Linear manipulator: Motion control of an -link robotic arm mounted on a mobile slider.

Linear manipulators are versatile linear robotics systems that can be reprogrammed to accommodate product changes quickly and are flexible to meet unique requirements. Such robotic systems tend to have higher accuracy, making them the perfect automation solution for those mundane, repetitious tasks. With the demand for linear systems in real-life applications expanding consistently, this paper addresses motion planning and control (MPC) of a new modified unanchored linear manipulator consisting of an -link robotic arm mounted on a mobile slider along a rail.

Information and communications technology, health, and gender equality: Empirical evidence from a panel of Pacific developing economies.

Information and communications technology (ICT) has been widely embraced in many developing economies in recent times. Extant research reveals that ICT increases economic growth. Beyond economic growth, improved access to information, markets and economic opportunities via information and communications technology have the potential to influence other dimensions of public welfare.

Switch controllers of an -link revolute manipulator with a prismatic end-effector for landmark navigation.

Robotic arms play an indispensable role in multiple sectors such as manufacturing, transportation and healthcare to improve human livelihoods and make possible their endeavors and innovations, which further enhance the quality of our lives. This paper considers such a robotic arm comprised of revolute links and a prismatic end-effector, where the articulated arm is anchored in a restricted workspace. A new set of stabilizing switched velocity-based continuous controllers was derived using the Lyapunov-based Control Scheme (LbCS) from the category of classical approaches where switching of these nonlinear controllers is invoked by a new rule.

Determinants of Exports in a Small and Vulnerable Economy: Fiji Islands-A Disaggregated Analysis.

The previous studies of exports performance in Fiji were carried out at the aggregate level. We conduct a disaggregated analysis of exports of three major products, namely, sugar, tourism, and gold. This analysis is useful for developing sector-based export promotion policies.

Projecting populations for major Pacific Island countries with and without COVID-19: pro-active insights for population policy.

The paper projects aggregate populations of six Pacific Island countries in both pre- and post-COVID19 scenarios using a Cohort Component Method for the period 2020-2060. It uses baseline indicators resembling China and Italy's experiences and finds that Pacific countries could experience a fatality rate between 5 and 20% due to the pandemic. It also finds that most Pacific Island countries would experience higher fatalities in the older age groups, consistent with what is being witnessed in other countries around the world.