City University of Hong Kong
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Abstract
Increasing demands for many technologically significant procedures such as table-top manufacturing and operations with robot network, team intelligence of swarms of micro robots, the creation of transgenic organisms through insertion of genetic material into embryos and other related areas, have provided new research opportunities within the field of robotics and automation at the micro-scale. This equipment grant proposal aims to establish the state-of-the-art micro robotics working platform, which has not been available in Hong Kong. We propose to purchase and develop a number of key equipments to facilitate our research activities in the area of advanced micro robotics, in particular solving two significant issues: micro robot network and micro robot manipulation especially for bioengineering. The proposed budget will cover the costs of purchasing some key commercial equipments, self-developing some new robot devices that cannot be commercially available, and the manpower to implement the equipment-related tasks. Upon completion of the project, we will achieve the following successes: i) To establish an advanced micro robotics laboratory; ii) To provide a proof-of-concept demonstration of new and innovative theoretical framework applied to micro robotic systems; iii) To facilitate the research team to be internationally competitive with a critical mass.
Abstract
There has been increasing demand for high efficient manipulation of micro-scale biological materials due to the explosion of genetic discoveries in the recent years. With the advent of systems biology, the need for testing genetic materials far exceeds the biological community's current capability. One of the obstacles is the current lack of high through-put technology platform to introduce genetic materials into whole organisms. Microinjection of microliters of genetic materials into fish embryo is a standard procedure used to test the functions of the introduced genetic materials on the survival and development of embryos. Currently, this complicated and highly precise process is being done manually by trained personnel, with a low success rate. This project aims to develop a robotic bio-manipulation system for automatic batch production of inserting genetic materials into embryos. The work will be carried out in three aspects: i) development of the robotic cell-injection workstation prototype; ii) design of automation strategy for batch manipulations of cells; and iii) design and application of the hybrid position (vision) and force controls for cell injection process. This proposed work establishes an important collaboration between engineering areas of robotics, automation, controls, MEMS and biological science areas of gene expression analysis and developmental toxicity in embryos. Success of this project will lay the foundation of the rapid growth of high-quality and affordable automatic bio-manipulation industry.
Abstract
Increasing demands for many technologically significant procedures such as table-top manufacturing and operations with robot network, the creation of transgenic organisms through insertion of genetic material into embryos and various other types of bio-cell manipulations, have provided new research opportunities within the field of robotics and automation at the micro-scale. This group proposal aims for funding a group research on state-of-the-art robotics micro-manipulation technology for biomedical applications. UGC recently approved our equipment application for an advanced optical tweezer system to facilitate our research activity in solving robotic manipulation of biological cells at the micro-scale. The advance of the technologies for robotics manipulation and analysis of biological objects at the micro scale holds the promise of improving research in biomedical field, such as disease diagnosis and treatment, cell characterization and sorting. Upon completion of the project, we will achieve the following objectives: i) To facilitate the micro robotics research group particularly in automated bio-cell manipulations; ii) To provide a proof-of-concept demonstration of new and innovative theoretical framework applied to the micro robotic bio-manipulation platform; iii) To enhance the research team to be internationally competitive with a critical mass.
Abstract
Many industrial processes are complex distributed parameter systems that have a strong tempo-spatial nature. It is very difficult to model and control this kind of process due to its infinite-dimensional nature, limited sensing and actuating means available in practice. We aim to develop a novel three-domain (3D) intelligent modelling and control approach for a broad range of tempo-spatial processes in production industry. In view of difficulties inherent in the complex tempo-spatial process, it is essential to resort to a carefully considered hybrid modelling approach to obtain a 3D model. First, a 3D kernel is proposed to decompose the process under the traditional Volterra series framework, upon which the distributed time-space coupling is separated by the Karhunen-Loève (K-L) method. Various intelligent learning methods can then be utilized for model enhancement to compensate time-domain and spatial uncertainties, respectively. Afterwards, a model-based hybrid intelligent control/supervision framework will be innovatively developed to maintain a good 3D performance. The low-level fuzzy control system will play a dominant role for nominal performance with guaranteed stability region; while the high-level supervision will fine-tune the setpoints for a better global performance based on the developed 3D model.
Abstract
Omni-directional vision sensors have found increasing applications due to its wide field of view. However, most of the existing work uses an omni-directional camera to obtain the panoramic 2D images. To obtain 3D information while still maintaining the advantage of the wide field of view, we propose to combine light pattern projection with an omni-directional camera. New methods for the distortion detection and rectification will be explored. To enhance its adaptability and usability in practical applications, the settings of the vision system will be adjustable on-line. For this purpose, an efficient automatic recalibration method will be developed using single views. Such a vision system will be useful for many practical applications including advanced visual tracking and surveillance.
Abstract
Switched nonlinear Hamiltonian systems are an important class of switched systems that can be used to describe a wide range of complex real-world processes and systems, including robotic systems, power systems, spacecrafts, and many other mechanical or electrical systems. During the past few years, increased attention has been paid to the study of switched linear or nonlinear systems for issues such as stability, controllability, observability, and stabilization/robust controller design, and many significant results have been obtained. However, relatively few reports of the analysis and synthesis of switched nonlinear Hamiltonian control systems exist in the open literature, and many critical issues remain to be examined.
This project will investigate and develop novel approaches to the analysis and synthesis of switched nonlinear Hamiltonian control systems under arbitrary switching rules. Furthermore, based on the Hamiltonian realization theory, the newly developed methods will be used to study several classes of ordinary switched nonlinear systems. The outcome of this project is expected to enrich the theoretical foundation of the analysis and synthesis of switched control systems, in particular switched nonlinear control systems. Moreover, the proposed approaches will find wide applications in industry such as in robotic/mechanical systems and power systems.
Abstract
In the last few years there has been increasing demand within the engineering community towards the development of methodologies for the manipulation of micro-scale biological materials due to the explosion of genetic discoveries in the recent years. Of the 3 billion DNA bases in the human genome, 90% of them were previously regarded as junk DNA because these regions did not code for genes. Biologists now show that these junk DNA regions actually produce microRNA which serves to modulate the expression of DNA. To complicate matters even further, geneticists have also reported that those single unit variations found in the junk DNA are actually the new units of inheritance. With the advent of systems biology, the need for testing genetic materials far exceeds the biological community's current capability. One of the obstacles is the current lack of high through-put technology platform to introduce genetic materials into whole organisms. Microinjection of microliters of genetic materials into fish embryo is a standard procedure used to test the functions of the introduced genetic materials on the survival and development of embryos. This process requires the precise positioning and handling of 2 micromanipulators, one holding the genetic materials and the other holding the embryos. Currently, this complicated and highly précised process is being done manually by trained personnel.
This project aims to investigate automation of inserting genetic materials into embryos with a robotic bio-manipulation system. The work will be carried out in four categories. First, we will develop a robotic manipulation system for handling fish embryos, which permits mirco-injection of small amounts of genetic materials into fish embryos on a large scale. Second, we will develop strategies for automation of processes involved in culturing, transferring, handling and precise positioning of fish embryos. Third, we will develop vision based sensing and control methodologies to ensure precise injection process while producing minimal damage to the embryos. Finally, we will perform experimental test and verification for the control and automation of inserting genetic materials into Zebrafish embryos, and study how to achieve high success rate of injections. This proposed work establishes an important collaboration between engineering areas of robotics, automation, controls, MEMS and biological science areas of gene expression analysis and developmental toxicity in embryos.
Last modified on 20 March, 2009