02, title = {Stability Issues in Dual Time Scale Systems}, booktitle = {American Control Conference}, year = {2002}, month = {May}, address = {Anchorage, Alaska}, keywords = {Robotics}, author = {M. Innocenti and L. Greco and L. Pollini} } @inbook {PPSEB02, title = {Synthesis of robust control systems under resource constraints}, booktitle = {Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control}, series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science}, volume = {LNCS 2289}, year = {2002}, pages = {337-350}, publisher = {Springer-Verlag}, organization = {Springer-Verlag}, address = {Heidelberg, Germany}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {L. Palopoli and C. Pinello and A. L. Sangiovanni-Vincentelli and L. El-Ghaoui and A. Bicchi}, editor = {M. Greenstreet and C. Tomlin} } @conference {PPACGLSDGB-01, title = {Sensing Threads and Fabrics for Monitoring Body Kinematic and Vital Signs}, booktitle = {Fibres and Textiles for the Future}, year = {2001}, month = {August}, pages = {55-63}, address = {Tampere, Finland}, keywords = {Smart Textiles, Vital Signs}, author = {M. Pacelli and R. Paradiso and G. Anerdi and S. Ceccarini and M. Ghignoli and F. Lorussi and E. P. Scilingo and D. De Rossi and A. Gemignani and B. Ghelarducci} } @conference {DLMWS-01, title = {Strain-amplified electroactive polymer actuator for haptic interfaces}, booktitle = {Proceedings of SPIE}, year = {2001}, month = {July}, pages = {43-53}, address = {Newport Beach, USA}, keywords = {Bioengineering, Haptics}, author = {D. De Rossi and F. Lorussi and A. Mazzoldi and W. Rocchia and E. P. Scilingo} } @article {1410, title = {Seafloor properties determination from acoustic backscattering at normal incidence with a parametric source}, journal = {JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL ACOUSTICS}, volume = {8}, year = {2000}, pages = {365{\textendash}388}, issn = {0218-396X}, author = {A. Caiti} } @conference {PPB00, title = {Shortest paths for teams of vehicles}, booktitle = {Proc. WAC Int. Symp. on Robotics and Applications}, year = {2000}, month = {June}, pages = {124-129}, abstract = {

In this paper we consider the problem of planning motions of a team of vehicles that move in a planar environment. Each vehicle is modelled as a kinematic system with velocity constraints and curvature bounds. Vehicles can not get closer to each other than a predefined safety distance. When manipulating a common object cooperatively, further constraints apply. For such systems, we consider the problem of planning optimal paths in the absence of obstacles.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {L. Pallottino and G. Parlangeli and A. Bicchi} } @conference {BBPS00, title = {Stability and Robustness of Optimal Synthesis for Route Tracking by Dubins{\textquoteright} Vehicles}, booktitle = {Proc. 39th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control}, volume = {1}, year = {2000}, note = {

(invited paper)

}, month = {December}, pages = {581-6}, address = {Sydney, Australia}, keywords = {Autonomous Vehicles, Hybrid and Embedded Control Systems, Nonlinear Control Systems}, author = {A. Balluchi and A. Bicchi and B. Piccoli and P. Sou{\`e}res} } @conference {MB98-CDC, title = {Steering Driftless Nonholonomic Systems by Control Quanta}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Decision and Control}, year = {1998}, pages = {4164-4169}, keywords = {Hybrid and Embedded Control Systems, Nonlinear Control Systems, Quantized Control Systems}, author = {A. Marigo and A. Bicchi} } @conference {SDRBI97-EMB, title = {Sensors and devices to enhance the performance of a minimally invasive surgery tool for replicating surgeons{\textquoteright} haptic percetion of manipulated tissues}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Engineering in Medicine and Biology}, year = {1997}, address = {Chicago}, keywords = {Haptics, Sensors}, author = {E. P. Scilingo and D. De Rossi and A. Bicchi and P. Iaccone} } @inbook {BP97, title = {On some structural properties of general manipulation systems}, booktitle = {Modelling and Control of Mechanichal Systems}, year = {1997}, pages = {187-202}, publisher = {Imperial College Press}, organization = {Imperial College Press}, address = {London, U.K.}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, author = {A. Bicchi and D Prattichizzo}, editor = {A. Astolfi and D. J. N. Limebeer and C. Melchiorri and A. Tornamb\èe and R.B. Vinter} } @conference {BCDRIS96, title = { A sensor-based minimally invasive surgery tool for detecting tissue elastic properties }, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation}, year = {1996}, pages = {884-888}, keywords = {Haptics, Tools for Minimally Invasive Surgery}, author = {A. Bicchi and G. Canepa and D. De Rossi and P. Iacconi and E. P. Scilingo} } @conference {PB96, title = {Specifying Consistent Control Goals for Kinematically Defective Manipulation Systems}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation}, year = {1996}, keywords = {Robot Arms, Robot Hands}, author = {D Prattichizzo and A. Bicchi} } @article {1416, title = {STABILIZATION OF SPECTRAL METHODS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF SINGULAR SYSTEMS USING PIECEWISE-CONSTANT BASIS FUNCTIONS}, journal = {CIRCUITS SYSTEMS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING}, volume = {14}, year = {1995}, pages = {299{\textendash}316}, issn = {0278-081X}, doi = {10.1007/BF01189015}, url = {http://dx.medra.org/10.1007/BF01189015}, author = {A. Caiti and G. Cannata} } @conference {BP95, title = {A Standard Form for the Dynamics of General Manipulation Systems}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation}, year = {1995}, pages = {2810-2815}, keywords = {Haptics, Robot Arms, Robot Hands}, author = {A. Bicchi and D Prattichizzo} } @article {1420, title = {SPECTRAL METHODS FOR THE SOLUTION OF LINEAR DESCRIPTOR SYSTEMS USING FOURIER FUNCTIONS}, journal = {CIRCUITS SYSTEMS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING}, volume = {13}, year = {1994}, pages = {225{\textendash}239}, issn = {0278-081X}, doi = {10.1007/BF01188108}, url = {http://dx.medra.org/10.1007/BF01188108}, author = {A. Caiti and G. Cannata} } @article {1422, title = {Skin-like tactile sensor arrays for contact stress field extraction}, journal = {MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. C, BIOMIMETIC MATERIALS, SENSORS AND SYSTEMS}, volume = {1}, year = {1993}, pages = {23{\textendash}36}, issn = {0928-4931}, author = {D. De Rossi and G. Canepa and G. Magenes and F. Germagnoli and A. Caiti and T. Parisini} } @conference {PBC93, title = {Statically Stable Legged Locomotion with Leg Redundancy}, booktitle = {Proc. IASTED Int. Conf. on Robotics and Manufacturing}, year = {1993}, publisher = {IASTED}, organization = {IASTED}, address = {Oxford, UK, september 23-25 1993}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, issn = {O-88986-179-X}, author = {D Prattichizzo and A. Bicchi and G. Casalino} } @conference {VBT90, title = {Sensorial Integration for a Robotic Dextrous Hand}, booktitle = {Proc. Int. Symp. on Measurement and Control in Robotics}, year = {1990}, address = {Houston, Texas, USA}, keywords = {Haptics, Robot Hands, Sensors}, author = {G. Vassura and A. Bicchi and A. Tonielli} } @article {1776, title = {Shear stress detection in an elastic layer by a piezoelectric polymer tactile sensor}, journal = {IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL INSULATION}, volume = {24}, year = {1989}, pages = {1077{\textendash}1081}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {0018-9367}, author = {C. Domenici and D. De Rossi and A. Bacci and S. Bennati} } @article {1772, title = {Sensori per applicazioni biomediche}, journal = {FISICA E TECNOLOGIA}, volume = {11}, year = {1988}, pages = {{\textendash}}, issn = {0391-9757}, author = {P. Dario and D. De Rossi} } @conference {DBBB87, title = {A Shape Memory Alloy Actuating Module for Fine Manipulation}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Workshop on Microrobots and Teleoperators}, year = {1987}, address = {Hyannis, MA, USA}, keywords = {Robot Hands}, author = {P. Dario and M. Bergamasco and L. Bernardi and A. Bicchi} } @inbook {DBFBF86, title = {A Sensorized Scenario for Basic Investigation on Active Touch}, booktitle = {Robot Sensors: Tactile and Non-Vision}, series = {International Trends in Manufacturing Technology Series, vol. 2}, year = {1986}, pages = {237-245}, publisher = {I. F. S. Publications Ltd.}, organization = {I. F. S. Publications Ltd.}, address = {Kempston, Bedford, U. K.}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, author = {P. Dario and A. Bicchi and A. Fiorillo and G. Buttazzo and R. Francesconi}, editor = {Alan Pugh} } @article {1746, title = {Sensori tattili a polimeri ferroelettrici}, journal = {TECNICHE DELL{\textquoteright}AUTOMAZIONE \& ROBOTICA}, volume = {7-8}, year = {1984}, pages = {25{\textendash}29}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {1721-7563}, author = {P. Dario and D. De Rossi and C. Domenici and P. C. Pinotti} } @article {3648, title = {Skin stretch haptic feedback to convey closure information in anthropomorphic, under-actuated upper limb soft prostheses}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Haptics ( Early Access )}, author = {E. Battaglia and J. Clark and M. Bianchi and M. G. Catalano and A. Bicchi and M. K. O{\textquoteright}Malley} }