Development of a Small Tea Plucking Machine

( Ping-lang Yen ),( Nai-wen Chang ),( Chen-ya Chen ),( Hong-xuan Wei ),( Shih-fangchen ),( Wei-yang Hwang ) 한국농업기계학회 2018 한국농업기계학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.23 No.1

Tea plucking in Taiwan suffers of serious labor shortage due to agricultural population decreasing and aging. The problems become even worse in hot season of tea plucking and cause tremendous economic loses for farmers. Current solutions of introducing tea harvesting machinery to substitute human power were not adequately suitable to Taiwan's geographical specialty. These machines were found difficult to operate efficiently in mountain areas, or in small tea farms, and farms with narrow ridge to ridge. This paper has proposed a tea plucking prototype that is specially designed to operate in mountain areas and for small scale tea farm. The machine contains a carrier, a tea cutter and a motorized mechanism. The carrier of small size was able to be moved by human and its tea plucking module is motorized. At the same time the height of cutter was automatically adjusted by the controller so that tea leaves can be evenly trimmed during the carrier movement. The prototype successfully demonstrated the efficiency of tea plucking can be increased and workload for human could be significantly reduced. In conclusion, the developed small electrical tea plucking machine was proved feasible for the release of labor shortage problem in Taiwan’s tea plucking industry.

Assistive Control of a Surgical Robot Based on Bilateral Interacted Force Analysis

Ping-Lang Yen,Shang-Wei Hsu,Hang-Ting Lin,Ching-Heng Wang 제어로봇시스템학회 2012 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2012 No.10

Interacted force between a robot, human and anatomical object in orthopedic surgery provides crucial information for safe and accurate bone cutting. When the robot plays the role of assisting the surgeon in the whole surgical procedure, the robot is trying to comply with the human intention according to various cutting conditions. The reaction force to the robot from the human is for indicating human intention, whereas the force from the anatomical object reflects the cutting condition. In this paper two impedance indices are defined by these two interacted forces and a surgical robot then decides whether assistive or resistant action is activated so that accuracy and safety of bone cutting can be achieved.

Ex vivo Expansion of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Using Microcarrier Beads in a Stirred Bioreactor

Lang Zhou,Jiantao Kong,Ying-ping Zhuang,Ju Chu,Si-Liang Zhang,Mei-Jin Guo 한국생물공학회 2013 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.18 No.1

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (bmMSCs)have recently gained attention as a useful resource in the fields of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. However, the number of bmMSCs obtained from available donors is very low. Here we developed a culture strategy for in vitro expansion of bmMSCs in a 1.5 L stirred bioreactor with microcarrier beads. First, the microcarriers (Cytodex 3) were equilibrated in culture medium containing 3% fetal bovine serum (FBS) for at least 30 min prior to cell addition. After inoculation, the FBS concentration of the medium was maintained at 3% (v/v) in the first 24 h and thereafter maintained at 1% (v/v) and a developed feeding regimen was applied over 5 days. The maximum cell density of 2.6 × 106 cells/mL was achieved at day 5,corresponding to a 10.4 ± 0.8 fold increases in total cell number. Among the harvested cells, 98.95% expressed CD29and 84.48% expressed CD90, suggesting that the majority of expanded bmMSCs still retained their differentiation potential. Therefore, the developed microcarrier-based stirred bioreactor culture system is an effective method to generate significant numbers of bmMSCs for potential applications and research studies.

Encoding-based brain-computer interface controlled by non-motor area of rat brain.

Lang, Yiran,Du, Ping,Shin, Hyung-Cheul Jointly published by Science China Press and Sprin 2011 Science China. Life sciences Vol.54 No.9

<P>As the needs of disabled patients are increasingly recognized in society, researchers have begun to use single neuron activity to construct brain-computer interfaces (BCI), designed to facilitate the daily lives of individuals with physical disabilities. BCI systems typically allow users to control computer programs or external devices via signals produced in the motor or pre-motor areas of the brain, rather than producing actual motor movements. However, impairments in these brain areas can hinder the application of BCI. The current paper demonstrates the feasibility of a one-dimensional (1D) machine controlled by rat prefrontal cortex (PFC) neurons using an encoding method. In this novel system, rats are able to quench thirst by varying neuronal firing rate in the PFC to manipulate a water dish that can rotate in 1D. The results revealed that control commands generated by an appropriate firing frequency in rat PFC exhibited performance improvements with practice, indicated by increasing water-drinking duration and frequency. These results demonstrated that it is possible for rats to understand an encoding-based BCI system and control a 1D machine using PFC activity to obtain reward.</P>

Application Session / Purfication and characterization of a new antifungal compound produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa K - 187 in a shrimp and crab shell power medium

(San Lang Wang),(Jyh Chau Yeh),(Chi Hau Wang),(Ing Lung shih),(Liang Ping Lin),(Wen Chii Chiu),(Yaw Chuan Lin),(Yu Cheng Li) 한국키틴키토산학회 1998 한국키틴키토산학회지 Vol.3 No.4

Optimal Monochromatic Imaging of Spectral Computed Tomography Potentially Improves the Quality of Hepatic Vascular Imaging

Xiao-Ping Yin,Bu-Lang Gao,Cai-Ying Li,Huan Zhou,Liang Zhao,Ya-Ting Zheng,Yong-Xia Zhao 대한영상의학회 2018 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.19 No.4

Objective: To investigate the efficiency of spectral computed tomography (CT) optimal monochromatic images in improving imaging quality of liver vessels. Materials and Methods: The imaging data of 35 patients with abdominal CT angiography were retrospectively analyzed. Hepatic arteries, portal veins, and hepatic veins were reconstructed with mixed energy (quality check, QC), 70 keV and optimal monochromatic mode. Comparative parameters were analyzed including CT value, image noise (IN), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and subjective qualitative analysis. Results: The optimal monochromatic value for assessment of the common hepatic artery, portal vein, and hepatic vein ranged between 49 keV and 53 keV, with a mean of 51 keV. There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) among the optimal monochromatic, 70 keV and QC images with regards to the hepatic vascular CT value, IN, CNR, SNR, and subjective qualitative score. CNR of the common hepatic artery in the optimal monochromatic, 70 keV and QC groups was 24.6 ± 10.9, 18.1 ± 8.3, and 11.6 ± 4.6, respectively (p < 0.001) with subjective scores of 4.7 ± 0.2, 4.0 ± 0.3, and 3.6 ± 0.4, respectively (p < 0.001). CNR of the hepatic portal vein was 6.9 ± 2.7, 4.3 ± 1.9, and 3.0 ± 2.1, respectively (p < 0.001) with subjective scores of 4.5 ± 0.3, 3.9 ± 0.4, and 3.3 ± 0.3, respectively (p < 0.001). CNR of the hepatic vein was 5.7 ± 2.3, 4.2 ± 1.9, and 2.7 ± 1.4, respectively with subjective scores of 4.3 ± 0.3, 3.8 ± 0.4, and 3.2 ± 0.3, respectively (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Optimal monochromatic images can lead to improvement in the imaging parameters and optimization of the image quality of the common hepatic artery, hepatic portal vein and hepatic vein compared with conventional mixed kV and with 70 keV datasets.

Determine the robot assistive forces based on human intent estimation in bone cutting applications

Shang-Wei Hsu,Ping-Lang Yen 제어로봇시스템학회 2013 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2013 No.10

Robots can provide real-time bone cutting assistance on various operational conditions. A human intent estimation together with a bilateral force control has been designed to assist the surgeon in total knee replacement. Different admittance gains are online adjusted based on estimated human intent, followed by the robot to exert appropriate forces to the cutter, either pushing or pulling forces so that the bone cutting can be carried out in easier, safer and more precise way. Experiments show that the proposed control structure is promising to meet the clinical needs for real-time bone cutting assistance.

Placebo Acupuncture in an Acupuncture Clinical Trial. How Good is the Blinding Effect?

Eliza Lai-Yi Wong,Ping-Chung Leung,Lang Zhang 사단법인약침학회 2015 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.8 No.1

The purpose of this study was to critically look at the validity of the “placebo procedures” used in acupuncture studies. Twenty healthy volunteers were recruited and blinded either to genuine acupuncture or to “placebo procedures”, and they were checked to ascertain whether they could differentiate genuine punctures from placebo punctures. Each volunteer received paired procedures on three separate occasions. Each paired procedure included one genuine puncture and a placebo procedure. Three placebo procedures, that is, sham points, superficial puncture, and puncturing through a special device, were used. Two standard acupuncture points were used: Hegu (LI-4) in the hand and Zusanli (ST-36) in the leg. Among the 18 participants who completed all three tests, 16 correctly recognized genuine punctures. Sham sites in the hand and the leg were detected by 15 and nine of the participants, respectively. Superficial punctures in the hand and the leg were recognized by 10 and nine of the participants, respectively. A special device, a foam cylinder that hid the distal needle, worked best because 15 and 16 of the participants were deceived when the device was used at an acupoint in the hand and the leg, respectively. No significant differences were noted between those who had had past experience with acupuncture and those who had not. Sham sites and superficial punctures appeared not to have a placebo function because 50–83% of the participants were able to immediately recognize their false nature. Using a hidden device worked much better.

Indirect Adaptive Nonlinear Self-Balancing and Station Keeping for Omnidirectional Riding Chair

Ching-Chih Tsai,Yi-Ping Ciou,Feng-Chun Tai,Hsiao-Lang Wu 제어로봇시스템학회 2014 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2014 No.10

This paper presents indirect adaptive self-balancing and station keeping control methods using recurrent Wavelet Fuzzy CMAC (RWFCMAC) for an omnidirectional ball-driven chair in presence of significant system uncertainties. By backstepping, sliding-mode control and RWFCMAC, the self-balancing controller is synthesized to follow the rider’s inclination angles in both two axes (x-z and y-z axis), and the station-keeping controller is designed to allow the rider to maintain the vehicle at the same place. The RWFCMAC is designed to online learning the uncertainties caused by riders’ weights and different unknown frictions between the ball and terrain surfaces. The superior performance and merit of the proposed control methods are well exemplified by comparing to two existing controllers.

Analysis of Geographic and Pairwise Distances among Chinese Cashmere Goat Populations

Liu, Jian-Bin,Wang, Fan,Lang, Xia,Zha, Xi,Sun, Xiao-Ping,Yue, Yao-Jing,Feng, Rui-Lin,Yang, Bo-Hui,Guo, Jian Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2013 Animal Bioscience Vol.26 No.3

This study investigated the geographic and pairwise distances of nine Chinese local Cashmere goat populations through the analysis of 20 microsatellite DNA markers. Fluorescence PCR was used to identify the markers, which were selected based on their significance as identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG). In total, 206 alleles were detected; the average allele number was 10.30; the polymorphism information content of loci ranged from 0.5213 to 0.7582; the number of effective alleles ranged from 4.0484 to 4.6178; the observed heterozygosity was from 0.5023 to 0.5602 for the practical sample; the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.5783 to 0.6464; and Allelic richness ranged from 4.7551 to 8.0693. These results indicated that Chinese Cashmere goat populations exhibited rich genetic diversity. Further, the Wright's F-statistics of subpopulation within total (FST) was 0.1184; the genetic differentiation coefficient (GST) was 0.0940; and the average gene flow (Nm) was 2.0415. All pairwise FST values among the populations were highly significant (p<0.01 or p<0.001), suggesting that the populations studied should all be considered to be separate breeds. Finally, the clustering analysis divided the Chinese Cashmere goat populations into at least four clusters, with the Hexi and Yashan goat populations alone in one cluster. These results have provided useful, practical, and important information for the future of Chinese Cashmere goat breeding.