Aims and scope

Advanced Robotics (AR) is the international journal of the Robotics Society of Japan and has a history of more than thirty three years. It is an interdisciplinary journal which integrates publication of all aspects of research on robotics science and technology. Advanced Robotics publishes original research papers and survey papers from all over the world. Issues contain papers on analysis, theory, design, development, implementation and use of robots and robot technology. The journal covers both fundamental robotics and robotics related to applied fields such as service robotics, field robotics, medical robotics, rescue robotics, space robotics, underwater robotics, agriculture robotics, industrial robotics, and robots in emerging fields. It also covers aspects of social and managerial analysis and policy regarding robots.

Advanced Robotics (AR) is an international, ranked, peer-reviewed journal which publishes original research contributions to scientific knowledge.

All manuscript submissions are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees.

Special Issue on the Future of Assistive Robotics: Innovative Approaches and Insights into Enhancing Lives
Día de Entrega: 2024-09-30

Special Issue Editor(s)

Hiroaki Kawamoto, University of Tsukuba, Japan
kawamoto@golem.iit.tsukuba.ac.jp

Jun Ueda, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
Olmo A. Moreno, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy
Hideki Toda, University of Toyama, Japan
Junji Ohyama, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan

Assistive robotics has become one of the key innovations to ensure that everyone, including vulnerable groups like the elderly and people with disabilities, can live independently and enrich their lives without feeling left behind. These robots are expected to find wide applications across various fields, particularly in providing daily life support and medical rehabilitation for people with disabilities and those in need of nursing care, as well as offering labor support for caregivers. However, for assistive robots to be widely implemented throughout modern society and incorporated into our daily lives, many challenges must still be addressed. Nevertheless, significant advancements in AI, data science, VR, AR and soft materials have expanded the potential to create assistive robotics with unprecedented varieties and applications in the near future.

This special issue invites contributions that lead the development of assistive robotics and those from related fields that leverage these advanced technologies. It also welcomes contributions on the operational methods of assistive robotics, based on accumulated insights from verification experiments aimed at their societal implementation. We sincerely hope that by sharing innovative and practical research in this special issue with the community, we can collectively advance the field of assistive robots, creating a future where everyone’s life experiences can be enhanced.

Topics relevant to the special issue include (but are not limited to):

    Exoskeletal robots / Wearable robots
    Robotic prosthetic limbs
    Soft assistive robotics
    Assistive mobility
    Assistive manipulators
    VR/AR integration
    Data analysis and its effective utilization
    Implementation of machine learning
    Clinical research / Translational research
    Operational method

Special Issue on Force Control and Its Related Technologies
Día de Entrega: 2024-09-30

Special Issue Editor(s)

Sho Sakaino, University of Tsukuba, Japan
sakaino@iit.tsukuba.ac.jp

Sehoon Oh, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Korea
Emre Sariyildiz, University of Wollongong, Australia
Yuki Yokokura, Nagaoka University of Technology, Japan
Toshiaki Tsuji, Saitama University, Japan

Force control controls the interaction force with which the robot comes into contact with its environment and is essential during safe environmental contact and physical cooperation with humans. In particular, for robots that will be expected to perform irregular tasks in the future society, it is essential to control interactions with first-time objects and the environment, and force control is a key technology for this purpose. In recent years, its usefulness has been further enhanced by integration with machine learning techniques. However, because force control involves controlling interactions with unknown objects, it is inherently different from conventional control methods that model and control objects. Therefore, there still remains much room for research.

According to this background, this special issue discusses techniques related to force control to accelerate the development and implementation of force control. Prospective contributed papers may cover, but are not limited to, the following topics related to advanced technologies for force control:

    Controller designing of force control
    Force/torque sensor
    Machine learning using force responses
    Signal analysis of force
    Haptics
    Human-robot interaction
    Imitation learning (Learning from demonstration)

Special Issue on Nursing Robotics
Día de Entrega: 2024-11-30

Special Issue Editor(s)

Tetsuyou Watanabe, Kanazawa University
twata@se.kanazawa-u.ac.jp

Jane Li, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Gojiro Nakagami, The University of Tokyo
Misako Dai, Ishikawa Prefectural Nursing University
Yuka Miura, Fujita Health University
Maya Torii, University of Tsukuba

Scope:

We invite researchers, practitioners, and innovators to contribute to a special issue focused on the evolving field of Nursing Robotics. Positioned at the forefront of a healthcare and caregiving revolution propelled by advancements in robotics technology, this special issue seeks to explore the application of robotics in nursing care with the goal of improving the quality of life for individuals in various settings and throughout their lifespan.

The scope of this special issue includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

    Nursing Care Support: Explorations of how robotics can assist in daily nursing care tasks, enhancing efficiency and patient care quality.
    Caregiver Support: Innovations that alleviate the physical and emotional burden on caregivers, enabling better care and well-being for both caregivers and recipients.
    Rehabilitation: Robotic solutions that aid in the rehabilitation process, helping individuals regain or maintain their physical functions.
    Assisting Mobility: Technologies that support mobility for individuals with limited physical capabilities, promoting independence and mobility.
    Assist with Physical Functions: Robotic aids designed to support or enhance physical functions, contributing to improved daily living.
    Abnormalities Detection: Advanced systems capable of detecting health abnormalities, facilitating early intervention and care.
    Pressure Ulcer Prevention: Robotics interventions that help in preventing or managing pressure ulcers, a common challenge in prolonged care scenarios.
    Simulator for Training: Use of robotics in creating realistic training simulations for caregivers and medical professionals, enhancing skills and preparedness.
    Sensing Biosignals: Innovative uses of robotics in monitoring vital biosignals, offering real-time insights into patient health.
    RT (Robotics Technology)-Assisted Nursing: Papers that explore the integration of RT in various aspects of nursing, from direct care to educational applications.
    Nursing Education Based on RT: Insights into how robotics technology can transform nursing education, making it more interactive, practical, and effective.
    Nursing Workflow Support Based on RT: Studies on how robotics can streamline nursing workflows, reducing workload and increasing time for patient care.

We are especially interested in submissions that highlight collaborative research between the fields of robotics and nursing, presenting solutions that have been effectively implemented and exploring challenges that remain unresolved but have the potential for significant impact through interdisciplinary efforts.

This special issue aims to advance the field of robotics and open new pathways for the integration of robotics into nursing and caregiving. We look forward to receiving your innovative contributions that will drive this exciting field forward, blending state-of-the-art technology with compassionate care.

Special Issue on Methodology for Performance Evaluation of Field Robots
Día de Entrega: 2024-12-31

Special Issue Editor(s)

Noritaka Sato, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan
sato.noritaka@nitech.ac.jp

Tetsuya Kimura, Nagaoka University of Technology, Japan
Kuniaki Kawabata, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Japan
Hideki Masago, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Japan
Toshio Yoshida, Manufacturing Science and Technology Center, Japan
Kazunori Ohno, Tohoku University, Japan

Manufacturers independently evaluate the performance of many field robots including drones, making it difficult to compare and select them by users to deploy in actual work. This is one of the factors hindering the social implementation of field robots. In order to solve this problem, there is a need to establish an engineering methodology for formulating a standard performance evaluation method (e.g. automobile fuel efficiency, etc.) that allows users to quantitatively and objectively compare the performance of robots. Furthermore, by summarizing and improving this engineering methodology, a new academic field called “robot performance evaluation engineering” will be able to be developed and established.

In this special issue, based on above background, the focus is not on robots/drones themselves, but on how to evaluate their performance. For example, we call for papers that demonstrate the usefulness of the test method itself, and papers that discuss knowledge that contributes to the establishment of engineering methodologies for formulating test methods. Papers that contribute to the new academic field of robot performance evaluation engineering are widely invited.

We also welcome survey and short papers that clarify current essential topics in methodology for performance evaluation of robots. Prospective contributed papers may cover, but are not limited to, the following topics:

    Development and verification of robot/drones/sensors test methods.
    Standardization of developed test methods.
    Lessons learned for developed test methods through field demonstration.
    Comparison of robots/drones/sensors by developed test methods.
    Methodology for rule creation in robot competition.
    Survey on methodology for performance evaluation of robots/drones/sensers.

Special Issue on Technology for food handling automation
Día de Entrega: 2025-01-31

Special Issue Editor(s)

Kazuyoshi Wada, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
k_wada@tmu.ac.jp

Shinichi Hirai, Ritsumeikan University, Japan
Kensuke Harada, Osaka University, Japan
Máximo A. Roa, DLR, Germany
Pablo Valdivia y Alvarado, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore

Today, automation in the food industry is attracting attention as an area for the social implementation of human-collaborative robots. While many processes in food production are being automated by specialized machines, many manual tasks remain, such as packing and serving lunch boxes. Food products are not as stable in shape and physical properties as workpieces in the manufacturing industry, and there are many challenging factors for robotic handling, such as flexibility, wetness and rapid change over time, as well as a wide variety of food products.

This special issue focuses on the latest relevant technologies and research cases for food handling automation. It covers not only robotic hands and their control technology for handling a wide variety of food products, but also a wide range of technologies related to the evaluation of food handling.

We also welcome survey and short papers that clarify current essential topics in technology for food handling automation. Prospective contributed papers may cover, but are not limited to, the following topics:

    Robotic hands for food handling
    Evaluation of food handling
    Food Sorting and Classification
    Food Handling and Transportation
    Food Processing
    Food Packaging
    Sensor Technology
    Human-robot collaboration
    AI and Machine Learning
    Food sample