An Emotion Recognition Method for Humanoid Robot Body Movements Based on a PSO-BP-RMSProp Neural Network.

This paper mainly explores the computational model that connects a robot's emotional body movements with human emotion to propose an emotion recognition method for humanoid robot body movements. There is sparse research directly carried out from this perspective to recognize robot bodily expression. A robot's body movements are designed by imitating human emotional body movements.

Mapless Path Planning for Mobile Robot Based on Improved Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient Algorithm.

In the traditional Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) algorithm, path planning for mobile robots in mapless environments still encounters challenges regarding learning efficiency and navigation performance, particularly adaptability and robustness to static and dynamic obstacles. To address these issues, in this study, an improved algorithm frame was proposed that designs the state and action spaces, and introduces a multi-step update strategy and a dual-noise mechanism to improve the reward function. These improvements significantly enhance the algorithm's learning efficiency and navigation performance, rendering it more adaptable and robust in complex mapless environments.

Mechanisms of enhancing MgO for stabilization/solidification of Pb-contaminated red clay through CO sequestration.

Pb-contaminated soil poses significant environmental and health risks as well as soil stability issues. Research on sandy soils highlights CO-enhanced reactive MgO as a promising solution for improving the solidification of Pb-contaminated soils. However, carbonation effects can differ markedly between soil types owing to varying soil properties.

Removal of Cu(II) by sodium hexametaphosphate and nano zero-valent iron modified calcium bentonite: characteristic, adsorption performance and mechanism.

Cu (II) is a toxic heavy metal commonly identified in groundwater contaminants. Bentonite-based cutoff wall is the most used method in isolating and adsorbing contaminants, while the bentonite in it easily to fail due to Cu(II) exchange. This study synthesized a novel material through the modification of calcium bentonite (CaB) utilizing sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) and nano zero-valent iron (NZVI).

Motion planning framework based on dual-agent DDPG method for dual-arm robots guided by human joint angle constraints.

Introduction: Reinforcement learning has been widely used in robot motion planning. However, for multi-step complex tasks of dual-arm robots, the trajectory planning method based on reinforcement learning still has some problems, such as ample exploration space, long training time, and uncontrollable training process. Based on the dual-agent depth deterministic strategy gradient (DADDPG) algorithm, this study proposes a motion planning framework constrained by the human joint angle, simultaneously realizing the humanization of learning content and learning style.

Bidirectional feature pyramid attention-based temporal convolutional network model for motor imagery electroencephalogram classification.

Introduction: As an interactive method gaining popularity, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) aim to facilitate communication between the brain and external devices. Among the various research topics in BCIs, the classification of motor imagery using electroencephalography (EEG) signals has the potential to greatly improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.

Methods: This technology assists them in controlling computers or other devices like prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs, and drones.

Formulation of PG-FA-L composite modifier for repairing expansive soil based on the statistical mixed design method.

The generation of large amounts of solid waste has led to exploration of solid waste-modified expansive soils; however, the effect of a single solid waste-modified expansive soil is not ideal. This study proposes a composite modification of expansive soils using a PG-FA-L system. Statistical analysis showed that the properties of the cured soil were significantly improved.

Peg-in-hole assembly skill imitation learning method based on ProMPs under task geometric representation.

Introduction: Behavioral Cloning (BC) is a common imitation learning method which utilizes neural networks to approximate the demonstration action samples for task manipulation skill learning. However, in the real world, the demonstration trajectories from human are often sparse and imperfect, which makes it challenging to comprehensively learn directly from the demonstration action samples. Therefore, in this paper, we proposes a streamlined imitation learning method under the terse geometric representation to take good advantage of the demonstration data, and then realize the manipulation skill learning of assembly tasks.

Learning adaptive reaching and pushing skills using contact information.

In this paper, we propose a deep reinforcement learning-based framework that enables adaptive and continuous control of a robot to push unseen objects from random positions to the target position. Our approach takes into account contact information in the design of the reward function, resulting in improved success rates, generalization for unseen objects, and task efficiency compared to policies that do not consider contact information. Through reinforcement learning using only one object in simulation, we obtain a learned policy for manipulating a single object, which demonstrates good generalization when applied to the task of pushing unseen objects.

Air sparging remediation of VOCs contaminated low-permeability soil based on pressure gradient control.

Air sparging (AS) is deemed unacceptable for remediating VOCs contaminated soil with low-permeability. To improve air flow and contaminant removal in sparging process, an original approach, termed as pressure gradient-enhanced air sparging (PGEAS) approach, is proposed by controlling pressure gradient in soil. Then the remediation efficiency, mass transfer characteristics, and remediation mechanism are investigated.

Mass transfer enhancement of air sparging on VOCs contaminated low-permeability soil by establishing pressure gradient.

As one of the most effective methods for remediating VOCs contaminated site, air sparging technology is not suitable to low-permeability soil due to the poor remediation efficiency. To solve this problem, an improved approach aiming for mass transfer enhancement by establishing pressure gradient in soil is proposed in this study, and the remediation efficiency, removal mechanism, as well as the mass transfer characteristic are comprehensively investigated. Test results showed that, using the proposed approach significantly reduced the time for exhaust air contaminants reaching concentration equilibrium, and improved the contaminant removal zone and extent in soil, which were especially strengthened at sparging pressures higher than 40 kPa.

Non-uniform illumination underwater image enhancement via events and frame fusion.

Absorption and scattering by aqueous media can attenuate light and cause underwater optical imagery difficulty. Artificial light sources are usually used to aid deep-sea imaging. Due to the limited dynamic range of standard cameras, artificial light sources often cause underwater images to be underexposed or overexposed.

Synergistic solidification of lead-contaminated soil by magnesium oxide and microorganisms.

Although microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology effectively promotes the remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils in low concentrations, the high concentration of heavy metals has a toxic effect on microorganisms, which leads to the decline of carbonate yield and makes the soil strength and environmental safety after remediation no up to the standard. This study describes the synergistic curing effect of MgO and microorganisms on soil contaminated with high concentrations of heavy metals. The experimental results with MgO showed 2-6 times increase in unconfined compressive strength (UCS) compared to bio-cemented samples without MgO.

American Sign Language Translation Using Wearable Inertial and Electromyography Sensors for Tracking Hand Movements and Facial Expressions.

A sign language translation system can break the communication barrier between hearing-impaired people and others. In this paper, a novel American sign language (ASL) translation method based on wearable sensors was proposed. We leveraged inertial sensors to capture signs and surface electromyography (EMG) sensors to detect facial expressions.

Remediation characteristics of surfactant-enhanced air sparging (SEAS) technology on volatile organic compounds contaminated soil with low permeability.

Surfactant-enhanced air sparging (SEAS) is an effective technology for the remediation of volatile organic compounds contamination of medium and high-permeability soil, though applying SEAS to low-permeability soil contamination has rarely been explored. In this study, a series of two-dimensional physical model tests were designed to explore the feasibility and remediation characteristics of SEAS on low-permeability soil. In the test results, the incorporation and increase in surfactant concentration promoted air channel formation in the low-permeability soil, finally reduced the capillary breakthrough pressure and improved the airflow rate.

Biocementation of Pyrite Tailings Using Microbially Induced Calcite Carbonate Precipitation.

Tailing sand contains a large number of heavy metals and sulfides that are prone to forming acid mine drainage (AMD), which pollutes the surrounding surface environment and groundwater resources and damages the ecological environment. Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology can biocement heavy metals and sulfides in tailing sand and prevent pollution via source control. In this study, through an unconfined compressive strength test, permeability test, and toxic leaching test (TCLP), the curing effect of MICP was investigated in the laboratory and the effect of grouting rounds on curing was also analyzed.

A Bionic Spatial Cognition Model and Method for Robots Based on the Hippocampus Mechanism.

The hippocampus and its accessory are the main areas for spatial cognition. It can integrate paths and form environmental cognition based on motion information and then realize positioning and navigation. Learning from the hippocampus mechanism is a crucial way forward for research in robot perception, so it is crucial to building a calculation method that conforms to the biological principle.

Creating Better Collision-Free Trajectory for Robot Motion Planning by Linearly Constrained Quadratic Programming.

Many algorithms in probabilistic sampling-based motion planning have been proposed to create a path for a robot in an environment with obstacles. Due to the randomness of sampling, they can efficiently compute the collision-free paths made of segments lying in the configuration space with probabilistic completeness. However, this property also makes the trajectories have some unnecessary redundant or jerky motions, which need to be optimized.

Acid rain leaching behavior of Zn-contaminated soils solidified/stabilized using cement-soda residue.

Cement-soda residue (CSR) has been proven to be an effective binder for treating heavy metal-contaminated soils, and the durability is its most important characteristic. In this study, the effects of acid rain (AR) on the leaching behavior of CSR-solidified/stabilized, zinc-contaminated soils were investigated using flexible-wall soil column leaching tests. After leaching, some parameters were determined such as the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and permeability coefficient of the samples, the concentrations of Zn and Ca in the filtrate.

Spatial Topological Relation Analysis for Cluttered Scenes.

The spatial topological relations are the foundation of robot operation planning under unstructured and cluttered scenes. Defining complex relations and dealing with incomplete point clouds from the surface of objects are the most difficult challenge in the spatial topological relation analysis. In this paper, we presented the classification of spatial topological relations by dividing the intersection space into six parts.

Effects of surfactant injection position on the airflow pattern and contaminant removal efficiency of surfactant-enhanced air sparging.

Surfactant-enhanced air sparging (SEAS) is an effective remediation technique for VOCs-contaminated soil. In this study, three types of tests are performed to investigate the effects of the surfactant injection position on the airflow pattern, contaminant removal efficiency, and airflow path control. The three tests are conventional air sparging (CAS), entire SEAS (ESEAS), where the surfactant is incorporated into the entire contaminated soil, and local SEAS (LSEAS), where the surfactant is injected locally at different positions.

Finite Class Bayesian Inference System for Circle and Linear Walking Gait Event Recognition Using Inertial Measurement Units.

Accurate and fast human motion pattern recognition is the key to ensuring lower limb assistive devices' appropriate assistance. The research on human motion pattern recognition of lower limb assistive devices mainly focuses on sagittal gait. The motion pattern such as circular walking (CW) is asymmetric about the sagittal plane of the body.