This target article presents a critical survey of the scientific literature dealing with the speed/accuracy trade-offs in rapid-aimed movements. It highlights the numerous mathematical and theoretical interpretations that have been proposed in recent decades. Although the variety of points of view reflects the richness of the field and the high degree of interest that such basic phenomena attract in the understanding of human movements, it calls into question the ability of many models to explain the basic observations consistently reported in the field. This target article summarizes the kinematic theory of rapid human movements, proposed recently by R. Plamondon (1993b; 1993c; 1995a; 1995b), and analyzes its predictions in the context of speed/accuracy trade-offs. Data from human movement literature are reanalyzed and reinterpreted in the context of the new theory. It is shown that the various aspects of speed/ accuracy trade-offs can be taken into account by considering the asymptotic behavior of a large number of coupled linear systems, from which a delta-lognormal law can be derived to describe the velocity profile of an end-effector driven by a neuromuscular synergy. This law not only describes velocity profiles almost perfectly, it also predicts the kinematic properties of simple rapid movements and provides a consistent framework for the analysis of different types of speed/accuracy trade-offs using a quadratic (or power) law that emerges from the model.

In this paper, Laplace transformation method is used to solve the velocity profile and pressure gradient of the unsteady unidirectional flow of Bingham fluid. Between the parallel microgap plates, the flow motion is induced by a prescribed arbitrary inlet volume flow rate which varies with time. Due to the rarefaction, the wall slip condition is existed; therefore, the complexity of solution is also increased. In order to understand the flow behavior of Bingham fluid, there are two basic flow situations are solved. One is a suddenly started flow and the other is constant acceleration flow. Furthermore, linear acceleration and oscillatory flow are also considered. The result indicates when the yield stress τ0 is zero; the solution of the problem reduces to Newtonian fluid.

For the study of round jet flow at low Reynolds number, a fine analysis of instabilitiesis necessary. In this paper, we present a frequency analysis of temporal and spatialvelocity variations in a round jet with a Reynolds number equal to 830. The data wereobtained from Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA) measurements for various downstreampositions. Attention is focused on the characteristics of the instantaneous signal of thelongitudinal velocity component u(t) in order tocharacterize the transition from laminar state to turbulent state. The spectral analysisof the LDA signals of the axial component of the exit velocities highlights the presenceof a single peak of energy around a characteristic frequencyf0. This frequency corresponds to the amplified mode of theinstability. The jet develops a sinuous mode which is the most unstable anti-symmetricmode. The results obtained in this study concerning the sinuous mode frequency, agree wellwith those obtained by laser tomography technique and images analysis.

A parameter optimization approach to the time-minimization of robotic motions along specified paths is presented for the case when: (i) the velocity profile is a prescribed sequence of constant acceleration/deceleration segments with unspecified, but bounded vertex velocities at given path stations; (ii) the relative robot/path location can be varied. Such optimizations occur when technological requirements impose a certain velocity profile along the path due to velocity and acceleration constraints. Full nonlinear manipulator dynamics and path parameterization are used to determine the optimal velocity profile and robot location consistent with the actuator/configuration limitations. No numerical integration or search for switching curve are involved in the solution. Examples of time-and-location optimized robotic motions with specified velocity profile are presented.

L'objectif de ce travail est de déterminer une forme de profil de vitesse à l'entrée d'un tube circulaire, ainsi que la forme géométrique de la paroi de la conduite correspondant, permettant de maximiser le transfert de chaleur à l'intérieur de la conduite. On considère la convection mixte, bidimensionnelle, laminaire pour un fluide newtonien, en géométrie axisymetrique. Le profil de vitesse axiale à l'entrée du tube optimum, est obtenu numériquement, en résolvant le système d'équations aux dérivées partielles en coordonnées cylindriques, par une méthode aux différences finies. Pratiquement ce profil est obtenu en modifiant sur une longueur donnée, la forme de la paroi de la conduite créée par des perturbations particulières du profil amont, ce qui permet de générer le profil choisi.