Unlike serial manipulators, FORWARD kinematic PROBLEM ((FKP)) of parallel robots is highly complicated and its analytical solution is not generally le. Therefore, in most cases numerical methods are used to solve this PROBLEM which are relatively time consuming. On the other hand, reducing the duration of (FKP) analysis is an essential task for applications like real-time control. In this paper, artificial neural networks and a 3rd-order numerical algorithm are combined and a new hybrid strategy is proposed for FORWARD KINEMATICS analysis of parallel manipulators which significantly increases the speed of the (FKP) solution. In the proposed method, an approximate solution of the (FKP) is first produced by the neural network. This solution is next considered as an initial guess for the 3rd-order numerical technique which solves the nonlinear FORWARD KINEMATICS equations and obtains the answer with a desired level of accuracy. The proposed method is applied to a spatial 3-PSP parallel manipulator. The results show that using this method will lead to a 35 percent reduction in number of iterations and a 12 percent reduction in the (FKP) analysis time, while maintaining high level of solution accuracy.

This paper presents the kinematic analysis and the development of a 4-degree-offreedom serial-parallel mechanism for large commercial vehicle driving simulators.The degrees of freedom are selected according to the target maneuvers and the structure of human motion perception organs. Several kinematic properties of parallel part of the mechanism under study are investigated, including the inverse and the FORWARD KINEMATICS PROBLEMs, workspace determination, singularity, and kinematic sensitivity analysis. The workspace of the parallel part of the mechanism is obtained by interval analysis. Moreover, using elimination theory, a univariate expression representing the FORWARD KINEMATICS solution of the parallel part is obtained.

A novel spatial parallel manipulator designed to assemble diagnostic instruments in SG-III is introduced in this paper. Firstly, resorting to screw theory, mobility analysis is presented for this manipulator. Then, the inverse KINEMATICS PROBLEM is determined by the method of RPY transformation with the singularity analyzed. As a key issue in parallel manipulators, it is more di cult to solve the FORWARD KINEMATICS PROBLEM, since it is highly nonlinear and coupled. In this work, three di erent approaches are presented to deal with this issue, namely, the back propagation neural network, the simpli ed ant colony optimization, and the proposed improved Newton iterative method. Simulation of each approach is conducted, and their merits and demerits are compared in detail. It is concluded that the improved Newton iterative method, which can provide good initial iteration values, shows the best performance in estimation of the nonlinear FORWARD kinematic mapping of the considered parallel manipulator.

The FORWARD position KINEMATICS (FPK) of a parallel manipulator with new architecture supposed to be used as a moving mechanism in a flight simulator project is discussed in this paper. The closed form solution for the FPK PROBLEM of the manipulator is first determined. It has, then, been shown that there are at most 24 solutions for FPK PROBLEM. This result has been verified by using other techniques such as geometric approach and a numerical method known as polynomial continuation. Numerical examples are performed to display all possible solutions available for the devised manipulator.

Purpose: FORWARD Walking (FW) and Backward Walking (BW) on different gradients of the treadmill is a common exercise for lower extremity rehabilitation. However, limited studies are found about the three-dimensional analysis of lower extremity and status of the knee joint during FW and BW on different gradients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the lower extremity joints KINEMATICS during FW and BW on incline and decline surfaces.Methods: The current research has a quasi-experimental design. Sixteen healthy males with the mean (SD) age of 22.4 (2.5) years, volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects’ FW and BW with their preferred speed on a treadmill at four gradients (-7.5%, 0%, +5% and+10%), were analyzed by using motion capture system. All data were analyzed using paired sample t test (P<0.05).Results: Significant differences were seen between FW and BW in most angular variables in sagittal plane. However, there were no significant differences between FW and BW in most parameters of knee angle in frontal plane.Conclusion: Based on the results, with increase in FW inclination and decrease in BW inclination, the knee varus angle in frontal plane reduces. Therefore, FW on the upslope surfaces or BW on downslope surfaces, probably is a suitable solution to reduce the loads exerted on medial compartment of the knee.

In this paper, a novel spatial six-degree-of freedom parallel manipulator actuated by three base-mounted partial spherical actuators is studied. This new parallel manipulator consists of a base platform and a moving platform, which are connected by three legs. Each leg of the manipulator 'is composed of a spherical joint, prismatic joint and universal joint. The base-mounted partial spherical actuators can only specify the direction of their corresponding legs. In other' words, the spin of each leg is a passive degree-of-freedom. The inverse pose and FORWARD pose of the new mechanism are described. In the inverse pose pneumatics, active joint variables are calculated with no need for evaluation of the passive joint variables. To solve the FORWARD pose PROBLEM, a much simpler method compared to the traditional method is introduced. Closed form relations for the inverse and FORWARD and KINEMATICS are proposed. Finally, two sets of singular consignation of the newly introduced manipulator with different natures are obtained.

The manipulators whose degrees of freedom are high are called “hyper-redundant manipulators”. High degrees of freedom make them dexterous and able to avoid the obstacles. Here, the term hyper-redundant manipulator is used for the manipulators which are produced by cascading the serial or parallel mechanisms on top of each other, as modules. The discrete actuators can have a few stable states. These actuators usually need no feedback in their control. This causes them to have a simpler control, to be cheaper, more precise, and to improve the repeatability. So far, several methods have been proposed to solve inverse KINEMATICS PROBLEM of discretely actuated hyper-redundant manipulators. The two-by-two searching method is better than the other methods in terms of CPU-time and error. In this paper, the mentioned method is generalized by choosing an arbitrary number of modules as pending modules in each step of searching, instead of necessary two. Also, the effect of the number of pending modules on CPU-time and error is investigated. For this purpose, two planar and spatial manipulators are introduced to define the inverse KINEMATICS PROBLEMs and then the results are analyzed and compared.

The PROBLEM of personal identity among others may stem from the following question—what does be the person that you are, from one day to the next, necessarily consist of? The diachronic PROBLEM of personal identity raises question on the necessary and sufficient conditions for the identity of the person over time. The synchronic PROBLEM is grounded in the question of what features or traits characterize a given person at one time. To answer these questions, John Locke discarded the soul and the body as necessary and sufficient substances for personal identity over time. He accepted consciousness as the only criterion for personal identity; the only thing capable of remaining the same and preserving personal identity through change. Though Locke’s argument is somewhat clear and coherent but what remains vague and incoherent is embedded in the question—what exactly is consciousness? How and why should it be the basis or criterion for the determination of personal identity? Using the method of critical analysis, I argue that Locke’s choice of consciousness as the determinant of personal identity, though quite novel, is incoherent and vague. Secondly, Locke had already presumed and anticipated clearly though fallaciously the very thing he wishes to substantiate. I therefore conclude that Locke’s argument is just another way of trying to escape but inadvertently prolonging the difficulty of apparently articulating a distinction between the psychological approach and physiological approach to the PROBLEM of personal identity. However, in my submission, I propose the concept of the “other” as alternative approach— a sort of an extrinsic-intrinsic approach to the PROBLEM of personal identity.