A common feature found in practically all technical approaches proposed for face recognition is the use of only the luminance information associated to the face image. One may wonder ifthis is due to the low importance of the color information in face recognition or due to other less technical reasons such as the no availability of color image database. Motivated by this reasoning, we have performed a variety of tests using a global eigen approach developed previously [I], which has been modfied to cope with the color information. Our results show that the use of the color information embedded in a eigen approach, can improve the recognition rate when compared to the same scheme which uses only the luminance information.

We present the design process of a new low-cost easy-operation Cassino Hexapod robot. In a recent past, research activities have been carried out for developing a six-legged robot at LARM (LAboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics) of Cassino University in Italy. The robot designs have been based on suitable mechanism structures and architectures that can be easy operated by a commercial on-off logic device. The first prototype is composed of modular legs with three degrees of freedom (DOF). A second prototype of a hexapod leg presents two links and two DOFs. The new prototype Cassino Hexapod robot has two DOFs, such as, one for pitch movement that drives an articulated mechanism and other for yaw movement. Additional peculiarity of the leg design is that the foot is designed as a powered wheel with the possibility to regulate the velocity and force at the contact during the support phases of the leg. Simulation results of the proposed design operation of the new hexapod robot are reported with the aim of characterizing both operation performance and design features.

The effects of economic incentives on research have been widely debated in the literature. Some authors deem them to have no or even an adverse impact, particularly, if they are perceived as irrelevant to or an attempt to control researcher activity, whilst others believe they enhance research productivity by inducing new habits such as international collaboration or publication in high-impact journals. In 2007, the Carlos III University of Madrid introduced bonuses associated with research merits to reward research and educational excellence. The policy aims to enhance the quantity and quality of the institution’s scholarly publications. This study analyses whether and to what extent the new policy has had a potential effect on scientific output, impact, and visibility. Scientific activity indicators between 1991 and 2018 were analysed and a state-space model was used to establish possible scenarios (pre- and post-bonus periods) and 3 year predictions. Further to the findings, despite weak growth in researcher staff size, the number of papers rose during the period slightly more than in the pre-bonus simulation. The number of first-quartile papers also rose substantially, attesting to higher impact and visibility of the university’s research. Greater internationalization was also observed. The incentives were found to be highly suggestive of a change in university researchers’ publication habits.

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There are many applications for which a patient needs functional compensation due to motor disorders in daily activities. Classic research has focused on robotics solutions in terms of actuators or motors, but the point of this paper is to analyze new solutions combining both biological and artificial structures, in order to improve standard developments. Nowadays wearable Robots are taking an important role in rehabilitation purposes, due to this issue lots of new designs are emerging, but most of them are not still prepared to be used in terms of autonomy, weight, etc. Under the Hybrid Neuroprosthetic and Neurorobotic devices for Functional Compensation and Rehabilitation (HYPER) project, new actuator technologies have been developed in order to improve the adaptability and portability of rehabilitation devices. The designed device is based on a lightweight magnetorheological (MR) clutch which is able to transmit torque from a motor to the injured joint. Though it is intended to work in human upper limb (elbow mainly), other future designs will also be studied for other human joints. Simulation results using Simulink®, MSC Adams®and MSMS®are reported to illustrate the viability of the proposed device.