On the use of electrical and optical strain gauges paired to magnetostrictive patch actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braghin, Francesco; Cinquemani, Simone; Cazzulani, Gabriele; Comolli, Lorenzo

2014-04-01

Giant Magnetostrictive Actuators (GMA) can be profitably used in application of vibration control on smart structures. In this field, the use of inertial actuators based on magnetostrictive materials has been consolidate. Such devices turn out to be very effective in applications of vibration control, since they can be easily paired with sensors able to ensure the feedback signal necessary to perform the control action. Unlike most widespread applications, this paper studies the use of patch magnetostrictive actuators. They are made of a sheet of magnetostrictive material, rigidly constrained to the structure, and wrapped in a solenoid whose purpose is to change the intensity of the magnetic field within the material itself. The challenge in the use of such devices resides in the impossibility of having co-located sensors. This limit may be exceeded by using strain gauge sensors to measure the deformation of the structure at the actuator. This work analyzes experimentally the opportunity of introducing, inside a composite material structure, both the conventional electric strain gauges and the less conventional optical sensors based on Bragg's gratings. The performance of both solutions are analyzed with particular reference to the signal to noise ratio, the resolution of the sensors, the sensitivity to variations of the electric and magnetic fields and the temperature change associated with the operation of the actuator.

Kirigami design and fabrication for biomimetic robotics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossiter, Jonathan; Sareh, Sina

2014-03-01

Biomimetics faces a continual challenge of how to bridge the gap between what Nature has so effectively evolved and the current tools and materials that engineers and scientists can exploit. Kirigami, from the Japanese `cut' and `paper', is a method of design where laminar materials are cut and then forced out-of-plane to yield 3D structures. Kirimimetic design provides a convenient and relatively closed design space within which to replicate some of the most interesting niche biological mechanisms. These include complex flexing organelles such as cilia in algae, energy storage and buckled structures in plants, and organic appendages that actuate out-of-plane such as the myoneme of the Vorticella protozoa. Where traditional kirigami employs passive materials which must be forced to transition to higher dimensions, we can exploit planar smart actuators and artificial muscles to create self-actuating kirigami structures. Here we review biomimetics with respect to the kirigami design and fabrication methods and examine how smart materials, including electroactive polymers and shape memory polymers, can be used to realise effective biomimetic components for robotic, deployable structures and engineering systems. One-way actuation, for example using shape memory polymers, can yield complete self-deploying structures. Bi-directional actuation, in contrast, can be exploited to mimic fundamental biological mechanisms such as thrust generation and fluid control. We present recent examples of kirigami robotic mechanisms and actuators and discuss planar fabrication methods, including rapid prototyping and 3D printing, and how current technologies, and their limitations, affect Kirigami robotics.

Modeling and Application of Piezoelectric Materials in Repair of Engineering Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Nan

The shear horizontal wave propagation and vibration of piezoelectric coupled structures under an open circuit electrical boundary condition are studied. Following the studies on the dynamic response of piezoelectric coupled structures, the repair of both crack/notch and delaminated structures using piezoelectric materials are conducted. The main contribution was the proposed the active structural repair design using piezoelectric materials for different structures. An accurate model for the piezoelectric effect on the shear wave propagation is first proposed to guide the application of piezoelectric materials as sensors and actuators in the repair of engineering structures. A vibration analysis of a circular steel substrate surface bonded by a piezoelectric layer with open circuit is presented. The mechanical models and solutions for the wave propagation and vibration analysis of piezoelectric coupled structures are established based on the Kirchhoff plate model and Maxwell equation. Following the studies of the dynamic response of piezoelectric coupled structures, a close-loop feedback control repair methodology is proposed for a vibrating delaminated beam structure by using piezoelectric patches. The electromechanical characteristic of the piezoelectric material is employed to induce a local shear force above the delamination area via an external actuation voltage, which is designed as a feedback of the deflection of a vibrating beam and a delaminated plate, to reduce the stress singularity around the delamination tips. Furthermore, an experimental realization of an effective repair of a notched cantilever beam structure subjected to a dynamic loading by use of piezoelectric patches is reported. A small piezoelectric patch used as a sensor is placed on the notch position to monitor the severity of the stress singularity around the notch area by measuring the charge output on the sensor, and a patch used as an actuator is located around the notch area to generate a required bending moment by employing an actuation voltage to reduce the stress singularity at the notch position. The actuation voltage on the actuator is designed from a feedback circuit process. Through the analytical model, FEM simulation and experimental studies, the active structural repair method using piezoelectric materials is realized and proved to be feasible and practical.

Active Control Technology at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antcliff, Richard R.; McGowan, Anna-Marie R.

2000-01-01

NASA Langley has a long history of attacking important technical opportunities from a broad base of supporting disciplines. The research and development at Langley in this subject area range from the test tube to the test flight. The information covered here will range from the development of innovative new materials, sensors and actuators, to the incorporation of smart sensors and actuators in practical devices, to the optimization of the location of these devices, to, finally, a wide variety of applications of these devices utilizing Langley's facilities and expertise. Advanced materials are being developed for sensors and actuators, as well as polymers for integrating smart devices into composite structures. Contributions reside in three key areas: computational materials; advanced piezoelectric materials; and integrated composite structures. The computational materials effort is focused on developing predictive tools for the efficient design of new materials with the appropriate combination of properties for next generation smart airframe systems. Research in the area of advanced piezoelectrics includes optimizing the efficiency, force output, use temperature, and energy transfer between the structure and device for both ceramic and polymeric materials. For structural health monitoring, advanced non-destructive techniques including fiber optics are being developed for detection of delaminations, cracks and environmental deterioration in aircraft structures. The computational materials effort is focused on developing predictive tools for the efficient design of new materials with the appropriate combination of properties for next generation smart airframe system. Innovative fabrication techniques processing structural composites with sensor and actuator integration are being developed.

Large-Deformation Curling Actuators Based on Carbon Nanotube Composite: Advanced-Structure Design and Biomimetic Application.

PubMed

Chen, Luzhuo; Weng, Mingcen; Zhou, Zhiwei; Zhou, Yi; Zhang, Lingling; Li, Jiaxin; Huang, Zhigao; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Changhong; Fan, Shoushan

2015-12-22

In recent years, electroactive polymers have been developed as actuator materials. As an important branch of electroactive polymers, electrothermal actuators (ETAs) demonstrate potential applications in the fields of artificial muscles, biomimetic devices, robotics, and so on. Large-shape deformation, low-voltage-driven actuation, and ultrafast fabrication are critical to the development of ETA. However, a simultaneous optimization of all of these advantages has not been realized yet. Practical biomimetic applications are also rare. In this work, we introduce an ultrafast approach to fabricate a curling actuator based on a newly designed carbon nanotube and polymer composite, which completely realizes all of the above required advantages. The actuator shows an ultralarge curling actuation with a curvature greater than 1.0 cm(-1) and bending angle larger than 360°, even curling into a tubular structure. The driving voltage is down to a low voltage of 5 V. The remarkable actuation is attributed not only to the mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion but also to the mechanical property changes of materials during temperature change. We also construct an S-shape actuator to show the possibility of building advanced-structure actuators. A weightlifting walking robot is further designed that exhibits a fast-moving motion while lifting a sample heavier than itself, demonstrating promising biomimetic applications.

Finite element analysis of electroactive polymer and magnetoactive elastomer based actuation for origami folding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Ahmed, Saad; Masters, Sarah; Ounaies, Zoubeida; Frecker, Mary

2017-10-01

The incorporation of smart materials such as electroactive polymers and magnetoactive elastomers in origami structures can result in active folding using external electric and magnetic stimuli, showing promise in many origami-inspired engineering applications. In this study, 3D finite element analysis (FEA) models are developed using COMSOL Multiphysics software for three configurations that incorporate a combination of active and passive material layers, namely: (1) a single-notch unimorph folding configuration actuated using only external electric field, (2) a double-notch unimorph folding configuration actuated using only external electric field, and (3) a bifold configuration which is actuated using multi-field (electric and magnetic) stimuli. The objectives of the study are to verify the effectiveness of the FEA models to simulate folding behavior and to investigate the influence of geometric parameters on folding quality. Equivalent mechanical pressure and surface stress are used as external loads in the FEA to simulate electric and magnetic fields, respectively. Compared quantitatively with experimental data, FEA captured the folding performance of electric actuation well for notched configurations and magnetic actuation for a bifold structure, but underestimated electric actuation for the bifold structure. By investigating the impact of geometric parameters and locations to place smart materials, FEA can be used in design, avoiding trial-and-error iterations of experiments.

Distributed structural control using multilayered piezoelectric actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cudney, Harley H.; Inman, Daniel J.; Oshman, Yaakov

1990-01-01

A method of segmenting piezoelectric sensors and actuators is proposed which can preclude the currently experienced cancelation of sensor signals, or the reduction of actuator effectiveness, due to the integration of the property undergoing measurement or control. The segmentation method is demonstrated by a model developed for beam structures, to which multiple layers of piezoelectric materials are attached. A numerical study is undertaken of increasing active and passive damping of a beam using the segmented sensors and actuators over unsegmented sensors and actuators.

Development and application of induced-strain actuators for building structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morita, Koichi; Fujita, Takafumi; Ise, Shiro; Kawaguchi, Ken-ichi; Kamada, Takayoshi; Fujitani, Hideo

2001-07-01

Induced strain actuator (ISA) can change their own shapes according to external electric/magnetic fields, and vice versa. Recently these materials have been widely used for the small/precision. The objectives in this study are to develop smart members for building and to realize the smart, comfortable and safe structures. The research items are 1) Semi-active isolation of structures using piezoelectric actuator, 2) Using ISA as sensor materials and 3) Improvement of Acoustic Environment. Semi-active base isolation system with controllable friction damper using piezoelectric actuators is proposed. Simulation study was carried out, and by semi-active isolation, it could be realized to reduce response displacement of the structure to 50% of values of the passive isolation. ISA materials can act as sensors because they cause change of electric or magnetic fields under deformation. PVDF sensors are suitable for membrane structures. We evaluate performance of PVDF sensors for membrane structures by experiment. Polymer based ISA films or distributed ISA devices can control vibration mode of plane members. Applications to music halls or dwelling partition walls are expected. Results of experimental studies of noise control are discussed.

Electric field responsive origami structures using electrostriction-based active materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Saad; Arrojado, Erika; Sigamani, Nirmal; Ounaies, Zoubeida

2015-04-01

The objective of origami engineering is to combine origami principles with advanced materials to yield active origami shapes, which fold and unfold in response to external stimuli. We are investigating the use of P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE), a relaxor ferroelectric terpolymer, to realize origami-inspired folding and unfolding of structures and to actuate so-called action origami structures. To accomplish these two objectives, we have explored different approaches to the P(VDF-TrFECTFE) polymer actuator construction, ranging from unimorph to multilayered stacks. Electromechanical characterization of the terpolymer-based actuators is conducted with a focus on free strain, force-displacement and blocked force. Moreover dynamic thickness strains of P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) terpolymer at different frequencies ranging from 0.1Hz to 10Hz is also measured. Quantifying the performance of terpolymer-based actuators is important to the design of action origami structures. Following these studies, action origami prototypes based on catapult, flapping butterfly wings and barking fox are actuated and characterization of these prototypes are conducted by studying impact of various parameters such as electric field magnitude and frequency, number of active layers, and actuator dimensions.

Actuators Based on Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Materials

PubMed Central

Jiang, Hongrui; Li, Chensha; Huang, Xuezhen

2013-01-01

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) exhibit a number of remarkable physical effects, including the unique, high-stroke reversible mechanical actuation when triggered by external stimuli. This article reviews some recent exciting developments in the field of LCEs materials with an emphasis on their utilization in actuator applications. Such applications include artificial muscles, industrial manufacturing, health and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). With suitable synthetic and preparation pathways and well-controlled actuation stimuli, such as heat, light, electric and magnetic field, excellent physical properties of LCE materials can be realized. By comparing the actuating properties of different systems, general relationships between the structure and the property of LCEs are discussed. How these materials can be turned into usable devices using interdisciplinary techniques is also described. PMID:23648966

Actuators based on liquid crystalline elastomer materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Hongrui; Li, Chensha; Huang, Xuezhen

2013-05-01

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) exhibit a number of remarkable physical effects, including the unique, high-stroke reversible mechanical actuation when triggered by external stimuli. This article reviews some recent exciting developments in the field of LCE materials with an emphasis on their utilization in actuator applications. Such applications include artificial muscles, industrial manufacturing, health and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). With suitable synthetic and preparation pathways and well-controlled actuation stimuli, such as heat, light, electric and magnetic fields, excellent physical properties of LCE materials can be realized. By comparing the actuating properties of different systems, general relationships between the structure and the properties of LCEs are discussed. How these materials can be turned into usable devices using interdisciplinary techniques is also described.

Characterization of interdigitated electrode piezoelectric fiber composites under high electrical and mechanical loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodgers, John P.; Bent, Aaron A.; Hagood, Nesbitt W.

1996-05-01

The primary objective of this work is to develop a standard methodology for characterizing structural actuation systems intended for operation in high electrical and mechanical loading environments. The designed set of tests evaluates the performance of the active materials system under realistic operating conditions. The tests are also used to characterize piezoelectric fiber composites which have been developed as an alternative to monolithic piezoceramic wafers for structural actuation applications. The performance of this actuator system has been improved using an interdigitated electrode pattern, which orients the primary component of the electric field into the plane of the structure, enabling the use of the primary piezoelectric effect along the active fibers. One possible application of this technology is in the integral twist actuation of helicopter rotor blades for higher harmonic control. This application requires actuators which can withstand the harsh rotor blade operating environment. This includes large numbers of electrical and mechanical cycles with considerable centripetal and bending loads. The characterization tests include standard active material tests as well as application-driven tests which evaluate the performance of the actuators during simulated operation. Test results for several actuator configurations are provided, including S2 glass- reinforced and E-glass laminated actuators. The study concludes that the interdigitated electrode piezoelectric fiber composite actuator has great potential for high loading applications.

Review of current status of smart structures and integrated systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chopra, Inderjit

1996-05-01

A smart structure involves distributed actuators and sensors, and one or more microprocessors that analyze the responses from the sensors and use distributed-parameter control theory to command the actuators to apply localized strains to minimize system response. A smart structure has the capability to respond to a changing external environment (such as loads or shape change) as well as to a changing internal environment (such as damage or failure). It incorporates smart actuators that allow the alteration of system characteristics (such as stiffness or damping) as well as of system response (such as strain or shape) in a controlled manner. Many types of actuators and sensors are being considered, such as piezoelectric materials, shape memory alloys, electrostrictive materials, magnetostrictive materials, electro- rheological fluids and fiber optics. These can be integrated with main load-carrying structures by surface bonding or embedding without causing any significant changes in the mass or structural stiffness of the system. Numerous applications of smart structures technology to various physical systems are evolving to actively control vibration, noise, aeroelastic stability, damping, shape and stress distribution. Applications range from space systems, fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, automotive, civil structures and machine tools. Much of the early development of smart structures methodology was driven by space applications such as vibration and shape control of large flexible space structures, but now wider applications are envisaged for aeronautical and other systems. Embedded or surface-bonded smart actuators on an airplane wing or helicopter blade will induce alteration of twist/camber of airfoil (shape change), that in turn will cause variation of lift distribution and may help to control static and dynamic aeroelastic problems. Applications of smart structures technology to aerospace and other systems are expanding rapidly. Major barriers are: actuator stroke, reliable data base of smart material characteristics, non-availability of robust distributed parameter control strategies, and non-existent mathematical modeling of smart systems. The objective of this paper is to review the state-of-the-art of smart actuators and sensors and integrated systems and point out the needs for future research.

Piezoelectric Power Requirements for Active Vibration Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brennan, Matthew C.; McGowan, Anna-Maria Rivas

1997-01-01

This paper presents a method for predicting the power consumption of piezoelectric actuators utilized for active vibration control. Analytical developments and experimental tests show that the maximum power required to control a structure using surface-bonded piezoelectric actuators is independent of the dynamics between the piezoelectric actuator and the host structure. The results demonstrate that for a perfectly-controlled system, the power consumption is a function of the quantity and type of piezoelectric actuators and the voltage and frequency of the control law output signal. Furthermore, as control effectiveness decreases, the power consumption of the piezoelectric actuators decreases. In addition, experimental results revealed a non-linear behavior in the material properties of piezoelectric actuators. The material non- linearity displayed a significant increase in capacitance with an increase in excitation voltage. Tests show that if the non-linearity of the capacitance was accounted for, a conservative estimate of the power can easily be determined.

Molecular-channel driven actuator with considerations for multiple configurations and color switching.

PubMed

Mu, Jiuke; Wang, Gang; Yan, Hongping; Li, Huayu; Wang, Xuemin; Gao, Enlai; Hou, Chengyi; Pham, Anh Thi Cam; Wu, Lianjun; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yaogang; Xu, Zhiping; Guo, Yang; Reichmanis, Elsa; Wang, Hongzhi; Zhu, Meifang

2018-02-09

The ability to achieve simultaneous intrinsic deformation with fast response in commercially available materials that can safely contact skin continues to be an unresolved challenge for artificial actuating materials. Rather than using a microporous structure, here we show an ambient-driven actuator that takes advantage of inherent nanoscale molecular channels within a commercial perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer (PFSA) film, fabricated by simple solution processing to realize a rapid response, self-adaptive, and exceptionally stable actuation. Selective patterning of PFSA films on an inert soft substrate (polyethylene terephthalate film) facilitates the formation of a range of different geometries, including a 2D (two-dimensional) roll or 3D (three-dimensional) helical structure in response to vapor stimuli. Chemical modification of the surface allowed the development of a kirigami-inspired single-layer actuator for personal humidity and heat management through macroscale geometric design features, to afford a bilayer stimuli-responsive actuator with multicolor switching capability.

Active Control Technology at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antcliff, Richard R.; McGowan, Anna-Marie R.

2000-01-01

NASA Langley has a long history of attacking important technical Opportunities from a broad base of supporting disciplines. The research and development at Langley in this subject area range from the test tube to the test flight, The information covered here will range from the development of innovative new materials, sensors and actuators, to the incorporation of smart sensors and actuators in practical devices, to the optimization of the location of these devices, to, finally, a wide variety of applications of these devices utilizing Langley's facilities and expertise. Advanced materials are being developed for sensors and actuators, as well as polymers for integrating smart devices into composite structures. Contributions reside in three key areas: computational materials; advanced piezoelectric materials; and integrated composite structures.

Bio-inspired wooden actuators for large scale applications.

PubMed

Rüggeberg, Markus; Burgert, Ingo

2015-01-01

Implementing programmable actuation into materials and structures is a major topic in the field of smart materials. In particular the bilayer principle has been employed to develop actuators that respond to various kinds of stimuli. A multitude of small scale applications down to micrometer size have been developed, but up-scaling remains challenging due to either limitations in mechanical stiffness of the material or in the manufacturing processes. Here, we demonstrate the actuation of wooden bilayers in response to changes in relative humidity, making use of the high material stiffness and a good machinability to reach large scale actuation and application. Amplitude and response time of the actuation were measured and can be predicted and controlled by adapting the geometry and the constitution of the bilayers. Field tests in full weathering conditions revealed long-term stability of the actuation. The potential of the concept is shown by a first demonstrator. With the sensor and actuator intrinsically incorporated in the wooden bilayers, the daily change in relative humidity is exploited for an autonomous and solar powered movement of a tracker for solar modules.

Bio-Inspired Wooden Actuators for Large Scale Applications

PubMed Central

Rüggeberg, Markus; Burgert, Ingo

2015-01-01

Implementing programmable actuation into materials and structures is a major topic in the field of smart materials. In particular the bilayer principle has been employed to develop actuators that respond to various kinds of stimuli. A multitude of small scale applications down to micrometer size have been developed, but up-scaling remains challenging due to either limitations in mechanical stiffness of the material or in the manufacturing processes. Here, we demonstrate the actuation of wooden bilayers in response to changes in relative humidity, making use of the high material stiffness and a good machinability to reach large scale actuation and application. Amplitude and response time of the actuation were measured and can be predicted and controlled by adapting the geometry and the constitution of the bilayers. Field tests in full weathering conditions revealed long-term stability of the actuation. The potential of the concept is shown by a first demonstrator. With the sensor and actuator intrinsically incorporated in the wooden bilayers, the daily change in relative humidity is exploited for an autonomous and solar powered movement of a tracker for solar modules. PMID:25835386

35 Hz shape memory alloy actuator with bending-twisting mode.

PubMed

Song, Sung-Hyuk; Lee, Jang-Yeob; Rodrigue, Hugo; Choi, Ik-Seong; Kang, Yeon June; Ahn, Sung-Hoon

2016-02-19

Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) materials are widely used as an actuating source for bending actuators due to their high power density. However, due to the slow actuation speed of SMAs, there are limitations in their range of possible applications. This paper proposes a smart soft composite (SSC) actuator capable of fast bending actuation with large deformations. To increase the actuation speed of SMA actuator, multiple thin SMA wires are used to increase the heat dissipation for faster cooling. The actuation characteristics of the actuator at different frequencies are measured with different actuator lengths and results show that resonance can be used to realize large deformations up to 35 Hz. The actuation characteristics of the actuator can be modified by changing the design of the layered reinforcement structure embedded in the actuator, thus the natural frequency and length of an actuator can be optimized for a specific actuation speed. A model is used to compare with the experimental results of actuators with different layered reinforcement structure designs. Also, a bend-twist coupled motion using an anisotropic layered reinforcement structure at a speed of 10 Hz is also realized. By increasing their range of actuation characteristics, the proposed actuator extends the range of application of SMA bending actuators.

35 Hz shape memory alloy actuator with bending-twisting mode

PubMed Central

Song, Sung-Hyuk; Lee, Jang-Yeob; Rodrigue, Hugo; Choi, Ik-Seong; Kang, Yeon June; Ahn, Sung-Hoon

2016-01-01

Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) materials are widely used as an actuating source for bending actuators due to their high power density. However, due to the slow actuation speed of SMAs, there are limitations in their range of possible applications. This paper proposes a smart soft composite (SSC) actuator capable of fast bending actuation with large deformations. To increase the actuation speed of SMA actuator, multiple thin SMA wires are used to increase the heat dissipation for faster cooling. The actuation characteristics of the actuator at different frequencies are measured with different actuator lengths and results show that resonance can be used to realize large deformations up to 35 Hz. The actuation characteristics of the actuator can be modified by changing the design of the layered reinforcement structure embedded in the actuator, thus the natural frequency and length of an actuator can be optimized for a specific actuation speed. A model is used to compare with the experimental results of actuators with different layered reinforcement structure designs. Also, a bend-twist coupled motion using an anisotropic layered reinforcement structure at a speed of 10 Hz is also realized. By increasing their range of actuation characteristics, the proposed actuator extends the range of application of SMA bending actuators. PMID:26892438

The triathlon of magnetic actuation: Rolling, propelling, swimming with a single magnetic material

PubMed Central

Vach, Peter J.; Faivre, Damien

2015-01-01

Magnetic actuation of microscopic devices in a liquid environment has been achieved in various ways, which can be grouped into rolling, propelling and swimming. Previous actuators were designed with a focus on one particular type of magnetic actuation. We have shown earlier that efficient magnetic propellers can be selected from randomly shaped magnetic nanostructures synthesized in solution. Here we show that these synthesized nanostructures can be used for all three types of magnetic actuation. Whereas it might not be surprising that single structures can roll in addition to propelling, swimming is unexpectedly also observed using the same material. In this case, however, the magnetically guided self-assembly of several individual particles into chain-like structures is necessary to obtain swimmers, since individual rigid nanostructures cannot swim. Interestingly, the direction of the swimming motion is not necessarily parallel to the long axis of the chain-like assembly, a finding that had been theoretically expected but experimentally not observed so far. Our findings show that the range of structures that can be effectively actuated by external magnetic fields is much broader than assumed until now. This could open up new opportunities for the design of magnetically actuated devices. PMID:25791721

Topology optimization of embedded piezoelectric actuators considering control spillover effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonçalves, Juliano F.; De Leon, Daniel M.; Perondi, Eduardo A.

2017-02-01

This article addresses the problem of active structural vibration control by means of embedded piezoelectric actuators. The topology optimization method using the solid isotropic material with penalization (SIMP) approach is employed in this work to find the optimum design of actuators taken into account the control spillover effects. A coupled finite element model of the structure is derived assuming a two-phase material and this structural model is written into the state-space representation. The proposed optimization formulation aims to determine the distribution of piezoelectric material which maximizes the controllability for a given vibration mode. The undesirable effects of the feedback control on the residual modes are limited by including a spillover constraint term containing the residual controllability Gramian eigenvalues. The optimization of the shape and placement of the conventionally embedded piezoelectric actuators are performed using a Sequential Linear Programming (SLP) algorithm. Numerical examples are presented considering the control of the bending vibration modes for a cantilever and a fixed beam. A Linear-Quadratic Regulator (LQR) is synthesized for each case of controlled structure in order to compare the influence of the additional constraint.

Performance of Integrated Fiber Optic, Piezoelectric, and Shape Memory Alloy Actuators/Sensors in Thermoset Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trottier, C. Michael

1996-01-01

Recently, scientists and engineers have investigated the advantages of smart materials and structures by including actuators in material systems for controlling and altering the response of structural environments. Applications of these materials systems include vibration suppression/isolation, precision positioning, damage detection and tunable devices. Some of the embedded materials being investigated for accomplishing these tasks include piezoelectric ceramics, shape memory alloys, and fiber optics. These materials have some benefits and some shortcomings; each is being studied for use in active material design in the SPICES (Synthesis and Processing of Intelligent Cost Effective Structures) Consortium. The focus of this paper concerns the manufacturing aspects of smart structures by incorporating piezoelectric ceramics, shape memory alloys and fiber optics in a reinforced thermoset matrix via resin transfer molding (RTM).

Energy minimization for self-organized structure formation and actuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kofod, Guggi; Wirges, Werner; Paajanen, Mika; Bauer, Siegfried

2007-02-01

An approach for creating complex structures with embedded actuation in planar manufacturing steps is presented. Self-organization and energy minimization are central to this approach, illustrated with a model based on minimization of the hyperelastic free energy strain function of a stretched elastomer and the bending elastic energy of a plastic frame. A tulip-shaped gripper structure illustrates the technological potential of the approach. Advantages are simplicity of manufacture, complexity of final structures, and the ease with which any electroactive material can be exploited as means of actuation.

Self-organized minimum-energy structures for dielectric elastomer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kofod, G.; Paajanen, M.; Bauer, S.

2006-11-01

When a stretched elastomer is laminated to a flat plastic frame, a complex shape is formed, which is termed a minimum-energy structure. It is shown how self-organized structures can be applied in the development of actuators with complex, out-of-plane actuationmodes. This unusual concept is then demonstrated in the case of dielectric elastomer actuators. Among advantages of this approach are the simplicity in manufacturing, the potential complexity and sophistication of the manufactured structures, and the general benefits of the concept when applied to other electro-mechanically active materials.

Actuators based on polyurethanes with different types of polyol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Hyun-Ok; Bark, Geong-Mi; Jo, Nam-Ju

2007-07-01

This study dealt with the electrostrictive responses of polyurethane (PU) actuators with different microphase separation structure, which was a promising candidate for a material used in polymer actuators. In order to construct PUs with different higher-order structure, we synthesized PUs with different diols; poly(neopentyl glycol adipate) (PNAD), poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMG), and poly(dimethyl siloxnae) (PDMS). Synthesized PU was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and GPC. Thermal analysis and mechanical properties of PU films were carried out with DSC and UTM, respectively. And PU actuator was formed in a monomorph type which made by carbon black electrodes on the both surfaces of PU film by spin coating method. Actuation behavior was mainly influenced on microphase separation structure and mechanical property of PU. In result, PU actuator with PNAD, polyester urethane, had the largest field-induced displacement.

A Highly Tunable Silicone-Based Magnetic Elastomer with Nanoscale Homogeneity

PubMed Central

Evans, Benjamin A.; Fiser, Briana L.; Prins, Willem J.; Rapp, Daniel J.; Shields, Adam R.; Glass, Daniel R.; Superfine, R.

2011-01-01

Magnetic elastomers have been widely pursued for sensing and actuation applications. Silicone-based magnetic elastomers have a number of advantages over other materials such as hydrogels, but aggregation of magnetic nanoparticles within silicones is difficult to prevent. Aggregation inherently limits the minimum size of fabricated structures and leads to non-uniform response from structure to structure. We have developed a novel material which is a complex of a silicone polymer (polydimethylsiloxane-co-aminopropylmethylsiloxane) adsorbed onto the surface of magnetite (γ-Fe203) nanoparticles 7–10 nm in diameter. The material is homogenous at very small length scales (< 100 nm) and can be crosslinked to form a flexible, magnetic material which is ideally suited for the fabrication of micro- to nanoscale magnetic actuators. The loading fraction of magnetic nanoparticles in the composite can be varied smoothly from 0 – 50% wt. without loss of homogeneity, providing a simple mechanism for tuning actuator response. We evaluate the material properties of the composite across a range of nanoparticle loading, and demonstrate a magnetic-field-induced increase in compressive modulus as high as 300%. Furthermore, we implement a strategy for predicting the optimal nanoparticle loading for magnetic actuation applications, and show that our predictions correlate well with experimental findings. PMID:22184482

A Highly Tunable Silicone-Based Magnetic Elastomer with Nanoscale Homogeneity.

PubMed

Evans, Benjamin A; Fiser, Briana L; Prins, Willem J; Rapp, Daniel J; Shields, Adam R; Glass, Daniel R; Superfine, R

2012-02-01

Magnetic elastomers have been widely pursued for sensing and actuation applications. Silicone-based magnetic elastomers have a number of advantages over other materials such as hydrogels, but aggregation of magnetic nanoparticles within silicones is difficult to prevent. Aggregation inherently limits the minimum size of fabricated structures and leads to non-uniform response from structure to structure. We have developed a novel material which is a complex of a silicone polymer (polydimethylsiloxane-co-aminopropylmethylsiloxane) adsorbed onto the surface of magnetite (γ-Fe(2)0(3)) nanoparticles 7-10 nm in diameter. The material is homogenous at very small length scales (< 100 nm) and can be crosslinked to form a flexible, magnetic material which is ideally suited for the fabrication of micro- to nanoscale magnetic actuators. The loading fraction of magnetic nanoparticles in the composite can be varied smoothly from 0 - 50% wt. without loss of homogeneity, providing a simple mechanism for tuning actuator response. We evaluate the material properties of the composite across a range of nanoparticle loading, and demonstrate a magnetic-field-induced increase in compressive modulus as high as 300%. Furthermore, we implement a strategy for predicting the optimal nanoparticle loading for magnetic actuation applications, and show that our predictions correlate well with experimental findings.

Biomimetic FAA-certifiable, artificial muscle structures for commercial aircraft wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, Ronald M.; Barrett, Cassandra M.

2014-07-01

This paper is centered on a new form of adaptive material which functions much in the same way as skeletal muscle tissue, is structurally modeled on plant actuator cells and capable of rapidly expanding or shrinking by as much as an order of magnitude in prescribed directions. Rapid changes of plant cell shape and sizes are often initiated via ion-transport driven fluid migration and resulting turgor pressure variation. Certain plant cellular structures like those in Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant), Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa tree), or Dionaea muscipula (Venus Flytrap) all exhibit actuation physiology which employs such turgor pressure manipulation. The paper begins with dynamic micrographs of a sectioned basal articulation joint from A. julibrissin. These figures show large cellular dimensional changes as the structure undergoes foliage articulation. By mimicking such structures in aircraft flight control mechanisms, extremely lightweight pneumatic control surface actuators can be designed. This paper shows several fundamental layouts of such surfaces with actuator elements made exclusively from FAA-certifiable materials, summarizes their structural mechanics and shows actuator power and energy densities that are higher than nearly all classes of conventional adaptive materials available today. A sample flap structure is shown to possess the ability to change its shape and structural stiffness as its cell pressures are manipulated, which in turn changes the surface lift-curve slope when exposed to airflows. Because the structural stiffness can be altered, it is also shown that the commanded section lift-curve slope can be similarly controlled between 1.2 and 6.2 rad-1. Several aircraft weight reduction principles are also shown to come into play as the need to concentrate loads to pass through point actuators is eliminated. The paper concludes with a summary of interrelated performance and airframe-level improvements including enhanced gust rejection, load alleviation, ride quality, fatigue life and flight safety.

Fused filament 3D printing of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrico, James D.; Traeden, Nicklaus W.; Aureli, Matteo; Leang, Kam K.

2015-12-01

This paper describes a new three-dimensional (3D) fused filament additive manufacturing (AM) technique in which electroactive polymer filament material is used to build soft active 3D structures, layer by layer. Specifically, the unique actuation and sensing properties of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) are exploited in 3D printing to create electroactive polymer structures for application in soft robotics and bio-inspired systems. The process begins with extruding a precursor material (non-acid Nafion precursor resin) into a thermoplastic filament for 3D printing. The filament is then used by a custom-designed 3D printer to manufacture the desired soft polymer structures, layer by layer. Since at this stage the 3D-printed samples are not yet electroactive, a chemical functionalization process follows, consisting in hydrolyzing the precursor samples in an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide and dimethyl sulfoxide. Upon functionalization, metal electrodes are applied on the samples through an electroless plating process, which enables the 3D-printed IPMC structures to be controlled by voltage signals for actuation (or to act as sensors). This innovative AM process is described in detail and the performance of 3D printed IPMC actuators is compared to an IPMC actuator fabricated from commercially available Nafion sheet material. The experimental results show comparable performance between the two types of actuators, demonstrating the potential and feasibility of creating functional 3D-printed IPMCs.

Deployable Soft Composite Structures.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Rodrigue, Hugo; Ahn, Sung-Hoon

2016-02-19

Deployable structure composed of smart materials based actuators can reconcile its inherently conflicting requirements of low mass, good shape adaptability, and high load-bearing capability. This work describes the fabrication of deployable structures using smart soft composite actuators combining a soft matrix with variable stiffness properties and hinge-like movement through a rigid skeleton. The hinge actuator has the advantage of being simple to fabricate, inexpensive, lightweight and simple to actuate. This basic actuator can then be used to form modules capable of different types of deformations, which can then be assembled into deployable structures. The design of deployable structures is based on three principles: design of basic hinge actuators, assembly of modules and assembly of modules into large-scale deployable structures. Various deployable structures such as a segmented triangular mast, a planar structure comprised of single-loop hexagonal modules and a ring structure comprised of single-loop quadrilateral modules were designed and fabricated to verify this approach. Finally, a prototype for a deployable mirror was developed by attaching a foldable reflective membrane to the designed ring structure and its functionality was tested by using it to reflect sunlight onto to a small-scale solar panel.

Deployable Soft Composite Structures

PubMed Central

Wang, Wei; Rodrigue, Hugo; Ahn, Sung-Hoon

2016-01-01

Deployable structure composed of smart materials based actuators can reconcile its inherently conflicting requirements of low mass, good shape adaptability, and high load-bearing capability. This work describes the fabrication of deployable structures using smart soft composite actuators combining a soft matrix with variable stiffness properties and hinge-like movement through a rigid skeleton. The hinge actuator has the advantage of being simple to fabricate, inexpensive, lightweight and simple to actuate. This basic actuator can then be used to form modules capable of different types of deformations, which can then be assembled into deployable structures. The design of deployable structures is based on three principles: design of basic hinge actuators, assembly of modules and assembly of modules into large-scale deployable structures. Various deployable structures such as a segmented triangular mast, a planar structure comprised of single-loop hexagonal modules and a ring structure comprised of single-loop quadrilateral modules were designed and fabricated to verify this approach. Finally, a prototype for a deployable mirror was developed by attaching a foldable reflective membrane to the designed ring structure and its functionality was tested by using it to reflect sunlight onto to a small-scale solar panel. PMID:26892762

Structural control by the use of piezoelectric active members

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fanson, J. L.; Chen, J.-C.

1987-01-01

Large Space Structures (LSS) exhibit characteristics which make the LSS control problem different form other control problems. LSS will most likely exhibit low frequency, densely spaced and lightly damped modes. In theory, the number of these modes is infinite. Because these structures are flexible, Vibration Suppression (VS) is an important aspect of LSS operation. In terms of VS, the control actuators should be as low mass as possible, have infinite bandwidth, and be electrically powered. It is proposed that actuators be built into the structure as dual purpose structural elements. A piezoelectric active member is proposed for the control of LSS. Such a device would consist of a piezoelectric actuator and sensor for measuring strain, and screwjack actuator in series for use in quasi-static shape control. An experiment simulates an active member using piezoelectric ceramic thin sheet material on a thin, uniform cantilever beam. The feasibility of using the piezoelectric materials for VS on LSS was demonstrated. Positive positive feedback as a VS control strategy was implemented. Multi-mode VS was achieved with dramatic reduction in dynamic response.

High speed door assembly

DOEpatents

Shapiro, Carolyn

1993-01-01

A high speed door assembly, comprising an actuator cylinder and piston rods, a pressure supply cylinder and fittings, an electrically detonated explosive bolt, a honeycomb structured door, a honeycomb structured decelerator, and a structural steel frame encasing the assembly to close over a 3 foot diameter opening within 50 milliseconds of actuation, to contain hazardous materials and vapors within a test fixture.

Monolithic Flexure Pre-Stressed Ultrasonic Horns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherrit, Stewart; Bao, Xiaoqi; Badescu, Mircea; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Allen, Phillip Grant

2011-01-01

High-power ultrasonic actuators are generally assembled with a horn, backing, stress bolt, piezoelectric rings, and electrodes. The manufacturing process is complex, expensive, difficult, and time-consuming. The internal stress bolt needs to be insulated and presents a potential internal discharge point, which can decrease actuator life. Also, the introduction of a center hole for the bolt causes many failures, reducing the throughput of the manufactured actuators. A new design has been developed for producing ultrasonic horn actuators. This design consists of using flexures rather than stress bolts, allowing one to apply pre-load to the piezoelectric material. It also allows one to manufacture them from a single material/plate, rapid prototype them, or make an array in a plate or 3D structure. The actuator is easily assembled, and application of pre-stress greater than 25 MPa was demonstrated. The horn consists of external flexures that eliminate the need for the conventional stress bolt internal to the piezoelectric, and reduces the related complexity. The stress bolts are required in existing horns to provide prestress on piezoelectric stacks when driven at high power levels. In addition, the manufacturing process benefits from the amenability to produce horn structures with internal cavities. The removal of the pre-stress bolt removes a potential internal electric discharge point in the actuator. In addition, it significantly reduces the chances of mechanical failure in the piezoelectric stacks that result from the hole surface in conventional piezoelectric actuators. The novel features of this disclosure are: 1. A design that can be manufactured from a single piece of metal using EDM, precision machining, or rapid prototyping. 2. Increased electromechanical coupling of the horn actuator. 3. Higher energy density. 4. A monolithic structure of a horn that consists of an external flexure or flexures that can be used to pre-stress a solid piezoelectric structure rather than a bolt, which requires a through hole in the piezoelectric material. 5. A flexure system with low stiffness that accommodates mechanical creep with minor reduction in pre-stress.

LC Circuits for Diagnosing Embedded Piezoelectric Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chattin, Richard L.; Fox, Robert Lee; Moses, Robert W.; Shams, Qamar A.

2005-01-01

A recently invented method of nonintrusively detecting faults in piezoelectric devices involves measurement of the resonance frequencies of inductor capacitor (LC) resonant circuits. The method is intended especially to enable diagnosis of piezoelectric sensors, actuators, and sensor/actuators that are embedded in structures and/or are components of multilayer composite material structures.

A state-of-the-art assessment of active structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

A state-of-the-art assessment of active structures with emphasis towards the applications in aeronautics and space is presented. It is felt that since this technology area is growing at such a rapid pace in many different disciplines, it is not feasible to cover all of the current research but only the relevant work as relates to aeronautics and space. Research in smart actuation materials, smart sensors, and control of smart/intelligent structures is covered. In smart actuation materials, piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, shape memory, electrorheological, and electrostrictive materials are covered. For sensory materials, fiber optics, dielectric loss, and piezoelectric sensors are examined. Applications of embedded sensors and smart sensors are discussed.

Quantitative modeling of coupled piezo-elastodynamic behavior of piezoelectric actuators bonded to an elastic medium for structural health monitoring: a review.

PubMed

Huang, Guoliang; Song, Fei; Wang, Xiaodong

2010-01-01

Elastic waves, especially guided waves, generated by a piezoelectric actuator/sensor network, have shown great potential for on-line health monitoring of advanced aerospace, nuclear, and automotive structures in recent decades. Piezoelectric materials can function as both actuators and sensors in these applications due to wide bandwidth, quick response and low costs. One of the most fundamental issues surrounding the effective use of piezoelectric actuators is the quantitative evaluation of the resulting elastic wave propagation by considering the coupled piezo-elastodynamic behavior between the actuator and the host medium. Accurate characterization of the local interfacial stress distribution between the actuator and the host medium is the key issue for the problem. This paper presents a review of the development of analytical, numerical and hybrid approaches for modeling of the coupled piezo-elastodynamic behavior. The resulting elastic wave propagation for structural health monitoring is also summarized.

Wake topology of under-actuated rajiform batoid robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valdivia Y Alvarado, Pablo; Weymouth, Gabriel; Thekoodan, Dilip; Patrikalakis, Nicholas

2011-11-01

Under-actuated continuous soft robots are designed to have modes of vibration that match desired body motions using minimal actuation. The desired modes of vibration are enabled by flexible continuous bodies with heterogenous material distributions. Errors or intentional approximations in the manufactured material distributions alter the achieved body motions and influence the resulting locomotion performance. An under-actuated continuous soft robot designed to mimic rajiform batoids such as stingrays is used to investigate the influence that fin kinematics variations have on wake topology, and the trade-offs that simplifying the body material structure has on achievable swimming performance. Pectoral fin kinematics in rajiform batoids are defined by traveling waves along the fin cord with particular amplitude envelopes along both the fin cord and span. Digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) analysis of a prototype's wake structure and immersed-boundary numerical simulations are used to clarify the role of traveling wave wavelength, fin flapping frequency, and amplitude envelope characteristics on the resulting wake topology and swimming performance.

A multi-segment soft actuator for biomedical applications based on IPMCs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Dongxu; Wang, Yanjie; Liu, Jiayu; Luo, Meng; Li, Dichen; Chen, Hualing

2015-04-01

With rapid progress of biomedical devices towards miniaturization, flexibility, multifunction and low cost, the restrictions of traditional mechanical structures become particularly apparent, while soft materials become research focus in broad fields. As one of the most attractive soft materials, Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC) is widely used as artificial muscles and actuators, with the advantages of low driving-voltage, high efficiency of electromechanical transduction and functional stabilization. In this paper, a new intuitive control method was presented to achieve the omnidirectional bending movements and was applied on a representative actuation structure of a multi-degree-offreedom soft actuator composed of two segments bar-shaped IPMC with a square cross section. Firstly, the bar-shaped IPMCs were fabricated by the solution casting method, reducing plating, autocatalytic plating method and cut into shapes successively. The connectors of the multi-segment IPMC actuator were fabricated by 3D printing. Then, a new control method was introduced to realize the intuitive mapping relationship between the actuator and the joystick manipulator. The control circuit was designed and tested. Finally, the multi-degree-of-freedom actuator of 2 segments bar-shaped IPMCs was implemented and omnidirectional bending movements were achieved, which could be a promising actuator for biomedical applications, such as endoscope, catheterism, laparoscopy and the surgical resection of tumors.

Large Scale Magnetostrictive Valve Actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richard, James A.; Holleman, Elizabeth; Eddleman, David

2008-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center's Valves, Actuators and Ducts Design and Development Branch developed a large scale magnetostrictive valve actuator. The potential advantages of this technology are faster, more efficient valve actuators that consume less power and provide precise position control and deliver higher flow rates than conventional solenoid valves. Magnetostrictive materials change dimensions when a magnetic field is applied; this property is referred to as magnetostriction. Magnetostriction is caused by the alignment of the magnetic domains in the material s crystalline structure and the applied magnetic field lines. Typically, the material changes shape by elongating in the axial direction and constricting in the radial direction, resulting in no net change in volume. All hardware and testing is complete. This paper will discuss: the potential applications of the technology; overview of the as built actuator design; discuss problems that were uncovered during the development testing; review test data and evaluate weaknesses of the design; and discuss areas for improvement for future work. This actuator holds promises of a low power, high load, proportionally controlled actuator for valves requiring 440 to 1500 newtons load.

Carbide-derived carbon (CDC) linear actuator properties in combination with conducting polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiefer, Rudolf; Aydemir, Nihan; Torop, Janno; Kilmartin, Paul A.; Tamm, Tarmo; Kaasik, Friedrich; Kesküla, Arko; Travas-Sejdic, Jadranka; Aabloo, Alvo

2014-03-01

Carbide-derived Carbon (CDC) material is applied for super capacitors due to their nanoporous structure and their high charging/discharging capability. In this work we report for the first time CDC linear actuators and CDC combined with polypyrrole (CDC-PPy) in ECMD (Electrochemomechanical deformation) under isotonic (constant force) and isometric (constant length) measurements in aqueous electrolyte. CDC-PPy actuators showing nearly double strain under cyclic voltammetric and square wave potential measurements in comparison to CDC linear actuators. The new material is investigated by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EDX (energy dispersive X-ray analysis) to reveal how the conducting polymer layer and the CDC layer interfere together.

High speed door assembly

DOEpatents

Shapiro, C.

1993-04-27

A high speed door assembly is described, comprising an actuator cylinder and piston rods, a pressure supply cylinder and fittings, an electrically detonated explosive bolt, a honeycomb structured door, a honeycomb structured decelerator, and a structural steel frame encasing the assembly to close over a 3 foot diameter opening within 50 milliseconds of actuation, to contain hazardous materials and vapors within a test fixture.

Dynamic stress compensation by smart actuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irschik, Hans; Gusenbauer, Markus; Pichler, Uwe

2004-07-01

The actuating physical mechanisms utilized in smart materials can be described by eigenstrains. E.g., the converse piezoelectric effect in a piezoelastic body may be understood as an actuating eigenstrain. In the last decades, piezoelectricity has been extensively applied for the sake of actuation and sensing of structural vibrations. An important field of research in this respect has been devoted to the goal of compensating force-induced vibrations by means of eigenstrains. Considering the state-of-the-art in structural control and smart materials, almost no research has been performed on the problem of compensating stresses in force-loaded engineering structures by eigenstrains. It is well-known that stresses can influence the characteristics and the age of structures in various unpleasant ways. The present contribution is concerned with corresponding concepts for stress compensation which may have a highly beneficial influence upon the lifetime and structural integrity of the structure under consideration. We discuss the possibilities offered by displacement compensation to reduce the stresses to their quasi-static parts. As a numerical example, we consider the step response of an irregularly shaped cantilevered elastic plate under the action of an assigned traction at its boundary.

Stress compensation for arbitrary curvature control in vanadium dioxide phase transition actuators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dong, Kaichen, E-mail: dkc12@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn, E-mail: wuj@berkeley.edu; Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720; State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084

2016-07-11

Due to its thermally driven structural phase transition, vanadium dioxide (VO{sub 2}) has emerged as a promising material for micro/nano-actuators with superior volumetric work density, actuation amplitude, and repetition frequency. However, the high initial curvature of VO{sub 2} actuators severely obstructs the actuation performance and application. Here, we introduce a “seesaw” method of fabricating tri-layer cantilevers to compensate for the residual stress and realize nearly arbitrary curvature control of VO{sub 2} actuators. By simply adjusting the thicknesses of the individual layers, cantilevers with positive, zero, or negative curvatures can be engineered. The actuation amplitude can be decoupled from the curvaturemore » and controlled independently as well. Based on the experimentally measured residual stresses, we demonstrate sub-micron thick VO{sub 2} actuators with nearly zero final curvature and a high actuation amplitude simultaneously. This “seesaw” method can be further extended to the curvature engineering of other microelectromechanical system multi-layer structures where large stress-mismatch between layers are inevitable.« less

Effect of 1partial thickness actuation on stress concentration reduction near a hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sensharma, P. K.; Kadivar, M. H.; Haftka, R. T.

1994-01-01

Recently, there has been much interest in adaptive structures that can respond to a varying environment by changing their properties. Piezoelectric materials and shape memory alloys (SMA) are often used as partial thickness actuators to create such adaptivity by applied energy, usually electric curent. These actuators can be used to inducce strains in a structure and reduce stresses in regions of high stress concentration. Two of the present authors show that axisymmetric actuation strains applied troughout the thickness of a plate with a hole can reduce the stress concentration factor (SCF) in an isotropic plate from 3 to 2. However, in most cases actuators are expected to be bonded to or embedded in the plate, so that the actuation strains are applied in the actuators and not directly in the plate. The objective of this note is to show that such partial-thickness actuation cannot be used to reduce the stress concentration factor with axisymmetric actuations strain distribution.

A high resolution pneumatic stepping actuator for harsh reactor environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tippetts, Thomas B.; Evans, Paul S.; Riffle, George K.

1993-01-01

A reactivity control actuator for a high-power density nuclear propulsion reactor must be installed in close proximity to the reactor core. The energy input from radiation to the actuator structure could exceed hundreds of W/cc unless low-cross section, low-absorptivity materials are chosen. Also, for post-test handling and subsequent storage, materials should not be used that are activated into long half-life isotopes. Pneumatic actuators can be constructed from various reactor-compatible materials, but conventional pneumatic piston actuators generally lack the stiffness required for high resolution reactivity control unless electrical position sensors and compensated electronic control systems are used. To overcome these limitations, a pneumatic actuator is under development that positions an output shaft in response to a series of pneumatic pulses, comprising a pneumatic analog of an electrical stepping motor. The pneumatic pulses are generated remotely, beyond the strong radiation environment, and transmitted to the actuator through tubing. The mechanically simple actuator uses a nutating gear harmonic drive to convert motion of small pistons directly to high-resolution angular motion of the output shaft. The digital nature of this actuator is suitable for various reactor control algorithms but is especially compatible with the three bean salad algorithm discussed by Ball et al. (1991).

Flexible Structural-Health-Monitoring Sheets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Qing, Xinlin; Kuo, Fuo

2008-01-01

A generic design for a type of flexible structural-health-monitoring sheet with multiple sensor/actuator types and a method of manufacturing such sheets has been developed. A sheet of this type contains an array of sensing and/or actuation elements, associated wires, and any other associated circuit elements incorporated into various flexible layers on a thin, flexible substrate. The sheet can be affixed to a structure so that the array of sensing and/or actuation elements can be used to analyze the structure in accordance with structural-health-monitoring techniques. Alternatively, the sheet can be designed to be incorporated into the body of the structure, especially if the structure is made of a composite material. Customarily, structural-health monitoring is accomplished by use of sensors and actuators arrayed at various locations on a structure. In contrast, a sheet of the present type can contain an entire sensor/actuator array, making it unnecessary to install each sensor and actuator individually on or in a structure. Sensors of different types such as piezoelectric and fiber-optic can be embedded in the sheet to form a hybrid sensor network. Similarly, the traces for electric communication can be deposited on one or two layers as required, and an entirely separate layer can be employed to shield the sensor elements and traces.

Self-expanding/shrinking structures by 4D printing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodaghi, M.; Damanpack, A. R.; Liao, W. H.

2016-10-01

The aim of this paper is to create adaptive structures capable of self-expanding and self-shrinking by means of four-dimensional printing technology. An actuator unit is designed and fabricated directly by printing fibers of shape memory polymers (SMPs) in flexible beams with different arrangements. Experiments are conducted to determine thermo-mechanical material properties of the fabricated part revealing that the printing process introduced a strong anisotropy into the printed parts. The feasibility of the actuator unit with self-expanding and self-shrinking features is demonstrated experimentally. A phenomenological constitutive model together with analytical closed-form solutions are developed to replicate thermo-mechanical behaviors of SMPs. Governing equations of equilibrium are developed for printed structures based on the non-linear Green-Lagrange strain tensor and solved implementing a finite element method along with an iterative incremental Newton-Raphson scheme. The material-structural model is then applied to digitally design and print SMP adaptive lattices in planar and tubular shapes comprising a periodic arrangement of SMP actuator units that expand and then recover their original shape automatically. Numerical and experimental results reveal that the proposed planar lattice as meta-materials can be employed for plane actuators with self-expanding/shrinking features or as structural switches providing two different dynamic characteristics. It is also shown that the proposed tubular lattice with a self-expanding/shrinking mechanism can serve as tubular stents and grippers for bio-medical or piping applications.

Integration of fluidic jet actuators in composite structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schueller, Martin; Lipowski, Mathias; Schirmer, Eckart; Walther, Marco; Otto, Thomas; Geßner, Thomas; Kroll, Lothar

2015-04-01

Fluidic Actuated Flow Control (FAFC) has been introduced as a technology that influences the boundary layer by actively blowing air through slots or holes in the aircraft skin or wind turbine rotor blade. Modern wing structures are or will be manufactured using composite materials. In these state of the art systems, AFC actuators are integrated in a hybrid approach. The new idea is to directly integrate the active fluidic elements (such as SJAs and PJAs) and their components in the structure of the airfoil. Consequently, the integration of such fluidic devices must fit the manufacturing process and the material properties of the composite structure. The challenge is to integrate temperature-sensitive active elements and to realize fluidic cavities at the same time. The transducer elements will be provided for the manufacturing steps using roll-to-roll processes. The fluidic parts of the actuators will be manufactured using the MuCell® process that provides on the one hand the defined reproduction of the fluidic structures and, on the other hand, a high light weight index. Based on the first design concept, a demonstrator was developed in order to proof the design approach. The output velocity on the exit was measured using a hot-wire anemometer.

Converging the capabilities of EAP artificial muscles and the requirements of bio-inspired robotics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanson, David F.; White, Victor

2004-07-01

The characteristics of Electro-actuated polymers (EAP) are typically considered inadequate for applications in robotics. But in recent years, there has been both dramatic increases in EAP technological capbilities and reductions in power requirements for actuating bio-inspired robotics. As the two trends continue to converge, one may anticipate that dramatic breakthroughs in biologically inspired robotic actuation will result due to the marraige of these technologies. This talk will provide a snapshot of how EAP actuator scientists and roboticists may work together on a common platform to accelerate the growth of both technologies. To demonstrate this concept of a platform to accelerate this convergence, the authors will discuss their work in the niche application of robotic facial expression. In particular, expressive robots appear to be within the range of EAP actuation, thanks to their low force requirements. Several robots will be shown that demonstrate realistic expressions with dramatically decreased force requirements. Also, detailed descriptions will be given of the engineering innovations that have enabled these robotics advancements-most notably, Structured-Porosity Elastomer Materials (SPEMs). SPEM manufacturing techniques create delicate cell-structures in a variety of elastomers that maintain the high elongation characteristics of the mother material, but because of the porisity, behave as sponge-materials, thus lower the force required to emulate facial expressions to levels output by several extant EAP actuators.

Optimum vibration control of flexible beams by piezo-electric actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baz, A.; Poh, S.; Studer, P.

1988-01-01

The utilization of piezoelectric actuators in controlling the structural vibrations of flexible beams is examined. A Modified Independent Modal Space Control (MIMSC) method is devised to enable the selection of the optimal location, control gains and excitation voltage of the piezoelectric actuators in a way that would minimize the amplitudes of vibrations of beams to which these actuators are bonded, as well as the input control energy necessary to suppress these vibrations. The developed method accounts for the effects that the piezoelectric actuators have on changing the elastic and inertial properties of the flexible beams. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the application of the developed MIMSC method in minimizing the structural vibrations of beams of different materials when subjected to different loading and end conditions using ceramic or polymeric piezoelectric actuators. The obtained results emphasize the importance of the devised method in designing more realistic active control systems for flexible beams, in particular, and large flexible structures in general.

Optimum vibration control of flexible beams by piezo-electric actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baz, A.; Poh, S.

1987-01-01

The utilization of piezoelectric actuators in controlling the structural vibrations of flexible beams is examined. A Modified Independent Modal Space Control (MIMSC) method is devised to enable the selection of the optimal location, control gains and excitation voltage of the piezoelectric actuators in a way that would minimize the amplitudes of vibrations of beams to which these actuators are bonded, as well as the input control energy necessary to suppress these vibrations. The developed method accounts for the effects that the piezoelectric actuators have on changing the elastic and inertial properties of the flexible beams. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the application of the developed MIMSC method in minimizing the structural vibrations of beams of different materials when subjected to different loading and end conditions using ceramic or polymeric piezoelectric actuators. The obtained results emphasize the importance of the devised method in designing more realistic active control systems for flexible beams, in particular, and large flexible structures in general.

Quantitative Modeling of Coupled Piezo-Elastodynamic Behavior of Piezoelectric Actuators Bonded to an Elastic Medium for Structural Health Monitoring: A Review

PubMed Central

Huang, Guoliang; Song, Fei; Wang, Xiaodong

2010-01-01

Elastic waves, especially guided waves, generated by a piezoelectric actuator/sensor network, have shown great potential for on-line health monitoring of advanced aerospace, nuclear, and automotive structures in recent decades. Piezoelectric materials can function as both actuators and sensors in these applications due to wide bandwidth, quick response and low costs. One of the most fundamental issues surrounding the effective use of piezoelectric actuators is the quantitative evaluation of the resulting elastic wave propagation by considering the coupled piezo-elastodynamic behavior between the actuator and the host medium. Accurate characterization of the local interfacial stress distribution between the actuator and the host medium is the key issue for the problem. This paper presents a review of the development of analytical, numerical and hybrid approaches for modeling of the coupled piezo-elastodynamic behavior. The resulting elastic wave propagation for structural health monitoring is also summarized. PMID:22319319

Contractive tension force stack actuator based on soft dielectric EAP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovacs, Gabor; Düring, Lukas

2009-03-01

Among the electronic polymers EAPs especially the dielectric elastomers are functional materials that have promising potential as muscle-like actuators due to their inherent compliancy and good overall performance. The combination of huge active deformations, high energy densities, good efficiencies and fast response is unique to dielectric elastomers. Furthermore, they are lightweight, have a simple structure and can be easily tailored to various applications. Up to now most scientific research work has been focused on the planar expanding actuation mode due to the fact that the commercially available acrylic material VHB 4910 (3M) can easily be processed to planar actuators and has demonstrated very high actuation performance when pre-strained. Many different actuator designs have been developed and tested which expands in plane when voltage is applied and shrinks back as soon as the applied charges are removed from the electrodes. Obviously the contractive operation mode at activation is required for a wide range of application. Due to the principle of operation of soft DE EAP, mainly two directions to performed work against external loads are possible. Beside of the commonly used expanding actuation in planar direction the contractile actuation in thickness direction of the DE film represents a very promising option in the multilayer configuration. First approaches have been presented by the folded actuator design and by the multilayer tactile display device. In this study a novel approach for active structures driven by soft dielectric EAP is presented, which can perform contractive displacements at external tensile load. The device is composed of an array of equal segments, where the dielectric films are arranged in a pile-up configuration. In order to maintain satisfying structural integrity when external tension load is applied special attention was paid to the compliant electrode design which takes a central importance concerning the force transmission capability between each layer of the actuator. Due to the stack configuration of the actuator the commonly used and pre-strained acrylic film was replaced by the stress-free IPN modified acrylic film in order to eliminate the need for external pre-strain-supporting structures. Introductorily, the specific problems on conventional expanding actuators are discussed and the aims for contractive tension force actuators are specified. Then some structural design parameters are addressed in order to achieve a high rate of yield and reliable working principle. In the main part of the study the manufacturing process of the actuators and some measurement results and experiences are discussed in detail.

Biomimetic photo-actuation: sensing, control and actuation in sun-tracking plants.

PubMed

Dicker, M P M; Rossiter, J M; Bond, I P; Weaver, P M

2014-09-01

Although the actuation mechanisms that drive plant movement have been investigated from a biomimetic perspective, few studies have looked at the wider sensing and control systems that regulate this motion. This paper examines photo-actuation-actuation induced by, and controlled with light-through a review of the sun-tracking functions of the Cornish Mallow. The sun-tracking movement of the Cornish Mallow leaf results from an extraordinarily complex-yet extremely elegant-process of signal perception, generation, filtering and control. Inspired by this process, a concept for a simplified biomimetic analogue of this leaf is proposed: a multifunctional structure employing chemical sensing, signal transmission, and control of composite hydrogel actuators. We present this multifunctional structure, and show that the success of the concept will require improved selection of materials and structural design. This device has application in the solar-tracking of photovoltaic panels for increased energy yield. More broadly it is envisaged that the concept of chemical sensing and control can be expanded beyond photo-actuation to many other stimuli, resulting in new classes of robust solid-state devices.

Vibration Analysis of Composite Laminate Plate Excited by Piezoelectric Actuators

PubMed Central

Her, Shiuh-Chuan; Lin, Chi-Sheng

2013-01-01

Piezoelectric materials can be used as actuators for the active vibration control of smart structural systems. In this work, piezoelectric patches are surface bonded to a composite laminate plate and used as vibration actuators. A static analysis based on the piezoelectricity and elasticity is conducted to evaluate the loads induced by the piezoelectric actuators to the host structure. The loads are then employed to develop the vibration response of a simply supported laminate rectangular plate excited by piezoelectric patches subjected to time harmonic voltages. An analytical solution of the vibration response of a simply supported laminate rectangular plate under time harmonic electrical loading is obtained and compared with finite element results to validate the present approach. The effects of location and exciting frequency of piezoelectric actuators on the vibration response of the laminate plate are investigated through a parametric study. Numerical results show that modes can be selectively excited, leading to structural vibration control. PMID:23529121

Electrostatic polymer-based microdeformable mirror for adaptive optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamkotsian, Frederic; Conedera, Veronique; Granier, Hugues; Liotard, Arnaud; Lanzoni, Patrick; Salvagnac, Ludovic; Fabre, Norbert; Camon, Henri

2007-02-01

Future adaptive optics (AO) systems require deformable mirrors with very challenging parameters, up to 250 000 actuators and inter-actuator spacing around 500 μm. MOEMS-based devices are promising for the development of a complete generation of new deformable mirrors. Our micro-deformable mirror (MDM) is based on an array of electrostatic actuators with attachments to a continuous mirror on top. The originality of our approach lies in the elaboration of layers made of polymer materials. Mirror layers and active actuators have been demonstrated. Based on the design of this actuator and our polymer process, realization of a complete polymer-MDM has been done using two process flows: the first involves exclusively polymer materials while the second uses SU8 polymer for structural layers and SiO II and sol-gel for sacrificial layers. The latest shows a better capability in order to produce completely released structures. The electrostatic force provides a non-linear actuation, while AO systems are based on linear matrices operations. Then, we have developed a dedicated 14-bit electronics in order to "linearize" the actuation, using a calibration and a sixth-order polynomial fitting strategy. The response is nearly perfect over our 3×3 MDM prototype with a standard deviation of 3.5 nm; the influence function of the central actuator has been measured. First evaluation on the cross non-linarities has also been studied on OKO mirror and a simple look-up table is sufficient for determining the location of each actuator whatever the locations of the neighbor actuators. Electrostatic MDM are particularly well suited for open-loop AO applications.

Various design approaches to achieve electric field-driven segmented folding actuation of electroactive polymer (EAP) sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Saad; Hong, Jonathan; Zhang, Wei; Kopatz, Jessica; Ounaies, Zoubeida; Frecker, Mary

2018-03-01

Electroactive polymer (EAPs) based technologies have shown promise in areas such as artificial muscles, aerospace, medical and soft robotics. In this work, we demonstrate ways to harness on-demand segmented folding actuation from pure bending of relaxor-ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) based films, using various design approaches, such as `stiffener' and `notch' based approaches. The in-plane actuation of the P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) is converted into bending actuation using unimorph configurations, where one passive substrate layer is attached to the active polymer. First, we experimentally show that placement of thin metal strips as stiffener in between active EAPs and passive substrates leads to segmented actuation as opposed to pure bending actuation; stiffeners made of different materials, such as nickel, copper and aluminum, are studied which reveals that a higher Young's modulus favors more pronounced segmented actuation. Second, notched samples are prepared by mounting passive substrate patches of various materials on top of the passive layers of the unimorph EAP actuators. Effect of notch materials, size of the notches and position of the notches on the folding actuation are studied. The motion of the human finger inspires a finger-like biomimetic actuator, which is realized by assigning multiple notches on the structure; finite element analysis (FEA) is also performed using COMSOL Multiphysics software for the notched finger actuator. Finally, a versatile soft-gripper is developed using the notched approach to demonstrate the capability of a properly designed EAP actuator to hold objects of various sizes and shapes.

Materials science. Materials that couple sensing, actuation, computation, and communication.

PubMed

McEvoy, M A; Correll, N

2015-03-20

Tightly integrating sensing, actuation, and computation into composites could enable a new generation of truly smart material systems that can change their appearance and shape autonomously. Applications for such materials include airfoils that change their aerodynamic profile, vehicles with camouflage abilities, bridges that detect and repair damage, or robotic skins and prosthetics with a realistic sense of touch. Although integrating sensors and actuators into composites is becoming increasingly common, the opportunities afforded by embedded computation have only been marginally explored. Here, the key challenge is the gap between the continuous physics of materials and the discrete mathematics of computation. Bridging this gap requires a fundamental understanding of the constituents of such robotic materials and the distributed algorithms and controls that make these structures smart. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

3D printing antagonistic systems of artificial muscle using projection stereolithography.

PubMed

Peele, Bryan N; Wallin, Thomas J; Zhao, Huichan; Shepherd, Robert F

2015-09-09

The detailed mechanical design of a digital mask projection stereolithgraphy system is described for the 3D printing of soft actuators. A commercially available, photopolymerizable elastomeric material is identified and characterized in its liquid and solid form using rheological and tensile testing. Its capabilities for use in directly printing high degree of freedom (DOF), soft actuators is assessed. An outcome is the ∼40% strain to failure of the printed elastomer structures. Using the resulting material properties, numerical simulations of pleated actuator architectures are analyzed to reduce stress concentration and increase actuation amplitudes. Antagonistic pairs of pleated actuators are then fabricated and tested for four-DOF, tentacle-like motion. These antagonistic pairs are shown to sweep through their full range of motion (∼180°) with a period of less than 70 ms.

Course Modules on Structural Health Monitoring with Smart Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shih, Hui-Ru; Walters, Wilbur L.; Zheng, Wei; Everett, Jessica

2009-01-01

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is an emerging technology that has multiple applications. SHM emerged from the wide field of smart structures, and it also encompasses disciplines such as structural dynamics, materials and structures, nondestructive testing, sensors and actuators, data acquisition, signal processing, and possibly much more. To…

New Terfenol-D actuator design with applications to multiple DOF active vibration control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haynes, Leonard S.; Geng, Zheng J.; Teter, Joseph P.

1993-09-01

A linear actuator system for multi-dimensional structure control using the magnetostrictive material Terfenol-D has been designed, built, and tested by the Intelligent Automation, Inc. The actuator assembly incorporates an instrumented Terfenol-D rod, an excitation coil to provide the magnetic field, a permanent magnet assembly to provide a magnetic bias field, and a mechanical preload mechanism. The prototype of the actuator is 2.0 inches in diameter and 8 inches long, and provides a peak-to-peak stroke of 0.01 inches. A linear model was also established to characterize the behavior of the actuator for small motion. Based on the prototype of the actuator, we have performed a study of a six degree-of-freedom active vibration isolation system using a Stewart Platform in a new configuration. IAI's final system is intended for precision control of a wide range of space-based structures as well as earth- base systems.

Three-dimensional graphene-polypyrrole hybrid electrochemical actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jia; Wang, Zhi; Zhao, Yang; Cheng, Huhu; Hu, Chuangang; Jiang, Lan; Qu, Liangti

2012-11-01

The advancement of mechanical actuators benefits from the development of new structural materials with prominent properties. A novel three-dimensional (3D) hydrothermally converted graphene and polypyrrole (G-PPy) hybrid electrochemical actuator is presented, which is prepared via a convenient hydrothermal process, followed by in situ electropolymerization of pyrrole. The 3D pore-interconnected G-PPy pillar exhibits strong actuation responses superior to pure graphene and PPy film. In response to the low potentials of +/-0.8 V, the saturated strain of 3D G-PPy pillar can reach a record of 2.5%, which is more than 10 times higher than that of carbon nanotube film and about 3 times that of unitary graphene film under an applied potential of +/-1.2 V. Also, the 3D G-PPy actuator exhibits high actuation durability with high operating load as demonstrated by an 11 day continuous measurement. Finally, a proof-of-concept application of 3D G-PPy as smart filler for on/off switch is also demonstrated, which indicates the great potential of the 3D G-PPy structure developed in this study for advanced actuator systems.The advancement of mechanical actuators benefits from the development of new structural materials with prominent properties. A novel three-dimensional (3D) hydrothermally converted graphene and polypyrrole (G-PPy) hybrid electrochemical actuator is presented, which is prepared via a convenient hydrothermal process, followed by in situ electropolymerization of pyrrole. The 3D pore-interconnected G-PPy pillar exhibits strong actuation responses superior to pure graphene and PPy film. In response to the low potentials of +/-0.8 V, the saturated strain of 3D G-PPy pillar can reach a record of 2.5%, which is more than 10 times higher than that of carbon nanotube film and about 3 times that of unitary graphene film under an applied potential of +/-1.2 V. Also, the 3D G-PPy actuator exhibits high actuation durability with high operating load as demonstrated by an 11 day continuous measurement. Finally, a proof-of-concept application of 3D G-PPy as smart filler for on/off switch is also demonstrated, which indicates the great potential of the 3D G-PPy structure developed in this study for advanced actuator systems. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental setup for fabrication of G-PPy hybrid structure, and movie showing the on/off response of G-PPy filler. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr32699j

Concept for a 3D-printed soft rotary actuator driven by a shape-memory alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Han; Chapelle, Frédéric; Fauroux, Jean-Christophe; Balandraud, Xavier

2018-05-01

In line with the recent development of soft actuators involving shape-memory alloys (SMAs) embedded in compliant structures, this paper proposes a concept for a rotary actuator driven by a SMA wire placed inside a 3D-printed helical structure. The concept consists of using the one-way memory effect of the SMA (activated by Joule heating) to create the rotation of a material point of the structure, while the inverse rotation is obtained during the return to ambient temperature thanks to the structure’s elasticity. The study was performed in three steps. First, a prototype was designed from a chain of design rules, and tested to validate the feasibility of the concept. Thermal and geometrical measurements were performed using infrared and visible-range stereo cameras. A clockwise rotation (250°) followed by an anti-clockwise rotation (‑200°) were obtained, enabling us to validate the concept despite the partial reversibility of the movement. Second, finite element simulations were performed to improve rotation reversibility. The high compliance of the mechanical system required a framework of large displacements for the calculations (in the strength of materials sense), due to the high structural flexibility. Finally, a second prototype was constructed and tested. Attention was paid to the rotation (fully reversible rotation of 150° reached) as well as to parasitic movements due to overall structural deformation. This study opens new prospects for the design and analysis of 3D-printed soft actuators activated by smart materials.

Study on temperature and near-infrared driving characteristics of hydrogel actuator fabricated via molding and 3D printing.

PubMed

Zhao, Qian; Liang, Yunhong; Ren, Lei; Qiu, Feng; Zhang, Zhihui; Ren, Luquan

2018-02-01

A hydrogel material system which was fit for molding and 3D printing was developed to fabricate bilayer hydrogel actuators with controllable temperature and near infrared laser responses. Polymerization on interface boundary of layered structure enhanced the bonding strength of hydrogel actuators. By utilizing anisotropic of microstructure along with thickness direction, bilayer hydrogel actuators fabricated via molding realized intelligent bending/shrinking responses, which guided the preparation of hydrogel ink for 3D printing. In-situ free radical polymerization under vacuum realized the solidification of printed hydrogel actuators with graphene oxide. Based on anisotropic swelling/deswelling behaviors of precise structure fabricated via 3D printing, the printed bilayer hydrogel actuators achieved temperature and near infrared laser responsive deformation. Changes of programmable printing path effectively resulted in corresponding deformation patterns. Combination of advantages of molding and 3D printing can promote the design and fabrication of hydrogel actuators with high mechanical strength, response speed and deformation ability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet electrode-based high-performance ionic actuator

PubMed Central

Wu, Guan; Hu, Ying; Liu, Yang; Zhao, Jingjing; Chen, Xueli; Whoehling, Vincent; Plesse, Cédric; Nguyen, Giao T. M.; Vidal, Frédéric; Chen, Wei

2015-01-01

Ionic actuators have attracted attention due to their remarkably large strain under low-voltage stimulation. Because actuation performance is mainly dominated by the electrochemical and electromechanical processes of the electrode layer, the electrode material and structure are crucial. Here, we report a graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet electrode-based ionic actuator that displays high electrochemical activity and electromechanical conversion abilities, including large specific capacitance (259.4 F g−1) with ionic liquid as the electrolyte, fast actuation response (0.5±0.03% in 300 ms), large electromechanical strain (0.93±0.03%) and high actuation stability (100,000 cycles) under 3 V. The key to the high performance lies in the hierarchical pore structure with dominant size <2 nm, optimal pyridinic nitrogen active sites (6.78%) and effective conductivity (382 S m−1) of the electrode. Our study represents an important step towards artificial muscle technology in which heteroatom modulation in electrodes plays an important role in promoting electrochemical actuation performance. PMID:26028354

Design and control of an IPMC wormlike robot.

PubMed

Arena, Paolo; Bonomo, Claudia; Fortuna, Luigi; Frasca, Mattia; Graziani, Salvatore

2006-10-01

This paper presents an innovative wormlike robot controlled by cellular neural networks (CNNs) and made of an ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) self-actuated skeleton. The IPMC actuators, from which it is made of, are new materials that behave similarly to biological muscles. The idea that inspired the work is the possibility of using IPMCs to design autonomous moving structures. CNNs have already demonstrated their powerfulness as new structures for bio-inspired locomotion generation and control. The control scheme for the proposed IPMC moving structure is based on CNNs. The wormlike robot is totally made of IPMCs, and each actuator has to carry its own weight. All the actuators are connected together without using any other additional part, thereby constituting the robot structure itself. Worm locomotion is performed by bending the actuators sequentially from "tail" to "head," imitating the traveling wave observed in real-world undulatory locomotion. The activation signals are generated by a CNN. In the authors' opinion, the proposed strategy represents a promising solution in the field of autonomous and light structures that are capable of reconfiguring and moving in line with spatial-temporal dynamics generated by CNNs.

Transient thermal state of an active Braille matrix with incorporated thermal actuators by means of finite element method.

PubMed

Aluţei, Alexandra-Maria; Szelitzky, Emoke; Mândru, Dan

2013-01-01

In this article the authors present the transient thermal analysis for a developed thermal linear actuator based on wax paraffin used to drive the cells of a Braille device. A numerical investigation of transient heat transfer phenomenon during paraffin melting and solidification in an encapsulated recipient has been carried out using the ANSYS v.12 software. The researchers offer data on the heat distribution in the proposed model of the actuator as well as on the material properties required for these applications and provide the opportunity to identify new problems specific to thermal actuation, such as the heater properties and the cooling process of the active material in the structure of the Braille cell.

Fiber-Optic Sensor And Smart Structures Research At Florida Institute Of Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossman, Barry G.; Alavie, A. Tino; Ham, Fredric M.; Franke, Jorge E.; Thursby, Michael H.

1990-02-01

This paper discusses the fundamental issues being investigated by Florida Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) to implement the technology of smart structural systems for DoD, NASA, and commercial applications. Embedded sensors and actuators controlled by processors can provide a modification of the mechanical characteristics of composite structures to produce smart structures1-3. Recent advances in material science have spurred the development and use of composite materials in a wide range of applications from rotocraft blades and advanced tactical fighter aircraft to undersea and aerospace structures. Along with the advantages of an increased strength-to-weight ratio, the use of these materials has raised a number of questions related to understanding their failure mechanisms. Also, being able to predict structural failures far enough in advance to prevent them and to provide real-time structural health and damage monitoring has become a realistic possibility. Unfortunately, conventional sensors, actuators, and digital processors, although highly developed and well proven for other systems, may not be best suited for most smart structure applications. Our research has concentrated on few-mode and polarimetric single-fiber strain sensors4-7 and optically activated shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators controlled by artificial neural processors. We have constructed and characterized both few-mode and polarimetric sensors for a variety of fiber types, including standard single-mode, high-birefringence polarization preserving, and low-birefringence polarization insensitive fibers. We have investigated signal processing techniques for these sensors and have demonstrated active phase tracking for the high- and low-birefringence polarimetric sensors through the incorporation into the system of an electrooptic modulator designed and fabricated at F.I.T.. We have also started the design and testing of neural network architectures for processing the sensor signal outputs to calculate strain magnitude and actuator control signals for simple structures.

Material and fabrication strategies for artificial muscles (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinks, Geoffrey M.

2017-04-01

Soft robotic and wearable robotic devices seek to exploit polymer based artificial muscles and sensor materials to generate biomimetic movements and forces. A challenge is to integrate the active materials into a complex, three-dimensional device with integrated electronics, power supplies and support structures. Both 3D printing and textiles technologies offer attractive fabrication strategies, but require suitable functional materials. 3D printing of actuating hydrogels has been developed to produce simple devices, such as a prototype valve. Tough hydrogels based on interpenetrating networks of ionicially crosslinked alginate and covalently crosslinked polyacrylamide and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) have been developed in a form suitable for extrusion printing with UV curing. Combined with UV-curable and extrudable rigid acrylated urethanes, the tough hydrogels can be 3D printed into composite materials or complex shapes with multiple different materials. An actuating valve was printed that operated thermally to open or close the flow path using 6 parallel hydrogel actuators. Textile processing methods such as knitting and weaving can be used to generate assemblies of actuating fibres. Low cost and high performance coiled fibres made from oriented polymers have been used for developing actuating textiles. Similarly, braiding methods have been developed to fabricate new forms of McKibben muscles that operate without any external apparatus, such as pumps, compressors or piping.

An analytical and experimental investigation of flutter suppression via piezoelectric actuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heeg, Jennifer

1992-01-01

The objective of this research was to analytically and experimentally study the capabilities of adaptive material plate actuators for suppressing flutter. Piezoelectrics are materials which are characterized by their ability to produce voltage when subjected to a mechanical strain. The converse piezoelectric effect can be utilized to actuate a structure by applying a voltage. For this investigation, a two degree of freedom wind-tunnel model was designed, analyzed, and tested. The model consisted of a rigid wing and a flexible mount system which permitted translational and rotational degrees of freedom. Actuators, made of piezoelectric material were affixed to leaf springs on the mount system. Command signals, applied to the piezoelectric actuators, exerted control over the closed-loop damping and stiffness properties. A mathematical aeroservoelastic model was constructed using finite element and stiffness properties. A mathematical aeroservoelastic model was constructed using finite element methods, laminated plate theory, and aeroelastic analysis tools. A flutter suppression control law was designed, implemented on a digital control computer, and tested to conditions 20 percent above the passive flutter speed of the model. The experimental results represent the first time that adaptive materials have been used to actively suppress flutter. It demonstrates that small, carefully-placed actuating plates can be used effectively to control aeroelastic response.

Active Member Design, Modeling, and Verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Umland, Jeffrey W.; Webster, Mark; John, Bruce

1993-01-01

The design and development of active members intended for use in structural control applications is presented. The use of three different solid state actuation materials, namely, piezoelectric, electrostictive, and magnetostrictive, is discussed. Test data is given in order to illustrate the actuator and device characteristics and performance.

Shape-memory alloy micro-actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Busch, John D. (Inventor); Johnson, Alfred D. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A method of producing an integral piece of thermo-sensitive material, which is responsive to a shift in temperature from below to above a phase transformation temperature range to alter the material's condition to a shape-memory condition and move from one position to another. The method is characterized by depositing a thin film of shape-memory material, such as Nickel titanium (Ni-Ti) onto a substrate by vacuum deposition process such that the alloy exhibits an amorphous non-crystalline structure. The coated substrate is then annealed in a vacuum or in the presence of an inert atmosphere at a selected temperature, time and cool down rate to produce an ordered, partially disordered or fully disordered BCC structure such that the alloy undergoes thermoelastic, martinsetic phase transformation in response to alteration in temperature to pass from a martinsetic phase when at a temperature below a phase transformation range and capable of a high level of recoverable strain to a parent austenitic phase in a memory shape when at a temperature above the phase transformation range. Also disclosed are actuator devices employing shape-memory material actuators that deform from a set shape toward an original shape when subjected to a critical temperature level after having been initially deformed from the original shape into the set shape while at a lower temperature. The actuators are mechanically coupled to one or more movable elements such that the temperature-induce deformation of the actuators exerts a force or generates a motion of the mechanical element(s).

Empirical modeling of dynamic behaviors of pneumatic artificial muscle actuators.

PubMed

Wickramatunge, Kanchana Crishan; Leephakpreeda, Thananchai

2013-11-01

Pneumatic Artificial Muscle (PAM) actuators yield muscle-like mechanical actuation with high force to weight ratio, soft and flexible structure, and adaptable compliance for rehabilitation and prosthetic appliances to the disabled as well as humanoid robots or machines. The present study is to develop empirical models of the PAM actuators, that is, a PAM coupled with pneumatic control valves, in order to describe their dynamic behaviors for practical control design and usage. Empirical modeling is an efficient approach to computer-based modeling with observations of real behaviors. Different characteristics of dynamic behaviors of each PAM actuator are due not only to the structures of the PAM actuators themselves, but also to the variations of their material properties in manufacturing processes. To overcome the difficulties, the proposed empirical models are experimentally derived from real physical behaviors of the PAM actuators, which are being implemented. In case studies, the simulated results with good agreement to experimental results, show that the proposed methodology can be applied to describe the dynamic behaviors of the real PAM actuators. Copyright © 2013 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Review of Recent Research on Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials and Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-15

electrical and/or thermal conductivity, sensing and actuation, energy harvesting/storage, self - healing capability, and electromagnetic interference...conductivity 13 3.2 Sensing and actuation 15 3.3 Energy harvesting/storage 21 3.4 Self - healing capability 25 3.5...earlier by Zou, et al. [12]. Recent developments in self - healing polymeric materials were reviewed by Wu, et al. [13]. Articles on energy harvesting for

Dynamics and control of twisting bi-stable structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrieta, Andres F.; van Gemmeren, Valentin; Anderson, Aaron J.; Weaver, Paul M.

2018-02-01

Compliance-based morphing structures have the potential to offer large shape adaptation, high stiffness and low weight, while reducing complexity, friction, and scalability problems of mechanism based systems. A promising class of structure that enables these characteristics are multi-stable structures given their ability to exhibit large deflections and rotations without the expensive need for continuous actuation, with the latter only required intermittently. Furthermore, multi-stable structures exhibit inherently fast response due to the snap-through instability governing changes between stable states, enabling rapid configuration switching between the discrete number of programmed shapes of the structure. In this paper, the design and utilisation of the inherent nonlinear dynamics of bi-stable twisting I-beam structures for actuation with low strain piezoelectric materials is presented. The I-beam structure consists of three compliant components assembled into a monolithic single element, free of moving parts, and showing large deflections between two stable states. Finite element analysis is utilised to uncover the distribution of strain across the width of the flange, guiding the choice of positioning for piezoelectric actuators. In addition, the actuation authority is maximised by calculating the generalised coupling coefficient for different positions of the piezoelectric actuators. The results obtained are employed to tailor and test I-beam designs exhibiting desired large deflection between stable states, while still enabling the activation of snap-through with the low strain piezoelectric actuators. To this end, the dynamic response of the I-beams to piezoelectric excitation is investigated, revealing that resonant excitations are insufficient to dynamically trigger snap-through. A novel bang-bang control strategy, which exploits the nonlinear dynamics of the structure successfully triggers both single and constant snap-through between the stable states of the bi-stable twisting I-beam structures. The obtained optimal piezoelectric actuator positioning is not necessarily intuitive and when used with the proposed dynamic actuation strategy serve as a blueprint for the actuation of such multi-stable compliant structures to produce fast and large deflections with highly embeddable actuators. This class of structures has potential applications in aerospace systems and soft/compliant robotics.

Static deflection control of flexible beams by piezo-electric actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baz, A. M.

1986-01-01

This study deals with the utilization of piezo-electric actuators in controlling the static deformation of flexible beams. An optimum design procedure is presented to enable the selection of the optimal location, thickness and excitation voltage of the piezo-electric actuators in a way that would minimize the deflection of the beam to which these actuators are bonded. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the application of the developed optimization procedure in minimizing the structural deformation of beams of different materials when subjected to different loading and end conditions using ceramic or polymeric piezo-electric actuators. The results obtained emphasize the importance of the devised rational procedure in designing beam-actuator systems with minimal elastic distortions.

A finite element model of rigid body structures actuated by dielectric elastomer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simone, F.; Linnebach, P.; Rizzello, G.; Seelecke, S.

2018-06-01

This paper presents on finite element (FE) modeling and simulation of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) coupled with articulated structures. DEAs have proven to represent an effective transduction technology for the realization of large deformation, low-power consuming, and fast mechatronic actuators. However, the complex dynamic behavior of the material, characterized by nonlinearities and rate-dependent phenomena, makes it difficult to accurately model and design DEA systems. The problem is further complicated in case the DEA is used to activate articulated structures, which increase both system complexity and implementation effort of numerical simulation models. In this paper, we present a model based tool which allows to effectively implement and simulate complex articulated systems actuated by DEAs. A first prototype of a compact switch actuated by DEA membranes is chosen as reference study to introduce the methodology. The commercially available FE software COMSOL is used for implementing and coupling a physics-based dynamic model of the DEA with the external structure, i.e., the switch. The model is then experimentally calibrated and validated in both quasi-static and dynamic loading conditions. Finally, preliminary results on how to use the simulation tool to optimize the design are presented.

Evolution from MEMS-based Linear Drives to Bio-based Nano Drives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujita, Hiroyuki

The successful extension of semiconductor technology to fabricate mechanical parts of the sizes from 10 to 100 micrometers opened wide ranges of possibilities for micromechanical devices and systems. The fabrication technique is called micromachining. Micromachining processes are based on silicon integrated circuits (IC) technology and used to build three-dimensional structures and movable parts by the combination of lithography, etching, film deposition, and wafer bonding. Microactuators are the key devices allowing MEMS to perform physical functions. Some of them are driven by electric, magnetic, and fluidic forces. Some others utilize actuator materials including piezoelectric (PZT, ZnO, quartz) and magnetostrictive materials (TbFe), shape memory alloy (TiNi) and bio molecular motors. This paper deals with the development of MEMS based microactuators, especially linear drives, following my own research experience. They include an electrostatic actuator, a superconductive levitated actuator, arrayed actuators, and a bio-motor-driven actuator.

Characterization and modeling of ionic polymeric smart materials as artificial muscles and robotic swimming structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mojarrad, Mehran

2001-07-01

In this dissertation document, a thorough review and investigation of works in connection with the ionic polymeric gels as artificial muscles and electrically controllable polymeric network structures were performed. Where possible, comparisons were made with biological muscles and applications in marine propulsion using such polymeric materials were investigated. Furthermore, methods of fabrication of several chemically active ionic polymeric gel muscles such as PolyAcryloNitrile (PAN), Poly(2-Acrylamido-2-Methyl-1-PropaneSulfonic) acid (PAMPS), and PolyAcrylic-acid-bis-AcrylaMide (PAAM) as well as a new class of electrically active composite muscle such as Ion-Exchange-Metal-Composites (IEMC) or Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMC) materials are introduced and investigated that resulted in two US patents regarding their fabrication and application capabilities as actuators and sensors. In this research, various forms of the IPMC fabrication were explored and reported. In addition, characterization of PAN muscles, bundling and encapsulation were investigated. Conversion of chemical to electrical artificial muscles were also investigated using chemical plating techniques as well as physical vapor deposition methods of the pH-activated muscles like PAN fibers. Experimental methods were devised to characterize contraction, expansion, and bending of various actuators using isometric, isoionic, and isotonic characterization methods. Several apparatuses for modeling and testing of the various artificial muscles were built to show the viability of the application of both chemoactive and electroactive muscles. Furthermore PAN fiber muscles in different configurations such as spring-loaded fiber bundles, biceps, triceps, ribbon type muscles, and segmented fiber bundles were fabricated to make a variety of actuators. Additionally, swimming robotic structures and associated hardware were built to incorporate IPMC as biomimetic propulsion fin actuators. In addition, various configuration of IPMC such as linear actuators and multiplayer actuators were fabricated and evaluated for load and sensing capability. Theories associated with ionic polymer gels electrodynamics and chemodynamics were proposed, analyzed and modeled for the manufactured material. Futhermore, theoretical models of swimming structures were developed and compared with biological fish propulsion models and dynamically evaluated for robotic applications.

Printable polymer actuators from ionic liquid, soluble polyimide, and ubiquitous carbon materials.

PubMed

Imaizumi, Satoru; Ohtsuki, Yuto; Yasuda, Tomohiro; Kokubo, Hisashi; Watanabe, Masayoshi

2013-07-10

We present here printable high-performance polymer actuators comprising ionic liquid (IL), soluble polyimide, and ubiquitous carbon materials. Polymer electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and reliable mechanical strength are required for high-performance polymer actuators. The developed polymer electrolytes comprised a soluble sulfonated polyimide (SPI) and IL, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide ([C2mim][NTf2]), and they exhibited acceptable ionic conductivity up to 1 × 10(-3) S cm(-1) and favorable mechanical properties (elastic modulus >1 × 10(7) Pa). Polymer actuators based on SPI/[C2mim][NTf2] electrolytes were prepared using inexpensive activated carbon (AC) together with highly electron-conducting carbon such as acetylene black (AB), vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF), and Ketjen black (KB). The resulting polymer actuators have a trilaminar electric double-layer capacitor structure, consisting of a polymer electrolyte layer sandwiched between carbon electrode layers. Displacement, response speed, and durability of the actuators depended on the combination of carbons. Especially the actuators with mixed AC/KB carbon electrodes exhibited relatively large displacement and high-speed response, and they kept 80% of the initial displacement even after more than 5000 cycles. The generated force of the actuators correlated with the elastic modulus of SPI/[C2mim][NTf2] electrolytes. The displacement of the actuators was proportional to the accumulated electric charge in the electrodes, regardless of carbon materials, and agreed well with the previously proposed displacement model.

Improved actuation strain of PDMS-based DEA materials chemically modified with softening agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biedermann, Miriam; Blümke, Martin; Wegener, Michael; Krüger, Hartmut

2015-04-01

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are smart materials that gained much in interest particularly in recent years. One active field of research is the improvement of their properties by modification of their structural framework. The object of this work is to improve the actuation properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based DEAs by covalent incorporation of mono-vinyl-terminated low-molecular PDMS chains into the PDMS network. These low-molecular units act as a kind of softener within the PDMS network. The loose chain ends interfere with the network formation and lower the network's density. PDMS films with up to 50wt% of low-molecular PDMS additives were manufactured and the chemical, mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical properties of these novel materials were investigated.

Power systems and requirements for the integration of smart structures into aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lockyer, Allen J.; Martin, Christopher A.; Lindner, Douglas K.; Walia, Paramjit S.

2002-07-01

Electrical power distribution for recently developed smart actuators becomes an important air-vehicle challenge if projected smart actuation benefits are to be met. Among the items under development are variable shape inlets and control surfaces that utilize shape memory alloys (SMA); full span, chord-wise and span-wise contouring trailing control surfaces that use SMA or piezoelectric materials for actuation; and other strain-based actuators for buffet load alleviation, flutter suppression and flow control. At first glance, such technologies afford overall vehicle performance improvement, however, integration system impacts have yet to be determined or quantified. Power systems to support smart structures initiatives are the focus of the current paper. The paper has been organized into five main topics for further discussion: (1) air-vehicle power system architectures - standard and advanced distribution concepts for actuators, (2) smart wing actuator power requirements and results - highlighting wind tunnel power measurements from shape memory alloy and piezoelectric ultrasonic motor actuated control surfaces and different dynamic pressure and angle of attack; (3) vehicle electromagnetic effects (EME) issues, (4) power supply design considerations for smart actuators - featuring the aircraft power and actuator interface, and (5) summary and conclusions.

Development of multifunctional materials exhibiting distributed sensing and actuation inspired by fish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philen, Michael

2011-04-01

This manuscript is an overview of the research that is currently being performed as part of a 2009 NSF Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innnovation (EFRI) grant on BioSensing and BioActuation (BSBA). The objectives of this multi-university collaborative research are to achieve a greater understanding of the hierarchical organization and structure of the sensory, muscular, and control systems of fish, and to develop advanced biologically-inspired material systems having distributed sensing, actuation, and intelligent control. New experimental apparatus have been developed for performing experiments involving live fish and robotic devices, and new bio-inspired haircell sensors and artificial muscles are being developed using carbonaceous nanomaterials, bio-derived molecules, and composite technology. Results demonstrating flow sensing and actuation are presented.

Bending continuous structures with SMAs: a novel robotic fish design.

PubMed

Rossi, C; Colorado, J; Coral, W; Barrientos, A

2011-12-01

In this paper, we describe our research on bio-inspired locomotion systems using deformable structures and smart materials, concretely shape memory alloys (SMAs). These types of materials allow us to explore the possibility of building motor-less and gear-less robots. A swimming underwater fish-like robot has been developed whose movements are generated using SMAs. These actuators are suitable for bending the continuous backbone of the fish, which in turn causes a change in the curvature of the body. This type of structural arrangement is inspired by fish red muscles, which are mainly recruited during steady swimming for the bending of a flexible but nearly incompressible structure such as the fishbone. This paper reviews the design process of these bio-inspired structures, from the motivations and physiological inspiration to the mechatronics design, control and simulations, leading to actual experimental trials and results. The focus of this work is to present the mechanisms by which standard swimming patterns can be reproduced with the proposed design. Moreover, the performance of the SMA-based actuators' control in terms of actuation speed and position accuracy is also addressed.

Dual-Mechanism and Multimotion Soft Actuators Based on Commercial Plastic Film.

PubMed

Li, Linpeng; Meng, Junxing; Hou, Chengyi; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yaogang; Yu, Hao; Wang, Hongzhi

2018-05-02

Soft actuators have attracted a lot of attention owing to their biomimetic performance. However, the development of soft actuators that are easily prepared from readily available raw materials, conveniently utilized, and cost-efficient is still a challenge. Here, we present a simple method to fabricate a polyethylene-based soft actuator. It has controllable anisotropic structure and can realize multiple motions, including bidirectional bending and twisting based on dual mechanisms, which is a rare phenomenon. Especially, the soft actuators can response at a very small temperature difference (Δ T ≥ 2.3 °C); therefore, even skin touch can quickly drive the actuator, which greatly broadens its applications in daily life. The soft actuator could demonstrate a curvature up to 7.8 cm -1 accompanied by powerful actuation. We have shown that it can lift an object 27 times its own weight. We also demonstrate the application of this actuator as intelligent mechanical devices.

Design, fabrication and control of origami robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rus, Daniela; Tolley, Michael T.

2018-06-01

Origami robots are created using folding processes, which provide a simple approach to fabricating a wide range of robot morphologies. Inspired by biological systems, engineers have started to explore origami folding in combination with smart material actuators to enable intrinsic actuation as a means to decouple design from fabrication complexity. The built-in crease structure of origami bodies has the potential to yield compliance and exhibit many soft body properties. Conventional fabrication of robots is generally a bottom-up assembly process with multiple low-level steps for creating subsystems that include manual operations and often multiple iterations. By contrast, natural systems achieve elegant designs and complex functionalities using top-down parallel transformation approaches such as folding. Folding in nature creates a wide spectrum of complex morpho-functional structures such as proteins and intestines and enables the development of structures such as flowers, leaves and insect wings. Inspired by nature, engineers have started to explore folding powered by embedded smart material actuators to create origami robots. The design and fabrication of origami robots exploits top-down, parallel transformation approaches to achieve elegant designs and complex functionalities. In this Review, we first introduce the concept of origami robotics and then highlight advances in design principles, fabrication methods, actuation, smart materials and control algorithms. Applications of origami robots for a variety of devices are investigated, and future directions of the field are discussed, examining both challenges and opportunities.

Soft Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators with Tunable Non-Linear Angular Deformation

PubMed Central

Hong, Wangyujue; Almomani, Abdallah; Chen, Yuanfen; Jamshidi, Reihaneh; Montazami, Reza

2017-01-01

The most rational approach to fabricate soft robotics is the implementation of soft actuators. Conventional soft electromechanical actuators exhibit linear or circular deformation, based on their design. This study presents the use of conjugated polymers, Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) to locally vary ion permeability of the ionic electroactive polymer actuators and manipulate ion motion through means of structural design to realize intrinsic angular deformation. Such angular deformations are closer to biomimetic systems and have potential applications in bio-robotics. Electrochemical studies reveal that the mechanism of actuation is mainly associated with the charging of electric double layer (EDL) capacitors by ion accumulation and the PEDOT:PSS layer’s expansion by ion interchange and penetration. Dependence of actuator deformation on structural design is studied experimentally and conclusions are verified by analytical and finite element method modeling. The results suggest that the ion-material interactions are considerably dominated by the design of the drop-cast PEDOT:PSS on Nafion. PMID:28773036

Soft Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators with Tunable Non-Linear Angular Deformation.

PubMed

Hong, Wangyujue; Almomani, Abdallah; Chen, Yuanfen; Jamshidi, Reihaneh; Montazami, Reza

2017-06-21

The most rational approach to fabricate soft robotics is the implementation of soft actuators. Conventional soft electromechanical actuators exhibit linear or circular deformation, based on their design. This study presents the use of conjugated polymers, Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) to locally vary ion permeability of the ionic electroactive polymer actuators and manipulate ion motion through means of structural design to realize intrinsic angular deformation. Such angular deformations are closer to biomimetic systems and have potential applications in bio-robotics. Electrochemical studies reveal that the mechanism of actuation is mainly associated with the charging of electric double layer (EDL) capacitors by ion accumulation and the PEDOT:PSS layer's expansion by ion interchange and penetration. Dependence of actuator deformation on structural design is studied experimentally and conclusions are verified by analytical and finite element method modeling. The results suggest that the ion-material interactions are considerably dominated by the design of the drop-cast PEDOT:PSS on Nafion.

THUNDER Piezoelectric Actuators as a Method of Stretch-Tuning an Optical Fiber Grating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allison, Sidney G.; Fox, Robert L.; Froggatt, Mark E.; Childers, Brooks A.

2000-01-01

A method of stretching optical fiber holds interest for measuring strain in smart structures where the physical displacement may be used to tune optical fiber lasers. A small, light weight, low power tunable fiber laser is ideal for demodulating strain in optical fiber Bragg gratings attached to smart structures such as the re-usable launch vehicle that is being developed by NASA. A method is presented for stretching optical fibers using the THUNDER piezoelectric actuators invented at NASA Langley Research Center. THUNDER actuators use a piezoelectric layer bonded to a metal backing to enable the actuators to produce displacements larger than the unbonded piezoelectric material. The shift in reflected optical wavelength resulting from stretching the fiber Bragg grating is presented. Means of adapting THUNDER actuators for stretching optical fibers is discussed, including ferrules, ferrule clamp blocks, and plastic hinges made with stereo lithography.

An analytical and experimental study to investigate flutter suppression via piezoelectric actuation. M.S. Thesis - George Washington Univ., 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heeg, Jennifer

1991-01-01

The objective was to analytically and experimentally study the capabilities of adaptive material plate actuators for suppressing flutter. The validity of analytical modeling techniques for piezoelectric materials was also investigated. Piezoelectrics are materials which are characterized by their ability to produce voltage when subjected to a mechanical strain. The converse piezoelectric effect can be utilized to actuate a structure by applying a voltage. For this investigation, a two degree of freedom wind tunnel model was designed, analyzed, and tested. The model consisted of a rigid airfoil and a flexible mount system which permitted a translational and a rotational degree of freedom. It was designed such that flutter was encounted within the testing envelope of the wind tunnel. Actuators, made of piezoelectric material were affixed to leaf springs of the mount system. Each degree of freedom was controlled by a separate leaf spring. Command signals, applied to the piezoelectric actuators, exerted control over the damping and stiffness properties. A mathematical aeroservoelastic model was constructed using finite element methods, laminated plate theory, and aeroelastic analysis tools. Plant characteristics were determined from this model and verified by open loop experimental tests. A flutter suppression control law was designed and implemented on a digital control computer. Closed loop flutter testing was conducted. The experimental results represent the first time that adaptive materials have been used to actively suppress flutter. It demonstrates that small, carefully placed actuating plates can be used effectively to control aeroelastic response.

Motion control in free-standing shape-memory actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belmonte, Alberto; Lama, Giuseppe C.; Cerruti, Pierfrancesco; Ambrogi, Veronica; Fernández-Francos, Xavier; De la Flor, Silvia

2018-07-01

In this work, free-standing shape-memory thermally triggered actuators are developed by laminating ‘thiol-epoxy’-based glassy thermoset (GT) and stretched liquid-crystalline network (LCN) films. A sequential curing process was used to obtain GTs with tailored thermomechanical properties and network relaxation dynamics, and also to assemble the final actuator. The actuation extent, rate and time were studied by varying the GT and the heating rate in thermo-actuation with an experimental approach. The results demonstrate that it is possible to tailor the actuation rate and time by designing GT materials with a glass transition temperature close to that of the liquid-crystalline-to-isotropic phase transition of the LCN, thus making it possible to couple the two processes. Such coupling is also possible in rapid heating processes even when the glass transition temperature of the GT is clearly lower than the isotropization temperature of the LCN, depending on the network relaxation dynamics of the GT and the presence of thermal gradients within the actuators. Interestingly, varying the GT network relaxation dynamics does not affect the actuation extent. As predicted by the analytical model developed in our previous work, the modulus of the GT layer is mainly responsible for the actuation extent. Finally, to demonstrate the enhanced control of the actuation, specifically designed actuators were assembled in a three-dimensional actuating device able to make complex motions (including ‘S-type’ bending). This approach makes it possible to engineer advanced functional materials for application in self-adaptable structures and soft robotics.

Utilization of Optimization for Design of Morphing Wing Structures for Enhanced Flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Detrick, Matthew Scott

Conventional aircraft control surfaces constrain maneuverability. This work is a comprehensive study that looks at both smart material and conventional actuation methods to achieve wing twist to potentially improve flight capability using minimal actuation energy while allowing minimal wing deformation under aerodynamic loading. A continuous wing is used in order to reduce drag while allowing the aircraft to more closely approximate the wing deformation used by birds while loitering. The morphing wing for this work consists of a skin supported by an underlying truss structure whose goal is to achieve a given roll moment using less actuation energy than conventional control surfaces. A structural optimization code has been written in order to achieve minimal wing deformation under aerodynamic loading while allowing wing twist under actuation. The multi-objective cost function for the optimization consists of terms that ensure small deformation under aerodynamic loading, small change in airfoil shape during wing twist, a linear variation of wing twist along the length of the wing, small deviation from the desired wing twist, minimal number of truss members, minimal wing weight, and minimal actuation energy. Hydraulic cylinders and a two member linkage driven by a DC motor are tested separately to provide actuation. Since the goal of the current work is simply to provide a roll moment, only one actuator is implemented along the wing span. Optimization is also used to find the best location within the truss structure for the actuator. The active structure produced by optimization is then compared to simulated and experimental results from other researchers as well as characteristics of conventional aircraft.

Feasibility of using piezoelectric actuators to control launch vehicle acoustics and structural vibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niezrecki, Christopher; Cudney, Harley H.

2000-06-01

Future launch vehicle payload fairings will be manufactured form advanced lightweight composite materials. The loss of distributed mass causes a significant increase in the internal acoustic environment, causing a severe threat to the payload. Using piezoelectric actuators to control the fairing vibration and the internal acoustic environment has been proposed. To help determine the acoustic control authority of piezoelectric actuators mounted on a rocket fairing, the internal acoustic response created by the actuators needs to be determined. In this work, the internal acoustic response of a closed simply-supported (SS) cylinder actuated by piezoelectric (PZT) actuators is determined using a n impedance model for the actuator and boundary element analysis. The experimentally validated model is used to extrapolate results for a SS cylinder that emulates a Minotaur payload fairing. The internal cylinder acoustic levels are investigated for PZT actuation between 35 and 400 Hz. Significant reductions in the structural response due to increased damping do not equate to similar reductions in the acoustic SPLs for the cylinder. The sound levels at the acoustic resonant frequencies are essentially unaffected by the significant increase in structural damping while the acoustic level sat the structural resonant frequencies are mildly reduced. The interior acoustic response of the cylinder is dominated by the acoustic modes and therefore significant reductions in the overall interior acoustic levels will not be achieved if only the structural resonances are controlled. As the actuation frequency is reduced, the number of actuators required to generate acoustic levels commensurate to that found in the fairing increases to impractical values. Below approximately 100 Hz, the current demands reach levels that are extremely difficult to achieve with a practical system. The results of this work imply that PZT actuators do not have the authority to control the payload fairing internal acoustics below approximately 100 Hz.

Bistable electroactive polymers (BSEP): large-strain actuation of rigid polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhibin; Niu, Xiaofan; Brochu, Paul; Yuan, Wei; Li, Huafeng; Chen, Bin; Pei, Qibing

2010-04-01

Reversible, large-strain, bistable actuation has been a lasting puzzle in the pursuit of smart materials and structures. Conducting polymers are bistable, but the achievable strain is small. Large deformations have been achieved in dielectric elastomers at the expense of mechanical strength. The gel or gel-like soft polymers generally have elastic moduli around or less than 10 MPa. The deformed polymer relaxes to its original shape once the applied electric field is removed. We report new, bistable electroactive polymers (BSEP) that are capable of electrically actuated strains as high as 335% area strain. The BSEP could be useful for constructing rigid structures. The structures can support high mechanical loads, and be actuated to large-strain deformations. We will present one unique application of the BSEP for Braille displays that can be quickly refreshed and maintain the displayed contents without a bias voltage.

Separation system

DOEpatents

Rubin, Leslie S.

1986-01-01

A separation system for dewatering radioactive waste materials includes a disposal container, drive structure for receiving the container, and means for releasably attaching the container to the drive structure. Separation structure disposed in the container adjacent the inner surface of the side wall structure retains solids while allowing passage of liquids. Inlet port structure in the container top wall is normally closed by first valve structure that is centrifugally actuated to open the inlet port and discharge port structure at the container periphery receives liquid that passes through the separation structure and is normally closed by second valve structure that is centrifugally actuated to open the discharge ports. The container also includes coupling structure for releasable engagement with the centrifugal drive structure. Centrifugal force produced when the container is driven in rotation by the drive structure opens the valve structures, and radioactive waste material introduced into the container through the open inlet port is dewatered, and the waste is compacted. The ports are automatically closed by the valves when the container drum is not subjected to centrifugal force such that containment effectiveness is enhanced and exposure of personnel to radioactive materials is minimized.

Development of shape memory alloy (SMA) torsional actuators for variable twist tilt rotor (VTTR) blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prahlad, Harsha

This dissertation presents the development of a torsional actuator to alter the twist distributions of a tiltrotor blade between hover and forward flight. The actuator uses a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) tube as its active element. The historical development of the tiltrotor aircraft is discussed, with emphasis on advanced tiltrotor concepts. The central theme in these concepts is to reduce the compromises for tiltrotor blade design, thereby improving performance of the aircraft in both hover and forward flight modes. A survey of research conducted in the application of smart structures to performance enhancement of aircraft is conducted. A review of other torsional actuators that are based on SMAs is presented. An assessment of the state-of-the-art in SMA modeling and characterization, both in mechanical tensile and torsional loading, is also discussed. Shape Memory Alloys are "smart" actuation materials that are capable of providing high stroke and high force of actuation at relatively low bandwidth. However, their behavior is complex, and influenced by material non-linearities, thermo-mechanical conditions and history of loading. In addition, the behavior of torsional SMA actuators has not been investigated in detail. In order to address these issues, the current research carries out a comprehensive characterization of SMAs. Experimental characteristics of SMA wires under extensional loading, and SMA rods and tubes in both extensional and torsional loading under a variety of thermo-mechanical conditions are presented in this dissertation. It is demonstrated that the uniaxial quasistatic SMA models show good overall agreement with the experimental behavior of an SMA wire under extensional loading. In addition, an approach that incorporates these models with radial non-uniformity due to torsional deflections is shown to provide good predictions of torsional characteristics of SMA rods and tubes. Several differences of the material response under non-quasistatic loading conditions are also shown. A modeling technique that predicts these effects by coupling the material phenomenology with an energy equilibrium analysis is proposed. In addition, a theoretical and experimental study involving composite laminates with embedded SMAs is also presented in this work. The concept of tuning the natural frequencies of a composite structure using embedded SMAs is demonstrated, and associated manufacturing issues discussed. Using the concepts developed in the study on SMAs, a torsional actuator involving an SMA tube is developed for the proposed application. The design of the heat transfer and torque transfer assemblies for the actuator is described. Benchtop testing of the actuator shows the feasibility of this actuator in applications involving large recovery torques of actuation. It is demonstrated that using the current concept, one actuator is not sufficient to meet the twist actuation requirements for a full-scale tiltrotor blade. However, a modification in the blade torsional stiffness, in conjunction with the use of two discrete SMA actuators, may render the concept feasible for a full-scale tiltrotor.

Measuring blocking force to interpret ionic mechanisms within bucky-gel actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruusamäe, Karl; Sugino, Takushi; Asaka, Kinji

2015-04-01

Bucky-gel laminates are tri-layer structures where polymeric electrolyte film is sandwiched between two compliant electrode layers of carbon nanotubes and ionic liquid. The resulting ionic and capacitive structures, being regarded as a type of electromechanically active polymers (EAP), have the perspective of becoming soft bending actuators in the fields such as biomimetic robotics or lab-on-chip technology. A typical electromechanical step response of a bucky-gel actuator in a cantilever configuration exhibits a fast bending displacement followed by some reverse motion referred to as the back-relaxation. It has been proposed that the bending but also the back-relaxation of bucky-gel laminates occur due to the relocation of cations and anions within the tri-layer structure. A great number of modeling about ionic EAP materials aims to predict the amplitude of free bending or the blocking force of the actuator. However, as the bucky-gel laminates are viscoelastic, the translation from generated force to bending amplitude is not always straightforward - it can take the form of an integro-differential equation with speed (i.e. the amplitude and type of the input signal) and temperature (i.e. the electronic conductivity of the material and driving current) as just some of the parameters. In this study we propose to use a so-called two carrier-model to analyze the electromechanical response of a bucky-gel actuator. After modifying the electrical equivalent circuit, the time domain response of blocking force is measured to elaborate the ionic mechanisms during the work-cycle of bucky-gel actuator.

Self-contained hybrid electro-hydraulic actuators using magnetostrictive and electrostrictive materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhuri, Anirban

Hybrid electro-hydraulic actuators using smart materials along with flow rectification have been widely reported in recent years. The basic operation of these actuators involves high frequency bidirectional operation of an active material that is converted into unidirectional fluid motion by a set of valves. While theoretically attractive, practical constraints limit the efficacy of the solid-fluid hybrid actuation approach. In particular, inertial loads, fluid viscosity and compressibility combine with loss mechanisms inherent in the active material to limit the effective bandwidth of the driving actuator and the total output power. A hybrid actuator was developed by using magnetostrictive TerFeNOL-D as the active driving element and hydraulic oil as the working fluid. Tests, both with and without an external load, were carried out to measure the unidirectional performance of the actuator at different pumping frequencies and operating conditions. The maximum no-load output velocity was 84 mm/s with a 51 mm long rod and 88 mm/s with a 102 mm long rod, both noted around 325 Hz pumping frequency, while the blocked force was close to 89 N. Dynamic tests were performed to analyze the axial vibration characteristics of the Terfenol-D rods and frequency responses of the magnetic circuits. A second prototype actuator employing the same actuation principle was then designed by using the electrostrictive material PMN-32%PT as the driving element. Tests were conducted to measure the actuator performance for varying electrical input conditions and fluid bias pressures. The peak output velocity obtained was 330 mm/s while the blocked force was 63 N. The maximum volume flow rate obtained with the PMN-based actuator was more than double that obtained from the Terfenol-D--based actuator. Theoretical modeling of the dynamics of the coupled structural-hydraulic system is extremely complex and several models have been proposed earlier. At high pumping frequencies, the fluid inertia dominates the viscous effects and the problem becomes unsteady in nature. Due to high pressures inside the actuator and the presence of entrained air, compressibility of the hydraulic fluid is important. A new mathematical model of the hydraulic hybrid actuator was formulated in time-domain to show the basic operational principle under varying operating conditions and to capture the phenomena affecting system performance. Linear induced strain behavior was assumed to model the active material. Governing equations for the moving parts were obtained from force equilibrium considerations, while the coupled inertiacompliance of the fluid passages was represented by a lumped parameter approach to the transmission line model, giving rise to strongly coupled ordinary differential equations. Compressibility of the working fluid was incorporated by using the bulk modulus. The model was then validated using the measured performance of both the magnetostrictive and electrostrictive-based hybrid actuators.

Numerical simulation of actuation behavior of active fiber composites in helicopter rotor blade application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paik, Seung Hoon; Kim, Ji Yeon; Shin, Sang Joon; Kim, Seung Jo

2004-07-01

Smart structures incorporating active materials have been designed and analyzed to improve aerospace vehicle performance and its vibration/noise characteristics. Helicopter integral blade actuation is one example of those efforts using embedded anisotropic piezoelectric actuators. To design and analyze such integrally-actuated blades, beam approach based on homogenization methodology has been traditionally used. Using this approach, the global behavior of the structures is predicted in an averaged sense. However, this approach has intrinsic limitations in describing the local behaviors in the level of the constituents. For example, the failure analysis of the individual active fibers requires the knowledge of the local behaviors. Microscopic approach for the analysis of integrally-actuated structures is established in this paper. Piezoelectric fibers and matrices are modeled individually and finite element method using three-dimensional solid elements is adopted. Due to huge size of the resulting finite element meshes, high performance computing technology is required in its solution process. The present methodology is quoted as Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of the smart structure. As an initial validation effort, present analytical results are correlated with the experiments from a small-scaled integrally-actuated blade, Active Twist Rotor (ATR). Through DNS, local stress distribution around the interface of fiber and matrix can be analyzed.

Fast-Response-Time Shape-Memory-Effect Foam Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jardine, Peter

2010-01-01

Bulk shape memory alloys, such as Nitinol or CuAlZn, display strong recovery forces undergoing a phase transformation after being strained in their martensitic state. These recovery forces are used for actuation. As the phase transformation is thermally driven, the response time of the actuation can be slow, as the heat must be passively inserted or removed from the alloy. Shape memory alloy TiNi torque tubes have been investigated for at least 20 years and have demonstrated high actuation forces [3,000 in.-lb (approximately equal to 340 N-m) torques] and are very lightweight. However, they are not easy to attach to existing structures. Adhesives will fail in shear at low-torque loads and the TiNi is not weldable, so that mechanical crimp fits have been generally used. These are not reliable, especially in vibratory environments. The TiNi is also slow to heat up, as it can only be heated indirectly using heater and cooling must be done passively. This has restricted their use to on-off actuators where cycle times of approximately one minute is acceptable. Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) has been used in the past to make porous TiNi metal foams. Shape Change Technologies has been able to train SHS derived TiNi to exhibit the shape memory effect. As it is an open-celled material, fast response times were observed when the material was heated using hot and cold fluids. A methodology was developed to make the open-celled porous TiNi foams as a tube with integrated hexagonal ends, which then becomes a torsional actuator with fast response times. Under processing developed independently, researchers were able to verify torques of 84 in.-lb (approximately equal to 9.5 Nm) using an actuator weighing 1.3 oz (approximately equal to 37 g) with very fast (less than 1/16th of a second) initial response times when hot and cold fluids were used to facilitate heat transfer. Integrated structural connections were added as part of the net shape process, eliminating the need for welding, adhesives, or mechanical crimping. Inexpensive net-shape processing was used, which reduces the cost of the actuator by over a factor of 10 over nonporous TiNi made by hot drawing of tube or electrical discharge machining. By forming the alloy as an open-celled foam, the surface area for heat transfer is dramatically increased, allowing for much faster response times. The technology also allows for netshape fabrication of the actuator, which allows for structural connections to be integrated into the actuator material, making these actuators significantly less expensive. Commercial applications include actuators for concepts such as the variable area chevron and nozzle in jet aircraft. Lightweight tube or rod components can be supplied to interested parties.

Active vibrations and noise control for turboprop application research program activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paonessa, A.; Concilio, A.; Lecce, Leonardo V.

1992-01-01

The objectives of this work include the following: (1) development of active noise control techniques to alleviate inefficiencies and drawbacks of passive noise control approach especially at low frequencies; (2) reduction of structurally radiated noise applying external forces to the vibrating structure by means of force actuators made of piezoelectric material; and (3) reduction of fuselage vibration levels in propeller driven aircraft by means of distributed piezoelectric actuators that are actively controlled.

Active vibrations and noise control for turboprop application research program activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paonessa, A.; Concilio, A.; Lecce, Leonardo V.

1992-07-01

The objectives of this work include the following: (1) development of active noise control techniques to alleviate inefficiencies and drawbacks of passive noise control approach especially at low frequencies; (2) reduction of structurally radiated noise applying external forces to the vibrating structure by means of force actuators made of piezoelectric material; and (3) reduction of fuselage vibration levels in propeller driven aircraft by means of distributed piezoelectric actuators that are actively controlled.

Vapomechanically Responsive Motion of Microchannel-Programmed Actuators.

PubMed

Zhang, Lidong; Naumov, Pancˇe; Du, Xuemin; Hu, Zhigao; Wang, Juan

2017-10-01

Materials that respond rapidly and reversibly to external stimuli currently stand among the top choices as actuators for real-world applications. Here, a series of programmable actuators fabricated as single- or bilayer elements is described that can reversibly respond to minute concentrations of acetone vapors. By using templates, microchannel structures are replicated onto the surface of two highly elastic polymers, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinyl alcohol, to induce chiral coiling upon exposure to acetone vapors. The vapomechanical coiling is reversible and can be conducted repeatedly over 100 times without apparent fatigue. If they are immersed in liquid acetone, the actuators are saturated with the solvent and temporarily lose their motility but regain their shape and activity within seconds after the solvent evaporates. The desorption of acetone from the PVDF layer is four times faster than its adsorption, and the actuator composed of a single PVDF layer maintains its ability to move over an acetone-soaked filter paper even after several days. The controllable and reproducible sensing capability of this smart material can be utilized for actuating dynamic elements in soft robotics. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Analytical and experimental investigation of flutter suppression by piezoelectric actuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heeg, Jennifer

1993-01-01

The objective of this research was to analytically and experimentally study the capabilities of piezoelectric plate actuators for suppressing flutter. Piezoelectric materials are characterized by their ability to produce voltage when subjected to a mechanical strain. The converse piezoelectric effect can be utilized to actuate a structure by applying a voltage. For this investigation, a two-degree-of-freedom wind tunnel model was designed, analyzed, and tested. The model consisted of a rigid wing and a flexible mount system that permitted a translational and a rotational degree of freedom. The model was designed such that flutter was encountered within the testing envelope of the wind tunnel. Actuators made of piezoelectric material were affixed to leaf springs of the mount system. Command signals, applied to the piezoelectric actuators, exerted control over the damping and stiffness properties. A mathematical aeroservoelastic model was constructed by using finite element methods, laminated plate theory, and aeroelastic analysis tools. Plant characteristics were determined from this model and verified by open loop experimental tests. A flutter suppression control law was designed and implemented on a digital control computer. Closed loop flutter testing was conducted. The experimental results represent the first time that adaptive materials have been used to actively suppress flutter. They demonstrate that small, carefully placed actuating plates can be used effectively to control aeroelastic response.

Design and fabrication of an IPMC-embedded tube for minimally invasive surgery applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jiayu; Wang, Yanjie; Zhao, Dongxu; Zhang, Chi; Chen, Hualing; Li, Dichen

2014-03-01

Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) is receiving much attention for a number of reasons, including less trauma, faster recovery and enhanced precision. The traditional robotic actuators do not have the capabilities required to fulfill the demand for new applications in MIS. Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC), one of the most promising smart materials, has extensive desirable characteristics such as low actuation voltage, large bending deformation and high functionality. Compared with traditional actuators, IPMCs can mimic biological muscle and are highly promising for actuation in robotic surgery. In this paper, a new approach which involves molding and integrating IPMC actuators into a soft silicone tube to create an active actuating tube capable of multi-degree-of-freedom motion is presented. First, according to the structure and performance requirements of the actuating tube, the biaxial bending IPMC actuators fabricated by using solution casting method have been implemented. The silicone was cured at a suitable temperature to form a flexible tube using molds fabricated by 3D Printing technology. Then an assembly based fabrication process was used to mold or integrate biaxial bending IPMC actuators into the soft silicone material to create an active control tube. The IPMC-embedded tube can generate multi-degree-of-freedom motions by controlling each IPMC actuator. Furthermore, the basic performance of the actuators was analyzed, including the displacement and the response speed. Experimental results indicate that IPMC-embedded tubes are promising for applications in MIS.

Active Piezoelectric Structures for Tip Clearance Management Assessed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Managing blade tip clearance in turbomachinery stages is critical to developing advanced subsonic propulsion systems. Active casing structures with embedded piezoelectric actuators appear to be a promising solution. They can control static and dynamic tip clearance, compensate for uneven deflections, and accomplish electromechanical coupling at the material level. In addition, they have a compact design. To assess the feasibility of this concept and assist the development of these novel structures, the NASA Lewis Research Center developed in-house computational capabilities for composite structures with piezoelectric actuators and sensors, and subsequently used them to simulate candidate active casing structures. The simulations indicated the potential of active casings to modify the blade tip clearance enough to improve stage efficiency. They also provided valuable design information, such as preliminary actuator configurations (number and location) and the corresponding voltage patterns required to compensate for uneven casing deformations. An active ovalization of a casing with four discrete piezoceramic actuators attached on the outer surface is shown. The center figure shows the predicted radial displacements along the hoop direction that are induced when electrostatic voltage is applied at the piezoceramic actuators. This work, which has demonstrated the capabilities of in-house computational models to analyze and design active casing structures, is expected to contribute toward the development of advanced subsonic engines.

Membrane Tension Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ji (Inventor); Harrison, Joycelyn S. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

An electrostrictive polymer actuator comprises an electrostrictive polymer with a tailorable Poisson's ratio. The electrostrictive polymer is electroded on its upper and lower surfaces and bonded to an upper material layer. The assembly is rolled tightly and capped at its ends. In a membrane structure having a membrane, a supporting frame and a plurality of threads connecting the membrane to the frame, an actuator can be integrated into one or more of the plurality of threads. The electrostrictive polymer actuator displaces along its longitudinal axis, thereby affecting movement of the membrane surface.

All-printed smart structures: a viable option?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donnell, John; Ahmadkhanlou, Farzad; Yoon, Hwan-Sik; Washington, Gregory

2014-03-01

The last two decades have seen evolution of smart materials and structures technologies from theoretical concepts to physical realization in many engineering fields. These include smart sensors and actuators, active damping and vibration control, biomimetics, and structural health monitoring. Recently, additive manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing and printed electronics have received attention as methods to produce 3D objects or electronic components for prototyping or distributed manufacturing purposes. In this paper, the viability of manufacturing all-printed smart structures, with embedded sensors and actuators, will be investigated. To this end, the current 3D printing and printed electronics technologies will be reviewed first. Then, the plausibility of combining these two different additive manufacturing technologies to create all-printed smart structures will be discussed. Potential applications for this type of all-printed smart structures include most of the traditional smart structures where sensors and actuators are embedded or bonded to the structures to measure structural response and cause desired static and dynamic changes in the structure.

Multifunctional Nanotube Polymer Nanocomposites for Aerospace Applications: Adhesion between SWCNT and Polymer Matrix

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Cheol; Wise, Kristopher E.; Kang, Jin Ho; Kim, Jae-Woo; Sauti, Godfrey; Lowther, Sharon E.; Lillehei, Peter T.; Smith, Michael W.; Siochi, Emilie J.; Harrison, Joycelyn S.;

An instant multi-responsive porous polymer actuator driven by solvent molecule sorption.

PubMed

Zhao, Qiang; Dunlop, John W C; Qiu, Xunlin; Huang, Feihe; Zhang, Zibin; Heyda, Jan; Dzubiella, Joachim; Antonietti, Markus; Yuan, Jiayin

2014-07-01

Fast actuation speed, large-shape deformation and robust responsiveness are critical to synthetic soft actuators. A simultaneous optimization of all these aspects without trade-offs remains unresolved. Here we describe porous polymer actuators that bend in response to acetone vapour (24 kPa, 20 °C) at a speed of an order of magnitude faster than the state-of-the-art, coupled with a large-scale locomotion. They are meanwhile multi-responsive towards a variety of organic vapours in both the dry and wet states, thus distinctive from the traditional gel actuation systems that become inactive when dried. The actuator is easy-to-make and survives even after hydrothermal processing (200 °C, 24 h) and pressing-pressure (100 MPa) treatments. In addition, the beneficial responsiveness is transferable, being able to turn 'inert' objects into actuators through surface coating. This advanced actuator arises from the unique combination of porous morphology, gradient structure and the interaction between solvent molecules and actuator materials.

Tunable mesoporous bilayer photonic resins with chiral nematic structures and actuator properties.

PubMed

Khan, Mostofa K; Hamad, Wadood Y; Maclachlan, Mark J

2014-04-16

Chiral nematic structures with different helical pitch from layer to layer are embedded into phenol-formaldehyde bilayer resin composite films using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as templates. Selective removal of CNCs results in mesoporous resins with different pore size and helical pitch between the layers. Consequently, these materials exhibit photonic properties by selectively reflecting lights of two different wavelengths and concomitant actuation properties. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cylindrical Piezoelectric Fiber Composite Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allison, Sidney G.; Shams, Qamar A.; Fox, Robert L.

2008-01-01

The use of piezoelectric devices has become widespread since Pierre and Jacques Curie discovered the piezoelectric effect in 1880. Examples of current applications of piezoelectric devices include ultrasonic transducers, micro-positioning devices, buzzers, strain sensors, and clocks. The invention of such lightweight, relatively inexpensive piezoceramic-fiber-composite actuators as macro fiber composite (MFC) actuators has made it possible to obtain strains and displacements greater than those that could be generated by prior actuators based on monolithic piezoceramic sheet materials. MFC actuators are flat, flexible actuators designed for bonding to structures to apply or detect strains. Bonding multiple layers of MFC actuators together could increase force capability, but not strain or displacement capability. Cylindrical piezoelectric fiber composite (CPFC) actuators have been invented as alternatives to MFC actuators for applications in which greater forces and/or strains or displacements may be required. In essence, a CPFC actuator is an MFC or other piezoceramic fiber composite actuator fabricated in a cylindrical instead of its conventional flat shape. Cylindrical is used here in the general sense, encompassing shapes that can have circular, elliptical, rectangular or other cross-sectional shapes in the planes perpendicular to their longitudinal axes.

Superconductivity devices: Commercial use of space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haertling, Gene; Furman, Eugene; Li, Guang

1995-01-01

The work described in this report covers various aspects of the Rainbow solid-state actuator technology. It is presented in six parts dealing with materials, processing, fabrication, properties and associated phenomena. The Rainbow actuator technology is a relatively new materials development which had its inception in 1992. It consists of a new processing technology for preparing piezoelectric and electrostrictive ceramic materials. It involves a high temperature chemical reduction process which leads to an internal pre-stressing of the oxide wafer, thus the name Rainbow, an acronym for Reduced And INternally Biased Oxide Wafer. Ceramics fabricated by this method produce bending-mode actuator devices which possess several times more displacement and load bearing capacity than present-day benders (unimorphs, bimorphs). It is anticipated that these solid-state, electromechanical actuators which can be used in a number of applications in space such as cryopump motors, anti-vibration active structures, autoleveling platforms, telescope mirror correctors and autofocusing devices. When considering any of these applications, the key to the development of a successful device is the successful development of a ceramic material which can produce maximum displacement per volt input; hence, this initiative involving a solid-state means for achieving unusually high electromechanical displacement can be significant and far reaching. An additional benefit obtained from employing the piezoelectric effect in these actuator devices is the ability to also utilize them as sensors; and, indeed, they can be used as both motor (actuator) and generator (sensor) in multifunction devices.

Finite element predictions of active buckling control of stiffened panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Danniella M.; Griffin, O. H., Jr.

1993-04-01

Materials systems and structures that can respond 'intelligently' to their environment are currently being proposed and investigated. A series of finite element analyses was performed to investigate the potential for active buckling control of two different stiffened panels by embedded shape memory alloy (SMA) rods. Changes in the predicted buckling load increased with the magnitude of the actuation level for a given structural concept. Increasing the number of actuators for a given concept yielded greater predicted increases in buckling load. Considerable control authority was generated with a small number of actuators, with greater authority demonstrated for those structural concepts where the activated SMA rods could develop greater forces and moments on the structure. Relatively simple and inexpensive analyses were performed with standard finite elements to determine such information, indicating the viability of these types of models for design purposes.

In-Gel Direct Laser Writing for 3D-Designed Hydrogel Composites That Undergo Complex Self-Shaping.

PubMed

Nishiguchi, Akihiro; Mourran, Ahmed; Zhang, Hang; Möller, Martin

2018-01-01

Self-shaping and actuating materials inspired by biological system have enormous potential for biosensor, microrobotics, and optics. However, the control of 3D-complex microactuation is still challenging due to the difficulty in design of nonuniform internal stress of micro/nanostructures. Here, we develop in-gel direct laser writing (in-gel DLW) procedure offering a high resolution inscription whereby the two materials, resin and hydrogel, are interpenetrated on a scale smaller than the wavelength of the light. The 3D position and mechanical properties of the inscribed structures could be tailored to a resolution better than 100 nm over a wide density range. These provide an unparalleled means of inscribing a freely suspended microstructures of a second material like a skeleton into the hydrogel body and also to direct isotropic volume changes to bending and distortion motions. In the combination with a thermosensitive hydrogel rather small temperature variations could actuate large amplitude motions. This generates complex modes of motion through the rational engineering of the stresses present in the multicomponent material. More sophisticated folding design would realize a multiple, programmable actuation of soft materials. This method inspired by biological system may offer the possibility for functional soft materials capable of biomimetic actuation and photonic crystal application.

Hierarchically arranged helical fibre actuators driven by solvents and vapours.

PubMed

Chen, Peining; Xu, Yifan; He, Sisi; Sun, Xuemei; Pan, Shaowu; Deng, Jue; Chen, Daoyong; Peng, Huisheng

2015-12-01

Mechanical responsiveness in many plants is produced by helical organizations of cellulose microfibrils. However, simple mimicry of these naturally occurring helical structures does not produce artificial materials with the desired tunable actuations. Here, we show that actuating fibres that respond to solvent and vapour stimuli can be created through the hierarchical and helical assembly of aligned carbon nanotubes. Primary fibres consisting of helical assemblies of multiwalled carbon nanotubes are twisted together to form the helical actuating fibres. The nanoscale gaps between the nanotubes and micrometre-scale gaps among the primary fibres contribute to the rapid response and large actuation stroke of the actuating fibres. The compact coils allow the actuating fibre to rotate reversibly. We show that these fibres, which are lightweight, flexible and strong, are suitable for a variety of applications such as energy-harvesting generators, deformable sensing springs and smart textiles.

Hierarchically arranged helical fibre actuators driven by solvents and vapours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Peining; Xu, Yifan; He, Sisi; Sun, Xuemei; Pan, Shaowu; Deng, Jue; Chen, Daoyong; Peng, Huisheng

2015-12-01

Mechanical responsiveness in many plants is produced by helical organizations of cellulose microfibrils. However, simple mimicry of these naturally occurring helical structures does not produce artificial materials with the desired tunable actuations. Here, we show that actuating fibres that respond to solvent and vapour stimuli can be created through the hierarchical and helical assembly of aligned carbon nanotubes. Primary fibres consisting of helical assemblies of multiwalled carbon nanotubes are twisted together to form the helical actuating fibres. The nanoscale gaps between the nanotubes and micrometre-scale gaps among the primary fibres contribute to the rapid response and large actuation stroke of the actuating fibres. The compact coils allow the actuating fibre to rotate reversibly. We show that these fibres, which are lightweight, flexible and strong, are suitable for a variety of applications such as energy-harvesting generators, deformable sensing springs and smart textiles.

A Soft Parallel Kinematic Mechanism.

PubMed

White, Edward L; Case, Jennifer C; Kramer-Bottiglio, Rebecca

2018-02-01

In this article, we describe a novel holonomic soft robotic structure based on a parallel kinematic mechanism. The design is based on the Stewart platform, which uses six sensors and actuators to achieve full six-degree-of-freedom motion. Our design is much less complex than a traditional platform, since it replaces the 12 spherical and universal joints found in a traditional Stewart platform with a single highly deformable elastomer body and flexible actuators. This reduces the total number of parts in the system and simplifies the assembly process. Actuation is achieved through coiled-shape memory alloy actuators. State observation and feedback is accomplished through the use of capacitive elastomer strain gauges. The main structural element is an elastomer joint that provides antagonistic force. We report the response of the actuators and sensors individually, then report the response of the complete assembly. We show that the completed robotic system is able to achieve full position control, and we discuss the limitations associated with using responsive material actuators. We believe that control demonstrated on a single body in this work could be extended to chains of such bodies to create complex soft robots.

Dielectric Actuation of Polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Xiaofan

Dielectric polymers are widely used in a plurality of applications, such as electrical insulation, dielectric capacitors, and electromechanical actuators. Dielectric polymers with large strain deformations under an electric field are named dielectric elastomers (DE), because of their relative low modulus, high elongation at break, and outstanding resilience. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) are superior to traditional transducers as a muscle-like technology: large strains, high energy densities, high coupling efficiency, quiet operation, and light weight. One focus of this dissertation is on the design of DE materials with high performance and easy processing. UV radiation curing of reactive species is studied as a generic synthesis methodology to provide a platform for material scientists to customize their own DE materials. Oligomers/monomers, crosslinkers, and other additives are mixed and cured at appropriate ratios to control the stress-strain response, suppress electromechanical instability of the resulting polymers, and provide stable actuation strains larger than 100% and energy densities higher than 1 J/g. The processing is largely simplified in the new material system by removal of the prestretching step. Multilayer stack actuators with 11% linear strain are demonstrated in a procedure fully compatible with industrial production. A multifunctional DE derivative material, bistable electroactive polymer (BSEP), is invented enabling repeatable rigid-to-rigid deformation without bulky external structures. Bistable actuation allows the polymer actuator to have two distinct states that can support external load without device failure. Plasticizers are used to lower the glass transition temperature to 45 °C. Interpenetrating polymer network structure is established inside the BSEP to suppress electromechanical instability, providing a breakdown field of 194 MV/m and a stable bistable strain as large as 228% with a 97% strain fixity. The application of BSEP in tactile display is investigated by the prototyping of a large scale refreshable Braille display device. Braille is a critical way for the vision impaired community to learn literacy and improve life quality. Current piezoelectrics-based refreshable Braille display technologies are limited to up to 1 line of Braille text, due to the bulky size of bimorph actuators. Based on the unique actuation feature of BSEP, refreshable Braille display devices up to smartphone-size have been demonstrated by polymer sheet laminates. Dots in the devices can be individually controlled via incorporated field-driven BSEP actuators and Joule heater units. A composite material consisting of silver nanowires (AgNW) embedded in a polymer substrate is brought up as a compliant electrode candidate for BSEP application. The AgNW composite is highly conductive (Rs: 10 Ω/sq) and remains conductive at strains as high as 140% (Rs: <10 3 Ω/sq). The baseline conductivity has only small changes up to 90% strain, which makes it low enough for both field driving and stretchable Joule heating. An out-of-plane bistable area strain up to 68% under Joule heating is achieved.

Parametric model of servo-hydraulic actuator coupled with a nonlinear system: Experimental validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maghareh, Amin; Silva, Christian E.; Dyke, Shirley J.

2018-05-01

Hydraulic actuators play a key role in experimental structural dynamics. In a previous study, a physics-based model for a servo-hydraulic actuator coupled with a nonlinear physical system was developed. Later, this dynamical model was transformed into controllable canonical form for position tracking control purposes. For this study, a nonlinear device is designed and fabricated to exhibit various nonlinear force-displacement profiles depending on the initial condition and the type of materials used as replaceable coupons. Using this nonlinear system, the controllable canonical dynamical model is experimentally validated for a servo-hydraulic actuator coupled with a nonlinear physical system.

TOPICAL REVIEW: Progress in engineering high strain lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leontsev, Serhiy O.; Eitel, Richard E.

2010-08-01

Environmental concerns are strongly driving the need to replace the lead-based piezoelectric materials currently employed as multilayer actuators. The current review describes both compositional and structural engineering approaches to achieve enhanced piezoelectric properties in lead-free materials. The review of the compositional engineering approach focuses on compositional tuning of the properties and phase behavior in three promising families of lead-free perovskite ferroelectrics: the titanate, alkaline niobate and bismuth perovskites and their solid solutions. The 'structural engineering' approaches focus instead on optimization of microstructural features including grain size, grain orientation or texture, ferroelectric domain size and electrical bias field as potential paths to induce large piezoelectric properties in lead-free piezoceramics. It is suggested that a combination of both compositional and novel structural engineering approaches will be required in order to realize viable lead-free alternatives to current lead-based materials for piezoelectric actuator applications.

Progress in engineering high strain lead-free piezoelectric ceramics

PubMed Central

Leontsev, Serhiy O; Eitel, Richard E

2010-01-01

Environmental concerns are strongly driving the need to replace the lead-based piezoelectric materials currently employed as multilayer actuators. The current review describes both compositional and structural engineering approaches to achieve enhanced piezoelectric properties in lead-free materials. The review of the compositional engineering approach focuses on compositional tuning of the properties and phase behavior in three promising families of lead-free perovskite ferroelectrics: the titanate, alkaline niobate and bismuth perovskites and their solid solutions. The ‘structural engineering’ approaches focus instead on optimization of microstructural features including grain size, grain orientation or texture, ferroelectric domain size and electrical bias field as potential paths to induce large piezoelectric properties in lead-free piezoceramics. It is suggested that a combination of both compositional and novel structural engineering approaches will be required in order to realize viable lead-free alternatives to current lead-based materials for piezoelectric actuator applications. PMID:27877343

Novel genetically optimised high-displacement piezoelectric actuator with efficient use of active material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poikselkä, Katja; Leinonen, Mikko; Palosaari, Jaakko; Vallivaara, Ilari; Röning, Juha; Juuti, Jari

2017-09-01

This paper introduces a new type of piezoelectric actuator, Mikbal. The Mikbal was developed from a Cymbal by adding steel structures around the steel cap to increase displacement and reduce the amount of piezoelectric material used. Here the parameters of the steel cap of Mikbal and Cymbal actuators were optimised by using genetic algorithms in combination with Comsol Multiphysics FEM modelling software. The blocking force of the actuator was maximised for different values of displacement by optimising the height and the top diameter of the end cap profile so that their effect on displacement, blocking force and stresses could be analysed. The optimisation process was done for five Mikbal- and two Cymbal-type actuators with different diameters varying between 15 and 40 mm. A Mikbal with a Ø 25 mm piezoceramic disc and a Ø 40 mm steel end cap was produced and the performances of unclamped measured and modelled cases were found to correspond within 2.8% accuracy. With a piezoelectric disc of Ø 25 mm, the Mikbal created 72% greater displacement while blocking force was decreased 57% compared with a Cymbal with the same size disc. Even with a Ø 20 mm piezoelectric disc, the Mikbal was able to generate ∼10% higher displacement than a Ø 25 mm Cymbal. Thus, the introduced Mikbal structure presents a way to extend the displacement capabilities of a conventional Cymbal actuator for low-to-moderate force applications.

An Active Smart Material Control System for F/A-18 Buffet Alleviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheta, Essam F.; Moses, Robert W.; Huttsell, Lawrence J.; Harrand, Vincent J.

2003-01-01

The vertical tail buffet problem of fighter aircraft occurs at high angles of attack when the vortical flow breaks down ahead of the vertical tails resulting in unsteady and unbalanced pressure loads on the vertical tails. The buffet loads imposed upon the vertical tails resulted in a premature fatigue failure of the tails, and consequently limits the performance and super maneuverability of twin-tail fighter aircraft. An active smart material control system using distributed piezoelectric actuators has been developed for buffet alleviation and is presented. The inboard and outboard surfaces of the vertical tail are equipped with piezoelectric actuators to control the buffet responses in the first bending and torsion modes. The electrodynamics of the piezoelectric actuators are expressed with a three-dimensional finite-element model. A single-input-single-output controller is designed to drive the active piezoelectric actuators. High-fidelity multidisciplinary analysis modules for the fluid dynamics, structure dynamics, electrodynamics of the piezoelectric actuators, control law, fluid structure interfacing, and grid motion are integrated into a multidisciplinary computing environment that controls the temporal synchronization of the analysis modules. At 30 degree angle of attack, RMS values of tip acceleration are reduced by as much as 12%. The peak values of the power spectral density of tail-tip acceleration are reduced by as much as 22% in the first bending mode and by as much as 82% in the first torsion mode. The actively controlled piezoelectric actuators were also effective in adding damping at wide range of angles of attack.

Active Damping Using Distributed Anisotropic Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiller, Noah H.; Cabell, Randolph H.; Quinones, Juan D.; Wier, Nathan C.

2010-01-01

A helicopter structure experiences substantial high-frequency mechanical excitation from powertrain components such as gearboxes and drive shafts. The resulting structure-borne vibration excites the windows which then radiate sound into the passenger cabin. In many cases the radiated sound power can be reduced by adding damping. This can be accomplished using passive or active approaches. Passive treatments such as constrained layer damping tend to reduce window transparency. Therefore this paper focuses on an active approach utilizing compact decentralized control units distributed around the perimeter of the window. Each control unit consists of a triangularly shaped piezoelectric actuator, a miniature accelerometer, and analog electronics. Earlier work has shown that this type of system can increase damping up to approximately 1 kHz. However at higher frequencies the mismatch between the distributed actuator and the point sensor caused control spillover. This paper describes new anisotropic actuators that can be used to improve the bandwidth of the control system. The anisotropic actuators are composed of piezoelectric material sandwiched between interdigitated electrodes, which enables the application of the electric field in a preferred in-plane direction. When shaped correctly the anisotropic actuators outperform traditional isotropic actuators by reducing the mismatch between the distributed actuator and point sensor at high frequencies. Testing performed on a Plexiglas panel, representative of a helicopter window, shows that the control units can increase damping at low frequencies. However high frequency performance was still limited due to the flexible boundary conditions present on the test structure.

Omni Directional Multimaterial Soft Cylindrical Actuator and Its Application as a Steerable Catheter.

PubMed

Gul, Jahan Zeb; Yang, Young Jin; Su, Kim Young; Choi, Kyung Hyun

2017-09-01

Soft actuators with complex range of motion lead to strong interest in applying devices like biomedical catheters and steerable soft pipe inspectors. To facilitate the use of soft actuators in devices where controlled, complex, precise, and fast motion is required, a structurally controlled Omni directional soft cylindrical actuator is fabricated in a modular way using multilayer composite of polylactic acid based conductive Graphene, shape memory polymer, shape memory alloy, and polyurethane. Multiple fabrication techniques are discussed step by step that mainly include fused deposition modeling based 3D printing, dip coating, and UV curing. A mathematical control model is used to generate patterned electrical signals for the Omni directional deformations. Characterizations like structural control, bending, recovery, path, and thermal effect are carried out with and without load (10 g) to verify the new cylindrical design concept. Finally, the application of Omni directional actuator as a steerable catheter is explored by fabricating a scaled version of carotid artery through 3D printing using a semitransparent material.

Multifunctional Materials and Structures Gordon Research Conference

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-08

accelerating transport or dynamic chemical changes in strong, stiff materials, optimizing interfaces between hard and soft materials, multi-physics...Forms; Discuss Future Site and Scheduling Preferences; Election of the Next Vice Chair 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Actuation and Morphing Discussion Leader

Pop-up assembly of 3D structures actuated by heat shrinkable polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Jianxun; Adams, J. G. M.; Zhu, Yong

2017-12-01

Folding 2D sheets into desired 3D structures is a promising fabrication technique that can find a wide range of applications. Compressive buckling provides an attractive strategy to actuate the folding and can be applied to a broad range of materials. Here a new and simple method is reported to achieve controlled compressive buckling, which is actuated by a heat shrinkable polymer sheet. The buckling deformation is localized at the pre-defined creases in the 2D sheet, resulting in sharp folding. Two approaches are developed to actuate the transformation, which follow similar geometric rules. In the first approach, the 2D precursor is pushed from outside, which leads to a 3D structure surrounded by the shrunk polymer sheet. Assembled 3D structures include prisms/pyramids with different base shapes, house roof, partial soccer ball, Miura-ori structure and insect wing. In the second approach, the 2D precursor is pulled from inside, which leads to a 3D structure enclosing the shrunk polymer sheet. Prisms/pyramids with different base shapes are assembled. The assembled structures are further tessellated to fabricate cellular structures that can be used as thermal insulator and crash energy absorber. They are also stacked vertically to fabricate complex multilayer structures.

Performance assessment of solid state actuators through a common procedure and comparison criteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reithler, Livier; Guedra-Degeorges, Didier

1998-07-01

The design of systems based on smart structure technologies for active shape and vibration control and high precision positioning requires a good knowledge of the behavior of the active materials (electrostrictive and piezoelectric ceramics and polymers, magnetostrictive and shape memory alloys...) and of commercially available actuators. Extensive theoretical studies have been made on the behavior of active materials during the past decades but there are only a few developments on experimental comparisons between different kinds of commercially available actuators. The purpose of this study is to find out the pertinent parameters for the design of such systems, to set up a common static test procedure for all types of actuators and to define comparison criteria in terms of output force and displacement, mechanical and electrical energy, mass and dimensions. After having define the pertinent parameters of the characterization and having described the resulting testing procedure, test results are presented for different types of actuators based on piezoceramics and magnetostrictive alloys. The performances of each actuator are compared through both the test results and the announced characteristics: to perform this comparison absolute and relative criteria are chosen considering aeronautical and space applications.

Bio-inspired structural bistability employing elastomeric origami for morphing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daynes, Stephen; Trask, Richard S.; Weaver, Paul M.

2014-12-01

A structural concept based upon the principles of adaptive morphing cells is presented whereby controlled bistability from a flat configuration into a textured arrangement is shown. The material consists of multiple cells made from silicone rubber with locally reinforced regions based upon kirigami principles. On pneumatic actuation these cells fold or unfold based on the fold lines created by the interaction of the geometry with the reinforced regions. Each cell is able to maintain its shape in either a retracted or deployed state, without the aid of mechanisms or sustained actuation, due to the existence of structural bistability. Mathematical quantification of the surface texture is introduced, based on out-of-plane deviations of a deployed structure compared to a reference plane. Additionally, finite element analysis is employed to characterize the geometry and stability of an individual cell during actuation and retraction. This investigation highlights the critical role that angular rotation, at the center of each cell, plays on the deployment angle as it transitions through the elastically deployed configuration. The analysis of this novel concept is presented and a pneumatically actuated proof-of-concept demonstrator is fabricated.

Gyroscope and Micromirror Design Using Vertical-Axis CMOS-MEMS Actuation and Sensing

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

Interference pattern around the upper anchor (each fringe occurs at 310 nm vertical displacement...described above require extra lithography step(s) other than standard CMOS lithography steps and/or deposition of structural and sacrificial materials...Instruments’ dig- ital mirror device ( DMD ) [43]. The aluminum thin-film technology with vertical parallel- plate actuation has difficulty in achieving

Numerical study on 3D composite morphing actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oishi, Kazuma; Saito, Makoto; Anandan, Nishita; Kadooka, Kevin; Taya, Minoru

2015-04-01

There are a number of actuators using the deformation of electroactive polymer (EAP), where fewer papers seem to have focused on the performance of 3D morphing actuators based on the analytical approach, due mainly to their complexity. The present paper introduces a numerical analysis approach on the large scale deformation and motion of a 3D half dome shaped actuator composed of thin soft membrane (passive material) and EAP strip actuators (EAP active coupon with electrodes on both surfaces), where the locations of the active EAP strips is a key parameter. Simulia/Abaqus Static and Implicit analysis code, whose main feature is the high precision contact analysis capability among structures, are used focusing on the whole process of the membrane to touch and wrap around the object. The unidirectional properties of the EAP coupon actuator are used as input data set for the material properties for the simulation and the verification of our numerical model, where the verification is made as compared to the existing 2D solution. The numerical results can demonstrate the whole deformation process of the membrane to wrap around not only smooth shaped objects like a sphere or an egg, but also irregularly shaped objects. A parametric study reveals the proper placement of the EAP coupon actuators, with the modification of the dome shape to induce the relevant large scale deformation. The numerical simulation for the 3D soft actuators shown in this paper could be applied to a wider range of soft 3D morphing actuators.

Synthesis and electromechanical characterization of a new acrylic dielectric elastomer with high actuation strain and dielectric strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Wei; Niu, Xiaofan; Yang, Xinguo; Zhang, Naifang; Pei, Qibing

2013-04-01

Dielectric Elastomers (DEs) can be actuated under high electric field to produce large strains. Most high-performing DE materials such as the 3M™ VHB™ membranes are commercial products designed for industrial pressure-sensitive adhesives. The limited knowledge of the exact chemical structures of these commercial materials has made it difficult to understand the relationship between molecular structures and electromechanical properties. In this work, new acrylic elastomers based on n-butyl acrylate and acrylic acid were synthesized from monomer solutions by UV-initiated bulk polymerization. The new acrylic copolymers have a potential to obtain high dielectric constant, actuation strain, dielectric strength, and a high energy density. Silicone and ester oligomer diacrylates were also added onto the copolymer structures to suppress crystallization and to crosslink the polymer chains. Four acrylic formulations were developed with different amounts of acrylic acid. This gives a tunable stiffness, while the dielectric constant is varied from 4.3 to 7.1. The figure-of-merit performance of the best formulation is 186 % area strain, 222 MV/m of dielectric strength, and 2.7 MJ/m3 of energy density. To overcome electromechanical instability, different prestrain ratios were investigated, and under the optimized prestrain, the material has a lifetime of thousands of cycles at 120 % area strain.

Reversible Self-Actuated Thermo-Responsive Pore Membrane

PubMed Central

Park, Younggeun; Gutierrez, Maria Paz; Lee, Luke P.

2016-01-01

Smart membranes, which can selectively control the transfer of light, air, humidity and temperature, are important to achieve indoor climate regulation. Even though reversible self-actuation of smart membranes is desirable in large-scale, reversible self-regulation remains challenging. Specifically, reversible 100% opening/closing of pore actuation showing accurate responsiveness, reproducibility and structural flexibility, including uniform structure assembly, is currently very difficult. Here, we report a reversible, thermo-responsive self-activated pore membrane that achieves opening and closing of pores. The reversible, self-actuated thermo-responsive pore membrane was fabricated with hybrid materials of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide), (PNIPAM) within polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to form a multi-dimensional pore array. Using Multiphysics simulation of heat transfer and structural mechanics based on finite element analysis, we demonstrated that pore opening and closing dynamics can be self-activated at environmentally relevant temperatures. Temperature cycle characterizations of the pore structure revealed 100% opening ratio at T = 40 °C and 0% opening ratio at T = 20 °C. The flexibility of the membrane showed an accurate temperature-responsive function at a maximum bending angle of 45°. Addressing the importance of self-regulation, this reversible self-actuated thermo-responsive pore membrane will advance the development of future large-scale smart membranes needed for sustainable indoor climate control. PMID:27991563

Reversible Self-Actuated Thermo-Responsive Pore Membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Younggeun; Gutierrez, Maria Paz; Lee, Luke P.

2016-12-01

Smart membranes, which can selectively control the transfer of light, air, humidity and temperature, are important to achieve indoor climate regulation. Even though reversible self-actuation of smart membranes is desirable in large-scale, reversible self-regulation remains challenging. Specifically, reversible 100% opening/closing of pore actuation showing accurate responsiveness, reproducibility and structural flexibility, including uniform structure assembly, is currently very difficult. Here, we report a reversible, thermo-responsive self-activated pore membrane that achieves opening and closing of pores. The reversible, self-actuated thermo-responsive pore membrane was fabricated with hybrid materials of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide), (PNIPAM) within polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to form a multi-dimensional pore array. Using Multiphysics simulation of heat transfer and structural mechanics based on finite element analysis, we demonstrated that pore opening and closing dynamics can be self-activated at environmentally relevant temperatures. Temperature cycle characterizations of the pore structure revealed 100% opening ratio at T = 40 °C and 0% opening ratio at T = 20 °C. The flexibility of the membrane showed an accurate temperature-responsive function at a maximum bending angle of 45°. Addressing the importance of self-regulation, this reversible self-actuated thermo-responsive pore membrane will advance the development of future large-scale smart membranes needed for sustainable indoor climate control.

Applications of Piezoelectric Materials in Structural Health Monitoring and Repair: Selected Research Examples

PubMed Central

Duan, Wen Hui; Wang, Quan; Quek, Ser Tong

2010-01-01

The paper reviews the recent applications of piezoelectric materials in structural health monitoring and repair conducted by the authors. First, commonly used piezoelectric materials in structural health monitoring and structure repair are introduced. The analysis of plain piezoelectric sensors and actuators and interdigital transducer and their applications in beam, plate and pipe structures for damage detection are reviewed in detail. Second, an overview is presented on the recent advances in the applications of piezoelectric materials in structural repair. In addition, the basic principle and the current development of the technique are examined. PMID:28883375

Summary of Research 1998, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-08-01

included which consists of conference presentations and publications, books, contributions to books, published journal papers, technical reports, and...Using Smart Materials," Journal of Smart Materials and Structures, Vol. 7, pp. 95-104, 1998. Agrawal, B. and Treanor, K., "Shape Control of a Beam Using...Piezoelectric Actuators," Journal of Smart Materials and Structures, accepted. THESES DIRECTED: Johnson, S. and Vlattas, J., "Active Vibration

Structural Integration of Sensors/Actuators by Laser Beam Melting for Tailored Smart Components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Töppel, Thomas; Lausch, Holger; Brand, Michael; Hensel, Eric; Arnold, Michael; Rotsch, Christian

2018-03-01

Laser beam melting (LBM), an additive laser powder bed fusion technology, enables the structural integration of temperature-sensitive sensors and actuators in complex monolithic metallic structures. The objective is to embed a functional component inside a metal part without losing its functionality by overheating. The first part of this paper addresses the development of a new process chain for bonded embedding of temperature-sensitive sensor/actuator systems by LBM. These systems are modularly built and coated by a multi-material/multi-layer thermal protection system of ceramic and metallic compounds. The characteristic of low global heat input in LBM is utilized for the functional embedding. In the second part, the specific functional design and optimization for tailored smart components with embedded functionalities are addressed. Numerical and experimental validated results are demonstrated on a smart femoral hip stem.

Shape memory system with integrated actuation using embedded particles

DOEpatents

Buckley, Patrick R [New York, NY; Maitland, Duncan J [Pleasant Hill, CA

2009-09-22

A shape memory material with integrated actuation using embedded particles. One embodiment provides a shape memory material apparatus comprising a shape memory material body and magnetic pieces in the shape memory material body. Another embodiment provides a method of actuating a device to perform an activity on a subject comprising the steps of positioning a shape memory material body in a desired position with regard to the subject, the shape memory material body capable of being formed in a specific primary shape, reformed into a secondary stable shape, and controllably actuated to recover the specific primary shape; including pieces in the shape memory material body; and actuating the shape memory material body using the pieces causing the shape memory material body to be controllably actuated to recover the specific primary shape and perform the activity on the subject.

Shape memory system with integrated actuation using embedded particles

DOEpatents

Buckley, Patrick R [New York, NY; Maitland, Duncan J [Pleasant Hill, CA

2012-05-29

A shape memory material with integrated actuation using embedded particles. One embodiment provides a shape memory material apparatus comprising a shape memory material body and magnetic pieces in the shape memory material body. Another embodiment provides a method of actuating a device to perform an activity on a subject comprising the steps of positioning a shape memory material body in a desired position with regard to the subject, the shape memory material body capable of being formed in a specific primary shape, reformed into a secondary stable shape, and controllably actuated to recover the specific primary shape; including pieces in the shape memory material body; and actuating the shape memory material body using the pieces causing the shape memory material body to be controllably actuated to recover the specific primary shape and perform the activity on the subject.

Shape memory system with integrated actuation using embedded particles

DOEpatents

Buckley, Patrick R.; Maitland, Duncan J.

2014-04-01

A shape memory material with integrated actuation using embedded particles. One embodiment provides a shape memory material apparatus comprising a shape memory material body and magnetic pieces in the shape memory material body. Another embodiment provides a method of actuating a device to perform an activity on a subject comprising the steps of positioning a shape memory material body in a desired position with regard to the subject, the shape memory material body capable of being formed in a specific primary shape, reformed into a secondary stable shape, and controllably actuated to recover the specific primary shape; including pieces in the shape memory material body; and actuating the shape memory material body using the pieces causing the shape memory material body to be controllably actuated to recover the specific primary shape and perform the activity on the subject.

3D printing of robotic soft actuators with programmable bioinspired architectures.

PubMed

Schaffner, Manuel; Faber, Jakob A; Pianegonda, Lucas; Rühs, Patrick A; Coulter, Fergal; Studart, André R

2018-02-28

Soft actuation allows robots to interact safely with humans, other machines, and their surroundings. Full exploitation of the potential of soft actuators has, however, been hindered by the lack of simple manufacturing routes to generate multimaterial parts with intricate shapes and architectures. Here, we report a 3D printing platform for the seamless digital fabrication of pneumatic silicone actuators exhibiting programmable bioinspired architectures and motions. The actuators comprise an elastomeric body whose surface is decorated with reinforcing stripes at a well-defined lead angle. Similar to the fibrous architectures found in muscular hydrostats, the lead angle can be altered to achieve elongation, contraction, or twisting motions. Using a quantitative model based on lamination theory, we establish design principles for the digital fabrication of silicone-based soft actuators whose functional response is programmed within the material's properties and architecture. Exploring such programmability enables 3D printing of a broad range of soft morphing structures.

Static aeroelastic behavior of an adaptive laminated piezoelectric composite wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisshaar, T. A.; Ehlers, S. M.

1990-01-01

The effect of using an adaptive material to modify the static aeroelastic behavior of a uniform wing is examined. The wing structure is idealized as a laminated sandwich structure with piezoelectric layers in the upper and lower skins. A feedback system that senses the wing root loads applies a constant electric field to the piezoelectric actuator. Modification of pure torsional deformaton behavior and pure bending deformation are investigated, as is the case of an anisotropic composite swept wing. The use of piezoelectric actuators to create an adaptive structure is found to alter static aeroelastic behavior in that the proper choice of the feedback gain can increase or decrease the aeroelastic divergence speed. This concept also may be used to actively change the lift effectiveness of a wing. The ability to modify static aeroelastic behavior is limited by physical limitations of the piezoelectric material and the manner in which it is integrated into the parent structure.

Design and construction of a novel rotary magnetostrictive motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Nanjia; Blatchley, Charles C.; Ibeh, Christopher C.

2009-04-01

Magnetostriction can be used to induce linear incremental motion, which is effective in giant magnetostrictive inchworm motors. Such motors possess the advantage of combining small step incremental motion with large force. However, continuous rotation may be preferred in practical applications. This paper describes a novel magnetostrictive rotary motor using terfenol-D (Tb0.3Dy0.7Fe1.9) material as the driving element. The motor is constructed of two giant magnetostrictive actuators with shell structured flexure-hinge and leaf springs. These two actuators are placed in a perpendicular position to minimize the coupling displacement of the two actuators. The principal design parameters of the actuators and strain amplifiers are optimally determined, and its static analysis is undertaken through finite element analysis software. The small movements of the magnetostrictive actuators are magnified by about three times using oval shell structured amplifiers. When two sinusoidal wave currents with 90° phase shift are applied to the magnetostrictive actuators, purely rotational movement can be produced as in the orbit of a Lissajous diagram in an oscillograph, and this movement is used to drive the rotor of the motor. A prototype has been constructed and tested.

Unsteady aerodynamics of membrane wings with adaptive compliance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiser, Jillian; Breuer, Kenneth

2016-11-01

Membrane wings are known to provide superior aerodynamic performance at low Reynolds numbers (Re =104 -105), primarily due to passive shape adaptation to flow conditions. In addition to this passive deformation, active control of the fluid-structure interaction and resultant aerodynamic properties can be achieved through the use of dielectric elastomer actuators as the wing membrane material. When actuated, membrane pretension is decreased and wing camber increases. Additionally, actuation at resonance frequencies allows additional control over wing camber. We present results using synchronized (i) time-resolved particle image velocimetry (PIV) to resolve the flow field, (ii) 3D direct linear transformation (DLT) to recover membrane shape, (iii) lift/drag/torque measurements and (iv) near-wake hot wire anemometry measurements to characterize the fluid-structure interactions. Particular attention is paid to cases in which the vortex shedding frequency, the membrane resonance, and the actuation frequency coincide. In quantitatively examining both flow field and membrane shape at a range of actuation frequencies and vortex shedding frequencies, this work seeks to find actuation parameters that allow for active control of boundary layer separation over a range of flow conditions. Also at Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport.

Wood as inspiration for new stimuli-responsive structures and materials

Treesearch

Joseph E. Jakes; Nayomi Plaza-Rodriguez; Samuel L. Zelinka; Donald S. Stone; Sophie-Charlotte Gleber; Stefan Vogt

2014-01-01

Nature has often provided inspiration for new smart structures and materials. Recently, we showed a bundle of a few wood cells are moisture-activated torsional actuators that can reversibly twist multiple revolutions per centimeter of length. The bundles produce specific torque higher than that produced by electric motors and possess shape memory twist capabilities....

A polymer-based Fabry-Perot filter integrated with 3-D MEMS structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ping (Cerina); Le, Kevin; Malalur-Nagaraja-Rao, Smitha; Hsu, Lun-Chen; Chiao, J.-C.

2006-01-01

Polymers have been considered as one of the most versatile materials in making optical devices for communication and sensor applications. They provide good optical transparency to form filters, lenses and many optical components with ease of fabrication. They are scalable and compatible in dimensions with requirements in optics and can be fabricated on inorganic substrates, such as silicon and quartz. Recent polymer synthesis also made great progresses on conductive and nonlinear polymers, opening opportunities for new applications. In this paper, we discussed hybrid-material integration of polymers on silicon-based microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices. The motivation is to combine the advantages of demonstrated silicon-based MEMS actuators and excellent optical performance of polymers. We demonstrated the idea with a polymer-based out-of-plane Fabry-Perot filter that can be self-assembled by scratch drive actuators. We utilized a fabrication foundry service, MUMPS (Multi-User MEMS Process), to demonstrate the feasibility and flexibility of integration. The polysilicon, used as the structural material for construction of 3-D framework and actuators, has high absorption in the visible and near infrared ranges. Therefore, previous efforts using a polysilicon layer as optical interfaces suffer from high losses. We applied the organic compound materials on the silicon-based framework within the optical signal propagation path to form the optical interfaces. In this paper, we have shown low losses in the optical signal processing and feasibility of building a thin-film Fabry-Perot filter. We discussed the optical filter designs, mechanical design, actuation mechanism, fabrication issues, optical measurements, and results.

Biomimetic photo-actuation: progress and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dicker, Michael P. M.; Weaver, Paul M.; Rossiter, Jonathan M.; Bond, Ian P.; Faul, Charl F. J.

2016-04-01

Photo-actuation, such as that observed in the reversible sun-tracking movements of heliotropic plants, is produced by a complex, yet elegant series of processes. In the heliotropic leaf movements of the Cornish Mallow, photo-actuation involves the generation, transport and manipulation of chemical signals from a distributed network of sensors in the leaf veins to a specialized osmosis driven actuation region in the leaf stem. It is theorized that such an arrangement is both efficient in terms of materials use and operational energy conversion, as well as being highly robust. We concern ourselves with understanding and mimicking these light driven, chemically controlled actuating systems with the aim of generating intelligent structures which share the properties of efficiency and robustness that are so important to survival in Nature. In this work we present recent progress in mimicking these photo-actuating systems through remote light exposure of a metastable state photoacid and the resulting signal and energy transfer through solution to a pH-responsive hydrogel actuator. Reversible actuation strains of 20% were achieved from this arrangement, with modelling then employed to reveal the critical influence hydrogel pKa has on this result. Although the strong actuation achieved highlights the progress that has been made in replicating the principles of biomimetic photo-actuation, challenges such as photoacid degradation were also revealed. It is anticipated that current work can directly lead to the development of high-performance and low-cost solartrackers for increased photovoltaic energy capture and to the creation of new types of intelligent structures employing chemical control systems.

EDITORIAL Smart materials, multifunctional composites, and morphing structures: selected papers from the 20th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies (ICAST 2009) Smart materials, multifunctional composites, and morphing structures: selected papers from the 20th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies (ICAST 2009)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Wei-Hsin

2010-12-01

The 20th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies (ICAST) was held on 20-22 October 2009 in Hong Kong. This special section of Smart Materials and Structures is derived from the research papers presented at the conference. Of the 106 papers presented at the conference, 11 papers were reviewed and accepted for this special section, following the regular review procedures of the journal. This special section is focused on smart materials, multifunctional composites, and applications on morphing structures. Smart materials. Smart materials are the foundation of adaptive structures and intelligent systems. The development of new materials will lead to significant improvement in various applications. Three articles are focused on the fabrication of new materials and investigation of their behaviors: Barium strontium zirconate titanate ((Ba1-xSrx)(ZrxTi1-x)O3; BSZT, x = 0.25 and 0.75) ceramics with a highly crystalline structure were fabricated using the combustion technique. The microstructure of BSZT powders exhibited an almost-spherical morphology and had a porous agglomerated form. Polyaniline (PANI)/clay nanoparticles with unique core-shell structure were synthesized via Pickering emulsion polymerization. By dispersing PANI/clay nanoparticles in silicone oil, the ER fluid was made. Magnetic field effects were investigated on the deposition rate and surface morphology of chromium nitride coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering for superior hardness, excellent wear and oxidation resistance. The surface morphology of chromium nitride films was also examined by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Multifunctional composites. Composites are made from two or more constituent materials so they can combine the best properties of different materials. Five papers deal with fabrication, testing, and modeling of various multifunctional composites: A new active structural fiber (ASF) was fabricated by coating a single carbon fiber with a concentric PZT (PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3) shell using electrolytic deposition. This new ASF is expected to have broader applications due to the higher piezoelectric coupling effect with the use of carbon fiber and PZT. The sol-gel technique was employed to deposit lead zirconium titanium (PZT) and silica composite film onto a copper (Cu)/polyimide (PI) flexible structure. The fabricated PZT-silica composite films were then used for flexible actuator and sensor applications. Interfacial properties and hydrophobicity of multifunctional Ni-nanopowder/epoxy composites were evaluated for self-sensing and actuation. The effects of water content on the actuation performance of ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) were investigated experimentally. Multiscale modelling of a composite electroactive polymer structure was developed, in particular for tubular actuators. The models were validated with experimental data. Morphing structures. Three papers relate to morphing skins and structures. Several issues including stiffness and energy consumption were explored: Composite corrugated structures were used as morphing skin panels (MSPs) in the trailing edge region of a scaled morphing aerofoil section. Wind tunnel testing was carried out to demonstrate the MSP concept. Optimization of a variable-stiffness skin was performed for morphing high-lift devices. The objective is to design the structure to have high enough stiffness to withstand aerodynamic loading and yet low enough stiffness to enable morphing. The aerodynamic and actuation loads were taken into consideration during the optimization. Two adaptive and morphing structures were proposed for low-energy consumption or even energy-harvesting green buildings with the use of an optimization process. Searching for optimal solutions was done by means of an evolutionary technique while the compatibility of the resulting configurations of the adaptive envelope was ensured by the virtual force density method. We would like to thank all of the authors for their significant contributions to this special section for Smart Materials and Structures. We are also grateful to all of the reviewers and associate editors who handled the reviews for their time and effort. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Professor E Garcia, Editor-in-Chief, for his encouragement by providing the opportunity to make this special section. I am indebted to IOP Publishing for their strong support and the staff, in particular publisher Natasha Leeper, for their special attention and excellent service.

Photothermal heating in metal-embedded microtools for material transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villangca, Mark; Palima, Darwin; Bañas, Andrew; Glückstad, Jesper

2016-03-01

Material transport is an important mechanism in microfluidics and drug delivery. The methods and solutions found in literature involve passively diffusing structures, microneedles and chemically fueled structures. In this work, we make use of optically actuated microtools with embedded metal layer as heating element for controlled loading and release. The new microtools take advantage of the photothermal-induced convection current to load and unload cargo. We also discuss some challenges encountered in realizing a self-contained polymerized microtool. Microfluidic mixing, fluid flow control and convection currents have been demonstrated both experimentally and numerically for static metal thin films or passively floating nanoparticles. Here we show an integration of aforementioned functionalities in an optically fabricated and actuated microtool. As proof of concept, we demonstrate loading and unloading of beads. This can be extended to controlled transport and release of genetic material, bio-molecules, fluorescent dyes. We envisioned these microtools to be an important addition to the portfolio of structure-mediated contemporary biophotonics.

Structural Acoustic Response of a Shape Memory Alloy Hybrid Composite Panel (Lessons Learned)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, Travis L.

2002-01-01

This study presents results from an effort to fabricate a shape memory alloy hybrid composite (SMAHC) panel specimen and test the structure for dynamic response and noise transmission characteristics under the action of thermal and random acoustic loads. A method for fabricating a SMAHC laminate with bi-directional SMA reinforcement is described. Glass-epoxy unidirectional prepreg tape and Nitinol ribbon comprise the material system. Thermal activation of the Nitinol actuators was achieved through resistive heating. The experimental hardware required for mechanical support of the panel/actuators and for establishing convenient electrical connectivity to the actuators is presented. Other experimental apparatus necessary for controlling the panel temperature and acquiring structural acoustic data are also described. Deficiency in the thermal control system was discovered in the process of performing the elevated temperature tests. Discussion of the experimental results focuses on determining the causes for the deficiency and establishing means for rectifying the problem.

Structural acoustic response of a shape memory alloy hybrid composite panel (lessons learned)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Travis L.

2002-07-01

This study presents results from an effort to fabricate a shape memory alloy hybrid composite (SMAHC) panel specimen and test the structure for dynamic response and noise transmission characteristics under the action of thermal and random acoustic loads. A method for fabricating a SMAHC laminate with bi-directional SMA reinforcement is described. Glass-epoxy unidirectional prepreg tape and Nitinol ribbon comprise the material system. Thermal activation of the Nitinol actuators was achieved through resistive heating. The experimental hardware required for mechanical support of the panel/actuators and for establishing convenient electrical connectivity to the actuators is presented. Other experimental apparatus necessary for controlling the panel temperature and acquiring structural acoustic data are also described. Deficiency in the thermal control system was discovered in the process of performing the elevated temperature tests. Discussion of the experimental results focuses on determining the causes for the deficiency and establishing means for rectifying the problem.

Characterization of Creases in Polymers for Adaptive Origami Structures (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

Techniques employed in origami are of interest for the design of actuating structures with multiple defined geometric states. Most research in this...studied in detail. Understanding creasing is crucial for establishing material selection guidelines in origami engineering applications...Identification of the precise failure mechanisms is critical for understanding the residual fold angle and selecting optimal materials for specific origami

Paper Actuators Made with Cellulose and Hybrid Materials

PubMed Central

Kim, Jaehwan; Yun, Sungryul; Mahadeva, Suresha K.; Yun, Kiju; Yang, Sang Yeol; Maniruzzaman, Mohammad

2010-01-01

Recently, cellulose has been re-discovered as a smart material that can be used as sensor and actuator materials, which is termed electro-active paper (EAPap). This paper reports recent advances in paper actuators made with cellulose and hybrid materials such as multi-walled carbon nanotubes, conducting polymers and ionic liquids. Two distinct actuator principles in EAPap actuators are demonstrated: piezoelectric effect and ion migration effect in cellulose. Piezoelectricity of cellulose EAPap is quite comparable with other piezoelectric polymers. But, it is biodegradable, biocompatible, mechanically strong and thermally stable. To enhance ion migration effect in the cellulose, polypyrrole conducting polymer and ionic liquids were nanocoated on the cellulose film. This hybrid cellulose EAPap nanocomposite exhibits durable bending actuation in an ambient humidity and temperature condition. Fabrication, characteristics and performance of the cellulose EAPap and its hybrid EAPap materials are illustrated. Also, its possibility for remotely microwave-driven paper actuator is demonstrated. PMID:22294882

Paper actuators made with cellulose and hybrid materials.

PubMed

Kim, Jaehwan; Yun, Sungryul; Mahadeva, Suresha K; Yun, Kiju; Yang, Sang Yeol; Maniruzzaman, Mohammad

2010-01-01

Recently, cellulose has been re-discovered as a smart material that can be used as sensor and actuator materials, which is termed electro-active paper (EAPap). This paper reports recent advances in paper actuators made with cellulose and hybrid materials such as multi-walled carbon nanotubes, conducting polymers and ionic liquids. Two distinct actuator principles in EAPap actuators are demonstrated: piezoelectric effect and ion migration effect in cellulose. Piezoelectricity of cellulose EAPap is quite comparable with other piezoelectric polymers. But, it is biodegradable, biocompatible, mechanically strong and thermally stable. To enhance ion migration effect in the cellulose, polypyrrole conducting polymer and ionic liquids were nanocoated on the cellulose film. This hybrid cellulose EAPap nanocomposite exhibits durable bending actuation in an ambient humidity and temperature condition. Fabrication, characteristics and performance of the cellulose EAPap and its hybrid EAPap materials are illustrated. Also, its possibility for remotely microwave-driven paper actuator is demonstrated.

Variable stiffness mechanisms with SMA actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siler, Damin J.; Demoret, Kimberly B. J.

1996-05-01

Variable stiffness is a new branch of smart structures development with several applications related to aircraft. Previous research indicates that temporarily reducing the stiffness of an airplane wing can decrease control actuator sizing and improve aeroelastic roll performance. Some smart materials like shape memory alloys (SMA) can change their material stiffness properties, but they tend to gain stiffness in their `power on' state. An alternative is to integrate mechanisms into a structure and change stiffness by altering boundary conditions and structural load paths. An innovative concept for an axial strut mechanism was discovered as part of research into variable stiffness. It employs SMA springs (specifically Ni-Ti) in a way that reduces overall stiffness when the SMA springs gain stiffness. A simplified mathematical model for static analysis was developed, and a 70% reduction in stiffness was obtained for a particular selection of springs. The small force capacity of commercially available SMA springs limits the practicality of this concept for large load applications. However, smart material technology is still immature, and future advances may permit development of a heavy-duty, variable stiffness strut that is small and light enough for use in aircraft structures.

Contactless, photoinitiated snap-through in azobenzene-functionalized polymers

PubMed Central

Shankar, M. Ravi; Smith, Matthew L.; Tondiglia, Vincent P.; Lee, Kyung Min; McConney, Michael E.; Wang, David H.; Tan, Loon-Seng; White, Timothy J.

2013-01-01

Photomechanical effects in polymeric materials and composites transduce light into mechanical work. The ability to control the intensity, polarization, placement, and duration of light irradiation is a distinctive and potentially useful tool to tailor the location, magnitude, and directionality of photogenerated mechanical work. Unfortunately, the work generated from photoresponsive materials is often slow and yields very small power densities, which diminish their potential use in applications. Here, we investigate photoinitiated snap-through in bistable arches formed from samples composed of azobenzene-functionalized polymers (both amorphous polyimides and liquid crystal polymer networks) and report orders-of-magnitude enhancement in actuation rates (approaching 102 mm/s) and powers (as much as 1 kW/m3). The contactless, ultra-fast actuation is observed at irradiation intensities <<100 mW/cm2. Due to the bistability and symmetry of the snap-through, reversible and bidirectional actuation is demonstrated. A model is developed to elucidate the underlying mechanics of the snap-through, specifically focusing on isolating the role of sample geometry, mechanical properties of the materials, and photomechanical strain. Using light to trigger contactless, ultrafast actuation in an otherwise passive structure is a potentially versatile tool to use in mechanical design at the micro-, meso-, and millimeter scales as actuators, as well as switches that can be triggered from large standoff distances, impulse generators for microvehicles, microfluidic valves and mixers in laboratory-on-chip devices, and adaptive optical elements. PMID:24190994

Contactless, photoinitiated snap-through in azobenzene-functionalized polymers.

PubMed

Shankar, M Ravi; Smith, Matthew L; Tondiglia, Vincent P; Lee, Kyung Min; McConney, Michael E; Wang, David H; Tan, Loon-Seng; White, Timothy J

2013-11-19

Photomechanical effects in polymeric materials and composites transduce light into mechanical work. The ability to control the intensity, polarization, placement, and duration of light irradiation is a distinctive and potentially useful tool to tailor the location, magnitude, and directionality of photogenerated mechanical work. Unfortunately, the work generated from photoresponsive materials is often slow and yields very small power densities, which diminish their potential use in applications. Here, we investigate photoinitiated snap-through in bistable arches formed from samples composed of azobenzene-functionalized polymers (both amorphous polyimides and liquid crystal polymer networks) and report orders-of-magnitude enhancement in actuation rates (approaching 10(2) mm/s) and powers (as much as 1 kW/m(3)). The contactless, ultra-fast actuation is observed at irradiation intensities <100 mW/cm(2). Due to the bistability and symmetry of the snap-through, reversible and bidirectional actuation is demonstrated. A model is developed to elucidate the underlying mechanics of the snap-through, specifically focusing on isolating the role of sample geometry, mechanical properties of the materials, and photomechanical strain. Using light to trigger contactless, ultrafast actuation in an otherwise passive structure is a potentially versatile tool to use in mechanical design at the micro-, meso-, and millimeter scales as actuators, as well as switches that can be triggered from large standoff distances, impulse generators for microvehicles, microfluidic valves and mixers in laboratory-on-chip devices, and adaptive optical elements.

Acoustic Mechanical Feedthroughs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherrit, Stewart; Walkemeyer, Phillip; Bao, Xiaoqi; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Badescu, Mircea

2013-01-01

Electromagnetic motors can have problems when operating in extreme environments. In addition, if one needs to do mechanical work outside a structure, electrical feedthroughs are required to transport the electric power to drive the motor. In this paper, we present designs for driving rotary and linear motors by pumping stress waves across a structure or barrier. We accomplish this by designing a piezoelectric actuator on one side of the structure and a resonance structure that is matched to the piezoelectric resonance of the actuator on the other side. Typically, piezoelectric motors can be designed with high torques and lower speeds without the need for gears. One can also use other actuation materials such as electrostrictive, or magnetostrictive materials in a benign environment and transmit the power in acoustic form as a stress wave and actuate mechanisms that are external to the benign environment. This technology removes the need to perforate a structure and allows work to be done directly on the other side of a structure without the use of electrical feedthroughs, which can weaken the structure, pipe, or vessel. Acoustic energy is pumped as a stress wave at a set frequency or range of frequencies to produce rotary or linear motion in a structure. This method of transferring useful mechanical work across solid barriers by pumping acoustic energy through a resonant structure features the ability to transfer work (rotary or linear motion) across pressure or thermal barriers, or in a sterile environment, without generating contaminants. Reflectors in the wall of barriers can be designed to enhance the efficiency of the energy/power transmission. The method features the ability to produce a bi-directional driving mechanism using higher-mode resonances. There are a variety of applications where the presence of a motor is complicated by thermal or chemical environments that would be hostile to the motor components and reduce life and, in some instances, not be feasible. A variety of designs that have been designed, fabricated and tested will be presented

Non-Uniform Thickness Electroactive Device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ji (Inventor); Harrison, Joycelyn S. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

An electroactive device comprises at least two layers of material, wherein at least one layer is an electroactive material and wherein at least one layer is of non-uniform thickness. The device can be produced in various sizes, ranging from large structural actuators to microscale or nanoscale devices. The applied voltage to the device in combination with the non-uniform thickness of at least one of the layers (electroactive and/or non-electroactive) controls the contour of the actuated device. The effective electric field is a mathematical function of the local layer thickness. Therefore, the local strain and the local bending/ torsion curvature are also a mathematical function of the local thickness. Hence the thinnest portion of the actuator offers the largest bending and/or torsion response. Tailoring of the layer thicknesses can enable complex motions to be achieved.

Numerical analysis of helical dielectric elastomer actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jang Ho; Nair, Saurabh; Kim, Daewon

2017-04-01

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) are known for its capability of experiencing extreme strains, as it can expand and contract based on specific actuation voltage applied. On contrary, helical DEA (HDEA) with its unique configuration does not only provide the contractile and extendable capabilities, but also can aid in attaining results for bending and torsion. The concept of HDEA embraces many new techniques and can be applied in multiple disciplines. Thus, this paper focuses on the simulation of HDEA with helical compliant electrodes that is a major factor prior to its application. The attributes of the material used to build the structure plays a vital role in the behavior of the system. For numerical analysis of HDEA, the material characteristics are input into a commercial grade software, and then the appropriate analysis is performed to retrieve its outcome. Applying the material characteristics into numerical analysis modeling, the functionality of HDEA for various activations can be achieved, which is used to test and comply with the fabricated final product.

Deformation behavior of carbon-fiber reinforced shape-memory-polymer composites used for deployable structures (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Xin; Liu, Liwu; Li, Fengfeng; Pan, Chengtong; Liu, Yanju; Leng, Jinsong

2017-04-01

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are a new type of smart material, they perform large reversible deformation with a certain external stimulus (e.g., heat and electricity). The properties (e.g., stiffness, strength and other mechanically static or quasi-static load-bearing capacity) are primarily considered for conventional resin-based composite materials which are mainly used for structural materials. By contrast, the mechanical actuating performance with finite deformation is considered for the shape memory polymers and their composites which can be used for both structural materials and functional materials. For shape memory polymers and their composites, the performance of active deformation is expected to further promote the development in smart active deformation structures, such as deployable space structures and morphing wing aircraft. The shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) are also one type of High Strain Composite (HSC). The space deployable structures based on carbon fiber reinforced shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) show great prospects. Considering the problems that SMPCs are difficult to meet the practical applications in space deployable structures in the recent ten years, this paper aims to research the mechanics of deformation, actuation and failure of SMPCs. In the overall view of the shape memory polymer material's nonlinearity (nonlinearity and stress softening in the process of pre-deformation and recovery, relaxation in storage process, irreversible deformation), by the multiple verifications among theory, finite element and experiments, one obtains the deformation and actuation mechanism for the process of "pre-deformation, energy storage and actuation" and its non-fracture constraint domain. Then, the parameters of SMPCs will be optimized. Theoretical analysis is realized by the strain energy function, additionally considering the interaction strain energy between the fiber and the matrix. For the common resin-based or soft-material-based composites under pure bending deformation, we expect to uniformly explain the whole process of buckling occurrence, evolution and finally failure, especially for the early evolution characteristics of fiber microbuckling inside the microstructures. The research results are meaningful for the practical applications for SMPC deployable structures in space. Considering the deformation mechanisms of SMPCs, the local post-microbuckling is required for the unidirectional fiber reinforced composite materials, at the conditions of its large geometrical deflection. The cross section of SMPC is divided into three areas: non-buckling stretching area, non-buckling compressive area, and buckling compressive area. Three variables are considered: critical buckling position, and neutral plane, the fiber buckling half-wavelength. Considering the condition of the small strain and large displacement, the strain energy expression of the SMP/fiber system was derived, which contains two types, e.g., strain energy of SMP and fiber. According to the minimum energy principle, the expression for all key parameters were derived, including the critical buckling curvature, neutral plane position, the buckling half-wavelength, fiber buckling amplitude, and strain.

Thermo-active polymer nanocomposites: a spectroscopic study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, A. Douglas; Larios, Eduardo; Jaye, Cherno; Fischer, Daniel A.; Omastová, Mária; Campo, Eva M.

2014-09-01

Photo- and thermo-mechanical actuation behaviour in specific polymer-carbon nanotube composites has been observed in recent years and studied at the macroscale. These systems may prove to be suitable components for a wide range of applications, from MOEMs and nanotechnology to neuroscience and tissue engineering. Absence of a unified model for actuation behaviour at a molecular level is hindering development of such smart materials. We observed thermomechanical actuation of ethylene-vinyl acetate | carbon nanotube composites through in situ near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy to correlate spectral trends with macroscopic observations. This paper presents spectra of composites and constituents at room temperature to identify resonances in a building block model, followed by spectra acquired during thermo-actuation. Effects of strain-induced filler alignment are also addressed. Spectral resonances associated with C=C and C=O groups underwent synchronised intensity variations during excitation, and were used to propose a conformational model of actuation based on carbon nanotube torsion. Future actuation studies on other active polymer nanocomposites will verify the universality of the proposed model.

Tracking Control of Hysteretic Piezoelectric Actuator using Adaptive Rate-Dependent Controller.

PubMed

Tan, U-Xuan; Latt, Win Tun; Widjaja, Ferdinan; Shee, Cheng Yap; Riviere, Cameron N; Ang, Wei Tech

2009-03-16

With the increasing popularity of actuators involving smart materials like piezoelectric, control of such materials becomes important. The existence of the inherent hysteretic behavior hinders the tracking accuracy of the actuators. To make matters worse, the hysteretic behavior changes with rate. One of the suggested ways is to have a feedforward controller to linearize the relationship between the input and output. Thus, the hysteretic behavior of the actuator must first be modeled by sensing the relationship between the input voltage and output displacement. Unfortunately, the hysteretic behavior is dependent on individual actuator and also environmental conditions like temperature. It is troublesome and costly to model the hysteresis regularly. In addition, the hysteretic behavior of the actuators also changes with age. Most literature model the actuator using a cascade of rate-independent hysteresis operators and a dynamical system. However, the inertial dynamics of the structure is not the only contributing factor. A complete model will be complex. Thus, based on the studies done on the phenomenological hysteretic behavior with rate, this paper proposes an adaptive rate-dependent feedforward controller with Prandtl-Ishlinskii (PI) hysteresis operators for piezoelectric actuators. This adaptive controller is achieved by adapting the coefficients to manipulate the weights of the play operators. Actual experiments are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the adaptive controller. The main contribution of this paper is its ability to perform tracking control of non-periodic motion and is illustrated with the tracking control ability of a couple of different non-periodic waveforms which were created by passing random numbers through a low pass filter with a cutoff frequency of 20Hz.

Hybrid Shape Memory Alloy Composites for Extreme Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

Shape Memory Alloys in Oil Well Applications,” Sintef Petroleum Research, 1999, Trondheim, Norway. 5. Hartl , D. J., Lagoudas, D., Mabe , J., Calkins...Materials and Structures, Vol. 19, No. 1., 2009. 6. Hartl , D. J., Lagoudas, D., Mabe , J., Calkins, F., and Mooney, J., “Use of Ni60Ti Shape Memory...hydraulic actuators) and can thus be located in environments not previously accessible. SMA actuators can also be found in the aerospace ( Hartl and

Biomimetic superwettable materials with structural colours.

PubMed

Wang, Zelinlan; Guo, Zhiguang

2017-12-05

Structural colours and superwettability are of great interest due to their unique characteristics. However, the application of materials with either structural colours or superwettability is limited. Moreover, materials possessing both structural colours and superwettability are crucial for many practical applications. The combination of structural colours and superwettability can result in materials for use various applications, such as in sensors, detectors, bioassays, anti-counterfeiting, and liquid actuators, by controlling surfaces to repel or absorb liquids. Regarding superwettability and structural colours, surface texture and chemical composition are two factors for the construction of materials with superwettable structural colours. This review aims at offering a comprehensive elaboration of the mechanism, recent biomimetic research, and applications of biomimetic superwettable materials with structural colours. Furthermore, this review provides significant insight into the design, fabrication, and application of biomimetic superwettable materials with structural colours.

Designing Microstructures/Structures for Desired Functional Material and Local Fields

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-02

utilized to engineer multifunctional soft materials for multi-sensing, multi- actuating , human-machine interfaces. [3] Establish a theoretical framework...model for surface elasticity, (ii) derived a new type of Maxwell stress in soft materials due to quantum mechanical-elasticity coupling and...elucidated its ramification in engineering multifunctional soft materials, and (iii) demonstrated the possibility of concurrent magnetoelectricity and

Characterization of multifunctional structural capacitors for embedded energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yirong; Sodano, Henry A.

2009-12-01

Multifunctional composites are a class of materials that combine structural and other functionalities such as sensing, actuation, energy harvesting, and vibration control in order to maximize structural performance while minimizing weight and complexity. Among all the multifunctional composites developed so far, piezoelectric composites have been widely studied due to the high coupling of energy between the electrical and mechanical domains and the inherently high dielectric constant. Several piezoelectric fiber composites have been developed for sensing and actuation applications; however, none of the previously studied composites fully embed all components of an energy storage device as load bearing members of the structure. A multifunctional fiber that can be embedded in a composite material to perform sensing and actuation has been recently developed [Y. Lin and H. A. Sodano, Adv. Funct. Mater. 18, 592 (2008)], in addition to providing load bearing functionality. The design was achieved by coating a common structural fiber, silicon carbide, with a barium titanate piezoelectric shell, and poling the active material radically by employing the structural fiber as one of the electrodes. The silicon carbide core fiber also carries external mechanical loading to protect the brittle barium titanate shell from fracture. The excellent piezoelectric and dielectric properties of the barium titanate material make the active structural fiber an outstanding candidate for converting and storing ambient mechanical energy into electrical energy to power other electric devices in the system. This paper focuses on the characterization of energy storage capability of the multifunctional fiber provided by the dielectric properties of the barium titanate shell. The capacitances of the multifunctional fibers with four different aspect ratios are tested and compared with the theoretical expressions for the cylindrical capacitor, while the breakdown voltages of the multifunctional fibers are tested according to American Society for Testing and Materials standards (ASTM D 149-97a). The stored energy is calculated from the testing results and the best aspect ratio for energy storage application can be determined. The resulting capacitive fiber is shown to have an energy density approximately two orders of magnitude higher than structural capacitors in the literature.

Motorizing fibres with geometric zero-energy modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumann, Arthur; Sánchez-Ferrer, Antoni; Jacomine, Leandro; Martinoty, Philippe; Le Houerou, Vincent; Ziebert, Falko; Kulić, Igor M.

2018-06-01

Responsive materials1-3 have been used to generate structures with built-in complex geometries4-6, linear actuators7-9 and microswimmers10-12. These results suggest that complex, fully functional machines composed solely from shape-changing materials might be possible13. Nonetheless, to accomplish rotary motion in these materials still relies on the classical wheel and axle motifs. Here we explore geometric zero-energy modes to elicit rotary motion in elastic materials in the absence of a rigid wheel travelling around an axle. We show that prestrained polymer fibres closed into rings exhibit self-actuation and continuous motion when placed between two heat baths due to elastic deformations that arise from rotational-symmetry breaking around the rod's axis. Our findings illustrate a simple but robust model to create active motion in mechanically prestrained objects.

Photonic muscle active optics for space telescopes (active optics with 1023 actuators)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritter, Joe

2009-08-01

Presented is a novel optical system using Cis-Trans photoisomerization where nearly every molecule of a mirror substrate is itself an optically powered actuator. Primary mirrors require sub-wavelength figure (shape) error in order to achieve acceptable Strehl ratios. Traditional telescopy methods require rigid and therefore heavy mirrors and reaction structures as well as proportionally heavy and expensive spacecraft busses and launch vehicles. Areal density can be reduced by increasing actuation density. Making every molecule of a substrate an actuator approaches the limit of the areal density vs actuation design trade space. Cis-Trans photoisomerization, a reversible reorganization of molecular structure induced by light, causes a change in the shape and volume of azobenzene based molecules. Induced strain in these "photonic muscles" can be over 40%. Forces are pico-newtons/molecule. Although this molecular limit is not typically multiplied in aggregate materials we have made, considering the large number of molecules in a mole, future optimized systems may approach this limit In some π-π* mixed valence azo-polymer membranes we have made photoisomerization causes a highly controllable change in macroscopic dimension with application of light. Using different wavelengths and polarizations provides the capability to actively reversibly and remotely control membrane mirror shape and dynamics using low power lasers, instead of bulky actuators and wires, thus allowing the substitution of optically induced control for rigidity and mass. Areal densities of our photonic muscle mirrors are approximately 100 g/m2. This includes the substrate and actuators (which are of course the same). These materials are thin and flexible (similar to saran wrap) so high packing ratios are possible, suggesting the possibility of deployable JWST size mirrors weighing 6 kilograms, and the possibility of ultralightweight space telescopes the size of a football field. Photons weigh nothing. Why must even small space telescopes weigh tons? Perhaps they do not.

Synthesis and Development of Gold Polypyrrole Actuator for Underwater Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panda, S. K.; Bandopadhya, D.

2018-02-01

Electro-active polymer (EAP) such as Polypyrrole has gained much attention in the category of functional materials for fabrication of both active actuator and sensor. Particularly, PPy actuator has shown potential in fluid medium application because of high strain, large bending displacement and work density. This paper focuses on developing a low cost active actuator promising in delivering high performance in underwater environment. The proposed Au-pyrrole actuator is synthesized by adopting the layer-by-layer electrochemical polymerization technique and is fabricated as strip actuator from aqueous solution of Pyrrole and NaDBS in room temperature. In the follow-up, topographical analysis has been carried out using SEM and FESEM instruments showing surface morphology and surface integrity of chemical components of the structure. Several experiments have been conducted under DC input voltage evaluating performance effectiveness such as underwater bending displacement and tip force etc. This is observed that the actuator exhibits quite similar stress profile as of natural muscle, endowed with high modulus makes them effective in working nearly 10,000 cycles underwater environment. In addition, the bending displacement up to 5.4 mm with a low input voltage 1.3 V makes the actuator suitable for underwater micro-robotics applications.

Thermal response of novel shape memory polymer-shape memory alloy hybrids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossiter, Jonathan; Takashima, Kazuto; Mukai, Toshiharu

2014-03-01

Shape memory polymers (SMP) and shape memory alloys (SMA) have both been proven important smart materials in their own fields. Shape memory polymers can be formed into complex three-dimensional structures and can undergo shape programming and large strain recovery. These are especially important for deployable structures including those for space applications and micro-structures such as stents. Shape memory alloys on the other hand are readily exploitable in a range of applications where simple, silent, light-weight and low-cost repeatable actuation is required. These include servos, valves and mobile robotic artificial muscles. Despite their differences, one important commonality between SMPs and SMAs is that they are both typically activated by thermal energy. Given this common characteristic it is important to consider how these two will behave when in close environmental proximity, and hence exposed to the same thermal stimulus, and when they are incorporated into a hybrid SMA-SMP structure. In this paper we propose and examine the operation of SMA-SMP hybrids. The relationship between the two temperatures Tg, the glass transition temperature of the polymer, and Ta, the nominal austenite to martensite transition temperature of the alloy is considered. We examine how the choice of these two temperatures affects the thermal response of the hybrid. Electrical stimulation of the SMA is also considered as a method not only of actuating the SMA but also of inducing heating in the surrounding polymer, with consequent effects on actuator behaviour. Likewise by varying the rate and degree of thermal stimulation of the SMA significantly different actuation and structural stiffness can be achieved. Novel SMP-SMA hybrid actuators and structures have many ready applications in deployable structures, robotics and tuneable engineering systems.

Coupled Electro-Magneto-Mechanical-Acoustic Analysis Method Developed by Using 2D Finite Element Method for Flat Panel Speaker Driven by Magnetostrictive-Material-Based Actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, Byungjin; Hirata, Katsuhiro; Oonishi, Atsurou

In this study, a coupled analysis method for flat panel speakers driven by giant magnetostrictive material (GMM) based actuator was developed. The sound field produced by a flat panel speaker that is driven by a GMM actuator depends on the vibration of the flat panel, this vibration is a result of magnetostriction property of the GMM. In this case, to predict the sound pressure level (SPL) in the audio-frequency range, it is necessary to take into account not only the magnetostriction property of the GMM but also the effect of eddy current and the vibration characteristics of the actuator and the flat panel. In this paper, a coupled electromagnetic-structural-acoustic analysis method is presented; this method was developed by using the finite element method (FEM). This analysis method is used to predict the performance of a flat panel speaker in the audio-frequency range. The validity of the analysis method is verified by comparing with the measurement results of a prototype speaker.

Untethered Recyclable Tubular Actuators with Versatile Locomotion for Soft Continuum Robots.

PubMed

Qian, Xiaojie; Chen, Qiaomei; Yang, Yang; Xu, Yanshuang; Li, Zhen; Wang, Zhenhua; Wu, Yahe; Wei, Yen; Ji, Yan

2018-05-27

Stimuli-responsive materials offer a distinguished platform to build tether-free compact soft robots, which can combine sensing and actuation without a linked power supply. In the past, tubular soft robots have to be made by multiple components with various internal channels or complex cavities assembled together. Moreover, robust processing, complex locomotion, simple structure, and easy recyclability represent major challenges in this area. Here, it is shown that those challenges can be tackled by liquid crystalline elastomers with allyl sulfide functional groups. The light-controlled exchange reaction between allyl sulfide groups allows flexible processing of tubular soft robots/actuators, which does not need any assisting materials. Complex locomotion demonstrated here includes reversible simultaneous bending and elongation; reversible diameter expansion; and omnidirectional bending via remote infrared light control. Different modes of actuation can be programmed into the same tube without the routine assembly of multiple tubes as used in the past. In addition, the exchange reaction also makes it possible to use the same single tube repeatedly to perform different functions by erasing and reprogramming. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparison of different soft grippers for lunch box packaging.

PubMed

Wang, Zhongkui; Zhu, Mingzhu; Kawamura, Sadao; Hirai, Shinichi

2017-01-01

Automating the lunch box packaging is a challenging task due to the high deformability and large individual differences in shape and physical property of food materials. Soft robotic grippers showed potentials to perform such tasks. In this paper, we presented four pneumatic soft actuators made of different materials and different fabrication methods and compared their performances through a series of tests. We found that the actuators fabricated by 3D printing showed better linearity and less individual differences, but showed low durability compared to actuators fabricated by traditional casting process. Robotic grippers were assembled using the soft actuators, and grasping tests were performed on soft paper containers filled with food materials. Results suggested that grippers with softer actuators required lower air pressure to lift up the same weight and generated less deformation on the soft container. The actuator made of casting process with Dragon Skin 10 material lifted the most weight among different actuators.

Modeling and control of a dielectric elastomer actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Ujjaval; Gu, Guo-Ying; Zhu, Jian

2016-04-01

The emerging field of soft robotics offers the prospect of applying soft actuators as artificial muscles in the robots, replacing traditional actuators based on hard materials, such as electric motors, piezoceramic actuators, etc. Dielectric elastomers are one class of soft actuators, which can deform in response to voltage and can resemble biological muscles in the aspects of large deformation, high energy density and fast response. Recent research into dielectric elastomers has mainly focused on issues regarding mechanics, physics, material designs and mechanical designs, whereas less importance is given to the control of these soft actuators. Strong nonlinearities due to large deformation and electromechanical coupling make control of the dielectric elastomer actuators challenging. This paper investigates feed-forward control of a dielectric elastomer actuator by using a nonlinear dynamic model. The material and physical parameters in the model are identified by quasi-static and dynamic experiments. A feed-forward controller is developed based on this nonlinear dynamic model. Experimental evidence shows that this controller can control the soft actuator to track the desired trajectories effectively. The present study confirms that dielectric elastomer actuators are capable of being precisely controlled with the nonlinear dynamic model despite the presence of material nonlinearity and electromechanical coupling. It is expected that the reported results can promote the applications of dielectric elastomer actuators to soft robots or biomimetic robots.

Development of magnetostrictive active members for control of space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Bruce G.; Avakian, Kevin M.; Fenn, Ralph C.; Gaffney, Monique S.; Gerver, Michael J.; Hawkey, Timothy J.; Boudreau, Donald J.

1992-01-01

The goal of this Phase 2 Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) project was to determine the technical feasibility of developing magnetostrictive active members for use as truss elements in space structures. Active members control elastic vibrations of truss-based space structures and integrate the functions of truss structure element, actively controlled actuator, and sensor. The active members must control structural motion to the sub-micron level and, for many proposed space applications, work at cryogenic temperatures. Under this program both room temperature and cryogenic temperature magnetostrictive active members were designed, fabricated, and tested. The results of these performance tests indicated that room temperature magnetostrictive actuators feature higher strain, stiffness, and force capability with lower amplifier requirements than similarly sized piezoelectric or electrostrictive active members, at the cost of higher mass. Two different cryogenic temperature magnetostrictive materials were tested at liquid nitrogen temperatures, both with larger strain capability than the room temperature magnetostrictive materials. The cryogenic active member development included the design and fabrication of a cryostat that allows operation of the cryogenic active member in a space structure testbed.

Development of magnetostrictive active members for control of space structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Bruce G.; Avakian, Kevin M.; Fenn, Ralph C.; Gaffney, Monique S.; Gerver, Michael J.; Hawkey, Timothy J.; Boudreau, Donald J.

1992-08-01

The goal of this Phase 2 Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) project was to determine the technical feasibility of developing magnetostrictive active members for use as truss elements in space structures. Active members control elastic vibrations of truss-based space structures and integrate the functions of truss structure element, actively controlled actuator, and sensor. The active members must control structural motion to the sub-micron level and, for many proposed space applications, work at cryogenic temperatures. Under this program both room temperature and cryogenic temperature magnetostrictive active members were designed, fabricated, and tested. The results of these performance tests indicated that room temperature magnetostrictive actuators feature higher strain, stiffness, and force capability with lower amplifier requirements than similarly sized piezoelectric or electrostrictive active members, at the cost of higher mass. Two different cryogenic temperature magnetostrictive materials were tested at liquid nitrogen temperatures, both with larger strain capability than the room temperature magnetostrictive materials. The cryogenic active member development included the design and fabrication of a cryostat that allows operation of the cryogenic active member in a space structure testbed.

Characterization, fabrication, and analysis of soft dielectric elastomer actuators capable of complex 3D deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, William

Inspired by nature, the development of soft actuators has drawn large attention to provide higher flexibility and allow adaptation to more complex environment. This thesis is focused on utilizing electroactive polymers as active materials to develop soft planar dielectric elastomer actuators capable of complex 3D deformation. The potential applications of such soft actuators are in flexible robotic arms and grippers, morphing structures and flapping wings for micro aerial vehicles. The embraces design for a freestanding actuator utilizes the constrained deformation imposed by surface stiffeners on an electroactive membrane to avert the requirement of membrane pre-stretch and the supporting frames. The proposed design increases the overall actuator flexibility and degrees-of-freedom. Actuator design, fabrication, and performance are presented for different arrangement of stiffeners. Digital images correlation technique were utilized to evaluate the in-plane finite strain components, in order to elucidate the role of the stiffeners in controlling the three dimensional deformation. It was found that a key controlling factor was the localized deformation near the stiffeners, while the rest of the membrane would follow through. A detailed finite element modeling framework was developed with a user-material subroutine, built into the ABAQUS commercial finite element package. An experimentally calibrated Neo-Hookean based material model that coupled the applied electrical field to the actuator mechanical deformation was employed. The numerical model was used to optimize different geometrical features, electrode layup and stacking sequence of actuators. It was found that by splitting the stiffeners into finer segments, the force-stroke characteristics of actuator were able to be adjusted with stiffener configuration, while keeping the overall bending stiffness. The efficacy of actuators could also be greatly improved by increasing the stiffener periodicity. The developed framework would aid in designing and optimizing the dielectric elastomer actuator configurations for 3D prescribed deformation configuration. Finally, inspired by the membrane textures of bat wings, a study of utilizing fiber reinforcement on dielectric elastomer actuators were conducted for the mechanical and the coupled electromechanical characteristics. Woven fibers were employed on the surface of actuator membrane with different pre-deformed configurations. Experimentally, actuator stiffness changes were measured for up to four orders of magnitude. The orientation of embedded fibers controlled the level and the triggered phase of stiffness changes. A trade-off between the actuator stiffness and stroke could be controlled during the fabrication stage by the fiber orientation and the prestretch level of the base elastomer membrane. A simplified model using small-strain composite laminate theory was developed and accurately predicted the composite actuator stiffness. Additionally, compliant edge stiffeners were found had to present a marked overall effect on actuator electromechanical response. The developed simplified analytical solutions using Timoshenko-bimaterial laminate solution and composite laminate theory, as well as the developed finite element framework can be utilized in addressing more complex 3D deformation patterns and their electromechanical response.

Hysteresis modeling and identification of a dielectric electro-active polymer actuator using an APSO-based nonlinear Preisach NARX fuzzy model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Truong, Bui Ngoc Minh; Nam, Doan Ngoc Chi; Ahn, Kyoung Kwan

2013-09-01

Dielectric electro-active polymer (DEAP) materials are attractive since they are low cost, lightweight and have a large deformation capability. They have no operating noise, very low electric power consumption and higher performance and efficiency than competing technologies. However, DEAP materials generally have strong hysteresis as well as uncertain and nonlinear characteristics. These disadvantages can limit the efficiency in the use of DEAP materials. To address these limitations, this research will present the combination of the Preisach model and the dynamic nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) fuzzy model-based adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO) identification algorithm for modeling and identification of the nonlinear behavior of one typical type of DEAP actuator. Firstly, open loop input signals are applied to obtain nonlinear features and to investigate the responses of the DEAP actuator system. Then, a Preisach model can be combined with a dynamic NARX fuzzy structure to estimate the tip displacement of a DEAP actuator. To optimize all unknown parameters of the designed combination, an identification scheme based on a least squares method and an APSO algorithm is carried out. Finally, experimental validation research is carefully completed, and the effectiveness of the proposed model is evaluated by employing various input signals.

Manufacturing of prestressed piezoelectric unimorphs using a postfired biasing layer.

PubMed

Juuti, Jari A; Jantunen, Heli; Moilanen, Veli-Pekka; Leppävuori, Seppo

2006-05-01

A novel manufacturing method for prestressed piezoelectric unimorphs is introduced and the actuator properties are examined. Prestressed PZT 5A and PZT 5H unimorphs with piezo material thickness of 250 microm and 375 microm were manufactured by using sintering and thermal shrinkage of the prestressing material. The process was carried out by screen printing a layer of AgPd paste on one side of the sintered bulk ceramic. As an alternative method, dielectric low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) tape was used as the prestressing material. Different configurations were tested to obtain high displacements and to make a comparison between materials. After firing, the samples were poled, and the displacement versus load characteristics of the resulting actuators were investigated. A maximum displacement of 118 microm was obtained from a 250 microm thick, prestressed PZT 5H actuator with a diameter of 25 mm, in which LTCC tape was used as the prestressing layer. Similarly, the PZT 5H material provided a maximum displacement of 63 microm with a screen-printed AgPd prestressing layer. The manufacturing method described offers a novel approach for the production of a wide range of integrated active structures on, for instance, an LTCC circuit board. This is especially important because piezoelectric bulk materials with high piezoelectric coefficients can be used to produce high displacements.

Scaling Laws of Microactuators and Potential Applications of Electroactive Polymers in MEMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Chang; Bar-Cohen, Y.

1999-01-01

Besides the scale factor that distinguishes the various species, fundamentally biological muscles changes little between species, indicating a highly optimized system. Electroactive polymer actuators offer the closest resemblance to biological muscles, however besides the large actuation displacement these materials are falling short with regards to the actuation force. As improved materials are emerging it is becoming necessary to address key issues such as the need for effective electromechanical modeling and guiding parameters in scaling the actuators. In this paper, we will review the scaling laws for three major actuation mechanisms that are of relevance to micro electromechanical systems: electrostatic actuation, magnetic actuation, thermal bimetallic actuation, and piezoelectric actuation.

Anisotropic piezoelectric twist actuation of helicopter rotor blades: Aeroelastic analysis and design optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkie, William Keats

1997-12-01

An aeroelastic model suitable for control law and preliminary structural design of composite helicopter rotor blades incorporating embedded anisotropic piezoelectric actuator laminae is developed. The aeroelasticity model consists of a linear, nonuniform beam representation of the blade structure, including linear piezoelectric actuation terms, coupled with a nonlinear, finite-state unsteady aerodynamics model. A Galerkin procedure and numerical integration in the time domain are used to obtain a soluti An aeroelastic model suitable for control law and preliminary structural design of composite helicopter rotor blades incorporating embedded anisotropic piezoelectric actuator laminae is developed. The aeroelasticity model consists of a linear, nonuniform beam representation of the blade structure, including linear piezoelectric actuation terms, coupled with a nonlinear, finite-state unsteady aerodynamics model. A Galerkin procedure and numerical integration in the time domain are used to obtain amited additional piezoelectric material mass, it is shown that blade twist actuation approaches which exploit in-plane piezoelectric free-stain anisotropies are capable of producing amplitudes of oscillatory blade twisting sufficient for rotor vibration reduction applications. The second study examines the effectiveness of using embedded piezoelectric actuator laminae to alleviate vibratory loads due to retreating blade stall. A 10 to 15 percent improvement in dynamic stall limited forward flight speed, and a 5 percent improvement in stall limited rotor thrust were numerically demonstrated for the active twist rotor blade relative to a conventional blade design. The active twist blades are also demonstrated to be more susceptible than the conventional blades to dynamic stall induced vibratory loads when not operating with twist actuation. This is the result of designing the active twist blades with low torsional stiffness in order to maximize piezoelectric twist authority. Determining the optimum tradeoff between blade torsional stiffness and piezoelectric twist actuation authority is the subject of the third study. For this investigation, a linearized hovering-flight eigenvalue analysis is developed. Linear optimal control theory is then utilized to develop an optimum active twist blade design in terms of reducing structural energy and control effort cost. The forward flight vibratory loads characteristics of the torsional stiffness optimized active twist blade are then examined using the nonlinear, forward flight aeroelastic analysis. The optimized active twist rotor blade is shown to have improved passive and active vibratory loads characteristics relative to the baseline active twist blades.

A novel method of fabricating laminated silicone stack actuators with pre-strained dielectric layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinitt, Andrew D.; Conn, Andrew T.

2014-03-01

In recent studies, stack based Dielectric Elastomer Actuators (DEAs) have been successfully used in haptic feedback and sensing applications. However, limitations in the fabrication method, and materials used to con- struct stack actuators constrain their force and displacement output per unit volume. This paper focuses on a fabrication process enabling a stacked elastomer actuator to withstand the high tensile forces needed for high power applications, such as mimetics for mammalian muscle contraction (i.e prostheses), whilst requiring low voltage for thickness-mode contractile actuation. Spun elastomer layers are bonded together in a pre-strained state using a conductive adhesive filler, forming a Laminated Inter-Penetrating Network (L-IPN) with repeatable and uniform electrode thickness. The resulting structure utilises the stored strain energy of the dielectric elas- tomer to compress the cured electrode composite material. The method is used to fabricate an L-IPN example, which demonstrated that the bonded L-IPN has high tensile strength normal to the lamination. Additionally, the uniformity and retained dielectric layer pre-strain of the L-IPN are confirmed. The described method is envisaged to be used in a semi-automated assembly of large-scale multi-layer stacks of pre-strained dielectric layers possessing a tensile strength in the range generated by mammalian muscle.

Observation of creep behavior of cellulose electro-active paper (EAPap) actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Joo-Hyung; Lee, Sang-Woo; Yun, Gyu-Young; Yang, Chulho; Kim, Heung Soo; Kim, Jaehwan

2009-03-01

Understanding of creep effects on actuating mechanisms is important to precisely figure out the behavior of material. Creep behaviors of cellulose based Electro-Active Paper (EAPap) were studied under different constant loading conditions. We found the structural modification of microfibrils in EAPap after creep test. Structural differences of as-prepared and after creep tested samples were compared by SEM measurements. From the measured creep behaviors by different loading conditions, two different regions of induced strain and current were clearly observed as the measurement time increased. It is consider that local defects may occur and becomes micro-dimple or micro-crack formations in lower load cases as localized deformation proceeds, while the shrinkage of diameter of elongated fibers was observed only at the high level of loading. Therefore, cellulose nanofibers may play a role to be against the creep load and prevent the localized structural deformations. The results provide useful creep behavior and mechanism to understand the mechanical behavior of thin visco-elastic EAPap actuator.

A Novel MUMPs-compatible single-layer out-of-plane electrothermal actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Weider; Wu, Mingching; Ho, Yi-Ping; Yeh, Mau-Shium; Fang, Weileun

2002-11-01

Microactuator is one of the key components for the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and it can be categorized as out-of-plane and in-plane according to the motion types. Most of the existing out-of-plane thermal actuators are multi-layer structures. In this paper, a novel electrothermal single-layer out-of-plane actuator is provided and it characteristics and advantages of this device are stated as follows: (1) This actuator is consisted of only a single thin film material, therefore, it can prevent from delaminating after a long-term operation. Besides, owing to its symmetric geometric design, the inner-beams of this structure don"t have any current passed through them and the inner-beams also provide a geometric constraint to allow the two free ends of the structure to bend upwards symmetrically. (2) This device can be operated at a relative low voltage (<5 volt), and deflected upwards about 4 μm in the experiment test. Besides, the fabrication process is very simple and it is MUMPs(Multi-User MEMS Processes)-compatible. Presently, a prototype structure has been successfully fabricated and tested. This structure offers the potential applications in the adaptive optics systems, and Fabry-Perot filters, etc. Besides, it also provides an interface to cooperate with integrated circuits (IC) and various optical elements to construct an embedded-control optical system.

An IPMC-enabled bio-inspired bending/twisting fin for underwater applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmre, Viljar; Hubbard, Joel J.; Fleming, Maxwell; Pugal, David; Kim, Sungjun; Kim, Kwang J.; Leang, Kam K.

2013-01-01

This paper discusses the design, fabrication, and characterization of an ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuator-based bio-inspired active fin capable of bending and twisting motion. It is pointed out that IPMC strip actuators are used in the simple cantilever configuration to create simple bending (flapping-like) motion for propulsion in underwater autonomous systems. However, the resulting motion is a simple 1D bending and performance is rather limited. To enable more complex deformation, such as the flapping (pitch and heaving) motion of real pectoral and caudal fish fins, a new approach which involves molding or integrating IPMC actuators into a soft boot material to create an active control surface (called a ‘fin’) is presented. The fin can be used to realize complex deformation depending on the orientation and placement of the actuators. In contrast to previously created IPMCs with patterned electrodes for the same purpose, the proposed design avoids (1) the more expensive process of electroless plating platinum all throughout the surface of the actuator and (2) the need for specially patterning the electrodes. Therefore, standard shaped IPMC actuators such as those with rectangular dimensions with varying thicknesses can be used. One unique advantage of the proposed structural design is that custom shaped fins and control surfaces can be easily created without special materials processing. The molding process is cost effective and does not require functionalizing or ‘activating’ the boot material similar to creating IPMCs. For a prototype fin (90 mm wide × 60 mm long × 1.5 mm thick), the measured maximum tip displacement was approximately 44 mm and the twist angle of the fin exceeded 10°. Lift and drag measurements in water where the prototype fin with an airfoil profile was dragged through water at a velocity of 21 cm s-1 showed that the lift and drag forces can be affected by controlling the IPMCs embedded into the fin structure. These results suggest that such IPMC-enabled fin designs can be used for developing active propeller blades or control surfaces on underwater vehicles.

A study on the effect of surface topography on the actuation performance of stacked-rolled dielectric electro active polymer actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sait, Usha; Muthuswamy, Sreekumar

2016-05-01

Dielectric electro active polymer (DEAP) is a suitable actuator material that finds wide applications in the field of robotics and medical areas. This material is highly controllable, flexible, and capable of developing large strain. The influence of geometrical behavior becomes critical when the material is used as miniaturized actuation devices in robotic applications. The present work focuses on the effect of surface topography on the performance of flat (single sheet) and stacked-rolled DEAP actuators. The non-active areas in the form of elliptical spots that affect the performance of the actuator are identified using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dissipated X-ray (EDX) experiments. Performance of DEAP actuation is critically evaluated, compared, and presented with analytical and experimental results.

Modeling and Analysis of Composite Wing Sections for Improved Aeroelastic and Vibration Characteristics Using Smart Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chattopadhyay, Aditi

1996-01-01

The objective of this research is to develop analysis procedures to investigate the coupling of composite and smart materials to improve aeroelastic and vibratory response of aerospace structures. The structural modeling must account for arbitrarily thick geometries, embedded and surface bonded sensors and actuators and imperfections, such as delamination. Changes in the dynamic response due to the presence of smart materials and delaminations is investigated. Experiments are to be performed to validate the proposed mathematical model.

Functional materials based on carbon nanotubes: Carbon nanotube actuators and noncovalent carbon nanotube modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fifield, Leonard S.

Carbon nanotubes have attractive inherent properties that encourage the development of new functional materials and devices based on them. The use of single wall carbon nanotubes as electromechanical actuators takes advantage of the high mechanical strength, surface area and electrical conductivity intrinsic to these molecules. The work presented here investigates the mechanisms that have been discovered for actuation of carbon nanotube paper: electrostatic, quantum chemical charge injection, pneumatic and viscoelastic. A home-built apparatus for the measurement of actuation strain is developed and utilized in the investigation. An optical fiber switch, the first demonstrated macro-scale device based on the actuation of carbon nanotubes, is described and its performance evaluated. Also presented here is a new general process designed to modify the surface of carbon nanotubes in a non-covalent, non-destructive way. This method can be used to impart new functionalities to carbon nanotube samples for a variety of applications including sensing, solar energy conversion and chemical separation. The process described involves the achievement of large degrees of graphitic surface coverage with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons through the use of supercritical fluids. These molecules are bifunctional agents that anchor a desired chemical group to the aromatic surface of the carbon nanotubes without adversely disrupting the conjugated backbone that gives rise the attractive electronic and physical properties of the nanotubes. Both the nanotube functionalization work and the actuator work presented here emphasize how an understanding and control of nanoscale structure and phenomena can be of vital importance in achieving desired performance for active materials. Opportunities for new devices with improved function over current state-of-the-art can be envisioned and anticipated based on this understanding and control.

Basic Research Plan, February 2003

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-02-01

consistent. This effort includes the nitration , crystallization, and coating of CL–20. Under Army sponsor- ship, a process for the nitration of CL–20 has...actuators • Multiscale computational design of structural materials with embedded functionality • Materials with embedded electrical/magnetic/optical...the innovative use of biology to produce unique materials and processes of mili- tary relevance; to increase economic and environmental affordability

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of the Driving Voltage of an Electroadhesion Actuator.

PubMed

Koh, Keng Huat; Sreekumar, M; Ponnambalam, S G

2014-06-25

This paper investigates the effect of driving voltage on the attachment force of an electroadhesion actuator, as the existing literature on the saturation of the adhesive force at a higher electric field is incomplete. A new type of electroadhesion actuator using normally available materials, such as aluminum foil, PVC tape and a silicone rubber sheet used for keyboard protection, has been developed with a simple layered structure that is capable of developing adhesive force consistently. The developed actuator is subjected to the experiment for the evaluation of various test surfaces; aluminum, brick, ceramic, concrete and glass. The driving high voltage is varied in steps to determine the characteristics of the output holding force. Results show a quadratic relation between F (adhesion force) and V (driving voltage) within the 2 kV range. After this range, the F - V responses consistently show a saturation trend at high electric fields. Next, the concept of the leakage current that can occur in the dielectric material and the corona discharge through air has been introduced. Results show that the voltage level, which corresponds to the beginning of the supply current, matches well with the beginning of the force saturation. With the confirmation of this hypothesis, a working model for electroadhesion actuation is proposed. Based on the experimental results, it is proposed that such a kind of actuator can be driven within a range of optimum high voltage to remain electrically efficient. This practice is recommended for the future design, development and characterization of electroadhesion actuators for robotic applications.

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of the Driving Voltage of an Electroadhesion Actuator

PubMed Central

Koh, Keng Huat; Sreekumar, M.; Ponnambalam, S. G.

2014-01-01

This paper investigates the effect of driving voltage on the attachment force of an electroadhesion actuator, as the existing literature on the saturation of the adhesive force at a higher electric field is incomplete. A new type of electroadhesion actuator using normally available materials, such as aluminum foil, PVC tape and a silicone rubber sheet used for keyboard protection, has been developed with a simple layered structure that is capable of developing adhesive force consistently. The developed actuator is subjected to the experiment for the evaluation of various test surfaces; aluminum, brick, ceramic, concrete and glass. The driving high voltage is varied in steps to determine the characteristics of the output holding force. Results show a quadratic relation between F (adhesion force) and V (driving voltage) within the 2 kV range. After this range, the F-V responses consistently show a saturation trend at high electric fields. Next, the concept of the leakage current that can occur in the dielectric material and the corona discharge through air has been introduced. Results show that the voltage level, which corresponds to the beginning of the supply current, matches well with the beginning of the force saturation. With the confirmation of this hypothesis, a working model for electroadhesion actuation is proposed. Based on the experimental results, it is proposed that such a kind of actuator can be driven within a range of optimum high voltage to remain electrically efficient. This practice is recommended for the future design, development and characterization of electroadhesion actuators for robotic applications. PMID:28788114

Dynamic Analysis of a Two Member Manipulator Arm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGinley, Mark; Shen, Ji Y.

1997-01-01

Attenuating start-up and stopping vibrations when maneuvering large payloads attached to flexible manipulator systems is a great concern for many space missions. To address this concern, it was proposed that the use of smart materials, and their applications in smart structures, may provide an effective method of control for aerospace structures. In this paper, a modified finite element model has been developed to simulate the performance of piezoelectric ceramic actuators, and was applied to a flexible two-arm manipulator system. Connected to a control voltage, the piezoelectric actuators produce control moments based on the optimal control theory. The computer simulation modeled the end-effector vibration suppression of the NASA manipulator testbed for berthing operations of the Space Shuttle to the Space Station. The results of the simulation show that the bonded piezoelectric actuators can effectively suppress follow-up vibrations of the end-effector, stimulated by some external disturbance.

Electrostrictive Graft Elastomers and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, J.; Harrison, J. S.; St.Clair, T. L.; Bar-Cohen, Y.; Leary, S.

1999-01-01

Efficient actuators that are lightweight, high performance and compact are needed to support telerobotic requirements for future NASA missions. In this work, we present a new class of electromechanically active polymers that can potentially be used as actuators to meet many NASA needs. The materials are graft elastomers that offer high strain under an applied electric field. Due to its higher mechanical modulus, this elastomer also has a higher strain energy density as compared to previously reported electrostrictive polyurethane elastomers. The dielectric, mechanical and electromechanical properties of this new electrostrictive elastomer have been studied as a function of temperature and frequency. Combined with structural analysis using x-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry on the new elastomer, structure-property interrelationship and mechanisms of the electric field induced strain in the graft elastomer have also been investigated. This electroactive polymer (EAP) has demonstrated high actuation strain and high mechanical energy density. The combination of these properties with its tailorable molecular composition and excellent processability makes it attractive for a variety of actuation tasks. The experimental results and applications will be presented.

(abstract) NDE and Advanced Actuators at JPL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bar-Cohen, Yoseph

1996-01-01

JPL is responsible for deep space exploration using spacecraft and telerobotic technologies. Since all JPL's missions are one of a kind and hardware dependent, the requirements for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of the materials and structures that are employed are significantly more stringent than the ones for conventional aerospace needs. The multidisciplinary technologies that are developed at JPL, particularily the ones for the exploration of Mars, are finding applications to a wide variety of NDE applications. Further, technology spin-offs are enabling the development of advanced actuators that are being used to drive various types of telerobotic devices. A review will be given of the recent JPL NDE and advanced actuators activity and it will include several short videos.

The viscoelastic effect in bending bucky-gel actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruusamäe, Karl; Mukai, Ken; Sugino, Takushi; Asaka, Kinji

2014-03-01

Electromechanically active polymers (EAP) are considered a good actuator candidate for a variety of reasons, e.g. they are soft, easy to miniaturize and operate without audible noise. The main structural component in EAPs is, as the name states, a type of deformable polymer. As polymers are known to exhibit a distinct mechanical response, the nature of polymer materials should never be neglected when characterizing and modeling the performance of EAP actuators. Bucky-gel actuators are a subtype of EAPs where ion-containing polymer membrane acts as an electronically insulating separator between two electrodes of carbon nanotubes and ionic liquid. In many occasions, the electrodes also contain polymer for the purpose of binding it together. Therefore, mechanically speaking, bucky-gel actuators are composite structures with layers of different mechanical nature. The viscoelastic response and the shape change property are perhaps the most characteristic effects in polymers. These effects are known to have high dependence on factors such as the type of polymer, the concentration of additives and the structural ratio of different layers. At the same time, most reports about optimization of EAP actuators describe the alteration of electromechanical performance dependent on the same factors. In this paper, the performance of bucky-gel actuators is measured as a function between the output force and bending deflection. It is observed that effective stiffness of these actuators depends on the input voltage. This finding is also supported by dynamic mechanical analysis which demonstrates that the viscoelastic response of bucky-gel laminate depends on both frequency and temperature. Moreover, the dynamic mechanical analysis reveals that in the range of standard operation temperatures, tested samples were in their glass transition region, which made it possible to alter their shape by using mechanical fixing. The mechanical fixity above 90% was obtained when high-frequency input signal was used to heat the bucky-gel sample.

Artificial Muscle (AM) Cilia Array for Underwater Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-15

structures, including cilia-like structures. Specifically, a custom 3D printer was created that utilizes custom-made Nafion filament for 30 printing of custom... printing ) of IPMC material to create custom-shaped AM structures, including cilia-like structures. Various custom-shaped AM structures were fabricated via...integrating square cross-section IPMC actuators with a printed circuit board power delivery system. IV. Concise Accomplishments Performance

Self-healing bolted joint employing a shape memory actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muntges, Daniel E.; Park, Gyuhae; Inman, Daniel J.

2001-08-01

This paper is a report of an initial investigation into the active control of preload in the joint using a shape memory actuator around the axis of the bolt shaft. Specifically, the actuator is a cylindrical Nitinol washer that expands axially when heated, according to the shape memory effect. The washer is actuated in response to an artificial decrease in torque. Upon actuation, the stress generated by its axial strain compresses the bolted members and creates a frictional force that has the effect of generating a preload and restoring lost torque. In addition to torque wrenches, the system in question was monitored in all stages of testing using piezoelectric impedance analysis. Impedance analysis drew upon research techniques developed at Center for Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, in which phase changes in the impedance of a self-sensing piezoceramic actuator correspond to changes in joint stiffness. Through experimentation, we have documented a successful actuation of the shape memory element. Due to complexity of constitutive modeling, qualitative analysis by the impedance method is used to illustrate the success. Additional considerations encountered in this initial investigation are made to guide further thorough research required for the successful commercial application of this promising technique.

Artificial Nacre from Supramolecular Assembly of Graphene Oxide.

PubMed

Wang, Yang; Li, Ting; Ma, Piming; Zhang, Shengwen; Zhang, Hongji; Du, Mingliang; Xie, Yi; Chen, Mingqing; Dong, Weifu; Ming, Weihua

2018-06-14

Inspired by the "brick-and-mortar" structure and remarkable mechanical performance of nacre, many efforts have been devoted to fabricating nacre-mimicking materials. Herein, a class of graphene oxide (GO) based artificial nacre material with quadruple hydrogen-bonding interactions was fabricated by functionalization of polydopamine-capped graphene oxide (PDG) with 2-ureido-4[1 H]-pyrimidinone (UPy) self-complementary quadruple hydrogen-bonding units followed by supramolecular assembly process. The artificial nacre displays a strict "brick-and-mortar" structure, with PDG nanosheets as the brick and UPy units as the mortar. The resultant nanocomposite shows an excellent balance of strength and toughness. Because of the strong strengthening via quadruple hydrogen bonding, the tensile strength and toughness can reach 325.6 ± 17.8 MPa and 11.1 ± 1.3 MJ m -3 , respectively, thus exceeding natural nacre, and reaching 3.6 and 10 times that of a pure GO artificial nacre. Furthermore, after further H 2 O treatment, the resulting H 2 O-treated PDG-UPy actuator displays significant bending actuations when driven by heat. This work provides a pathway for the development of artificial nacre for their potential applications in energy conversion, temperature sensor, and thermo-driven actuator.

Biodegradable and edible gelatine actuators for use as artificial muscles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, L. D.; Winfield, J.; Ieropoulos, I.; Rossiter, J.

2014-03-01

The expense and use of non-recyclable materials often requires the retrieval and recovery of exploratory robots. Therefore, conventional materials such as plastics and metals in robotics can be limiting. For applications such as environmental monitoring, a fully biodegradable or edible robot may provide the optimum solution. Materials that provide power and actuation as well as biodegradability provide a compelling dimension to future robotic systems. To highlight the potential of novel biodegradable and edible materials as artificial muscles, the actuation of a biodegradable hydrogel was investigated. The fabricated gelatine based polymer gel was inexpensive, easy to handle, biodegradable and edible. The electro-mechanical performance was assessed using two contactless, parallel stainless steel electrodes immersed in 0.1M NaOH solution and fixed 40 mm apart with the strip actuator pinned directly between the electrodes. The actuation displacement in response to a bias voltage was measured over hydration/de-hydration cycles. Long term (11 days) and short term (1 hour) investigations demonstrated the bending behaviour of the swollen material in response to an electric field. Actuation voltage was low (<10 V) resulting in a slow actuation response with large displacement angles (<55 degrees). The stability of the immersed material decreased within the first hour due to swelling, however, was recovered on de-hydrating between actuations. The controlled degradation of biodegradable and edible artificial muscles could help to drive the development of environmentally friendly robotics.

Transparent actuators and robots based on single-layer superaligned carbon nanotube sheet and polymer composites.

PubMed

Chen, Luzhuo; Weng, Mingcen; Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Zhiwei; Zhou, Yi; Xia, Dan; Li, Jiaxin; Huang, Zhigao; Liu, Changhong; Fan, Shoushan

2016-03-28

Transparent actuators have been attracting emerging interest recently, as they demonstrate potential applications in the fields of invisible robots, tactical displays, variable-focus lenses, and flexible cellular phones. However, previous technologies did not simultaneously realize macroscopic transparent actuators with advantages of large-shape deformation, low-voltage-driven actuation and fast fabrication. Here, we develop a fast approach to fabricate a high-performance transparent actuator based on single-layer superaligned carbon nanotube sheet and polymer composites. Various advantages of single-layer nanotube sheets including high transparency, considerable conductivity, and ultra-thin dimensions together with selected polymer materials completely realize all the above required advantages. Also, this is the first time that a single-layer nanotube sheet has been used to fabricate actuators with high transparency, avoiding the structural damage to the single-layer nanotube sheet. The transparent actuator shows a transmittance of 72% at the wavelength of 550 nm and bends remarkably with a curvature of 0.41 cm(-1) under a DC voltage for 5 s, demonstrating a significant advance in technological performances compared to previous conventional actuators. To illustrate their great potential usage, a transparent wiper and a humanoid robot "hand" were elaborately designed and fabricated, which initiate a new direction in the development of high-performance invisible robotics and other intelligent applications with transparency.

High-frequency, resonance-enhanced microactuators with active structures for high-speed flow control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreth, Phillip Andrew

The need for actuators that are adaptable for use in a wide array of applications has been the motivation behind actuator development research over the past few years. Recent developments at the Advanced Aero-Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL) at Florida State University have produced a microactuator that uses the unsteadiness of a small-scale impinging jet to produce pulsed, supersonic microjets -- this is referred to as the Resonance-Enhanced Microjet (REM) actuator. Prior studies on these actuators at AAPL have been somewhat limited in that the actuator response has only been characterized through pressure/acoustic measurements and qualitative flow visualizations. Highly-magnified particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements were performed to measure the velocity fields of both a 1 mm underexpanded jet and an REM actuator. The results demonstrate that this type of microactuator is capable of producing pulsed, supersonic microjets that have velocities of approximately 400 m/s that are sustained for significant portions of their cycles (> 60 %). These are the first direct velocity measurements of these flowfields, and they allow for a greater understanding of the flow physics associated with this microactuator. The previous studies on the REM actuators have shown that the microactuator volume is among the principal parameters in determining the actuator's maximum-amplitude frequency component. In order to use this actuator in a closed-loop, feedback control system, a modified design that incorporates smart materials is studied. The smart materials (specifically piezoelectric ceramic stack actuators) have been implemented into the microactuator to actively change its geometry, thus permitting controllable changes in the microactuator's resonant frequency. The distinct feature of this design is that the smart materials are not used to produce the primary perturbation or flow from the actuator (which has in the past limited the control authority of other designs) but to change its dynamic properties. Various static and dynamic control inputs to the piezo-stacks illustrate that the actuator's resonant frequency can be modulated by a few hundred Hertz at very fast rates (up to 1 kHz or more). These frequency modulation capabilities allow for off-design frequencies to be present in the actuator's output, thereby increasing its range of potential flow control applications. A series of closed-loop control demonstrations clearly show the ability of this actuator to track and produce outputs at specified frequencies. The robustness of this control technique was also demonstrated. By combining the REM actuator concept with the precision and control authority of smart materials, the new actuator system (known as the SmartREM actuator) is shown to produce supersonic, pulsing microjets whose frequency can be controlled actively in a closed-loop manner. Three different design possibilities are developed and characterized in this study. An optimal configuration was identified for cavity flow control experiments in both sub- and supersonic freestream conditions (M = 0.4 - 0.7 and M = 1.5). The actuator was designed such that its frequency would lie within the range of the predicted cavity oscillations. The actuator's performance was evaluated in its three modes of operations: pulsed (REM mode), active pulsed (SmartREM mode), and steady. It was found that when the actuator operates in its pulsed modes, the amplitude of the dominant peak is reduced by as much as 6 dB. The high-frequency broadband levels and overall sound pressure levels (OASPLs) are reduced with control as well (by about 3 dB). Operating the actuator in its steady mode at very high pressures provides the most effective results. The dominant peaks were completely eliminated (amplitudes reduced by over 25 dB), and the reductions in the OASPLs exceeded 10 dB.

Conception, fabrication et caracterisation d'un panneau adaptatif en composite avec actionneurs en amf integres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacasse, Simon

This research project has developed a tool to predict the geometry of an adaptive panel which has the ability to change its geometry according to the surrounding conditions under which it is subjected. This panel, as designed for this project, consists of two main components: the host structure that ensures the structural integrity of the panel and the activation system embedded in the host structure. The host structure is made of a fiber-reinforced (carbon: Toray T300 unidirectional) polymer (Epoxy: Huntsman Araldite 8605). The actuation system consists of shape memory alloy wire (SAES Getters Ti-50.26at%Ni) of one mm diameter. To generate the movement, the actuators are positioned to create an offset, along the thickness, between the neutral plane of the laminate and the axis of the actuators. Shape memory alloys are special materials that have the ability to contract themselves when heated. When heated by Joule effect, the actuators contract and generate forces which are transmitted to the adaptive panel through a fixation device. A bending moment is thus generated by the difference between the actuator and the neutral plane of the panel, deforming the adaptive panel. The design tool is based on the combination of the rigidity of the host structure and the operating capacity of the SMA. A finite element model is developed on the commercial software ANSYS 13. This model provides the stiffness of the host structure depending on various parameters of the laminate (orientation and number of plies) and of the actuator (position along the thickness, distance between two actuators). According to this model, it appears that the radius of curvature of such a panel is constant throughout its length and that the panel's length does not influence the results. In addition, the results show that the stiffness is constant regardless of the axial deformation of the actuator. Interestingly, the greater the distance between the actuators, the greater is the stiffness felt by each actuator. The operating capacity of the SMA is evaluated experimentally. It has been shown that heat treatment of 550°C for one hour significantly increases the energy produced by the actuators while changing their transformation temperature. Thereafter, a stabilization of 100 cycles at 150 MPa of the actuators creates the two-way shape memory effect while producing a sufficiently high generated stress. Finally, the operating envelope of the actuator is created based on the activation temperatures ranging from 50°C to 150°C. The respective SMA and host structure properties are then used to create the adaptive panel's design diagram. Thus, it is possible to express the radius of curvature (target) depending on the actuation temperature and on the laminate configuration. This relationship is finally verified experimentally. To do this, a 4-layer adaptive panel [903/WIRE/90] is produced by the vacuum assisted resin transfer molding method and installed on a testing bench designed for this purpose. In this regard, various parameters were investigated during manufacture to find the ideal manufacturing conditions. It appears that an infusion flow direction perpendicular to the actuators orientation offer better results. In addition, the use of a sheath eliminates the use of jigs which are necessary to keep the actuator in place during the forming processing and post-polymerization treatment. The results show that when the actuators are heated by Joule effect, the measured radius of curvature is comparable to the one established from the design tool. However, the measured temperatures are not consistent with the theoretical values. Thus, it is necessary to apply a correction factor to the measured temperature based on the SMA properties. Such a factor is used to establish a correspondence between the measured radius of curvature and the radius of curvature obtained from the design tool. Thus, a more efficient method of temperature measurement is required.

Green piezoelectric for autonomous smart textile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemaire, E.; Borsa, C. J.; Briand, D.

2015-12-01

In this work, the fabrication of Rochelle salt based piezoelectric textiles are shown. Structures composed of fibers and Rochelle salt are easily produced using green processes. Both manufacturing and the material itself are really efficient in terms of environmental impact, considering the fabrication processes and the material resources involved. Additionally Rochelle salt is biocompatible. In this green paradigm, active sensing or actuating textiles are developed. Thus processing method and piezoelectric properties have been studied: (1) pure crystals are used as acoustic actuator, (2) fabrication of the textile-based composite is detailed, (3) converse effective d33 is evaluated and compared to lead zirconate titanate ceramic. The utility of textile-based piezoelectric merits its use in a wide array of applications.

Enhanced multimaterial 4D printing with active hinges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akbari, Saeed; Hosein Sakhaei, Amir; Kowsari, Kavin; Yang, Bill; Serjouei, Ahmad; Yuanfang, Zhang; Ge, Qi

2018-06-01

Despite great progress in four-dimensional (4D) printing, i.e. three-dimensional (3D) printing of active (stimuli-responsive) materials, the relatively low actuation force of the 4D printed structures often impedes their engineering applications. In this study, we use multimaterial inkjet 3D printing technology to fabricate shape memory structures, including a morphing wing flap and a deployable structure, which consist of active and flexible hinges joining rigid (non-active) parts. The active hinges, printed from a shape memory polymer (SMP), lock the structure into a second temporary shape during a thermomechanical programming process, while the flexible hinges, printed from an elastomer, effectively increase the actuation force and the load-bearing capacity of the printed structure as reflected in the recovery ratio. A broad range of mechanical properties such as modulus and failure strain can be achieved for both active and flexible hinges by varying the composition of the two base materials, i.e. the SMP and the elastomer, to accommodate large deformation induced during programming step, and enhance the recovery in the actuating step. To find the important design parameters, including local deformation, shape fixity and recovery ratio, we conduct high fidelity finite element simulations, which are able to accurately predict the nonlinear deformation of the printed structures. In addition, a coupled thermal-electrical finite element analysis was performed to model the heat transfer within the active hinges during the localized Joule heating process. The model predictions showed good agreement with the measured temperature data and were used to find the major parameters affecting temperature distribution including the applied voltage and the convection rate.

Nanostructured carbon materials based electrothermal air pump actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qing; Liu, Luqi; Kuang, Jun; Dai, Zhaohe; Han, Jinhua; Zhang, Zhong

2014-05-01

Actuator materials can directly convert different types of energy into mechanical energy. In this work, we designed and fabricated electrothermal air pump-type actuators by utilization of various nanostructured carbon materials, including single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), reduced graphene oxide (r-GO), and graphene oxide (GO)/SWCNT hybrid films as heating elements to transfer electrical stimulus into thermal energy, and finally convert it into mechanical energy. Both the actuation displacement and working temperature of the actuator films show the monotonically increasing trend with increasing driving voltage within the actuation process. Compared with common polymer nanocomposites based electrothermal actuators, our actuators exhibited better actuation performances with a low driving voltage (<10 V), large generated stress (tens of MPa), high gravimetric density (tens of J kg-1), and short response time (few hundreds of milliseconds). Besides that, the pump actuators exhibited excellent stability under cyclic actuation tests. Among these actuators, a relatively larger actuation strain was obtained for the r-GO film actuator due to the intrinsic gas-impermeability nature of graphene platelets. In addition, the high modulus of the r-GO and GO/SWCNT films also guaranteed the large generated stress and high work density. Specifically, the generated stress and gravimetric work density of the GO/SWCNT hybrid film actuator could reach up to more than 50 MPa and 30 J kg-1, respectively, under a driving voltage of 10 V. The resulting stress value is at least two orders of magnitude higher than that of natural muscles (~0.4 MPa).Actuator materials can directly convert different types of energy into mechanical energy. In this work, we designed and fabricated electrothermal air pump-type actuators by utilization of various nanostructured carbon materials, including single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), reduced graphene oxide (r-GO), and graphene oxide (GO)/SWCNT hybrid films as heating elements to transfer electrical stimulus into thermal energy, and finally convert it into mechanical energy. Both the actuation displacement and working temperature of the actuator films show the monotonically increasing trend with increasing driving voltage within the actuation process. Compared with common polymer nanocomposites based electrothermal actuators, our actuators exhibited better actuation performances with a low driving voltage (<10 V), large generated stress (tens of MPa), high gravimetric density (tens of J kg-1), and short response time (few hundreds of milliseconds). Besides that, the pump actuators exhibited excellent stability under cyclic actuation tests. Among these actuators, a relatively larger actuation strain was obtained for the r-GO film actuator due to the intrinsic gas-impermeability nature of graphene platelets. In addition, the high modulus of the r-GO and GO/SWCNT films also guaranteed the large generated stress and high work density. Specifically, the generated stress and gravimetric work density of the GO/SWCNT hybrid film actuator could reach up to more than 50 MPa and 30 J kg-1, respectively, under a driving voltage of 10 V. The resulting stress value is at least two orders of magnitude higher than that of natural muscles (~0.4 MPa). Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: A movie showing the weight-lifting actuation process of the GO/SWCNT actuator. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr00536h

Computational Modeling of Piezoelectric Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Challagulla, K. S.; Venkatesh, T. A.

2013-02-01

Piezoelectric materials, by virtue of their unique electromechanical characteristics, have been recognized for their potential utility in many applications as sensors and actuators. However, the sensing or actuating functionality of monolithic piezoelectric materials is generally limited. The composite approach to piezoelectric materials provides a unique opportunity to access a new design space with optimal mechanical and coupled characteristics. The properties of monolithic piezoelectric materials can be enhanced via the additive approach by adding two or more constituents to create several types of piezoelectric composites or via the subtractive approach by introducing controlled porosity in the matrix materials to create porous piezoelectric materials. Such porous piezoelectrics can be tailored to demonstrate improved signal-to-noise ratio, impedance matching, and sensitivity, and thus, they can be optimized for applications such as hydrophone devices. This article captures key results from the recent developments in the field of computational modeling of novel piezoelectric foam structures. It is demonstrated that the fundamental elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties of piezoelectric foam are strongly dependent on the internal structure of the foams and the material volume fraction. The highest piezoelectric coupling constants and the highest acoustic impedance are obtained in the [3-3] interconnect-free piezoelectric foam structures, while the corresponding figures of merit for the [3-1] type long-porous structure are marginally higher. Among the [3-3] type foam structures, the sparsely-packed foam structures (with longer and thicker interconnects) display higher coupling constants and acoustic impedance as compared to closepacked foam structures (with shorter and thinner interconnects). The piezoelectric charge coefficients ( d h), the hydrostatic voltage coefficients ( g h), and the hydrostatic figures of merit ( d hgh) are observed to be significantly higher for the [3-3] type piezoelectric foam structures as compared to the [3-1] type long-porous materials, and these can be enhanced significantly by modifying the aspect ratio of the porosity in the foam structures as well.

Active Blade Vibration Control Being Developed and Tested

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Dexter

2003-01-01

Gas turbine engines are currently being designed to have increased performance, lower weight and manufacturing costs, and higher reliability. Consequently, turbomachinery components, such as turbine and compressor blades, have designs that are susceptible to new vibration problems and eventual in-service failure due to high-cycle fatigue. To address this problem, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center are developing and testing innovative active blade vibration control concepts. Preliminary results of using an active blade vibration control system, involving a rotor supported by an active magnetic bearing in Glenn's Dynamic Spin Rig, indicate promising results (see the photograph). Active blade vibration control was achieved using feedback of blade strain gauge signals within the magnetic bearing control loop. The vibration amplitude was reduced substantially (see the graphs). Also, vibration amplitude amplification was demonstrated; this could be used to enhance structural mode identification, if desired. These results were for a nonrotating two-bladed disk. Tests for rotating blades are planned. Current and future active blade vibration control research is planned to use a fully magnetically suspended rotor and smart materials. For the fully magnetically suspended rotor work, three magnetic bearings (two radial and one axial) will be used as actuators instead of one magnetic bearing. This will allow additional degrees of freedom to be used for control. For the smart materials work, control effectors located on and off the blade will be considered. Piezoelectric materials will be considered for on-the-blade actuation, and actuator placement on a stator vane, or other nearby structure, will be investigated for off-the-blade actuation. Initial work will focus on determining the feasibility of these methods by performing basic analysis and simple experiments involving feedback control.

Sunlight-driven eco-friendly smart curtain based on infrared responsive graphene oxide-polymer photoactuators.

PubMed

Leeladhar; Raturi, Parul; Singh, J P

2018-02-27

Photomechanical actuation is the conversion of light energy into mechanical energy through some smart materials. Infrared-responsive smart materials have become an emerging field of research due to easy availability and eco-friendly nature of their stimulus in the form of sunlight, which contains about 50% of near-infrared(nIR) making these materials useful at macro-scale photoactuator applications. Here, we demonstrate fabrication of highly versatile nIR triggered photoactuators based on graphene oxide/polycarbonate bilayers that offers fast, low-cost fabrication, large deflection, reversible actuation and wavelength-selective response. The photoactuators are realized by vacuum filtration of graphene oxide/water dispersion through polycarbonate membrane resulting graphene oxide/polymer bilayer structure. The photoactuation response was measured in the form of deflection from equilibrium position as a result of infrared-irradiation. The deflection is caused by the generated thermal stress at the interface of bilayers due to mismatch of thermal expansion coefficient as a results of nIR absorption by graphene oxide and subsequent temperature rise. A maximum deflection of 12 mm (circular-shaped structure with diameter 28 mm) with corresponding bending curvature of 0.33 cm -1 was shown by this photoactuator for illumination intensity of 106 mW/cm 2 . Few applications of these photoactuators such as sunlight-driven smart curtain, infrared actuated curtain and self-folding box are also demonstrated.

Overview of the ARPA/WL Smart Structures and Materials Development-Smart Wing contract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudva, Jayanth N.; Jardine, A. Peter; Martin, Christopher A.; Appa, Kari

1996-05-01

While the concept of an adaptive aircraft wing, i.e., a wing whose shape parameters such as camber, wing twist, and thickness can be varied to optimize the wing shape for various flight conditions, has been extensively studied, the complexity and weight penalty of the actuation mechanisms have precluded their practical implementation. Recent development of sensors and actuators using smart materials could potentially alleviate the shortcomings of prior designs, paving the way for a practical, `smart' adaptive wing which responds to changes in flight and environmental conditions by modifying its shape to provide optimal performance. This paper presents a summary of recent work done on adaptive wing designs under an on-going ARPA/WL contract entitled `Smart Structures and Materials Development--Smart Wing.' Specifically, the design, development and planned wind tunnel testing of a 16% model representative of a fighter aircraft wing and incorporating the following features, are discussed: (1) a composite wing torque box whose span-wise twist can be varied by activating built-in shape memory alloy (SMA) torque tubes to provide increased lift and enhanced maneuverability at multiple flight conditions, (2) trailing edge control surfaces deployed using composite SMA actuators to provide smooth, hingeless aerodynamic surfaces, and (3) a suite of fiber optic sensors integrated into the wing skin which provide real-time strain and pressure data to a feedback control system.

Transparent actuators and robots based on single-layer superaligned carbon nanotube sheet and polymer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Luzhuo; Weng, Mingcen; Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Zhiwei; Zhou, Yi; Xia, Dan; Li, Jiaxin; Huang, Zhigao; Liu, Changhong; Fan, Shoushan

2016-03-01

Transparent actuators have been attracting emerging interest recently, as they demonstrate potential applications in the fields of invisible robots, tactical displays, variable-focus lenses, and flexible cellular phones. However, previous technologies did not simultaneously realize macroscopic transparent actuators with advantages of large-shape deformation, low-voltage-driven actuation and fast fabrication. Here, we develop a fast approach to fabricate a high-performance transparent actuator based on single-layer superaligned carbon nanotube sheet and polymer composites. Various advantages of single-layer nanotube sheets including high transparency, considerable conductivity, and ultra-thin dimensions together with selected polymer materials completely realize all the above required advantages. Also, this is the first time that a single-layer nanotube sheet has been used to fabricate actuators with high transparency, avoiding the structural damage to the single-layer nanotube sheet. The transparent actuator shows a transmittance of 72% at the wavelength of 550 nm and bends remarkably with a curvature of 0.41 cm-1 under a DC voltage for 5 s, demonstrating a significant advance in technological performances compared to previous conventional actuators. To illustrate their great potential usage, a transparent wiper and a humanoid robot ``hand'' were elaborately designed and fabricated, which initiate a new direction in the development of high-performance invisible robotics and other intelligent applications with transparency.Transparent actuators have been attracting emerging interest recently, as they demonstrate potential applications in the fields of invisible robots, tactical displays, variable-focus lenses, and flexible cellular phones. However, previous technologies did not simultaneously realize macroscopic transparent actuators with advantages of large-shape deformation, low-voltage-driven actuation and fast fabrication. Here, we develop a fast approach to fabricate a high-performance transparent actuator based on single-layer superaligned carbon nanotube sheet and polymer composites. Various advantages of single-layer nanotube sheets including high transparency, considerable conductivity, and ultra-thin dimensions together with selected polymer materials completely realize all the above required advantages. Also, this is the first time that a single-layer nanotube sheet has been used to fabricate actuators with high transparency, avoiding the structural damage to the single-layer nanotube sheet. The transparent actuator shows a transmittance of 72% at the wavelength of 550 nm and bends remarkably with a curvature of 0.41 cm-1 under a DC voltage for 5 s, demonstrating a significant advance in technological performances compared to previous conventional actuators. To illustrate their great potential usage, a transparent wiper and a humanoid robot ``hand'' were elaborately designed and fabricated, which initiate a new direction in the development of high-performance invisible robotics and other intelligent applications with transparency. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Video records of the actuation process of the transparent wiper and the grabbing-releasing process of the transparent robot ``hand'', transmittance spectra of the PET and BOPP films, the SEM image showing the thickness of the SACNT sheet, calculation of the curvature, calculation of energy efficiency, experimental results of the control experiment, modeling of the SACNT/PET and PET/BOPP composites and experimental results of the repeatability test. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr07237a

Molecular engineering of polymer actuators for biomedical and industrial use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banister, Mark; Eichorst, Rebecca; Gurr, Amy; Schweitzer, Georgette; Geronov, Yordan; Rao, Pavalli; McGrath, Dominic

2012-04-01

Five key materials engineering components and how each component impacted the working performance of a polymer actuator material are investigated. In our research we investigated the change of actuation performance that occurred with each change we made to the material. We investigated polymer crosslink density, polymer chain length, polymer gelation, type and density of reactive units, as well as the addition of binders to the polymer matrix. All five play a significant role and need to be addressed at the molecular level to optimize a polymer gel for use as a practical actuator material for biomedical and industrial use.

Intraply Hybrid Composites Would Contain Control Strips

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, Christos C.; Shiao, Chi-Yu

1996-01-01

"Smart" structural components with sensors and/or actuators distributed throughout their volumes made of intraply hybrid composite materials, according to proposal. Strips of hybrid control material interspersed with strips of ordinary (passive) composite material in some layers, providing distributed control capability. For example, near and far edges of plate bent upward by commanding bottom control strips to expand and simultaneously commanding upper control strips to contract.

Active vortex generator deployed on demand by size independent actuation of shape memory alloy wires integrated in fiber reinforced polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hübler, M.; Nissle, S.; Gurka, M.; Wassenaar, J.

2016-04-01

Static vortex generators (VGs) are installed on different aircraft types. They generate vortices and interfuse the slow boundary layer with the fast moving air above. Due to this energizing, a flow separation of the boundary layer can be suppressed at high angles of attack. However the VGs cause a permanently increased drag over the whole flight cycle reducing the cruise efficiency. This drawback is currently limiting the use of VGs. New active VGs, deployed only on demand at low speed, can help to overcome this contradiction. Active hybrid structures, combining the actuation of shape memory alloys (SMA) with fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) on the materials level, provide an actuation principle with high lightweight potential and minimum space requirements. Being one of the first applications of active hybrid structures from SMA and FRP, these active vortex generators help to demonstrate the advantages of this new technology. A new design approach and experimental results of active VGs are presented based on the application of unique design tools and advanced manufacturing approaches for these active hybrid structures. The experimental investigation of the actuation focuses on the deflection potential and the dynamic response. Benchmark performance data such as a weight of 1.5g and a maximum thickness of only 1.8mm per vortex generator finally ensure a simple integration in the wing structure.

Driving mechanisms of ionic polymer actuators having electric double layer capacitor structures.

PubMed

Imaizumi, Satoru; Kato, Yuichi; Kokubo, Hisashi; Watanabe, Masayoshi

2012-04-26

Two solid polymer electrolytes, composed of a polyether-segmented polyurethaneurea (PEUU) and either a lithium salt (lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide: Li[NTf2]) or a nonvolatile ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide: [C2mim][NTf2]), were prepared in order to utilize them as ionic polymer actuators. These salts were preferentially dissolved in the polyether phases. The ionic transport mechanism of the polyethers was discussed in terms of the diffusion coefficients and ionic transference numbers of the incorporated ions, which were estimated by means of pulsed-field gradient spin-echo (PGSE) NMR. There was a distinct difference in the ionic transport properties of each polymer electrolyte owing to the difference in the magnitude of interactions between the cations and the polyether. The anionic diffusion coefficient was much faster than that of the cation in the polyether/Li[NTf2] electrolyte, whereas the cation diffused faster than the anion in the polyether/[C2mim][NTf2] electrolyte. Ionic polymer actuators, which have a solid-state electric-double-layer-capacitor (EDLC) structure, were prepared using these polymer electrolyte membranes and ubiquitous carbon materials such as activated carbon and acetylene black. On the basis of the difference in the motional direction of each actuator against applied voltages, a simple model of the actuation mechanisms was proposed by taking the difference in ionic transport properties into consideration. This model discriminated the behavior of the actuators in terms of the products of transference numbers and ionic volumes. The experimentally observed behavior of the actuators was successfully explained by this model.

Experimental investigation of active rib stitch knitted architecture for flow control applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abel, Julianna M.; Mane, Poorna; Pascoe, Benjamin; Luntz, Jonathan; Brei, Diann

2010-04-01

Actively manipulating flow characteristics around the wing can enhance the high-lift capability and reduce drag; thereby, increasing fuel economy, improving maneuverability and operation over diverse flight conditions which enables longer, more varied missions. Active knits, a novel class of cellular structural smart material actuator architectures created by continuous, interlocked loops of stranded active material, produce distributed actuation that can actively manipulate the local surface of the aircraft wing to improve flow characteristics. Rib stitch active knits actuate normal to the surface, producing span-wise discrete periodic arrays that can withstand aerodynamic forces while supplying the necessary displacement for flow control. This paper presents a preliminary experimental investigation of the pressuredisplacement actuation performance capabilities of a rib stitch active knit based upon shape memory alloy (SMA) wire. SMA rib stitch prototypes in both individual form and in stacked and nestled architectures were experimentally tested for their quasi-static load-displacement characteristics, verifying the parallel and series relationships of the architectural configurations. The various configurations tested demonstrated the potential of active knits to generate the required level of distributed surface displacements while under aerodynamic level loads for various forms of flow control.

Soft Dielectric Elastomer Oscillators Driving Bioinspired Robots.

PubMed

Henke, E-F Markus; Schlatter, Samuel; Anderson, Iain A

2017-12-01

Entirely soft robots with animal-like behavior and integrated artificial nervous systems will open up totally new perspectives and applications. To produce them, we must integrate control and actuation in the same soft structure. Soft actuators (e.g., pneumatic and hydraulic) exist but electronics are hard and stiff and remotely located. We present novel soft, electronics-free dielectric elastomer oscillators, which are able to drive bioinspired robots. As a demonstrator, we present a robot that mimics the crawling motion of the caterpillar, with an integrated artificial nervous system, soft actuators and without any conventional stiff electronic parts. Supplied with an external DC voltage, the robot autonomously generates all signals that are necessary to drive its dielectric elastomer actuators, and it translates an in-plane electromechanical oscillation into a crawling locomotion movement. Therefore, all functional and supporting parts are made of polymer materials and carbon. Besides the basic design of this first electronic-free, biomimetic robot, we present prospects to control the general behavior of such robots. The absence of conventional stiff electronics and the exclusive use of polymeric materials will provide a large step toward real animal-like robots, compliant human machine interfaces, and a new class of distributed, neuron-like internal control for robotic systems.

An application of neural network for Structural Health Monitoring of an adaptive wing with an array of FBG sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mieloszyk, Magdalena; Krawczuk, Marek; Skarbek, Lukasz; Ostachowicz, Wieslaw

2011-07-01

This paper presents an application of neural networks to determinate the level of activation of shape memory alloy actuators of an adaptive wing. In this concept the shape of the wing can be controlled and altered thanks to the wing design and the use of integrated shape memory alloy actuators. The wing is assumed as assembled from a number of wing sections that relative positions can be controlled independently by thermal activation of shape memory actuators. The investigated wing is employed with an array of Fibre Bragg Grating sensors. The Fibre Bragg Grating sensors with combination of a neural network have been used to Structural Health Monitoring of the wing condition. The FBG sensors are a great tool to control the condition of composite structures due to their immunity to electromagnetic fields as well as their small size and weight. They can be mounted onto the surface or embedded into the wing composite material without any significant influence on the wing strength. The paper concentrates on analysis of the determination of the twisting moment produced by an activated shape memory alloy actuator. This has been analysed both numerically using the finite element method by a commercial code ABAQUS® and experimentally using Fibre Bragg Grating sensor measurements. The results of the analysis have been then used by a neural network to determine twisting moments produced by each shape memory alloy actuator.

A new SMART sensing system for aerospace structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, David C.; Yu, Pin; Beard, Shawn; Qing, Peter; Kumar, Amrita; Chang, Fu-Kuo

2007-04-01

It is essential to ensure the safety and reliability of in-service structures such as unmanned vehicles by detecting structural cracking, corrosion, delamination, material degradation and other types of damage in time. Utilization of an integrated sensor network system can enable automatic inspection of such damages ultimately. Using a built-in network of actuators and sensors, Acellent is providing tools for advanced structural diagnostics. Acellent's integrated structural health monitoring system consists of an actuator/sensor network, supporting signal generation and data acquisition hardware, and data processing, visualization and analysis software. This paper describes the various features of Acellent's latest SMART sensing system. The new system is USB-based and is ultra-portable using the state-of-the-art technology, while delivering many functions such as system self-diagnosis, sensor diagnosis, through-transmission mode and pulse-echo mode of operation and temperature measurement. Performance of the new system was evaluated for assessment of damage in composite structures.

Shape memory alloy-actuated bistable composites for morphing structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chillara, Venkata Siva C.; Dapino, Marcelo J.

2018-03-01

Laminated composites with orthogonally-applied mechanical prestress have been shown to exhibit two stable shapes where each shape is influenced by only one prestrained lamina. The application of mechanical prestress is associated with an irreversible non-zero stress state; when combined with smart materials with controllable stress-states, this results in multifunctionality in morphing composites. This study presents an experimental characterization of the shape transition or snap-through in mechanically-prestressed bistable laminates. Measurements, conducted using tensile testing and 3D motion capture, show that snap-through in these laminates is a multi-stage phenomenon. An active bistable morphing composite is demonstrated using NiTi shape memory wire actuators in push-pull configuration; activation of one wire resets the second wire as the composite morphs. The set of shape memory actuators not only actuate the composite in both directions, but also act as dampers that enable vibration-free shape transition.

Construction of a Fish‐like Robot Based on High Performance Graphene/PVDF Bimorph Actuation Materials

PubMed Central

Xiao, Peishuang; Yi, Ningbo; Zhang, Tengfei; Chang, Huicong; Yang, Yang; Zhou, Ying

2016-01-01

Smart actuators have many potential applications in various areas, so the development of novel actuation materials, with facile fabricating methods and excellent performances, are still urgent needs. In this work, a novel electromechanical bimorph actuator constituted by a graphene layer and a PVDF layer, is fabricated through a simple yet versatile solution approach. The bimorph actuator can deflect toward the graphene side under electrical stimulus, due to the differences in coefficient of thermal expansion between the two layers and the converse piezoelectric effect and electrostrictive property of the PVDF layer. Under low voltage stimulus, the actuator (length: 20 mm, width: 3 mm) can generate large actuation motion with a maximum deflection of about 14.0 mm within 0.262 s and produce high actuation stress (more than 312.7 MPa/g). The bimorph actuator also can display reversible swing behavior with long cycle life under high frequencies. on this basis, a fish‐like robot that can swim at the speed of 5.02 mm/s is designed and demonstrated. The designed graphene‐PVDF bimorph actuator exhibits the overall novel performance compared with many other electromechanical avtuators, and may contribute to the practical actuation applications of graphene‐based materials at a macro scale. PMID:27818900

Construction of a Fish-like Robot Based on High Performance Graphene/PVDF Bimorph Actuation Materials.

PubMed

Xiao, Peishuang; Yi, Ningbo; Zhang, Tengfei; Huang, Yi; Chang, Huicong; Yang, Yang; Zhou, Ying; Chen, Yongsheng

2016-06-01

Smart actuators have many potential applications in various areas, so the development of novel actuation materials, with facile fabricating methods and excellent performances, are still urgent needs. In this work, a novel electromechanical bimorph actuator constituted by a graphene layer and a PVDF layer, is fabricated through a simple yet versatile solution approach. The bimorph actuator can deflect toward the graphene side under electrical stimulus, due to the differences in coefficient of thermal expansion between the two layers and the converse piezoelectric effect and electrostrictive property of the PVDF layer. Under low voltage stimulus, the actuator (length: 20 mm, width: 3 mm) can generate large actuation motion with a maximum deflection of about 14.0 mm within 0.262 s and produce high actuation stress (more than 312.7 MPa/g). The bimorph actuator also can display reversible swing behavior with long cycle life under high frequencies. on this basis, a fish-like robot that can swim at the speed of 5.02 mm/s is designed and demonstrated. The designed graphene-PVDF bimorph actuator exhibits the overall novel performance compared with many other electromechanical avtuators, and may contribute to the practical actuation applications of graphene-based materials at a macro scale.

Synthesizing A Phase Changing Bistable Electroactive Polymer And Silver Nanoparticles Coated Fabric As A Resistive Heating Element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Zhi

Transducer technologies that convert energy from one form to another (e.g. electrical energy to mechanical energy or thermal energy and vise versa) are considered as the basic building blocks of robots and wearable electronics, two of the rapidly emerging technologies that impact our daily life. With an emphasis on developing the essential smart materials, this dissertation focuses on two specific transducer technologies, bistable large-strain electro-mechanical actuation and resistive Joule heating, in pursuit of refreshable Braille electronic displays and wearable thermal management element, respectively. Dielectric elastomers (DEs) have been intensively studied for their promising ability to mimic human muscles in providing efficient electro-mechanical actuation. They exhibit a unique combination of properties, including large strain, fast response, high energy density, mechanical compliancy, lightweight, and low cost. However, the softness of the DE materials, which is a prerequisite for electrically induced large actuation strain, has been hindering their application in adaptive structures. In these applications such as braille displays, a certain amount of mechanical support is necessary in addition to large strains for the device or system to function. Bistable electroactive polymers (BSEP) that leverage the electrically induced large-strain actuation of DE actuators and the bi-stable rigid-to-rigid deformation of shape memory polymers are innovated to provide large electrical actuation strain in their rubbery state and fix the deformation by cooling down to room temperature to incorporate mechanical rigidity. BSEP materials that can suppress electromechanical instability and exhibit stable mechanical properties in the rubbery state are desired. A bimodal BSEP material with a glass transition temperature right above room temperature has been synthesized employing simple UV curing process. The BSEP has a large storage modulus over 1GPa at room temperature that decreases to several MPa at above 70°C after a rigid-to-rubbery transition via glass transition. The rubbery BSEP possesses a stable storage modulus regardless of temperature fluctuations, which is beneficial to stable electrical actuation performances under an electric field. The bimodal structure creates a framework involving both long chain crosslinkers and small molecular crosslinkers. Due to the limited chain extensibility of this bimodal framework, the rubbery BSEP can self-stiffen at modest strains to suppress electromechanical instability, which is responsible for the premature electrical breakdown of the previous BSEP materials in their rubbery states. A BSEP actuator with a braille dot size exhibits steadily increased actuation height with increasing electric field at 70 °C. A stable actuation with a cycle lifetime of over 2000 cycles at a raised dot height of 0.4 mm was demonstrated. A fabrication process for a page-size braille paper using the BSEP has been developed. A selective heating strategy has been investigated based on a 2-cell device to provide a selective actuation strategy of BSEP braille dots. Wearable thermal management strategy has presented itself recently as a new challenge to offer an optimal thermal experience for the occupant as well as to reduce building energy usage for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). Joule heating based on silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) coated non-woven fabric can provide a wearable localized heating element.A sheet resistance of <0.3 ohm/square can be achieved for AgNPs-coated polyester fabrics upon thermal annealing. Multistep electroless deposition creates chemical bonding between oxygen groups on the fabrics' surface and AgNPs. As a result, the bonding between the AgNPs layer and the polyester fabrics is strong enough to resist sonication damage. The resistance only increased slightly after an 80minutes of sonication and therefore the AgNPs-polyester fabrics composite are regarded as washable. The AgNPs coated polyester fabrics was employed as a heating element. A voltage as low as 1volt is adequate to heat up the AgNPs-polyester fabrics to 60 °C in 2 seconds. The heat can be dissipated away fast after turning off the heating voltage, due to the mesh structure of the AgNPs-polyester fabrics. The strategy of the wearable heater can potentially play influential roles in energy saving and consumer experience in a localized thermal management system. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Development of a self-healing soft pneumatic actuator: a first concept.

PubMed

Terryn, Seppe; Mathijssen, Glenn; Brancart, Joost; Lefeber, Dirk; Assche, Guy Van; Vanderborght, Bram

2015-07-07

Inspired by the intrinsic softness and the corresponding embodied intelligence principles, soft pneumatic actuators (SPA) have been developed, which ensure safe interaction in unstructured, unknown environments. Due to their intrinsic softness, these actuators have the ability to resist large mechanical impacts. However, the soft materials used in these structures are in general susceptible to damage caused by sharp objects found in the unstructured environments. This paper proposes to integrate a self-healing (SH-) mechanism in SPAs, such that cuts, tears and perforations in the actuator can be self-healed. Diels-Alder (DA-) polymers, covalent polymer network systems based on the thermoreversible DA-reaction, were selected and their mechanical, as well as SH-properties, are described. To evaluate the feasibility of developing an SPA constructed out of SH-material, a single cell prototype, a SH-soft pneumatic cell (SH-SPC), was constructed entirely out of DA-polymers. Exploiting the SH-property of the DA-polymers, a completely new shaping process is presented in this paper, referred to as 'shaping through folding and self-healing'. 3D polygon structures, like the cubic SH-SPC, can be constructed by folding SH-polymer sheet. The sides of the structures can be sealed and made airtight using a SH-procedure at relatively low temperatures (<90 °C). Both the (thermo) mechanical and SH-properties of the SH-SPC prototype were experimentally validated and showed excellent performances. Macroscopic incisions in the prototype were completely healed using a SH-procedure (<70 °C). Starting from this single-cell prototype, it is straight-forward to develop a multi-cell prototype, the first SPA ever built completely out of SH-polymers.

Active stabilization of thin-wall structures under compressive loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welham, Jared; Calius, Emilio P.; Chase, J. Geoffrey

2003-08-01

The active suppression of elastic buckling instability has the potential to significantly increase the effective strength of thin-wall structures. Despite all the interest in smart structures, the active suppression of buckling has received comparatively little attention. This paper addresses the effects of embedded actuation on the compression buckling strength of laminated composite plates through analysis and simulation. Numerical models are formulated that include the influence of essential features such as sensor uncertainty and noise, actuator saturation and control architecture on the buckling process. Silicon-based strain sensors and diffuse laser distance sensors are both considered for use in the detection of incipient buckling behavior due to their increased sensitivity. Actuation is provided by paired distributions of piezo-electric material incorporated into both sides of the laminate. Optimal controllers are designed to command the structure to deform in ways that interfere with the development of buckling mode shapes. Commercial software packages are used to solve the resulting non-linear equations, and some of the tradeoffs are enumerated. Overall, the results show that active buckling control can considerably enhance resistance to instability under compressive loads. These buckling load predictions demonstrate the viability of optimal control and piezo-electric actuation for implementing active buckling control. Due to the importance of early detection, the relative effectiveness of active buckling control is shown to be strongly dependent on the performance of the sensing scheme, as well as on the characteristics of the structure.

Inkjet 3D printing of UV and thermal cure silicone elastomers for dielectric elastomer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCoul, David; Rosset, Samuel; Schlatter, Samuel; Shea, Herbert

2017-12-01

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are an attractive form of electromechanical transducer, possessing high energy densities, an efficient design, mechanical compliance, high speed, and noiseless operation. They have been incorporated into a wide variety of devices, such as microfluidic systems, cell bioreactors, tunable optics, haptic displays, and actuators for soft robotics. Fabrication of DEA devices is complex, and the majority are inefficiently made by hand. 3D printing offers an automated and flexible manufacturing alternative that can fabricate complex, multi-material, integrated devices consistently and in high resolution. We present a novel additive manufacturing approach to DEA devices in which five commercially available, thermal and UV-cure DEA silicone rubber materials have been 3D printed with a drop-on-demand, piezoelectric inkjet system. Using this process, 3D structures and high-quality silicone dielectric elastomer membranes as thin as 2 μm have been printed that exhibit mechanical and actuation performance at least as good as conventionally blade-cast membranes. Printed silicone membranes exhibited maximum tensile strains of up to 727%, and DEAs with printed silicone dielectrics were actuated up to 6.1% area strain at a breakdown strength of 84 V μm-1 and also up to 130 V μm-1 at 2.4% strain. This approach holds great potential to manufacture reliable, high-performance DEA devices with high throughput.

Galerkin finite element scheme for magnetostrictive structures and composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kannan, Kidambi Srinivasan

The ever increasing-role of magnetostrictives in actuation and sensing applications is an indication of their importance in the emerging field of smart structures technology. As newer, and more complex, applications are developed, there is a growing need for a reliable computational tool that can effectively address the magneto-mechanical interactions and other nonlinearities in these materials and in structures incorporating them. This thesis presents a continuum level quasi-static, three-dimensional finite element computational scheme for modeling the nonlinear behavior of bulk magnetostrictive materials and particulate magnetostrictive composites. Models for magnetostriction must deal with two sources of nonlinearities-nonlinear body forces/moments in equilibrium equations governing magneto-mechanical interactions in deformable and magnetized bodies; and nonlinear coupled magneto-mechanical constitutive models for the material of interest. In the present work, classical differential formulations for nonlinear magneto-mechanical interactions are recast in integral form using the weighted-residual method. A discretized finite element form is obtained by applying the Galerkin technique. The finite element formulation is based upon three dimensional eight-noded (isoparametric) brick element interpolation functions and magnetostatic infinite elements at the boundary. Two alternative possibilities are explored for establishing the nonlinear incremental constitutive model-characterization in terms of magnetic field or in terms of magnetization. The former methodology is the one most commonly used in the literature. In this work, a detailed comparative study of both methodologies is carried out. The computational scheme is validated, qualitatively and quantitatively, against experimental measurements published in the literature on structures incorporating the magnetostrictive material Terfenol-D. The influence of nonlinear body forces and body moments of magnetic origin, on the response of magnetostrictive structures to complex mechanical and magnetic loading conditions, is carefully examined. While monolithic magnetostrictive materials have been commercially-available since the late eighties, attention in the smart structures research community has recently focussed upon building and using magnetostrictive particulate composite structures for conventional actuation applications and novel sensing methodologies in structural health monitoring. A particulate magnetostrictive composite element has been developed in the present work to model such structures. This composite element incorporates interactions between magnetostrictive particles by combining a numerical micromechanical analysis based on magneto-mechanical Green's functions, with a homogenization scheme based upon the Mori-Tanaka approach. This element has been applied to the simulation of particulate actuators and sensors reported in the literature. Simulation results are compared to experimental data for validation purposes. The computational schemes developed, for bulk materials and for composites, are expected to be of great value to researchers and designers of novel applications based on magnetostrictives.

A novel in situ device based on a bionic piezoelectric actuator to study tensile and fatigue properties of bulk materials.

PubMed

Wang, Shupeng; Zhang, Zhihui; Ren, Luquan; Zhao, Hongwei; Liang, Yunhong; Zhu, Bing

2014-06-01

In this work, a miniaturized device based on a bionic piezoelectric actuator was developed to investigate the static tensile and dynamic fatigue properties of bulk materials. The device mainly consists of a bionic stepping piezoelectric actuator based on wedge block clamping, a pair of grippers, and a set of precise signal test system. Tensile and fatigue examinations share a set of driving system and a set of signal test system. In situ tensile and fatigue examinations under scanning electron microscope or metallographic microscope could be carried out due to the miniaturized dimensions of the device. The structure and working principle of the device were discussed and the effects of output difference between two piezoelectric stacks on the device were theoretically analyzed. The tensile and fatigue examinations on ordinary copper were carried out using this device and its feasibility was verified through the comparison tests with a commercial tensile examination instrument.

A novel in situ device based on a bionic piezoelectric actuator to study tensile and fatigue properties of bulk materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Shupeng; Zhang, Zhihui, E-mail: zhzh@jlu.edu.cn; Ren, Luquan

2014-06-15

In this work, a miniaturized device based on a bionic piezoelectric actuator was developed to investigate the static tensile and dynamic fatigue properties of bulk materials. The device mainly consists of a bionic stepping piezoelectric actuator based on wedge block clamping, a pair of grippers, and a set of precise signal test system. Tensile and fatigue examinations share a set of driving system and a set of signal test system. In situ tensile and fatigue examinations under scanning electron microscope or metallographic microscope could be carried out due to the miniaturized dimensions of the device. The structure and working principlemore » of the device were discussed and the effects of output difference between two piezoelectric stacks on the device were theoretically analyzed. The tensile and fatigue examinations on ordinary copper were carried out using this device and its feasibility was verified through the comparison tests with a commercial tensile examination instrument.« less

Polar Elastomers as Novel Materials for Electromechanical Actuator Applications.

PubMed

Opris, Dorina M

2018-02-01

Dielectric elastomer actuators are stretchable capacitors capable of a musclelike actuation when charged. They will one day be used to replace malfunctioning muscles supposing the driving voltage can be reduced below 24 V. This focus here is on polar dielectric elastomers and their behavior under an electric field. Emphasis is placed on all the features that are correlated with the molecular structure, its synthetic realization, and its impact on properties. Regarding the polymer class, the focus, to some degree, is on polysiloxanes because of their attractively low glass transition temperatures. This enables introduction of highly polar groups to the backbone while maintaining soft elastic properties. The goal is to provide a few guidelines for future research in this emerging field that may be useful for those considering entering this fascinating endeavor. Because of the large number of materials available, a few restrictions in the selection have to be applied. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fabrication and performance analysis of a DEA cuff designed for dry-suit applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadi, S.; Camacho Mattos, A.; Barbazza, A.; Soleimani, M.; Boscariol, P.; Menon, C.

2013-03-01

A method for manufacturing a cylindrical dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) is presented. The cylindrical DEA can be used in fabricating the cuff area of dry-suits where the garment is very tight and wearing the suit is difficult. When electrically actuated, the DEA expands radially and the suit can be worn more comfortably. In order to study the performance of the DEA, a customized testing setup was designed, and silicone-made cuff samples with different material stiffnesses were tested. Analytical and FEM modeling were considered to evaluate the experimental output. The results revealed that although the stiffness of the DEA material has a direct relationship with the radial constrictive pressure caused by mechanically stretching the DEA, it has a minor effect on the actuation pressure. It was also found that stacking multiple layers of the DEA to fabricate a laminated structure enabled the attainment of a desired variation of pressure required for the implementation of an electrically tunable cuff.

A quest for 2D lattice materials for actuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pronk, T. N.; Ayas, C.; Tekõglu, C.

2017-08-01

In the last two decades, most of the studies in shape morphing technology have focused on the Kagome lattice materials, which have superior properties such as in-plane isotropy, high specific stiffness and strength, and low energy requirement for actuation of its members. The Kagome lattice is a member of the family of semi-regular tessellations of the plane. Two fundamental questions naturally arise: i-) What makes a lattice material suitable for actuation? ii-) Are there other tessellations more effective than the Kagome lattice for actuation? The present paper tackles both questions, and provides a clear answer to the first one by comparing an alternative lattice material, the hexagonal cupola, with the Kagome lattice in terms of mechanical/actuation properties. The second question remains open, but, hopefully easier to challenge owing to a newly-discovered criterion: for an n-dimensional (n = 2 , 3) in-plane isotropic lattice material to be suitable for actuation, its pin-jointed equivalent must obey the generalised Maxwell's rule, and must possess M = 3(n - 1) non strain-producing finite kinematic mechanisms.

Spline Approximation of Thin Shell Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

delRosario, R. C. H.; Smith, R. C.

1996-01-01

A spline-based method for approximating thin shell dynamics is presented here. While the method is developed in the context of the Donnell-Mushtari thin shell equations, it can be easily extended to the Byrne-Flugge-Lur'ye equations or other models for shells of revolution as warranted by applications. The primary requirements for the method include accuracy, flexibility and efficiency in smart material applications. To accomplish this, the method was designed to be flexible with regard to boundary conditions, material nonhomogeneities due to sensors and actuators, and inputs from smart material actuators such as piezoceramic patches. The accuracy of the method was also of primary concern, both to guarantee full resolution of structural dynamics and to facilitate the development of PDE-based controllers which ultimately require real-time implementation. Several numerical examples provide initial evidence demonstrating the efficacy of the method.

Bismuth Sodium Titanate Based Materials for Piezoelectric Actuators

PubMed Central

Reichmann, Klaus; Feteira, Antonio; Li, Ming

2015-01-01

The ban of lead in many electronic products and the expectation that, sooner or later, this ban will include the currently exempt piezoelectric ceramics based on Lead-Zirconate-Titanate has motivated many research groups to look for lead-free substitutes. After a short overview on different classes of lead-free piezoelectric ceramics with large strain, this review will focus on Bismuth-Sodium-Titanate and its solid solutions. These compounds exhibit extraordinarily high strain, due to a field induced phase transition, which makes them attractive for actuator applications. The structural features of these materials and the origin of the field-induced strain will be revised. Technologies for texturing, which increases the useable strain, will be introduced. Finally, the features that are relevant for the application of these materials in a multilayer design will be summarized. PMID:28793724

Vibration suppression using a proofmass actuator operating in stroke/force saturation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindner, D. K.; Celano, T. P.; Ide, E. N.

1991-01-01

The design of the control-loop structure for a feedback control system which contains a proofmass actuator for suppressing vibration is discussed. The loop structure is composed of inner control loops, which determine the frequency of the actuator and which are directly related to the actuator and the outer loops which add damping to the structure. When the frequency response of the actuator is matched to the stroke/force saturation curve, the actuator is most effective in the vibration suppression loops, and, since the stroke/force saturation curve is characterized by the stroke length, the mass of the proofmass, and the maximum current delivered by the motor electronics, the size of the actuator can be easily determined. The results of the loop-structure model calculations are verified by examining linear DC motors as proofmass actuators for the Mast in NASA's Control of Flexible Structures program.

A modular approach to adaptive structures.

PubMed

Pagitz, Markus; Pagitz, Manuel; Hühne, Christian

2014-10-07

A remarkable property of nastic, shape changing plants is their complete fusion between actuators and structure. This is achieved by combining a large number of cells whose geometry, internal pressures and material properties are optimized for a given set of target shapes and stiffness requirements. An advantage of such a fusion is that cell walls are prestressed by cell pressures which increases, decreases the overall structural stiffness, weight. Inspired by the nastic movement of plants, Pagitz et al (2012 Bioinspir. Biomim. 7) published a novel concept for pressure actuated cellular structures. This article extends previous work by introducing a modular approach to adaptive structures. An algorithm that breaks down any continuous target shapes into a small number of standardized modules is presented. Furthermore it is shown how cytoskeletons within each cell enhance the properties of adaptive modules. An adaptive passenger seat and an aircrafts leading, trailing edge is used to demonstrate the potential of a modular approach.

Advanced Aerospace Materials by Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, Deepak; Djomehri, Jahed; Wei, Chen-Yu

2004-01-01

The advances in the emerging field of nanophase thermal and structural composite materials; materials with embedded sensors and actuators for morphing structures; light-weight composite materials for energy and power storage; and large surface area materials for in-situ resource generation and waste recycling, are expected to :revolutionize the capabilities of virtually every system comprising of future robotic and :human moon and mars exploration missions. A high-performance multiscale simulation platform, including the computational capabilities and resources of Columbia - the new supercomputer, is being developed to discover, validate, and prototype next generation (of such advanced materials. This exhibit will describe the porting and scaling of multiscale 'physics based core computer simulation codes for discovering and designing carbon nanotube-polymer composite materials for light-weight load bearing structural and 'thermal protection applications.

Optimization of shape control of a cantilever beam using dielectric elastomer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chong; Mao, Boyong; Huang, Gangting; Wu, Qichen; Xie, Shilin; Xu, Minglong

2018-05-01

Dielectric elastomer (DE) is a kind of smart soft material that has many advantages such as large deformation, fast response, lightweight and easy synthesis. These features make dielectric elastomer a suitable material for actuators. This article focuses on the shape control of a cantilever beam by using dielectric elastomer actuators. The shape control equation in finite element formulation of the cantilever beam partially covered with dielectric elastomer actuators is derived based on the constitutive equation of dielectric elastomer material by using Hamilton principle. The actuating forces produced by dielectric elastomer actuators depend on the number of layers, the position and the actuation voltage of dielectric elastomer actuators. First, effects of these factors on the shape control accuracy when one pair or multiple pairs of actuators are employed are simulated, respectively. The simulation results demonstrate that increasing the number of actuators or the number of layers can improve the control effect and reduce the actuation voltages effectively. Second, to achieve the optimal shape control effect, the position of the actuators and the drive voltages are all determined using a genetic algorithm. The robustness of the genetic algorithm is analyzed. Moreover, the implications of using one pair and multiple pairs of actuators to drive the cantilever beam to the expected shape are investigated. The results demonstrate that a small number of actuators with optimal placement and optimal voltage values can achieve the shape control of the beam effectively. Finally, a preliminary experimental verification of the control effect is carried out, which shows the correctness of the theoretical method.

A Study on a Microwave-Driven Smart Material Actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang H.; Chu, Sang-Hyon; Kwak, M.; Cutler, A. D.

2001-01-01

NASA s Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) has a large deployable, fragmented optical surface (greater than or = 2 8 m in diameter) that requires autonomous correction of deployment misalignments and thermal effects. Its high and stringent resolution requirement imposes a great deal of challenge for optical correction. The threshold value for optical correction is dictated by lambda/20 (30 nm for NGST optics). Control of an adaptive optics array consisting of a large number of optical elements and smart material actuators is so complex that power distribution for activation and control of actuators must be done by other than hard-wired circuitry. The concept of microwave-driven smart actuators is envisioned as the best option to alleviate the complexity associated with hard-wiring. A microwave-driven actuator was studied to realize such a concept for future applications. Piezoelectric material was used as an actuator that shows dimensional change with high electric field. The actuators were coupled with microwave rectenna and tested to correlate the coupling effect of electromagnetic wave. In experiments, a 3x3 rectenna patch array generated more than 50 volts which is a threshold voltage for 30-nm displacement of a single piezoelectric material. Overall, the test results indicate that the microwave-driven actuator concept can be adopted for NGST applications.

Finite element analysis of multilayer DEAP stack-actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhring, Stefan; Uhlenbusch, Dominik; Hoffstadt, Thorben; Maas, Jürgen

2015-04-01

Dielectric elastomers (DE) are thin polymer films belonging to the class of electroactive polymers (EAP). They are coated with compliant and conductive electrodes on each side, which make them performing a relative high amount of deformation with considerable force generation under the influence of an electric field. Because the realization of high electric fields with a limited voltage level requests single layer polymer films to be very thin, novel multilayer actuators are utilized to increase the absolute displacement and force. In case of a multilayer stack-actuator, many actuator films are mechanically stacked in series and electrically connected in parallel. Because there are different ways to design such a stack-actuator, this contribution considers an optimization of some design parameters using the finite element analysis (FEA), whereby the behavior and the actuation of a multilayer dielectric electroactive polymer (DEAP) stack-actuator can be improved. To describe the material behavior, first different material models are compared and necessary material parameters are identified by experiments. Furthermore, a FEA model of a DEAP film is presented, which is expanded to a multilayer DEAP stack-actuator model. Finally, the results of the FEA are discussed and conclusions for design rules of optimized stack-actuators are outlined.

The Development for Polymer Actuator Active Catheter System

PubMed Central

Sewa, S.; Onishi, K.; Oguro, K.; Asaka, K.; Taki, W.; Toma, N.

2001-01-01

Summary Electric stimuli polymer-metal composite actuator material has been developed for active catheter system and other widely new applications. The polymer actuator is made of ion exchange polymer and gold as electrode, and a pulse voltage of 3 volts on the actuator gave a quick bend 90 degree angle. This composite material is possible to make small size, light and soft actuator. So now we can actually develop an active catheter for the interventional radiology surgery. The prototype polymer actuator active catheter has been developed by using polymer actuator technology and Micro Electronics Mechanical System (MEMS) technologies. The active catheter is controllable from the outside of the body by electric signal. The tip part of the catheter is made of the polymer actuator tube and bends 90 degree angles. The animal tests (dog) showed good actuator performance to control right direction and bending angle at bifurcation of blood vessel and aneurysms. PMID:20663388

Miniature Inchworm Actuators Fabricated by Use of LIGA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Eui-Hyeok

2003-01-01

Miniature inchworm actuators that would have relatively simple designs have been proposed for applications in which there are requirements for displacements of the order of microns or tens of microns and for the ability to hold their positions when electric power is not applied. The proposed actuators would be members of the class of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), but would be designed and fabricated following an approach that is somewhat unusual for MEMS. Like other MEMS actuators, the proposed inchworm actuators could utilize thermoplastic, bimetallic, shape-memory-alloy, or piezoelectric actuation principles. The figure depicts a piezoelectric inchworm actuator according to the proposal. As in other inchworm actuators, linear motion of an extensible member would be achieved by lengthening and shortening the extensible member in synchronism with alternately clamping and releasing one and then the other end of the member. In this case, the moving member would be the middle one; the member would be piezoelectric and would be shortened by applying a voltage to it. The two outer members would also be piezoelectric; the release of the clamps on the upper or lower end would be achieved by applying a voltage to the electrodes on the upper or lower ends, respectively, of these members. Usually, MEMS actuators cannot be fabricated directly on the side walls of silicon wafers, yet the geometry of this actuator necessitates such fabrication. The solution, according to the proposal, would be to use the microfabrication technique known by the German acronym LIGA - "lithographie, galvanoformung, abformung," which means lithography, electroforming, molding. LIGA involves x-ray lithography of a polymer film followed by selective removal of material to form a three-dimensional pattern from which a mold is made. Among the advantages of LIGA for this purpose are that it is applicable to a broad range of materials, can be used to implement a variety of designs, including those of structures >1 mm high, affords submicron precision, and is amenable to mass production at relatively low unit cost. Fabrication of the proposed actuators would involve some technological risks - in particular, in the integration of electrode connection lines and placement of actuator elements. It will also be necessary to perform an intensive study of the feasibility of growing piezoelectric crystals onto LIGA molds.

Damage detection in composite materials using Lamb wave methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kessler, Seth S.; Spearing, S. Mark; Soutis, Constantinos

2002-04-01

Cost-effective and reliable damage detection is critical for the utilization of composite materials. This paper presents part of an experimental and analytical survey of candidate methods for in situ damage detection of composite materials. Experimental results are presented for the application of Lamb wave techniques to quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy test specimens containing representative damage modes, including delamination, transverse ply cracks and through-holes. Linear wave scans were performed on narrow laminated specimens and sandwich beams with various cores by monitoring the transmitted waves with piezoceramic sensors. Optimal actuator and sensor configurations were devised through experimentation, and various types of driving signal were explored. These experiments provided a procedure capable of easily and accurately determining the time of flight of a Lamb wave pulse between an actuator and sensor. Lamb wave techniques provide more information about damage presence and severity than previously tested methods (frequency response techniques), and provide the possibility of determining damage location due to their local response nature. These methods may prove suitable for structural health monitoring applications since they travel long distances and can be applied with conformable piezoelectric actuators and sensors that require little power.

Multiscale Modeling of Advanced Materials for Damage Prediction and Structural Health Monitoring

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

Viscoplasticity Model ................................................. 71 4.1. PZT (APC 850) Orthotropic Properties...surface-mounted lead zirconate titanate ( PZT ) transducer using a coupled FEM-normal mode expansion method. Other researchers have also utilized the...orthotropic material properties of the PZT piezoelectric actuators and sensors are presented in Table 4.1. A 5 cycle cosine tone burst signal, seen in

Nanoporous carbon-based electrodes for high strain ionomeric bending actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmre, Viljar; Brandell, Daniel; Mäeorg, Uno; Torop, Janno; Volobujeva, Olga; Punning, Andres; Johanson, Urmas; Kruusmaa, Maarja; Aabloo, Alvo

2009-09-01

Ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) are electroactive material devices that bend at low applied voltage (1-4 V). Inversely, a voltage is generated when the materials are deformed, which makes them useful both as sensors and actuators. In this paper, we propose two new highly porous carbon materials as electrodes for IPMC actuators, generating a high specific area, and compare their electromechanical performance with recently reported RuO2 electrodes and conventional IPMCs. Using a direct assembly process (DAP), we synthesize ionic liquid (Emi-Tf) actuators with either carbide-derived carbon (CDC) or coconut-shell-based activated carbon-based electrodes. The carbon electrodes were applied onto ionic liquid-swollen Nafion membranes using a direct assembly process. The study demonstrates that actuators based on carbon electrodes derived from TiC have the greatest peak-to-peak strain output, reaching up to 20.4 mɛ (equivalent to>2%) at a 2 V actuation signal, exceeding that of the RuO2 electrodes by more than 100%. The electrodes synthesized from TiC-derived carbon also exhibit significantly higher maximum strain rate. The differences between the materials are discussed in terms of molecular interactions and mechanisms upon actuation in the different electrodes.

Fabrication and testing of SMA composite beam with shape control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noolvi, Basavaraj; S, Raja; Nagaraj, Shanmukha; Mudradi, Varada Raj

2017-07-01

Smart materials are the advanced materials that have characteristics of sensing and actuation in response to the external stimuli like pressure, heat or electric charge etc. These materials can be integrated in to any structure to make it smart. From the different types of smart materials available, Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) is found to be more useful in designing new applications, which can offer more actuating speed, reduce the overall weight of the structure. The unique property of SMA is the ability to remember and recover from large strains of upto 8% without permanent deformation. Embedding the SMA wire/sheet in fiber-epoxy/flexible resin systems has many potential applications in Aerospace, Automobile, Medical, Robotics and various other fields. In this work the design, fabrication, and testing of smart SMA composite beam has been carried out. Two types of epoxy based resin systems namely LY 5210 resin system and EPOLAM 2063 resin system are used in fabricating the SMA composite specimens. An appropriate mould is designed and fabricated to retain the pre-strain of SMA wire during high temperature post curing of composite specimens. The specimens are fabricated using vacuum bag technique.

Design and modeling of an efficiency horizontal thermal micro-actuator with integrated piezoresistors for precise control.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Lee, Dong-Weon

2010-05-01

An integrated system made up of a double-hot arm electro-thermal microactuator and a piezoresistor embedded at the base of the 'cold arm' is proposed. The electro-thermo-mechanical modeling and optimization is developed to elaborate the operation mechanism of the hybrid system through numerical simulations. For given materials, the geometry design mostly influences the performance of the sensor and actuator, which can be considered separately. That is because thermal expansion induced heating energy has less influence on the base area of the 'cold arm,' where is the maximum stress. The piezoresistor is positioned here for large sensitivity to monitor the in-plane movement of the system and characterize the actuator response precisely in real time. Force method is used to analyze the thermal induced mechanical expansion in the redundant structure. On the other hand, the integrated actuating mechanism is designed for high speed imaging. Based on the simulation results, the actuator operates at levels below 5 mA appearing to be very reliable, and the stress sensitivity is about 40 MPa per micron.

Photo-control of nanointeractions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomes, William Joseph, Jr.; Potter, Barrett George, Jr.; Jiang, Liu

2005-02-01

The manipulation of physical interactions between structural moieties on the molecular scale is a fundamental hurdle in the realization and operation of nanostructured materials and high surface area microsystem architectures. These include such nano-interaction-based phenomena as self-assembly, fluid flow, and interfacial tribology. The proposed research utilizes photosensitive molecular structures to tune such interactions reversibly. This new material strategy provides optical actuation of nano-interactions impacting behavior on both the nano- and macroscales and with potential to impact directed nanostructure formation, microfluidic rheology, and tribological control.

Molecular Dynamics Study on the Photothermal Actuation of a Glassy Photoresponsive Polymer Reinforced with Gold Nanoparticles with Size Effect.

PubMed

Choi, Joonmyung; Chung, Hayoung; Yun, Jung-Hoon; Cho, Maenghyo

2016-09-14

We investigated the optical and thermal actuation behavior of densely cross-linked photoresponsive polymer (PRP) and polymer nanocomposites containing gold nanoparticles (PRP/Au) using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The modeled molecular structures contain a large number of photoreactive mesogens with linear orientation. Flexible side chains are interconnected through covalent bonds under periodic boundary conditions. A switchable dihedral potential was applied on a diazene moiety to describe the photochemical trans-to-cis isomerization. To quantify the photoinduced molecular reorientation and its effect on the macroscopic actuation of the neat PRP and PRP/Au materials, we characterized the photostrain and other material properties including elastic stiffness and thermal stability according to the photoisomerization ratio of the reactive groups. We particularly examined the effect of nanoparticle size on the photothermal actuation by varying the diameter of the nanofiller (10-20 Å) under the same volume fraction of 1.62%. The results indicated that the insertion of the gold nanoparticles enlarges the photostrain of the material while enhancing its mechanical stiffness and thermal stability. When the diameter of the nanoparticle reaches a size similar to or smaller than the length of the mesogen, the interfacial energy between the nanofiller and the surrounding polymer matrix does not significantly affect the alignment of the mesogens, but rather the adsorption energy at the interface generates a stable interphase layer. Hence, these improvements were more effective as the size of the gold nanoparticle decreased. The present findings suggest a wider analysis of the nanofiller-reinforced PRP composites and could be a guide for the mechanical design of the PRP actuator system.

Flytrap-inspired robot using structurally integrated actuation based on bistability and a developable surface.

PubMed

Kim, Seung-Won; Koh, Je-Sung; Lee, Jong-Gu; Ryu, Junghyun; Cho, Maenghyo; Cho, Kyu-Jin

2014-09-01

The Venus flytrap uses bistability, the structural characteristic of its leaf, to actuate the leaf's rapid closing motion for catching its prey. This paper presents a flytrap-inspired robot and novel actuation mechanism that exploits the structural characteristics of this structure and a developable surface. We focus on the concept of exploiting structural characteristics for actuation. Using shape memory alloy (SMA), the robot actuates artificial leaves made from asymmetrically laminated carbon fiber reinforced prepregs. We exploit two distinct structural characteristics of the leaves. First, the bistability acts as an implicit actuator enabling rapid morphing motion. Second, the developable surface has a kinematic constraint that constrains the curvature of the artificial leaf. Due to this constraint, the curved artificial leaf can be unbent by bending the straight edge orthogonal to the curve. The bending propagates from one edge to the entire surface and eventually generates an overall shape change. The curvature change of the artificial leaf is 18 m(-1) within 100 ms when closing. Experiments show that these actuation mechanisms facilitate the generation of a rapid and large morphing motion of the flytrap robot by one-way actuation of the SMA actuators at a local position.

Smart Actuators and Adhesives for Reconfigurable Matter.

PubMed

Ko, Hyunhyub; Javey, Ali

2017-04-18

Biological systems found in nature provide excellent stimuli-responsive functions. The camouflage adaptation of cephalopods (octopus, cuttlefish), rapid stiffness change of sea cucumbers, opening of pine cones in response to humidity, and rapid closure of Venus flytraps upon insect touch are some examples of nature's smart systems. Although current technologies are still premature to mimic these sophisticated structures and functions in smart biological systems, recent work on stimuli-responsive programmable matter has shown great progress. Stimuli-responsive materials based on hydrogels, responsive nanocomposites, hybrid structures, shape memory polymers, and liquid crystal elastomers have demonstrated excellent responsivities to various stimuli such as temperature, light, pH, and electric field. However, the technologies in these stimuli-responsive materials are still not sophisticated enough to demonstrate the ultimate attributes of an ideal programmable matter: fast and reversible reconfiguration of programmable matter into complex and robust shapes. Recently, reconfigurable (or programmable) matter that reversibly changes its structure/shape or physical/chemical properties in response to external stimuli has attracted great interest for applications in sensors, actuators, robotics, and smart systems. In particular, key attributes of programmable matter including fast and reversible reconfiguration into complex and robust 2D and 3D shapes have been demonstrated by various approaches. In this Account, we review focused areas of smart materials with special emphasis on the material and device structure designs to enhance the response time, reversibility, multistimuli responsiveness, and smart adhesion for efficient shape transformation and functional actuations. First, the capability of fast reconfiguration of 2D and 3D structures in a reversible way is a critical requirement for programmable matter. For the fast and reversible reconfiguration, various approaches based on enhanced solvent diffusion rate through the porous or structured hydrogel materials, electrostatic repulsion between cofacial electrolyte nanosheets, and photothermal actuation are discussed. Second, the ability to reconfigure programmable matters into a variety of complex structures is beneficial for the use of reconfigurable matter in diverse applications. For the reconfiguration of planar 2D structures into complex 3D structures, asymmetric and multidirectional stress should be applied. In this regard, local hinges with stimuli-responsive stiffness, multilayer laminations with different responsiveness in individual layers, and origami and kirigami assembly approaches are reviewed. Third, multistimuli responsiveness will be required for the efficient reconfiguration of complex programmable matter in response to user-defined stimulus under different chemical and physical environments. In addition, with multistimuli responsiveness, the reconfigured shape can be temporarily affixed by one signal and disassembled by another signal at a user-defined location and time. Photoactuation depending on the chirality of carbon nanotubes and composite gels with different responsiveness will be discussed. Finally, the development of smart adhesives with on-demand adhesion strength is critically required to maintain the robust reconfigurable shapes and for the switching on/off of the binding between components or with target objects. Among various connectors and adhesives, thermoresponsive nanowire connectors, octopus-inspired smart adhesives, and elastomeric tiles with soft joints are described due to their potential applications in joints of deformable 3D structures and smart gripping systems.

Development and Application of Modern Optimal Controllers for a Membrane Structure Using Vector Second Order Form

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferhat, Ipar

With increasing advancement in material science and computational power of current computers that allows us to analyze high dimensional systems, very light and large structures are being designed and built for aerospace applications. One example is a reflector of a space telescope that is made of membrane structures. These reflectors are light and foldable which makes the shipment easy and cheaper unlike traditional reflectors made of glass or other heavy materials. However, one of the disadvantages of membranes is that they are very sensitive to external changes, such as thermal load or maneuvering of the space telescope. These effects create vibrations that dramatically affect the performance of the reflector. To overcome vibrations in membranes, in this work, piezoelectric actuators are used to develop distributed controllers for membranes. These actuators generate bending effects to suppress the vibration. The actuators attached to a membrane are relatively thick which makes the system heterogeneous; thus, an analytical solution cannot be obtained to solve the partial differential equation of the system. Therefore, the Finite Element Model is applied to obtain an approximate solution for the membrane actuator system. Another difficulty that arises with very flexible large structures is the dimension of the discretized system. To obtain an accurate result, the system needs to be discretized using smaller segments which makes the dimension of the system very high. This issue will persist as long as the improving technology will allow increasingly complex and large systems to be designed and built. To deal with this difficulty, the analysis of the system and controller development to suppress the vibration are carried out using vector second order form as an alternative to vector first order form. In vector second order form, the number of equations that need to be solved are half of the number equations in vector first order form. Analyzing the system for control characteristics such as stability, controllability and observability is a key step that needs to be carried out before developing a controller. This analysis determines what kind of system is being modeled and the appropriate approach for controller development. Therefore, accuracy of the system analysis is very crucial. The results of the system analysis using vector second order form and vector first order form show the computational advantages of using vector second order form. Using similar concepts, LQR and LQG controllers, that are developed to suppress the vibration, are derived using vector second order form. To develop a controller using vector second order form, two different approaches are used. One is reducing the size of the Algebraic Riccati Equation to half by partitioning the solution matrix. The other approach is using the Hamiltonian method directly in vector second order form. Controllers are developed using both approaches and compared to each other. Some simple solutions for special cases are derived for vector second order form using the reduced Algebraic Riccati Equation. The advantages and drawbacks of both approaches are explained through examples. System analysis and controller applications are carried out for a square membrane system with four actuators. Two different systems with different actuator locations are analyzed. One system has the actuators at the corners of the membrane, the other has the actuators away from the corners. The structural and control effect of actuator locations are demonstrated with mode shapes and simulations. The results of the controller applications and the comparison of the vector first order form with the vector second order form demonstrate the efficacy of the controllers.

The influence of actuator materials and nozzle designs on electrostatic charge of pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI) formulations.

PubMed

Chen, Yang; Young, Paul M; Fletcher, David F; Chan, Hak Kim; Long, Edward; Lewis, David; Church, Tanya; Traini, Daniela

2014-05-01

To investigate the influence of different actuator materials and nozzle designs on the electrostatic charge properties of a series of solution metered dose inhaler (pMDI) aerosols. Actuators were manufactured with flat and cone nozzle designs using five different materials from the triboelectric series (Nylon, Polyethylene terephthalate, Polyethylene-High density, Polypropylene copolymer and Polytetrafluoroethylene). The electrostatic charge profiles of pMDI containing beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) as model drug in HFA-134a propellant, with different concentrations of ethanol were studied. Electrostatic measurements were taken using a modified electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI) and the deposited drug mass assayed chemically using HPLC. The charge profiles of HFA 134a alone have shown strong electronegativity with all actuator materials and nozzle designs, at an average of -1531.34 pC ± 377.34. The presence of co-solvent ethanol significantly reduced the negative charge magnitude. BDP reduced the suppressing effect of ethanol on the negative charging of the propellant. For all tested formulations, the flat nozzle design showed no significant differences in net charge between different actuator materials, whereas the charge profiles of cone designs followed the triboelectric series. The electrostatic charging profiles from a solution pMDI containing BDP and ethanol can be significantly influenced by the actuator material, nozzle design and formulation components. Ethanol concentration appears to have the most significant impact. Furthermore, BDP interactions with ethanol and HFA have an influence on the electrostatic charge of aerosols. By choosing different combinations of actuator materials and orifice design, the fine particle fractions of formulations can be altered.

Plate equations for piezoelectrically actuated flexural mode ultrasound transducers.

PubMed

Perçin, Gökhan

2003-01-01

This paper considers variational methods to derive two-dimensional plate equations for piezoelectrically actuated flexural mode ultrasound transducers. In the absence of analytical expressions for the equivalent circuit parameters of a flexural mode transducer, it is difficult to calculate its optimal parameters and dimensions, and to choose suitable materials. The influence of coupling between flexural and extensional deformation, and coupling between the structure and the acoustic volume on the dynamic response of piezoelectrically actuated flexural mode transducer is analyzed using variational methods. Variational methods are applied to derive two-dimensional plate equations for the transducer, and to calculate the coupled electromechanical field variables. In these methods, the variations across the thickness direction vanish by using the stress resultants. Thus, two-dimensional plate equations for a stepwise laminated circular plate are obtained.

Dynamic behavior of ultra large graphene-based membranes using electrothermal transduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-mashaal, A. K.; Wood, G. S.; Torin, A.; Mastropaolo, E.; Newton, M. J.; Cheung, R.

2017-12-01

This letter reports an experimental study of an electrothermal actuator made from an ultra-large graphene-based bilayer thin film with a diameter to thickness aspect ratio of ˜10 000. Suspended thin films consisting of multilayer graphene and 350-500 nm-thick Poly(methyl methacrylate) have been transferred over circular cavities with a diameter of 3.5 mm. The use of bilayer materials with different mechanical and thermal properties results in thin film structures that can be induced to vibrate mechanically under the electrothermal transduction mechanism. The dynamic response of the bilayer has been investigated electrothermally by driving the structures with a combination of alternating current and direct current actuation voltages ( Va c and Vd c) and characterizing their resonant frequencies. It has been found that the bilayer thin film structure behaves as a membrane. In addition, the actuation configurations affect not only the amplitude of vibration but also the tuning of the resonant frequency of the vibrating membranes. The existence of Joule heating-induced tension lowers the mechanical stiffness of the membrane and hence shifts the resonant frequency downwards by -108187 ppm. A resonant frequency of 3.26 kHz with a vibration amplitude of 4.34 nm has been achieved for 350 nm-thick membranes under actuation voltages of 1 V of Va c and 8 V of Vd c.

A fluid-structure interaction model of soft robotics using an active strain approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, Andrew; Lin, Zhaowu; Gao, Tong

2017-11-01

Soft robotic swimmers exhibit rich dynamics that stem from the non-linear interplay of the fluid and immersed soft elastic body. Due to the difficulty of handling the nonlinear two-way coupling of hydrodynamic flow and deforming elastic body, studies of flexible swimmers often employ either one-way coupling strategies with imposed motions of the solid body or some simplified elasticity models. To explore the nonlinear dynamics of soft robots powered by smart soft materials, we develop a computational model to deal with the two-way fluid/elastic structure interactions using the fictitious domain method. To mimic the dynamic response of the functional soft material under external actuations, we assume the solid phase to be neo-Hookean, and employ an active strain approach to incorporate actuation, which is based on the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient tensor. We demonstrate the capability of our algorithm by performing a series of numerical explorations that manipulate an elastic structure with finite thickness, starting from simple rectangular or circular plates to soft robot prototypes such as stingrays and jellyfish.

A simple analytical thermo-mechanical model for liquid crystal elastomer bilayer structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Yun; Wang, Chengjun; Sim, Kyoseung; Chen, Jin; Li, Yuhang; Xing, Yufeng; Yu, Cunjiang; Song, Jizhou

2018-02-01

The bilayer structure consisting of thermal-responsive liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) and other polymer materials with stretchable heaters has attracted much attention in applications of soft actuators and soft robots due to its ability to generate large deformations when subjected to heat stimuli. A simple analytical thermo-mechanical model, accounting for the non-uniform feature of the temperature/strain distribution along the thickness direction, is established for this type of bilayer structure. The analytical predictions of the temperature and bending curvature radius agree well with finite element analysis and experiments. The influences of the LCE thickness and the heat generation power on the bending deformation of the bilayer structure are fully investigated. It is shown that a thinner LCE layer and a higher heat generation power could yield more bending deformation. These results may help the design of soft actuators and soft robots involving thermal responsive LCEs.

Functional Characterization of a Novel Shape Memory Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collado, M.; Cabás, R.; San Juan, J.; López-Ferreño, I.

2014-07-01

A novel shape memory alloy (SMA) has been developed as an alternative to currently available alloys. This alloy, commercially known by its proprietary brand SMARQ, shows a higher working range of temperatures with respect to the SMA materials used until now in actuators, limited to environment temperatures below 90 °C. SMARQ is a high temperature SMA (HTSMA) based on a fully European material technology and production processes, which allows the manufacture of high quality products, with tuneable transformation temperatures up to 200 °C. Both, material and production processes have been evaluated for its use in space applications. A full characterization test campaign has been completed in order to obtain the material properties and check its suitability to be used as active material in space actuators. In order to perform the functional characterization of the material, it has been considered as the key element of a basic SMA actuator, consisting in the SMA wire and the mechanical and electrical interfaces. The functional tests presented in this work have been focused on the actuator behavior when heated by means of an electrical current. Alloy composition has been adjusted in order to match a transition temperature (As) of +145 °C, which satisfies the application requirements of operating temperatures in the range of -70 and +125 °C. Details of the tests and results of the characterization test campaign, focused in the material unique properties for their use in actuators, will be presented in this work. Some application examples in the field of space mechanisms and actuators, currently under development, will be summarized as part of this work, demonstrating the technology suitability as active material for space actuators.

Designing micro- and nanostructures for artificial urinary sphincters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Florian M.; Deyhle, Hans; Kovacs, Gabor; Müller, Bert

2012-04-01

The dielectric elastomers are functional materials that have promising potential as actuators with muscle-like mechanical properties due to their inherent compliancy and overall performance: the combination of large deformations, high energy densities and unique sensory capabilities. Consequently, such actuators should be realized to replace the currently available artificial urinary sphincters building dielectric thin film structures that work with several 10 V. The present communication describes the determination of the forces (1 - 10 N) and deformation levels (~10%) necessary for the appropriate operation of the artificial sphincter as well as the response time to master stress incontinence (reaction time less than 0.1 s). Knowing the dimensions of the presently used artificial urinary sphincters, these macroscopic parameters form the basis of the actuator design. Here, we follow the strategy to start from organic thin films maybe even monolayers, which should work with low voltages but only provide small deformations. Actuators out of 10,000 or 100,000 layers will finally provide the necessary force. The suitable choice of elastomer and electrode materials is vital for the success. As the number of incontinent patients is steadily increasing worldwide, it becomes more and more important to reveal the sphincter's function under static and stress conditions to realize artificial urinary sphincters, based on sophisticated, biologically inspired concepts to become nature analogue.

Control of a flexible planar truss using proof mass actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minas, Constantinos; Garcia, Ephrahim; Inman, Daniel J.

1989-01-01

A flexible structure was modeled and actively controlled by using a single space realizable linear proof mass actuator. The NASA/UVA/UB actuator was attached to a flexible planar truss structure at an optimal location and it was considered as both passive and active device. The placement of the actuator was specified by examining the eigenvalues of the modified model that included the actuator dynamics, and the frequency response functions of the modified system. The electronic stiffness of the actuator was specified, such that the proof mass actuator system was tuned to the fourth structural mode of the truss by using traditional vibration absorber design. The active control law was limited to velocity feedback by integrating of the signals of two accelerometers attached to the structure. The two lower modes of the closed-loop structure were placed further in the LHS of the complex plane. The theoretically predicted passive and active control law was experimentally verified.

Centrifugal forming and mechanical properties of silicone-based elastomers for soft robotic actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, Parth

This thesis describes the centrifugal forming and resulting mechanical properties of silicone-based elastomers for the manufacture of soft robotic actuators. This process is effective at removing bubbles that get entrapped within 3D-printed, enclosed molds. Conventional methods for rapid prototyping of soft robotic actuators to remove entrapped bubbles typically involve degassing under vacuum, with open-faced molds that limit the layout of formed parts to raised 2D geometries. As the functionality and complexity of soft robots increase, there is a need to mold complete 3D structures with controlled thicknesses or curvatures on multiples surfaces. In addition, characterization of the mechanical properties of common elastomers for these soft robots has lagged the development of new designs. As such, relationships between resulting material properties and processing parameters are virtually non-existent. One of the goals of this thesis is to provide guidelines and physical insights to relate the design, processing conditions, and resulting properties of soft robotic components to each other. Centrifugal forming with accelerations on the order of 100 g's is capable of forming bubble-free, true 3D components for soft robotic actuators, and resulting demonstrations in this work include an aquatic locomotor, soft gripper, and an actuator that straightens when pressurized. Finally, this work shows that the measured mechanical properties of 3D geometries fabricated within enclosed molds through centrifugal forming possess comparable mechanical properties to vacuumed materials formed from open-faced molds with raised 2D features.

Parameters design of the dielectric elastomer spring-roll bending actuator (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jinrong; Liu, Liwu; Liu, Yanju; Leng, Jinsong

2017-04-01

Dielectric elastomers are novel soft smart material that could deform sustainably when subjected to external electric field. That makes dielectric elastomers promising materials for actuators. In this paper, a spring-roll actuator that would bend when a high voltage is applied was fabricated based on dielectric elastomer. Using such actuators as active parts, the flexible grippers and inchworm-inspired crawling robots were manufactured, which demonstrated some examples of applications in soft robotics. To guide the parameters design of dielectric elastomer based spring-roll bending actuators, the theoretical model of such actuators was established based on thermodynamic theories. The initial deformation and electrical induced bending angle of actuators were formulated. The failure of actuators was also analyzed considering some typical failure modes like electromechanical instability, electrical breakdown, loss of tension and maximum tolerant stretch. Thus the allowable region of actuators was determined. Then the bending angle-voltage relations and failure voltages of actuators with different parameters, including stretches of the dielectric elastomer film, number of active layers, and dimensions of spring, were investigated. The influences of each parameter on the actuator performances were discussed, providing meaningful guidance to the optical design of the spring-roll bending actuators.

Composite structural materials. [aircraft structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ansell, G. S.; Loewy, R. G.; Wiberley, S. E.

1980-01-01

The use of filamentary composite materials in the design and construction of primary aircraft structures is considered with emphasis on efforts to develop advanced technology in the areas of physical properties, structural concepts and analysis, manufacturing, and reliability and life prediction. The redesign of a main spar/rib region on the Boeing 727 elevator near its actuator attachment point is discussed. A composite fabrication and test facility is described as well as the use of minicomputers for computer aided design. Other topics covered include (1) advanced structural analysis methids for composites; (2) ultrasonic nondestructive testing of composite structures; (3) optimum combination of hardeners in the cure of epoxy; (4) fatigue in composite materials; (5) resin matrix characterization and properties; (6) postbuckling analysis of curved laminate composite panels; and (7) acoustic emission testing of composite tensile specimens.

Development of an active structure flight experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manning, R. A.; Wyse, R. E.; Schubert, S. R.

1993-02-01

The design and development of the Air Force and TRW's Advanced Control Technology Experiment (ACTEX) flight experiment is described in this paper. The overall objective of ACTEX is to provide an active structure trailblazer which will demonstrate the compatibility of active structures with operational spacecraft performance and lifetime measures. At the heart of the experiment is an active tripod driven by a digitally-programmable analog control electronics subsystem. Piezoceramic sensors and actuators embedded in a graphite epoxy host material provide the sensing and actuation mechanism for the active tripod. Low noise ground-programmable electronics provide a virtually unlimited number of control schemes that can be implemented in the space environment. The flight experiment program provides the opportunity to gather performance, reliability, adaptability, and lifetime performance data on vibration suppression hardware for the next generation of DoD and NASA spacecraft.

Apparatus, system, and method for providing fabric-elastomer composites as pneumatic actuators

DOEpatents

Martinez, Ramses V.; Whitesides, George M.

2017-10-25

Soft pneumatic actuators based on composites consisting of elastomers with embedded sheet or fiber structures (e.g., paper or fabric) that are flexible but not extensible are described. On pneumatic inflation, these actuators move anisotropically, based on the motions accessible by their composite structures. They are inexpensive, simple to fabricate, light in weight, and easy to actuate. This class of structure is versatile: the same principles of design lead to actuators that respond to pressurization with a wide range of motions (bending, extension, contraction, twisting, and others). Paper, when used to introduce anisotropy into elastomers, can be readily folded into three-dimensional structures following the principles of origami; these folded structures increase the stiffness and anisotropy of the elastomeric actuators, while keeping them light in weight.

Controllable helical deformations on printed anisotropic composite soft actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dong; Li, Ling; Serjouei, Ahmad; Dong, Longteng; Weeger, Oliver; Gu, Guoying; Ge, Qi

2018-04-01

Helical shapes are ubiquitous in both nature and engineering. However, the development of soft actuators and robots that mimic helical motions has been hindered primarily due to the lack of efficient modeling approaches that take into account the material anisotropy and the directional change of the external loading point. In this work, we present a theoretical framework for modeling controllable helical deformations of cable-driven, anisotropic, soft composite actuators. The framework is based on the minimum potential energy method, and its model predictions are validated by experiments, where the microarchitectures of the soft composite actuators can be precisely defined by 3D printing. We use the developed framework to investigate the effects of material and geometric parameters on helical deformations. The results show that material stiffness, volume fraction, layer thickness, and fiber orientation can be used to control the helical deformation of a soft actuator. In particular, we found that a critical fiber orientation angle exists at which the twist of the actuator changes the direction. Thus, this work can be of great importance for the design and fabrication of soft actuators with tailored deformation behavior.

On the Biomimetic Design of Agile-Robot Legs

PubMed Central

Garcia, Elena; Arevalo, Juan Carlos; Muñoz, Gustavo; Gonzalez-de-Santos, Pablo

2011-01-01

The development of functional legged robots has encountered its limits in human-made actuation technology. This paper describes research on the biomimetic design of legs for agile quadrupeds. A biomimetic leg concept that extracts key principles from horse legs which are responsible for the agile and powerful locomotion of these animals is presented. The proposed biomimetic leg model defines the effective leg length, leg kinematics, limb mass distribution, actuator power, and elastic energy recovery as determinants of agile locomotion, and values for these five key elements are given. The transfer of the extracted principles to technological instantiations is analyzed in detail, considering the availability of current materials, structures and actuators. A real leg prototype has been developed following the biomimetic leg concept proposed. The actuation system is based on the hybrid use of series elasticity and magneto-rheological dampers which provides variable compliance for natural motion. From the experimental evaluation of this prototype, conclusions on the current technological barriers to achieve real functional legged robots to walk dynamically in agile locomotion are presented. PMID:22247667

Microelectromechanical Systems for Aerodynamics Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehregany, Mehran; DeAnna, Russell G.; Reshotko, Eli

1996-01-01

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) embody the integration of sensors, actuators, and electronics on a single substrate using integrated circuit fabrication techniques and compatible micromachining processes. Silicon and its derivatives form the material base for the MEMS technology. MEMS devices, including micro-sensors and micro-actuators, are attractive because they can be made small (characteristic dimension about microns), be produced in large numbers with uniform performance, include electronics for high performance and sophisticated functionality, and be inexpensive. MEMS pressure sensors, wall-shear-stress sensors, and micromachined hot-wires are nearing application in aeronautics. MEMS actuators face a tougher challenge since they have to be scaled (up) to the physical phenomena that are being controlled. MEMS actuators are proposed, for example, for controlling the small structures in a turbulent boundary layer, for aircraft control, for cooling, and for mixing enhancement. Data acquisition or control logistics require integration of electronics along with the transducer elements with appropriate consideration of analog-to-digital conversion, multiplexing, and telemetry. Altogether, MEMS technology offers exciting opportunities for aerodynamics applications both in wind tunnels and in flight

On the biomimetic design of agile-robot legs.

PubMed

Garcia, Elena; Arevalo, Juan Carlos; Muñoz, Gustavo; Gonzalez-de-Santos, Pablo

2011-01-01

The development of functional legged robots has encountered its limits in human-made actuation technology. This paper describes research on the biomimetic design of legs for agile quadrupeds. A biomimetic leg concept that extracts key principles from horse legs which are responsible for the agile and powerful locomotion of these animals is presented. The proposed biomimetic leg model defines the effective leg length, leg kinematics, limb mass distribution, actuator power, and elastic energy recovery as determinants of agile locomotion, and values for these five key elements are given. The transfer of the extracted principles to technological instantiations is analyzed in detail, considering the availability of current materials, structures and actuators. A real leg prototype has been developed following the biomimetic leg concept proposed. The actuation system is based on the hybrid use of series elasticity and magneto-rheological dampers which provides variable compliance for natural motion. From the experimental evaluation of this prototype, conclusions on the current technological barriers to achieve real functional legged robots to walk dynamically in agile locomotion are presented.

Design, Manufacturing and Characterization of Functionally Graded Flextensional Piezoelectric Actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amigo, R. C. R.; Vatanabe, S. L.; Silva, E. C. N.

2013-03-01

Previous works have been shown several advantages in using Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs) for the performance of flextensional devices, such as reduction of stress concentrations and gains in reliability. In this work, the FGM concept is explored in the design of graded devices by using the Topology Optimization Method (TOM), in order to determine optimal topologies and gradations of the coupled structures of piezoactuators. The graded pieces are manufactured by using the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technique and are bonded to piezoelectric ceramics. The graded actuators are then tested by using a modular vibrometer system for measuring output displacements, in order to validate the numerical simulations. The technological path developed here represents the initial step toward the manufacturing of an integral piezoelectric device, constituted by piezoelectric and non-piezoelectric materials without bonding layers.

Special section on biomimetics of movement.

PubMed

Carpi, Federico; Erb, Rainer; Jeronimidis, George

2011-12-01

Movement in biology is an essential aspect of survival for many organisms, animals and plants. Implementing movement efficiently to meet specific needs is a key attribute of natural living systems, and can provide ideas for man-made developments. If we had to find a subtitle able to essentially convey the aim of this special section, it could read as follows: 'taking inspiration from nature for new materials, actuators, structures and controls for systems that move'. Our world is characterized by a huge variety of technical, engineering systems that move. They surround us in countless products that integrate actuators for different kinds of purposes. Basically, any kind of mechatronic system, such as those used for consumer products, machines, vehicles, industrial systems, robots, etc, is based on one or more devices that move, according to different implementations and motion ranges, often in response to external and internal stimuli. Despite this, technical solutions to develop systems that move do not evolve very quickly as they rely on traditional and well consolidated actuation technologies, which are implemented according to known architectures and with established materials. This fact limits our capability to overcome challenges related to the needs continuously raised by new fields of application, either at small or at large scales. Biomimetics-based approaches may provide innovative thinking and technologies in the field, taking inspiration from nature for smart and effective solutions. In an effort to disseminate current advances in this field, this special section collects some papers that cover different topics. A brief synopsis of the content of each contribution is presented below. The first paper, by Lienhard et al [1], deals with bioinspiration for the realization of structural parts in systems that passively move. It presents a bioinspired hingeless flapping mechanism, considered as a solution to the kinematics of deployable systems for architectural structures. The approach relies on structural elasticity to replace the need for local hinges. To this end, the authors have used fibre-reinforced polymers combining high tensile strength with low bending stiffness. The solution favours lower structural complexity as well as higher design versatility. Bioinspiration from the elastic kinetics of plants is a central pillar of the paper, which highlights the interrelation of form, actuation and kinematics in those natural systems. The second paper, by Nakata et al [2], deals with bioinspired systems that actively move, and, more specifically, fly. The paper is about the aerodynamics of a bio-inspired flexible flapping-wing micro air vehicle conceived to fly in a Reynolds number regime used by most natural flyers, including insects, bats and birds. The paper presents a study of the flexible wing aerodynamics of the flapping vehicle by combining an in-house computational fluid dynamic model with wind tunnel experiments. In particular, the developed model is shown to be able to predict unsteady aerodynamics in terms of vortex and wake structures and their relationship with aerodynamic force generation. Simulations are validated by wind tunnel experiments, confirming the effectiveness of the adopted design solutions, as well as the importance of wing flexibility in designing small flapping-wing vehicles. The third paper, by Annunziata et al [3], deals with bioinspired control strategies for systems that move. In particular, the paper describes approaches to increase the stiffness variability in multi-muscle driven joints. Different strategies for simultaneous control of torque and stiffness in a hinge joint actuated by two antagonistic muscle pairs are presented. The proposed strategies combine torque and stiffness control by co-activation with approaches based on activation overflow and inverse modelling. Extensive simulations are performed and described to assess the control efficacy. In the fourth paper, Merker et al [4] present a study on stable walking with asymmetric legs. The authors are concerned with the need to clarify to what extent differences in the leg function of contralateral limbs can be tolerated during walking or running. A bipedal spring-mass model simulating walking with compliant legs is used to show that even remarkable differences between contralateral legs can not only be tolerated, but may also introduce advantages to the robustness of the system dynamics. This study might contribute to shedding light on the stability of asymmetric leg walking, including the potential benefits of asymmetry, with possible implications for design of prosthetic or orthotic systems. The last two papers of this special section deal with active bioinspired systems driven by new actuators made of smart materials. In particular, the paper authored by Rossi et al [5] presents an underwater fish-like robot based on bending structures driven by shape memory alloys. These kinds of actuators are used to bend the backbone of the fish, which in turn causes a change in the curvature of the fish body. The paper describes the mechanisms by which standard swimming patterns can be reproduced with the proposed design, and show characterizations in terms of the actuation speed and position accuracy of prototype systems. The last paper, by Carpi et al [6], presents an overview on ionic- and electronic-type electromechanically active polymer actuators as artificial muscles for bioinspired applications. The electrical responsiveness and numerous functional and structural properties that these materials and actuators have in common with natural muscles are shown to be the key motivation by which they are studied as artificial muscles for a huge variety of possible uses. The authors describe the fundamental aspects of relevant technologies and emphasize how after several years of basic research, electromechanically active polymer actuators are today facing their important initial transition from academia into commercialization. In conclusion, we hope that the selection of papers in this special section might help to provide readers with a balanced overview, through examples on the relevant fundamental aspects, materials, actuators, structures, controls and on their effective integration, in order to develop approaches which will be successful in 'taking inspiration from nature for systems that move'. References [1] Lienhard J, Schleicher S, Poppinga S, Masselter T, Milwich M, Speck T and Knippers J 2011 Flectofin: a hingeless flapping mechanism inspired by nature Bioinsp. Biomim. 6 045001 [2] Nakata T, Liu H, Tanaka Y, Nishihashi N, Wang X and Sato A 2011 Aerodynamics of a bio-inspired flexible flapping-wing micro air vehicle Bioinsp. Biomim. 6 045002 [3] Annunziata S, Paskarbeit J and Schneider A 2011 Novel bioinspired control approaches to increase the stiffness variability in multi-muscle driven joints Bioinsp. Biomim. 6 045003 [4] Merker A, Rummel J and Seyfarth A 2011 Stable walking with asymmetric legs Bioinsp. Biomim. 6 045004 [5] Rossi C, Colorado J, Coral W and Barrientos A 2011 Bending continuous structures with SMAs: a novel robotic fish design Bioinsp. Biomim. 6 045005 [6] Carpi F, Kornbluh R, Sommer-Larsen P and Alici G 2011 Electroactive polymer actuators as artificial muscles: are they ready for bioinspired applications? Bioinsp. Biomim. 6 045006.

Overview of NASA Langley's Piezoelectric Ceramic Packaging Technology and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Robert G.

2007-01-01

Over the past decade, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) has developed several actuator packaging concepts designed to enhance the performance of commercial electroactive ceramics. NASA LaRC focused on properly designed actuator and sensor packaging for the following reasons, increased durability, protect the working material from the environment, allow for proper mechanical and electrical contact, afford "ready to use" mechanisms that are scalable, and develop fabrication methodology applicable to any active material of the same physical class. It is more cost effective to enhance or tailor the performance of existing systems, through innovative packaging, than to develop, test and manufacture new materials. This approach led to the development of several solid state actuators that include THUNDER, the Macrofiber Composite or (MFC) and the Radial Field Diaphragm or (RFD). All these actuators are fabricated using standard materials and processes derived from earlier concepts. NASA s fabrication and packaging technology as yielded, piezoelectric actuators and sensors that are easy to implement, reliable, consistent in properties, and of lower cost to manufacture in quantity, than their predecessors (as evidenced by their continued commercial availability.) These piezoelectric actuators have helped foster new research and development in areas involving computational modeling, actuator specific refinements, and engineering system redesign which led to new applications for piezo-based devices that replace traditional systems currently in use.

The effect of actuator nozzle designs on the electrostatic charge generated in pressurised metered dose inhaler aerosols.

PubMed

Chen, Yang; Young, Paul M; Fletcher, David F; Chan, Hak Kim; Long, Edward; Lewis, David; Church, Tanya; Traini, Daniela

2015-04-01

To investigate the influence of different actuator nozzle designs on aerosol electrostatic charges and aerosol performances for pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs). Four actuator nozzle designs (flat, curved flat, cone and curved cone) were manufactured using insulating thermoplastics (PET and PTFE) and conducting metal (aluminium) materials. Aerosol electrostatic profiles of solution pMDI formulations containing propellant HFA 134a with different ethanol concentration and/or model drug beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) were studied using a modified electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI) for all actuator designs and materials. The mass of the deposited drug was analysed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Both curved nozzle designs for insulating PET and PTFE actuators significantly influenced aerosol electrostatics and aerosol performance compared with conducting aluminium actuator, where reversed charge polarity and higher throat deposition were observed with pMDI formulation containing BDP. Results are likely due to the changes in plume geometry caused by the curved edge nozzle designs and the bipolar charging nature of insulating materials. This study demonstrated that actuator nozzle designs could significantly influence the electrostatic charges profiles and aerosol drug deposition pattern of pMDI aerosols, especially when using insulating thermoplastic materials where bipolar charging is more dominant.

A multiple-shape memory polymer-metal composite actuator capable of programmable control, creating complex 3D motion of bending, twisting, and oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Qi; Trabia, Sarah; Stalbaum, Tyler; Palmre, Viljar; Kim, Kwang; Oh, Il-Kwon

2016-04-01

Development of biomimetic actuators has been an essential motivation in the study of smart materials. However, few materials are capable of controlling complex twisting and bending deformations simultaneously or separately using a dynamic control system. Here, we report an ionic polymer-metal composite actuator having multiple-shape memory effect, and is able to perform complex motion by two external inputs, electrical and thermal. Prior to the development of this type of actuator, this capability only could be realized with existing actuator technologies by using multiple actuators or another robotic system. This paper introduces a soft multiple-shape-memory polymer-metal composite (MSMPMC) actuator having multiple degrees-of-freedom that demonstrates high maneuverability when controlled by two external inputs, electrical and thermal. These multiple inputs allow for complex motions that are routine in nature, but that would be otherwise difficult to obtain with a single actuator. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this MSMPMC actuator is the first solitary actuator capable of multiple-input control and the resulting deformability and maneuverability.

Soft Robotic Actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godfrey, Juleon Taylor

In this thesis a survey on soft robotic actuators is conducted. The actuators are classified into three main categories: Pneumatic Artificial Muscles (PAM), Electronic Electroactive Polymers (Electric EAP), and Ionic Electroactive Polymers (Ionic EAP). Soft robots can have many degrees and are more compliant than hard robots. This makes them suitable for applications that are difficult for hard robots. For each actuator background history, build materials, how they operate, and modeling are presented. Multiple actuators in each class are reviewed highlighting both their use and their mathematical formulation. In addition to the survey the McKibben actuator was chosen for fabrication and in-depth experimental analysis. Four McKibben actuators were fabricated using mesh sleeve, barbed hose fittings, and different elastic bladders. All were actuated using compressed air. Tensile tests were performed for each actuator to measure the tension force as air pressure increased from 20 to 100 psi in 10 psi increments. To account for material relaxation properties eleven trials for each actuator were run for 2-3 days. In conclusion, the smallest outer diameter elastic bladder was capable of producing the highest force due to the larger gap between the bladder and the sleeve.

A multiple-shape memory polymer-metal composite actuator capable of programmable control, creating complex 3D motion of bending, twisting, and oscillation

PubMed Central

Shen, Qi; Trabia, Sarah; Stalbaum, Tyler; Palmre, Viljar; Kim, Kwang; Oh, Il-Kwon

2016-01-01

Development of biomimetic actuators has been an essential motivation in the study of smart materials. However, few materials are capable of controlling complex twisting and bending deformations simultaneously or separately using a dynamic control system. Here, we report an ionic polymer-metal composite actuator having multiple-shape memory effect, and is able to perform complex motion by two external inputs, electrical and thermal. Prior to the development of this type of actuator, this capability only could be realized with existing actuator technologies by using multiple actuators or another robotic system. This paper introduces a soft multiple-shape-memory polymer-metal composite (MSMPMC) actuator having multiple degrees-of-freedom that demonstrates high maneuverability when controlled by two external inputs, electrical and thermal. These multiple inputs allow for complex motions that are routine in nature, but that would be otherwise difficult to obtain with a single actuator. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this MSMPMC actuator is the first solitary actuator capable of multiple-input control and the resulting deformability and maneuverability. PMID:27080134

A multiple-shape memory polymer-metal composite actuator capable of programmable control, creating complex 3D motion of bending, twisting, and oscillation.

PubMed

Shen, Qi; Trabia, Sarah; Stalbaum, Tyler; Palmre, Viljar; Kim, Kwang; Oh, Il-Kwon

2016-04-15

Development of biomimetic actuators has been an essential motivation in the study of smart materials. However, few materials are capable of controlling complex twisting and bending deformations simultaneously or separately using a dynamic control system. Here, we report an ionic polymer-metal composite actuator having multiple-shape memory effect, and is able to perform complex motion by two external inputs, electrical and thermal. Prior to the development of this type of actuator, this capability only could be realized with existing actuator technologies by using multiple actuators or another robotic system. This paper introduces a soft multiple-shape-memory polymer-metal composite (MSMPMC) actuator having multiple degrees-of-freedom that demonstrates high maneuverability when controlled by two external inputs, electrical and thermal. These multiple inputs allow for complex motions that are routine in nature, but that would be otherwise difficult to obtain with a single actuator. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this MSMPMC actuator is the first solitary actuator capable of multiple-input control and the resulting deformability and maneuverability.

Overview of demonstrator program of Japanese Smart Materials and Structure System project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tajima, Naoyuki; Sakurai, Tateo; Sasajima, Mikio; Takeda, Nobuo; Kishi, Teruo

2003-08-01

The Japanese Smart Material and Structure System Project started in 1998 as five years' program that funded by METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) and supported by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). Total budget of five years was finally about 3.8 billion Japanese yen. This project has been conducted as the Academic Institutions Centered Program, namely, one of collaborated research and development among seven universities (include one foreign university), seventeen Industries (include two foreign companies), and three national laboratories. At first, this project consisted of four research groups that were structural health monitoring, smart manufacturing, active/adaptive structures, and actuator material/devices. Two years later, we decided that two demonstrator programs should be added in order to integrate the developed sensor and actuator element into the smart structure system and verify the research and development results of above four research groups. The application target of these demonstrators was focused to the airplane, and two demonstrators that these shapes simulate to the fuselage of small commercial airplane (for example, Boeing B737) had been established. Both demonstrators are cylindrical structures with 1.5 m in diameter and 3 m in length that the first demonstrator has CFRP skin-stringer and the second one has CFRP skin. The first demonstrator integrates the following six innovative techniques: (1) impact monitoring using embedded small diameter optical fiber sensors newly developed in this program, (2) impact monitoring using the integrated acoustic emission (AE) systems, (3) whole-field strain mapping using the BOTDR/FBG integrated system, (4) damage suppression using embedded shape memory alloy (SMA) films, (5) maximum and cyclic strain sensing using smart composite patches, and (6) smart manufacturing using the integrated sensing system. The second one is for demonstrating the suppression of vibration and acoustic noise generated in the composite cylindrical structure. In this program, High-performance PZT actuators/sensors developed in this program are also installed. The whole tests and evaluations have now been finished. This paper presents the outline of demonstrator programs, followed by six presentations that show the detail verification results of industrial demonstration themes.

Design and fabrication of a MEMS chevron-type thermal actuator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baracu, Angela, E-mail: angela.baracu@imt.ro; Voicu, Rodica; Müller, Raluca

This paper presents the design and fabrication of a MEMS chevron-type thermal actuator. The device was designed for fabrication in the standard MEMS technology, where the topography of the upper layers depends on the patterns of structural and sacrificial layers underneath. The proposed actuator presents some advantages over usual thermal vertical chevron actuators by means of low operating voltages, high output force and linear movement without deformation of the shaft. The device simulations were done using COVENTOR software. The movement obtained by simulation was 12 μm, for a voltage of 0.2 V and the current intensity of 257 mA. Themore » design optimizes the in-plane displacement by fixed anchors and beam inclination angle. Heating is provided by Joule dissipation. The material used for manufacture of chevron-based actuator was aluminum due to its thermal and mechanical properties. The release of the movable part was performed using isotropic dry etching by Reactive Ion Etching (RIE). A first inspection was achieved using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). In order to obtain the in-plane displacement we carried out electrical measurements. The thermal actuator can be used for a variety of optical and microassembling applications. This kind of thermal actuator could be integrated easily with other micro devices since its fabrication is compatible with the general semiconductor processes.« less

How the type of input function affects the dynamic response of conducting polymer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Xingcan; Alici, Gursel; Mutlu, Rahim; Li, Weihua

2014-10-01

There has been a growing interest in smart actuators typified by conducting polymer actuators, especially in their (i) fabrication, modeling and control with minimum external data and (ii) applications in bio-inspired devices, robotics and mechatronics. Their control is a challenging research problem due to the complex and nonlinear properties of these actuators, which cannot be predicted accurately. Based on an input-shaping technique, we propose a new method to improve the conducting polymer actuators’ command-following ability, while minimizing their electric power consumption. We applied four input functions with smooth characteristics to a trilayer conducting polymer actuator to experimentally evaluate its command-following ability under an open-loop control strategy and a simulated feedback control strategy, and, more importantly, to quantify how the type of input function affects the dynamic response of this class of actuators. We have found that the four smooth inputs consume less electrical power than sharp inputs such as a step input with discontinuous higher-order derivatives. We also obtained an improved transient response performance from the smooth inputs, especially under the simulated feedback control strategy, which we have proposed previously [X Xiang, R Mutlu, G Alici, and W Li, 2014 “Control of conducting polymer actuators without physical feedback: simulated feedback control approach with particle swarm optimization’, Journal of Smart Materials and Structure, 23]. The idea of using a smooth input command, which results in lower power consumption and better control performance, can be extended to other smart actuators. Consuming less electrical energy or power will have a direct effect on enhancing the operational life of these actuators.

Nanomechanical Optical Fiber with Embedded Electrodes Actuated by Joule Heating.

PubMed

Lian, Zhenggang; Segura, Martha; Podoliak, Nina; Feng, Xian; White, Nicholas; Horak, Peter

2014-07-31

Nanomechanical optical fibers with metal electrodes embedded in the jacket were fabricated by a multi-material co-draw technique. At the center of the fibers, two glass cores suspended by thin membranes and surrounded by air form a directional coupler that is highly temperature-dependent. We demonstrate optical switching between the two fiber cores by Joule heating of the electrodes with as little as 0.4 W electrical power, thereby demonstrating an electrically actuated all-fiber microelectromechanical system (MEMS). Simulations show that the main mechanism for optical switching is the transverse thermal expansion of the fiber structure.

Bio inspired Magnet-polymer (Magpol) actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Anansa S.; Ramanujan, R. V.

2014-03-01

Magnet filler-polymer matrix composites (Magpol) are an emerging class of morphing materials. Magpol composites have an interesting ability to undergo large strains in response to an external magnetic field. The potential to develop Magpol as large strain actuators is due to the ability to incorporate large particle loading into the composite and also due to the increased interaction area at the interface of the nanoparticles and the composite. Mn-Zn ferrite fillers with different saturation magnetizations (Ms) were synthesized. Magpol composites consisting of magnetic ferrite filler particles in an Poly ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) matrix were prepared. The deformation characteristics of the actuator were determined. The morphing ability of the Magpol composite was studied under different magnetic fields and also with different filler loadings. All films exhibited large strain under the applied magnetic field. The maximum strain of the composite showed an exponential dependence on the Ms. The work output of Magpol was also calculated using the work loop method. Work densities of upto 1 kJ/m3 were obtained which can be compared to polypyrrole actuators, but with almost double the typical strain. Applications of Magpol can include artificial muscles, drug delivery, adaptive optics and self healing structures. Advantages of Magpol include remote contactless actuation, high actuation strain and strain rate and quick response.

Magnetic resonance elastography using an air ball-actuator.

PubMed

Numano, Tomokazu; Kawabata, Yoshihiko; Mizuhara, Kazuyuki; Washio, Toshikatsu; Nitta, Naotaka; Homma, Kazuhiro

2013-07-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a new technique for a powerful compact MR elastography (MRE) actuator based on a pneumatic ball-vibrator. This is a compact actuator that generates powerful centrifugal force vibrations via high speed revolutions of an internal ball using compressed air. This equipment is easy to handle due to its simple principles and structure. Vibration frequency and centrifugal force are freely adjustable via air pressure changes (air flow volume), and replacement of the internal ball. In order to achieve MRI compatibility, all parts were constructed from non-ferromagnetic materials. Vibration amplitudes (displacements) were measured optically by a laser displacement sensor. From a bench test of displacement, even though the vibration frequency increased, the amount of displacement did not decrease. An essential step in MRE is the generation of mechanical waves within tissue via an actuator, and MRE sequences are synchronized to several phase offsets of vibration. In this system, the phase offset was detected by a four-channel optical-fiber sensor, and it was used as an MRI trigger signal. In an agarose gel phantom experiment, this actuator was used to make an MR elastogram. This study shows that the use of a ball actuator for MRE is feasible. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elastic Inflatable Actuators for Soft Robotic Applications.

PubMed

Gorissen, Benjamin; Reynaerts, Dominiek; Konishi, Satoshi; Yoshida, Kazuhiro; Kim, Joon-Wan; De Volder, Michael

2017-11-01

The 20th century's robotic systems have been made from stiff materials, and much of the developments have pursued ever more accurate and dynamic robots, which thrive in industrial automation, and will probably continue to do so for decades to come. However, the 21st century's robotic legacy may very well become that of soft robots. This emerging domain is characterized by continuous soft structures that simultaneously fulfill the role of robotic link and actuator, where prime focus is on design and fabrication of robotic hardware instead of software control. These robots are anticipated to take a prominent role in delicate tasks where classic robots fail, such as in minimally invasive surgery, active prosthetics, and automation tasks involving delicate irregular objects. Central to the development of these robots is the fabrication of soft actuators. This article reviews a particularly attractive type of soft actuators that are driven by pressurized fluids. These actuators have recently gained traction on the one hand due to the technology push from better simulation tools and new manufacturing technologies, and on the other hand by a market pull from applications. This paper provides an overview of the different advanced soft actuator configurations, their design, fabrication, and applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Strain-tuning of the optical properties of semiconductor nanomaterials by integration onto piezoelectric actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martín-Sánchez, Javier; Trotta, Rinaldo; Mariscal, Antonio; Serna, Rosalía; Piredda, Giovanni; Stroj, Sandra; Edlinger, Johannes; Schimpf, Christian; Aberl, Johannes; Lettner, Thomas; Wildmann, Johannes; Huang, Huiying; Yuan, Xueyong; Ziss, Dorian; Stangl, Julian; Rastelli, Armando

2018-01-01

The tailoring of the physical properties of semiconductor nanomaterials by strain has been gaining increasing attention over the last years for a wide range of applications such as electronics, optoelectronics and photonics. The ability to introduce deliberate strain fields with controlled magnitude and in a reversible manner is essential for fundamental studies of novel materials and may lead to the realization of advanced multi-functional devices. A prominent approach consists in the integration of active nanomaterials, in thin epitaxial films or embedded within carrier nanomembranes, onto Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3-based piezoelectric actuators, which convert electrical signals into mechanical deformation (strain). In this review, we mainly focus on recent advances in strain-tunable properties of self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in semiconductor nanomembranes and photonic structures. Additionally, recent works on other nanomaterials like rare-earth and metal-ion doped thin films, graphene and MoS2 or WSe2 semiconductor two-dimensional materials are also reviewed. For the sake of completeness, a comprehensive comparison between different procedures employed throughout the literature to fabricate such hybrid piezoelectric-semiconductor devices is presented. It is shown that unprocessed piezoelectric substrates (monolithic actuators) allow to obtain a certain degree of control over the nanomaterials’ emission properties such as their emission energy, fine-structure-splitting in self-assembled InAs QDs and semiconductor 2D materials, upconversion phenomena in BaTiO3 thin films or piezotronic effects in ZnS:Mn films and InAs QDs. Very recently, a novel class of micro-machined piezoelectric actuators have been demonstrated for a full control of in-plane stress fields in nanomembranes, which enables producing energy-tunable sources of polarization-entangled photons in arbitrary QDs. Future research directions and prospects are discussed.

Magnetically-induced solid-phase microextraction fiber actuation system for quantitative headspace and liquid sampling

DOEpatents

Harvey, Chris; Carter, Jerry; Chambers, David M.

2017-05-23

A magnetically-induced SPME fiber actuation system includes a SPME fiber holder and a SPME fiber holder actuator, for holding and magnetically actuating a SPME fiber assembly. The SPME fiber holder has a plunger with a magnetic material to which the SPME fiber assembly is connected, and the magnetic SPME fiber holder actuator has an elongated barrel with a loading chamber for receiving the SPME fiber assembly-connected SPME fiber holder, and an external magnet which induces axial motion of the magnetic material of the plunger to extend/retract the SPME fiber from/into the protective needle of the SPME fiber assembly.

An overview of active flow control actuators and applications (presentation video)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brzozowski, Daniel; Whalen, Edward A.

2014-04-01

Active Flow Control (AFC) is an emerging technology which promises performance enhancements to both military and civilian aircraft. A technique which uses energy input at discrete locations to manipulate the flow over an aerodynamic surface, AFC may be used to reduce drag, prevent flow separation, and enable otherwise-infeasible aerodynamic designs. Additional applications include shear layer and turbulence control for aero-optics applications and mixing enhancement for thermal applications. Many AFC applications call for a high frequency fluidic perturbation provided by an electrically-powered actuator. In these instances, piezoelectric (PZT) materials have served as the workhorse for flow control actuators, such as the widely-studied synthetic jet. Because the PZT materials form the critical component of the actuator, the maximum performance of the synthetic jet (velocity and momentum output) is limited by the physical limitations of the PZT material. The purpose of this presentation is to provide a high level overview of AFC actuators and applications in an attempt to engage the smart materials community and encourage advanced material development in support of these crucial applications.

Test Cases for Modeling and Validation of Structures with Piezoelectric Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reaves, Mercedes C.; Horta, Lucas G.

2001-01-01

A set of benchmark test articles were developed to validate techniques for modeling structures containing piezoelectric actuators using commercially available finite element analysis packages. The paper presents the development, modeling, and testing of two structures: an aluminum plate with surface mounted patch actuators and a composite box beam with surface mounted actuators. Three approaches for modeling structures containing piezoelectric actuators using the commercially available packages: MSC/NASTRAN and ANSYS are presented. The approaches, applications, and limitations are discussed. Data for both test articles are compared in terms of frequency response functions from deflection and strain data to input voltage to the actuator. Frequency response function results using the three different analysis approaches provided comparable test/analysis results. It is shown that global versus local behavior of the analytical model and test article must be considered when comparing different approaches. Also, improper bonding of actuators greatly reduces the electrical to mechanical effectiveness of the actuators producing anti-resonance errors.

Embedded Carbide-derived Carbon (CDC) particles in polypyrrole (PPy) for linear actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zondaka, Zane; Valner, Robert; Aabloo, Alvo; Tamm, Tarmo; Kiefer, Rudolf

2016-04-01

Conducting polymer linear actuators, for example sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (NaDBS) doped polypyrrole (PPy/DBS), have shown moderate strain and stress. The goal of this work was to increase the obtainable strain and stress by adding additional active material to PPy/DBS. In recent year's carbide-derived carbon (CDC)-based materials have been applied in actuators; however, the obtained displacement and actuation speed has been low comparing to conducting polymer based actuators. In the present work, a CDC-PPy hybrid was synthesized electrochemically and polyoxometalate (POM) - phosphotungstic acid - was used to attach charge to CDC particles. The CDC-POM served in the presence of NaDBS as an additional electrolyte. Cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometric electrochemomechanical deformation (ECMD) measurements were performed in Lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)- imide (LiTFSI) aqueous electrolyte. The ECMD measurements revealed that the hybrid CDC-PPy material exhibited higher force and strain in comparison to PPy/DBS films. The new material was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate CDC particle embedding in the polymer network.

High-Speed Laser Image Analysis of Plume Angles for Pressurised Metered Dose Inhalers: The Effect of Nozzle Geometry.

PubMed

Chen, Yang; Young, Paul M; Murphy, Seamus; Fletcher, David F; Long, Edward; Lewis, David; Church, Tanya; Traini, Daniela

2017-04-01

The aim of this study is to investigate aerosol plume geometries of pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) using a high-speed laser image system with different actuator nozzle materials and designs. Actuators made from aluminium, PET and PTFE were manufactured with four different nozzle designs: cone, flat, curved cone and curved flat. Plume angles and spans generated using the designed actuator nozzles with four solution-based pMDI formulations were imaged using Oxford Lasers EnVision system and analysed using EnVision Patternate software. Reduced plume angles for all actuator materials and nozzle designs were observed with pMDI formulations containing drug with high co-solvent concentration (ethanol) due to the reduced vapour pressure. Significantly higher plume angles were observed with the PTFE flat nozzle across all formulations, which could be a result of the nozzle geometry and material's hydrophobicity. The plume geometry of pMDI aerosols can be influenced by the vapour pressure of the formulation, nozzle geometries and actuator material physiochemical properties.

The development of compact electroactive polymer actuators suitable for use in full page Braille displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorny, Lee J.; Zellers, Brian C.; Lin, Minren; Liu, Sheng; Zhang, Qiming M.

2010-04-01

Piezoceramic actuators, presently used in commercial Braille displays, are limited by the material's relatively small strain and brittle nature. For this reason, it is a challenge to develop full page, compact, graphic Braille displays that are affordable. A newly developed material composed of P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) terpolymer blended with 5% P(VDF-CTFE) electrostrictive actuators exhibits large strains (~5% at 150V/μm), fast actuation (>5 mm/s), and has a relatively high elastic modulus (1.2 GPa). This material exhibits more than double the elastic energy density and a 50% higher modulus of the original electrostrictive terpolymer. Hence, the potential for viable actuators in compact, full page Braille displays is greater than ever, provided actuators can be manufactured reliably in quantity. This talk presents recent work in scaling production of such rolled actuators. Actuators extend .5 mm, are confined to the 2.5 mm grid spacing of conventional Braille text, generate >0.5 N force and operate at less than 200V, thus meeting the primary requirements for a commercialized Braille display. To manufacture these actuators, cast films are stretched using a roll-to-roll zone drawing machine that is capable of producing quantities of 2 μm thick film with high quality. What follows is a discussion of this machine, the roll-to-roll film stretching process and an assessment of the resulting stretched film for use as linear strain actuators, like those used in our Braille cell.

Control and characterization of a bistable laminate generated with piezoelectricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Andrew J.; Moosavian, Amin; Inman, Daniel J.

2017-08-01

Extensive research has been conducted on utilizing smart materials such as piezoelectric and shape memory alloy actuators to induce snap through of bistable structures for morphing applications. However, there has only been limited success in initiating snap through from both stable states due to the lack of actuation authority. A novel solution in the form of a piezoelectrically generated bistable laminate consisting of only macro fiber composites (MFC), allowing complete configuration control without any external assistance, is explored in detail here. Specifically, this paper presents the full analytical, computational, and experimental results of the laminate’s design, geometry, bifurcation behavior, and snap through capability. By bonding two actuated MFCs in a [0MFC/90MFC]T layup and releasing the voltage post cure, piezoelectric strain anisotropy and the resulting in-plane residual stresses yield two statically stable states that are cylindrically shaped. The analytical model uses the Rayleigh-Ritz minimization of total potential energy and finite element analysis is implemented in MSC Nastran. The [0MFC/90MFC]T laminate is then manufactured and experimentally characterized for model validation. This paper demonstrates the adaptive laminate’s unassisted forward and reverse snap through capability enabled by the efficiencies gained from simultaneously being the actuator and the primary structure.

Nonlinear numerical analysis and experimental testing for an electrothermal SU-8 microgripper with reduced out-of-plane displacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voicu, Rodica-Cristina; Zandi, Muaiyd Al; Müller, Raluca; Wang, Changhai

2017-11-01

This paper reports the results of numerical nonlinear electro-thermo-mechanical analysis and experimental testing of a polymeric microgripper designed using electrothermal actuators. The simulation work was carried out using a finite element method (FEM) and a commercial software (Coventorware 2014). The biocompatible SU-8 polymer was used as structural material for the fabrication of the microgripper. The metallic micro-heater was encapsulated in the polymeric actuation structures of the microgripper to reduce the undesirable out-of-plane displacement of the microgripper tips, and to electrically isolate the micro-heater, and to reduce the mechanical stress as well as to improve the thermal efficiency. The electro- thermo-mechanical analysis of the actuator considers the nonlinear temperature-dependent properties of the SU-8 polymer and the gold thin film layers used for the micro-heater fabrication. An optical characterisation of the microgripper based on an image tracking approach shows the thermal response and the good repeatability. The average deflection is ~11 µm for an actuation current of ~17 mA. The experimentally obtained tip deflection and the heater temperature at different currents are both shown to be in good agreement with the nonlinear electro-thermo-mechanical simulation results. Finally, we demonstrate the capability of the microgripper by capture and manipulation of cotton fibres.

Asymmetric actuating structure generates negligible influence on the supporting base for high performance scanning probe microscopies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi Yan, Gang; Bin Liu, Yong; Hua Feng, Zhi

2014-02-01

An asymmetric actuating structure generating negligible influence on the supporting base for high performance scanning probe microscopies is proposed in this paper. The actuator structure consists of two piezostacks, one is used for actuating while the other is for counterbalancing. In contrast with balanced structure, the two piezostacks are installed at the same side of the supporting base. The effectiveness of the structure is proved by some experiments with the actuators fixed to the free end of a cantilever. Experimental results show that almost all of the vibration modes of the cantilever are suppressed effectively at a wide frequency range of 90 Hz-10 kHz.

Development of an active twist rotor blade with distributed actuation and orthotropic material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wierach, Peter; Riemenschneider, Johannes; Keye, Stefan

2005-05-01

Individual blade control (IBC) as well as higher harmonic control (HHC) for helicopter rotors promises to be a method to increase flight performance and to reduce vibration and noise. For those controls, an additional twist actuation of the rotor blade is needed. The developed concept comprises the implementation of distributed piezoelectric actuation into the rotor blade skin. In order to maximize the twist within given constraints, as torsional rigidity and given actuator design, the concept takes advantage of an orthotropic rotor blade skin. That way, a combination of shear actuation with orthotropic coupling generates more twist than each one of these effects alone. Previous approaches with distributed actuation used actuators operating in +/-45° direction with quasi-isotropic composites. A FE-Model of the blade was developed and validated using a simplified demonstrator. The objective of this study was to identify the effects of various geometric and material parameters to optimize the active twist performance of the blades. The whole development was embedded in an iterative process followed by an objective assessment. For this purpose a detailed structural model on the basis of the BO105 model rotor blade was developed, to predict the performance with respect to rotor dynamics, stability, aerodynamics and acoustics. Rotor dynamic simulations provided an initial overview of the active twist rotor performance. In comparison to the BO105 baseline rotor a noise reduction of 3 dB was predicted for an active twist of 0.8° at the blade tip. Additionally, a power reduction of 2.3% at 87m/s based on a 2.5 to BO105 was computed. A demonstrator blade with a rotor radius of 2m has been designed and manufactured. This blade will be tested to prove, that the calculated maximum twist can also be achieved under centrifugal loads.

Lifetime of dielectric elastomer stack actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotz, Peter; Matysek, Marc; Schlaak, Helmut F.

2011-04-01

Dielectric elastomer stack actuators (DESA) are well suited for the use in mobile devices, fluidic applications and small electromechanical systems. Despite many improvements during the last years the long term behavior of dielectric elastomer actuators in general is not known or has not been published. The first goal of the study is to characterize the overall lifetime under laboratory conditions and to identify potential factors influencing lifetime. For this we have designed a test setup to examine 16 actuators at once. The actuators are subdivided into 4 groups each with a separate power supply and driving signal. To monitor the performance of the actuators driving voltage and current are measured continuously and additionally, the amplitude of the deformations of each actuator is measured sequentially. From our first results we conclude that lifetime of these actuators is mainly influenced by the contact material between feeding line and multilayer electrodes. So far, actuators themselves are not affected by long term actuation. With the best contact material actuators can be driven for more than 2700 h at 200 Hz with an electrical field strength of 20 V/μm. This results in more than 3 billion cycles. Actually, there are further actuators driven at 10 Hz for more than 4000 hours and still working.

Fabrication, characterization, and modeling of piezoelectric fiber composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Xiujuan; Zhou, Kechao; Button, Tim W.; Zhang, Dou

2013-07-01

Piezoelectric fiber composites (PFCs) with interdigitated electrodes have attracted increasing interest in a variety of industrial, commercial, and aerospace markets due to their unique flexibility, adaptability, and improved transverse actuation performance. Viscous plastic processing technique was utilized for the fabrication of PFCs with customized feature sizes. The assembly parameters showed great influence on the performance of PFCs, which was verified by the finite element analysis. The cracks were identified in the fibers underneath the electrode finger after several millions cycles due to the stress and electric field concentration. The electrode finger width was an important structural parameter and showed great influence on the actuation performance and the stress distribution in the PFCs. The finite element analysis revealed that wider electrode finger would be beneficial for reducing the risk of materials failure with slight influence on the actuation performance.

Standardization of shape memory alloy test methods toward certification of aerospace applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartl, D. J.; Mabe, J. H.; Benafan, O.; Coda, A.; Conduit, B.; Padan, R.; Van Doren, B.

2015-08-01

The response of shape memory alloy (SMA) components employed as actuators has enabled a number of adaptable aero-structural solutions. However, there are currently no industry or government-accepted standardized test methods for SMA materials when used as actuators and their transition to commercialization and production has been hindered. This brief fast track communication introduces to the community a recently initiated collaborative and pre-competitive SMA specification and standardization effort that is expected to deliver the first ever regulatory agency-accepted material specification and test standards for SMA as employed as actuators for commercial and military aviation applications. In the first phase of this effort, described herein, the team is working to review past efforts and deliver a set of agreed-upon properties to be included in future material certification specifications as well as the associated experiments needed to obtain them in a consistent manner. Essential for the success of this project is the participation and input from a number of organizations and individuals, including engineers and designers working in materials and processing development, application design, SMA component fabrication, and testing at the material, component, and system level. Going forward, strong consensus among this diverse body of participants and the SMA research community at large is needed to advance standardization concepts for universal adoption by the greater aerospace community and especially regulatory bodies. It is expected that the development and release of public standards will be done in collaboration with an established standards development organization.

Bioinspired Smart Actuator Based on Graphene Oxide-Polymer Hybrid Hydrogels.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Huang, Jiahe; Yang, Yiqing; Zhang, Enzhong; Sun, Weixiang; Tong, Zhen

2015-10-28

Rapid response and strong mechanical properties are desired for smart materials used in soft actuators. A bioinspired hybrid hydrogel actuator was designed and prepared by series combination of three trunks of tough polymer-clay hydrogels to accomplish the comprehensive actuation of "extension-grasp-retraction" like a fishing rod. The hydrogels with thermo-creep and thermo-shrinking features were successively irradiated by near-infrared (NIR) to execute extension and retraction, respectively. The GO in the hydrogels absorbed the NIR energy and transformed it into thermo-energy rapidly and effectively. The hydrogel with adhesion or magnetic force was adopted as the "hook" of the hybrid hydrogel actuator for grasping object. The hook of the hybrid hydrogel actuator was replaceable according to applications, even with functional materials other than hydrogels. This study provides an innovative concept to explore new soft actuators through combining response hydrogels and programming the same stimulus.

Thermal microactuator dimension analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azman, N. D.; Ong, N. R.; Aziz, M. H. A.; Alcain, J. B.; Haimi, W. M. W. N.; Sauli, Z.

2017-09-01

The focus of this study was to analyse the stress and thermal flow of thermal microactuator with different type of materials and parameter using COMSOL Multiphysics software. Simulations were conducted on the existing thermal actuator and integrated it to be more efficient, low cost and low power consumption. In this simulation, the U-shaped actuator was designed and five different materials of the microactuator were studied. The result showed that Si Polycrystalline was the most suitable material used to produce thermal actuator for commercialization.

A flexible metallic actuator using reduced graphene oxide as a multifunctional component.

PubMed

Meng, Junxing; Mu, Jiuke; Hou, Chengyi; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yaogang; Wang, Hongzhi

2017-09-14

Flexible actuators are widely in demand for many real-life applications. Considering that existing actuators based on polymers, low-dimensional materials and pore-rich materials are mostly limited by slow response rate, high driving voltage and poor stability, we report here a novel metal based flexible actuator which is fabricated simply through partial oxidation and nano-function of copper foil with the assistance of reduced graphene oxide. The obtained asymmetric metallic actuator is (electric-)thermally driven and exhibits fast response rate (∼2 s) and large curvature (2.4 cm -1 ) under a low voltage (∼1 V) with a sustainable operation of up to ∼50 000 cycles. The actuator can also be triggered by infrared irradiation and direct-heating under various conditions including air, water, and vacuum.

Microactuators as driving units for microbotic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehr, Heinz; Abel, S.; Doepper, J.; Ehrfeld, Wolfgang; Hagemann, B.; Kaemper, Klaus P.; Michel, Frank; Schulz, Ch.; Theurigen, C.

1996-12-01

The trend towards the integration of a multitude of functions in e.g. data end-, medical- and communication systems pushes the miniaturization of actuators for linear or rotational motions. Technical advantages of these devices are their low energy consumption, their potential for high precision positioning and their low inertial masses, which allow e.g. huge rotational frequencies. Appreciable forces and torques as well as appropriate mechanical interfaces to integrate these drive units into complete systems are necessary prerequisites for robotic applications, but rarely found up to now. Most of these difficulties arise due to the application of monolithic fabrication techniques, leading to structures of essentially planar nature and severe material restrictions. It turned out that only hybrid concepts and the assembly of components made from the most appropriate material open the chance to build up microactuators which are well suited for microrobotic systems. The contribution starts with a short description of the LIGA technique, which constitutes the major 3-D microfabrication method for the production of individual actuator components with structural heights of up to several millimeters made from a variety of function adapted materials. The assembling of these components results in microactuators with typical dimensions in the millimeter range. Examples are powerful electromagnetic micromotors, delivering torques much larger than one (mu) Nm and high rotational speeds which may be converted by use of LIGA fabricated gear-wheels to furthermore increase the torque. Huge forces are obtained in addition by use of microfabricated fluidic systems. Although small in size, the actuators still offer good handling opportunities and interfacing facilities to build up more complicated robotic systems.

75 FR 26883 - Airworthiness Directives; Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. (EMBRAER) Model ERJ 170 and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-13

... slat actuator structural failure (rupture) and its adjacent actuator torque limiter failing high... outboard slat actuator structural failure (rupture) and its adjacent actuator torque limiter failing high... requirements.'' Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in...

Experimental characterization of shape memory alloy actuator cables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biggs, Daniel B.; Shaw, John A.

2016-04-01

Wire rope (or cables) are a fundamental structural element in many engineering applications. Recently, there has been growing interest in stranding NiTi wires into cables to scale up the adaptive properties of NiTi tension elements and to make use of the desirable properties of wire rope. Exploratory experiments were performed to study the actuation behavior of two NiTi shape memory alloy cables and straight monofilament wire of the same material. The specimens were held under various dead loads ranging from 50 MPa to 400 MPa and thermally cycled 25 times from 140°C to 5°C at a rate of 12°C/min. Performance metrics of actuation stroke, residual strain, and work output were measured and compared between specimen types. The 7x7 cable exhibited similar actuation to the single straight wire, but with slightly longer stroke and marginally more shakedown, while maintaining equivalent specific work output. This leads to the conclusion that the 7x7 cable effectively scaled up the adaptive properties the straight wire. Under loads below 150 MPa, the 1x27 cable had up to double the actuation stroke and work output, but exhibited larger shakedown and poorer performance when loaded higher.

Stretchable Materials for Robust Soft Actuators towards Assistive Wearable Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Gunjan; Besuchet, Nicolas; Audergon, Basile; Paik, Jamie

2016-09-01

Soft actuators made from elastomeric active materials can find widespread potential implementation in a variety of applications ranging from assistive wearable technologies targeted at biomedical rehabilitation or assistance with activities of daily living, bioinspired and biomimetic systems, to gripping and manipulating fragile objects, and adaptable locomotion. In this manuscript, we propose a novel two-component soft actuator design and design tool that produces actuators targeted towards these applications with enhanced mechanical performance and manufacturability. Our numerical models developed using the finite element method can predict the actuator behavior at large mechanical strains to allow efficient design iterations for system optimization. Based on two distinctive actuator prototypes’ (linear and bending actuators) experimental results that include free displacement and blocked-forces, we have validated the efficacy of the numerical models. The presented extensive investigation of mechanical performance for soft actuators with varying geometric parameters demonstrates the practical application of the design tool, and the robustness of the actuator hardware design, towards diverse soft robotic systems for a wide set of assistive wearable technologies, including replicating the motion of several parts of the human body.

Stretchable Materials for Robust Soft Actuators towards Assistive Wearable Devices

PubMed Central

Agarwal, Gunjan; Besuchet, Nicolas; Audergon, Basile; Paik, Jamie

2016-01-01

Soft actuators made from elastomeric active materials can find widespread potential implementation in a variety of applications ranging from assistive wearable technologies targeted at biomedical rehabilitation or assistance with activities of daily living, bioinspired and biomimetic systems, to gripping and manipulating fragile objects, and adaptable locomotion. In this manuscript, we propose a novel two-component soft actuator design and design tool that produces actuators targeted towards these applications with enhanced mechanical performance and manufacturability. Our numerical models developed using the finite element method can predict the actuator behavior at large mechanical strains to allow efficient design iterations for system optimization. Based on two distinctive actuator prototypes’ (linear and bending actuators) experimental results that include free displacement and blocked-forces, we have validated the efficacy of the numerical models. The presented extensive investigation of mechanical performance for soft actuators with varying geometric parameters demonstrates the practical application of the design tool, and the robustness of the actuator hardware design, towards diverse soft robotic systems for a wide set of assistive wearable technologies, including replicating the motion of several parts of the human body. PMID:27670953

Stretchable Materials for Robust Soft Actuators towards Assistive Wearable Devices.

PubMed

Agarwal, Gunjan; Besuchet, Nicolas; Audergon, Basile; Paik, Jamie

2016-09-27

Soft actuators made from elastomeric active materials can find widespread potential implementation in a variety of applications ranging from assistive wearable technologies targeted at biomedical rehabilitation or assistance with activities of daily living, bioinspired and biomimetic systems, to gripping and manipulating fragile objects, and adaptable locomotion. In this manuscript, we propose a novel two-component soft actuator design and design tool that produces actuators targeted towards these applications with enhanced mechanical performance and manufacturability. Our numerical models developed using the finite element method can predict the actuator behavior at large mechanical strains to allow efficient design iterations for system optimization. Based on two distinctive actuator prototypes' (linear and bending actuators) experimental results that include free displacement and blocked-forces, we have validated the efficacy of the numerical models. The presented extensive investigation of mechanical performance for soft actuators with varying geometric parameters demonstrates the practical application of the design tool, and the robustness of the actuator hardware design, towards diverse soft robotic systems for a wide set of assistive wearable technologies, including replicating the motion of several parts of the human body.

Covalent Bonding of Thermoplastics to Rubbers for Printable, Reel-to-Reel Processing in Soft Robotics and Microfluidics.

PubMed

Taylor, Jay M; Perez-Toralla, Karla; Aispuro, Ruby; Morin, Stephen A

2018-02-01

The lamination of mechanically stiff structures to elastic materials is prevalent in biological systems and popular in many emerging synthetic systems, such as soft robotics, microfluidics, stretchable electronics, and pop-up assemblies. The disparate mechanical and chemical properties of these materials have made it challenging to develop universal synthetic procedures capable of reliably adhering to these classes of materials together. Herein, a simple and scalable procedure is described that is capable of covalently laminating a variety of commodity ("off-the-shelf") thermoplastic sheets to silicone rubber films. When combined with laser printing, the nonbonding sites can be "printed" onto the thermoplastic sheets, enabling the direct fabrication of microfluidic systems for actuation and liquid handling applications. The versatility of this approach in generating thin, multifunctional laminates is demonstrated through the fabrication of milliscale soft actuators and grippers with hinged articulation and microfluidic channels with built-in optical filtering and pressure-dependent geometries. This method of fabrication offers several advantages, including technical simplicity, process scalability, design versatility, and material diversity. The concepts and strategies presented herein are broadly applicable to the soft robotics, microfluidics, and advanced and additive manufacturing communities where hybrid rubber/plastic structures are prevalent. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Soft buckling actuators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Dian; Whitesides, George M.

A soft actuator is described, including: a rotation center having a center of mass; a plurality of bucklable, elastic structural components each comprising a wall defining an axis along its longest dimension, the wall connected to the rotation center in a way that the axis is offset from the center of mass in a predetermined direction; and a plurality of cells each disposed between two adjacent bucklable, elastic structural components and configured for connection with a fluid inflation or deflation source; wherein upon the deflation of the cell, the bucklable, elastic structural components are configured to buckle in the predeterminedmore » direction. A soft actuating device including a plurality of the soft actuators and methods of actuation using the soft actuator or soft actuating device disclosed herein are also described.« less

Characterization of fine-grain piezoceramic stack actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Christopher L.; Morris, Donald G.; Calkins, Frederick T.

2001-07-01

Samples of fine grain piezoelectric ceramics (less than or equal to 1 micrometers ) exhibit increased mechanical strength and improved machinability over conventional materials, which should result in actuators which have increased reliability with fewer rejected parts. The focus of the work presented here is to compare the properties of several fine grain and conventional actuators provided by TRS Ceramics. Specimens are constructed of TRS200 (a PZT-5A or DOD Type II equivalent material) and TRS600 (a PZT-5H or DOD Type VI equivalent material). All of the actuators consist of ceramic wafers bonded together with electrodes between them to form a stack. Several actuator overall dimensions and two wafer thicknesses (250 micrometers and 500 micrometers ) are investigated as well as material which has been subjected to hot isopress. The two main figures of merit in the stack actuator comparisons are free strain and blocked stress. Strain and stress loops are measured under a variety of field levels, including negative fields up to the coercive limit (full butterfly loops were not performed). Also compared are values of energy density and hysteresis in the strain, stress and electric displacement vs. field loops. Stack longevity is addressed through duration tests in which stacks are used to drive representative mechanical impedance for an extended period. Results show that fine grain stacks completed 109 continuous actuation cycles with no sign of performance degradation.

Built-in active sensing diagnostic system for civil infrastructure systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Fan; Chang, Fu-Kuo

2001-07-01

A reliable, robust monitoring system can improve the maintenance of and provide safety protection for civil structures and therefore prolong their service lives. A built-in, active sensing diagnostic technique for civil structures has been under investigation. In this technique, piezoelectric materials are used as sensors/actuators to receive and generate signals. The transducers are embedded in reinforced concrete (RC) beams and are designed to detect damage, particularly debonding damage between the reinforcing bars and concrete. This paper presents preliminary results from a feasibility study of the technology. Laboratory experiments performed on RC beams, with piezo-electric sensors and actuators mounted on reinforced steel bars, have clearly demonstrated that the proposed technique could detect debonding damage. Analytical work, using a special purpose finite-element software, PZFlex, was also conducted to interpret the relationship between the measured data and actual debonding damage. Effectiveness of the proposed technique for detecting debonding damage in civil structures has been demonstrated.

Micro-mechanics of micro-composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donovan, Richard P.

1995-01-01

The Structural Dynamics branch at NASA LaRC is working on developing an active passive mount system for vibration control. Toward this end a system utilizing piezoelectric actuators is currently being utilized. There are limitations to the current system related to space applications under which it is desired to eliminate deformations in the actuators associated with thermal effects. In addition, a material that is readily formable into complex shapes and whose mechanical properties can be optimized with regards to vibration control would be highly desirable. Microcomposite material are currently under study to service these needs. Microcomposite materials are essentially materials in which particles on the scale of microns are bound together with a polyimide (LaRC Si) that has been developed at LaRC. In particular a micro-composite consisting of LaRC Si binder and piezoelectric ceramic particles shows promise in satisfying the needs of the active passive mount project. The LaRC/ Si microcomposite has a unique combination of piezoelectric properties combined with a near zero coefficient of thermal expansion and easy machinability. The goal of this ASEE project is to develop techniques to analytically determine important material properties necessary to characterize the dynamic properties of actuators and mounts made from the LaRC Si / ceramic microcomposite. In particular, a generalized method of cells micromechanics originally developed at NASA Lewis is employed to analyze the microstructural geometry of the microcomposites and predict the overall mechanical properties of the material. A testing program has been established to evaluate and refine the GMC approach to these materials. In addition, a theory of mixtures analysis is being developed that utilizes the GMC micromechanics information to analyze complex behavior of the microcomposite material which has a near zero CTE.

Sensing and Tactile Artificial Muscles from Reactive Materials

PubMed Central

Conzuelo, Laura Valero; Arias-Pardilla, Joaquín; Cauich-Rodríguez, Juan V.; Smit, Mascha Afra; Otero, Toribio Fernández

2010-01-01

Films of conducting polymers can be oxidized and reduced in a reversible way. Any intermediate oxidation state determines an electrochemical equilibrium. Chemical or physical variables acting on the film may modify the equilibrium potential, so that the film acts as a sensor of the variable. The working potential of polypyrrole/DBSA (Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid) films, oxidized or reduced under constant currents, changes as a function of the working conditions: electrolyte concentration, temperature or mechanical stress. During oxidation, the reactive material is a sensor of the ambient, the consumed electrical energy being the sensing magnitude. Devices based on any of the electrochemical properties of conducting polymers must act simultaneously as sensors of the working conditions. Artificial muscles, as electrochemical actuators constituted by reactive materials, respond to the ambient conditions during actuation. In this way, they can be used as actuators, sensing the surrounding conditions during actuation. Actuating and sensing signals are simultaneously included by the same two connecting wires. PMID:22319265

Muscle Motion Solenoid Actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obata, Shuji

It is one of our dreams to mechanically recover the lost body for damaged humans. Realistic humanoid robots composed of such machines require muscle motion actuators controlled by all pulling actions. Particularly, antagonistic pairs of bi-articular muscles are very important in animal's motions. A system of actuators is proposed using the electromagnetic force of the solenoids with the abilities of the stroke length over 10 cm and the strength about 20 N, which are needed to move the real human arm. The devised actuators are based on developments of recent modern electro-magnetic materials, where old time materials can not give such possibility. Composite actuators are controlled by a high ability computer and software making genuine motions.

Micro-fabrication of a novel linear actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Shuidong; Liu, Lei; Hou, Yangqing; Fang, Houfei

2017-04-01

The novel linear actuator is researched with light weight, small volume, low power consumption, fast response and relatively large displacement output. It can be used for the net surface control of large deployable mesh antennas, the tension precise adjustment of the controlled cable in the tension and tensile truss structure and many other applications. The structure and the geometry parameters are designed and analysed by finite element method in multi-physics coupling. Meantime, the relationship between input voltage and displacement output is computed, and the strength check is completed according to the stress distribution. Carbon fiber reinforced composite (CFRC), glass fiber reinforced composited (GFRC), and Lead Zirconium Titanate (PZT) materials are used to fabricate the actuator by using laser etching and others MEMS process. The displacement output is measured by the laser displacement sensor device at the input voltage range of DC0-180V. The response time is obtained by oscilloscope at the arbitrarily voltage in the above range. The nominal force output is measured by the PTR-1101 mechanics setup. Finally, the computed and test results are compared and analysed.

Tunable smart digital structure (SDS) to modularly assemble soft actuators with layered adhesive bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Hu; Dong, Erbao; Xu, Min; Xia, Qirong; Liu, Shuai; Li, Weihua; Yang, Jie

2018-01-01

Many shape memory alloy (SMA)-based soft actuators have specific composite structures and manufacture processes, and are therefore unique. However, these exclusive characteristics limit their capabilities and applications, so in this article a soft and smart digital structure (SDS) is proposed that acts like a modular unit to assemble soft actuators by a layered adhesive bonding process. The SDS is a fully soft structure that encapsulates a digital skeleton consisting of four groups of parallel and independently actuated SMA wires capable of outputting a four-channel tunable force. The layered adhesive bonding process modularly bonds several SDSs with an elastic backbone to fabricate a layered soft actuator where the elastic backbone is used to recover the SDSs in a cooling process using the SMA wires. Two kinds of SDS-based soft actuators were modularly assembled, an actuator, SDS-I, with a two-dimensional reciprocal motion, and an actuator, SDS-II, capable of bi-directional reciprocal motion. The thermodynamics and phase transformation modeling of the SDS-based actuator were analyzed. Several extensional soft actuators were also assembled by bonding the SDS with an anomalous elastic backbone or modularly assembling the SDS-Is and SDS-IIs. These modularly assembled soft actuators delivered more output channels and a complicated motion, e.g., an actinomorphic soft actuator with four SDS-Is jumps in a series of hierarchical heights and directional movement by tuning the input channels of the SDSs. This result showed that the SDS can modularly assemble multifarious soft actuators with diverse capabilities, steerability and tunable outputs.

Experimental verification of distributed piezoelectric actuators for use in precision space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crawley, E. F.; De Luis, J.

1986-01-01

An analytic model for structures with distributed piezoelectric actuators is experimentally verified for the cases of both surface-bonded and embedded actuators. A technique for the selection of such piezoelectric actuators' location has been developed, and is noted to indicate that segmented actuators are always more effective than continuous ones, since the output of each can be individually controlled. Manufacturing techniques for the bonding or embedding of segmented piezoelectric actuators are also developed which allow independent electrical contact to be made with each actuator. Static tests have been conducted to determine how the elastic properties of the composite are affected by the presence of an embedded actuator, for the case of glass/epoxy laminates.

Actuator with built-in viscous damping for isolation and structural control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyde, T. Tupper; Anderson, Eric H.

1994-05-01

This paper describes the development and experimental application of an actuator with built-in viscous damping. An existing passive damper was modified for use as a novel actuation device for isolation and structural control. The device functions by using the same fluid for viscous damping and as a hydraulic lever for a voice coil actuator. Applications for such an actuator include structural control and active isolation. Lumped parameter models capturing structural and fluid effects are presented. Component tests of free stroke, blocked force, and passive complex stiffness are used to update the assumed model parameters. The structural damping effectiveness of the new actuator is shown to be that of a regular D-strut passively and that of a piezoelectric strut with load cell feedback actively in a complex testbed structure. Open and closed loop results are presented for a force isolation application showing an 8 dB passive and 20 dB active improvement over an undamped mount. An optimized design for a future experimental testbed is developed.

Linear actuation using milligram quantities of CL-20 and TAGDNAT.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snedigar, Shane; Salton, Jonathan Robert; Tappan, Alexander Smith

2009-07-01

There are numerous applications for small-scale actuation utilizing pyrotechnics and explosives. In certain applications, especially when multiple actuation strokes are needed, or actuator reuse is required, it is desirable to have all gaseous combustion products with no condensed residue in the actuator cylinder. Toward this goal, we have performed experiments on utilizing milligram quantities of high explosives to drive a millimeter-diameter actuator with a stroke of 30 mm. Calculations were performed to select proper material quantities to provide 0.5 J of actuation energy. This was performed utilizing the thermochemical code Cheetah to calculate the impetus for numerous propellants and tomore » select quantities based on estimated efficiencies of these propellants at small scales. Milligram quantities of propellants were loaded into a small-scale actuator and ignited with an ignition increment and hot wire ignition. Actuator combustion chamber pressure was monitored with a pressure transducer and actuator stroke was monitored using a laser displacement meter. Total actuation energy was determined by calculating the kinetic energy of reaction mass motion against gravity. Of the materials utilized, the best performance was obtained with a mixture of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) and bis-triaminoguanidinium(3,3{prime}dinitroazotriazolate) (TAGDNAT).« less

Review: Electrostatically actuated nanobeam-based nanoelectromechanical switches – materials solutions and operational conditions

PubMed Central

Jasulaneca, Liga; Kosmaca, Jelena; Meija, Raimonds; Andzane, Jana

2018-01-01

This review summarizes relevant research in the field of electrostatically actuated nanobeam-based nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches. The main switch architectures and structural elements are briefly described and compared. Investigation methods that allow for exploring coupled electromechanical interactions as well as studies of mechanically or electrically induced effects are covered. An examination of the complex nanocontact behaviour during various stages of the switching cycle is provided. The choice of the switching element and the electrode is addressed from the materials perspective, detailing the benefits and drawbacks for each. An overview of experimentally demonstrated NEM switching devices is provided, and together with their operational parameters, the reliability issues and impact of the operating environment are discussed. Finally, the most common NEM switch failure modes and the physical mechanisms behind them are reviewed and solutions proposed. PMID:29441272

A two-dimensional analytical model and experimental validation of garter stitch knitted shape memory alloy actuator architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abel, Julianna; Luntz, Jonathan; Brei, Diann

2012-08-01

Active knits are a unique architectural approach to meeting emerging smart structure needs for distributed high strain actuation with simultaneous force generation. This paper presents an analytical state-based model for predicting the actuation response of a shape memory alloy (SMA) garter knit textile. Garter knits generate significant contraction against moderate to large loads when heated, due to the continuous interlocked network of loops of SMA wire. For this knit architecture, the states of operation are defined on the basis of the thermal and mechanical loading of the textile, the resulting phase change of the SMA, and the load path followed to that state. Transitions between these operational states induce either stick or slip frictional forces depending upon the state and path, which affect the actuation response. A load-extension model of the textile is derived for each operational state using elastica theory and Euler-Bernoulli beam bending for the large deformations within a loop of wire based on the stress-strain behavior of the SMA material. This provides kinematic and kinetic relations which scale to form analytical transcendental expressions for the net actuation motion against an external load. This model was validated experimentally for an SMA garter knit textile over a range of applied forces with good correlation for both the load-extension behavior in each state as well as the net motion produced during the actuation cycle (250% recoverable strain and over 50% actuation). The two-dimensional analytical model of the garter stitch active knit provides the ability to predict the kinetic actuation performance, providing the basis for the design and synthesis of large stroke, large force distributed actuators that employ this novel architecture.

Quantification of uncertainties in the performance of smart composite structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shiao, Michael C.; Chamis, Christos C.

1993-01-01

A composite wing with spars, bulkheads, and built-in control devices is evaluated using a method for the probabilistic assessment of smart composite structures. Structural responses (such as change in angle of attack, vertical displacements, and stresses in regular plies with traditional materials and in control plies with mixed traditional and actuation materials) are probabilistically assessed to quantify their respective scatter. Probabilistic sensitivity factors are computed to identify those parameters that have a significant influence on a specific structural response. Results show that the uncertainties in the responses of smart composite structures can be quantified. Responses such as structural deformation, ply stresses, frequencies, and buckling loads in the presence of defects can be reliably controlled to satisfy specified design requirements.

Active Control of Flexible Space Structures Using the Nitinol Shape Memory Actuators

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-01

number) FIELD !GROUP SUBGROUP I Active Control, Nitinol Actuators, Space Structures 9. ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block...number) Summarizes research progress in the feasibility demonstration of active vibration control using Nitinol shape memory actuators. Tests on...FLEXIBLE SPACE STRUCTURES USING NITINOL SHAPE MEMORY ACTUATORS FINAL REPORT FOR PHASE I SDIO CONTRACT #F49620-87-C-0035 0 BY DR. AMR M. BAZ KARIM R

76 FR 68366 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 777-200 and -300 Series Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-04

...-induced currents and subsequent damage to composite structures, hydraulic tubes, and actuator control... and could subsequently damage composite structures, hydraulic tubes, and actuator control electronics... subsequent damage to composite structures, hydraulic tubes, and actuator control electronics. In the event of...

Ionic polymer metal composites with nanoporous carbon electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmre, Viljar; Brandell, Daniel; Mäeorg, Uno; Torop, Janno; Volobujeva, Olga; Punning, Andres; Johanson, Urmas; Aabloo, Alvo

2010-04-01

Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMCs) are soft electroactive polymer materials that bend in response to the voltage stimulus (1 - 4 V). They can be used as actuators or sensors. In this paper, we introduce two new highly-porous carbon materials for assembling high specific area electrodes for IPMC actuators and compare their electromechanical performance with recently reported IPMCs based on RuO2 electrodes. We synthesize ionic liquid (Emi-Tf) actuators with either Carbide-Derived Carbon (CDC) (derived from TiC) or coconut shell based activated carbon electrodes. The carbon electrodes are applied onto ionic liquid-swollen Nafion membranes using the direct assembly process. Our results show that actuators assembled with CDC electrodes have the greatest peak-to-peak strain output, reaching up to 20.4 mɛ (equivalent to >2%) at a 2 V actuation signal, exceeding that of the RuO2 electrodes by more than 100%. The electrodes synthesized from TiC-derived carbon also revealed significantly higher maximum strain rate. The differences between the materials are discussed in terms of molecular interactions and mechanisms upon actuation in the different electrodes.

Summary of semi-initiative and initiative control automobile engine vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Wei; Qu, Zhou

2009-07-01

Engine vibration accounts for around 55% of automobile vibration, separating the engine vibration from transmitting to automobile to the utmost extent is significant for improving NVH performance. Semi-initiative and initiative control of engine vibration is one of the hot spots of technical research in domestic and foreign automobile industry, especially luxury automobiles which adopt this technology to improve amenity and competitiveness. This article refers to a large amount of domestic and foreign related materials, fully introduces the research status of semi-initiative and initiative control suspension of engine vibration suspension and many kinds of structural style, and provides control policy and method of semi-initiative and initiative control suspension system. Compare and analyze the structural style of semi-initiative and initiative control and merits and demerits of current structures of semi-initiative and initiative control of mechanic electrorheological, magnetorheological, electromagnetic actuator, piezoelectric ceramics, electrostriction material, pneumatic actuator etc. Models of power assembly mounting system was classified.Calculation example indicated that reasonable selection of engine mounting system parameters is useful to reduce engine vibration transmission and to increase ride comfort. Finally we brought forward semi-initiative and initiative suspension which might be applied for automobiles, and which has a promising future.

Compliant displacement-multiplying apparatus for microelectromechanical systems

DOEpatents

Kota, Sridhar; Rodgers, M. Steven; Hetrick, Joel A.

2001-01-01

A pivotless compliant structure is disclosed that can be used to increase the geometric advantage or mechanical advantage of a microelectromechanical (MEM) actuator such as an electrostatic comb actuator, a capacitive-plate electrostatic actuator, or a thermal actuator. The compliant structure, based on a combination of interconnected flexible beams and cross-beams formed of one or more layers of polysilicon or silicon nitride, can provide a geometric advantage of from about 5:1 to about 60:1 to multiply a 0.25-3 .mu.m displacement provided by a short-stroke actuator so that such an actuator can be used to generate a displacement stroke of about 10-34 .mu.m to operate a ratchet-driven MEM device or a microengine. The compliant structure has less play than conventional displacement-multiplying devices based on lever arms and pivoting joints, and is expected to be more reliable than such devices. The compliant structure and an associated electrostatic or thermal actuator can be formed on a common substrate (e.g. silicon) using surface micromachining.

Screening actuator locations for static shape control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haftka, Raphael T.

1990-01-01

Correction of shape distortion due to zero-mean normally distributed errors in structural sizes which are random variables is examined. A bound on the maximum improvement in the expected value of the root-mean-square shape error is obtained. The shape correction associated with the optimal actuators is also characterized. An actuator effectiveness index is developed and shown to be helpful in screening actuator locations in the structure. The results are specialized to a simple form for truss structures composed of nominally identical members. The bound and effectiveness index are tested on a 55-m radiometer antenna truss structure. It is found that previously obtained results for optimum actuators had a performance close to the bound obtained here. Furthermore, the actuators associated with the optimum design are shown to have high effectiveness indices. Since only a small fraction of truss elements tend to have high effectiveness indices, the proposed screening procedure can greatly reduce the number of truss members that need to be considered as actuator sites.

Shape memory polymer actuator and catheter

DOEpatents

Maitland, Duncan J.; Lee, Abraham P.; Schumann, Daniel L.; Matthews, Dennis L.; Decker, Derek E.; Jungreis, Charles A.

2004-05-25

An actuator system is provided for acting upon a material in a vessel. The system includes an optical fiber and a shape memory polymer material operatively connected to the optical fiber. The shape memory polymer material is adapted to move from a first shape for moving through said vessel to a second shape where it can act upon said material.

Shape memory polymer actuator and catheter

DOEpatents

Maitland, Duncan J.; Lee, Abraham P.; Schumann, Daniel L.; Matthews, Dennis L.; Decker, Derek E.; Jungreis, Charles A.

2007-11-06

An actuator system is provided for acting upon a material in a vessel. The system includes an optical fiber and a shape memory polymer material operatively connected to the optical fiber. The shape memory polymer material is adapted to move from a first shape for moving through said vessel to a second shape where it can act upon said material.

Carbon-based torsional and tensile artificial muscles driven by thermal expansion (presentation video)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haines, Carter S.; Lima, Márcio D.; Li, Na; Spinks, Geoffrey M.; Foroughi, Javad; Madden, John D. W.; Kim, Shi-Hyeong; Fang, Shaoli; Jung de Andrade, Monica; Göktepe, Fatma; Göktepe, Ozer; Mirvakili, Seyed M.; Naficy, Sina; Lepró, Xavier; Oh, Jiyoung; Kozlov, Mikhail E.; Kim, Seon Jeong; Xu, Xiuru; Swedlove, Benjamin J.; Wallace, Gordon G.; Baughman, Ray H.

2014-03-01

High-performance artificial muscles have been produced from fibers having highly anisotropic thermal expansion. Inserting twist into these precursor fibers enables thermally-driven torsional actuation and can cause the formation of helical coils. Such coiled structures provide giant-stroke tensile actuation exceeding the 20% in-vivo contraction of natural muscles. This contraction is highly reversible, with over one million cycles demonstrated, and can occur without the hysteresis that plagues competing shape-memory and piezoelectric muscles. Several materials and composites are investigated, including low-cost, commercially-available muscle precursors, potentially facilitating thermally-responsive textiles that change porosity to provide wearer comfort.

Evaluation of Dielectric-Barrier-Discharge Actuator Substrate Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkinson, Stephen P.; Siochi, Emilie J.; Sauti, Godfrey; Xu, Tian-Bing; Meador, Mary Ann; Guo, Haiquan

2014-01-01

A key, enabling element of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) actuator is the dielectric substrate material. While various investigators have studied the performance of different homogeneous materials, most often in the context of related DBD experiments, fundamental studies focused solely on the dielectric materials have received less attention. The purpose of this study was to conduct an experimental assessment of the body-force-generating performance of a wide range of dielectric materials in search of opportunities to improve DBD actuator performance. Materials studied included commonly available plastics and glasses as well as a custom-fabricated polyimide aerogel. Diagnostics included static induced thrust, electrical circuit parameters for 2D surface discharges and 1D volume discharges, and dielectric material properties. Lumped-parameter circuit simulations for the 1D case were conducted showing good correspondence to experimental data provided that stray capacitances are included. The effect of atmospheric humidity on DBD performance was studied showing a large influence on thrust. The main conclusion is that for homogeneous, dielectric materials at forcing voltages less than that required for streamer formation, the material chemical composition appears to have no effect on body force generation when actuator impedance is properly accounted for.

Full-scale flight tests of aircraft morphing structures using SMA actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabe, James H.; Calkins, Frederick T.; Ruggeri, Robert T.

2007-04-01

In August of 2005 The Boeing Company conducted a full-scale flight test utilizing Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators to morph an engine's fan exhaust to correlate exhaust geometry with jet noise reduction. The test was conducted on a 777-300ER with GE-115B engines. The presence of chevrons, serrated aerodynamic surfaces mounted at the trailing edge of the thrust reverser, have been shown to greatly reduce jet noise by encouraging advantageous mixing of the free, and fan streams. The morphing, or Variable Geometry Chevrons (VGC), utilized compact, light weight, and robust SMA actuators to morph the chevron shape to optimize the noise reduction or meet acoustic test objectives. The VGC system was designed for two modes of operation. The entirely autonomous operation utilized changes in the ambient temperature from take-off to cruise to activate the chevron shape change. It required no internal heaters, wiring, control system, or sensing. By design this provided one tip immersion at the warmer take-off temperatures to reduce community noise and another during the cooler cruise state for more efficient engine operation, i.e. reduced specific fuel consumption. For the flight tests a powered mode was added where internal heaters were used to individually control the VGC temperatures. This enabled us to vary the immersions and test a variety of chevron configurations. The flight test demonstrated the value of SMA actuators to solve a real world aerospace problem, validated that the technology could be safely integrated into the airplane's structure and flight system, and represented a large step forward in the realization of SMA actuators for production applications. In this paper the authors describe the development of the actuator system, the steps required to integrate the morphing structure into the thrust reverser, and the analysis and testing that was required to gain approval for flight. Issues related to material strength, thermal environment, vibration, electrical power, controls, data acquisition, and engine operability are discussed. Furthermore the authors layout a road map for the next stage of development of SMA aerospace actuators. A detailed look at the requirements and specifications that may define a production SMA actuator and the technology development required to meet them are presented. A path for meeting production requirements and achieving the next level of technology readiness for both autonomous and controlled SMA actuators is proposed. This path relies strongly on cross functional and organizational teaming including industry, academia, and government.

Percussive Augmenter of Rotary Drills for Operating as a Rotary-Hammer Drill

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldrich, Jack Barron (Inventor); Bar-Cohen, Yoseph (Inventor); Sherrit, Stewart (Inventor); Badescu, Mircea (Inventor); Bao, Xiaoqi (Inventor); Scott, James Samson (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A percussive augmenter bit includes a connection shaft for mounting the bit onto a rotary drill. In a first modality, an actuator percussively drives the bit, and an electric slip-ring provides power to the actuator while being rotated by the drill. Hammering action from the actuator and rotation from the drill are applied directly to material being drilled. In a second modality, a percussive augmenter includes an actuator that operates as a hammering mechanism that drives a free mass into the bit creating stress pulses that fracture material that is in contact with the bit.

Fiber-Reinforced Origamic Robotic Actuator.

PubMed

Yi, Juan; Chen, Xiaojiao; Song, Chaoyang; Wang, Zheng

2018-02-01

A novel pneumatic soft linear actuator Fiber-reinforced Origamic Robotic Actuator (FORA) is proposed with significant improvements on the popular McKibben-type actuators, offering nearly doubled motion range, substantially improved force profile, and significantly lower actuation pressure. The desirable feature set is made possible by a novel soft origamic chamber that expands radially while contracts axially when pressurized. Combining this new origamic chamber with a reinforcing fiber mesh, FORA generates very high traction force (over 150N) and very large contractile motion (over 50%) at very low input pressure (100 kPa). We developed quasi-static analytical models both to characterize the motion and forces and as guidelines for actuator design. Fabrication of FORA mostly involves consumer-grade three-dimensional (3D) printing. We provide a detailed list of materials and dimensions. Fabricated FORAs were tested on a dedicated platform against commercially available pneumatic artificial muscles from Shadow and Festo to showcase its superior performances and validate the analytical models with very good agreements. Finally, a robotic joint was developed driven by two antagonistic FORAs, to showcase the benefits of the performance improvements. With its simple structure, fully characterized mechanism, easy fabrication procedure, and highly desirable performance, FORA could be easily customized to application requirements and fabricated by anyone with access to a 3D printer. This will pave the way to the wider adaptation and application of soft robotic systems.

4D Printed Actuators with Soft-Robotic Functions.

PubMed

López-Valdeolivas, María; Liu, Danqing; Broer, Dick Jan; Sánchez-Somolinos, Carlos

2018-03-01

Soft matter elements undergoing programed, reversible shape change can contribute to fundamental advance in areas such as optics, medicine, microfluidics, and robotics. Crosslinked liquid crystalline polymers have demonstrated huge potential to implement soft responsive elements; however, the complexity and size of the actuators are limited by the current dominant thin-film geometry processing toolbox. Using 3D printing, stimuli-responsive liquid crystalline elastomeric structures are created here. The printing process prescribes a reversible shape-morphing behavior, offering a new paradigm for active polymer system preparation. The additive character of this technology also leads to unprecedented geometries, complex functions, and sizes beyond those of typical thin-films. The fundamental concepts and devices presented therefore overcome the current limitations of actuation energy available from thin-films, thereby narrowing the gap between materials and practical applications. © 2017 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Feedback tracking control for dynamic morphing of piezocomposite actuated flexible wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaoming; Zhou, Wenya; Wu, Zhigang

2018-03-01

Aerodynamic properties of flexible wings can be improved via shape morphing using piezocomposite materials. Dynamic shape control of flexible wings is investigated in this study by considering the interactions between structural dynamics, unsteady aerodynamics and piezo-actuations. A novel antisymmetric angle-ply bimorph configuration of piezocomposite actuators is presented to realize coupled bending-torsional shape control. The active aeroelastic model is derived using finite element method and Theodorsen unsteady aerodynamic loads. A time-varying linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) tracking control system is designed to enhance aerodynamic lift with pre-defined trajectories. Proof-of-concept simulations of static and dynamic shape control are presented for a scaled high-aspect-ratio wing model. Vibrations of the wing and fluctuations in aerodynamic forces are caused by using the static voltages directly in dynamic shape control. The lift response has tracked the trajectories well with favorable dynamic morphing performance via feedback tracking control.

Development of a shape memory alloy actuated biomimetic vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, L. J.; Wilson, L. N.; Lagoudas, D. C.; Rediniotis, O. K.

2000-10-01

The development of a biomimetic active hydrofoil that utilizes shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator technology is presented. This work is the first stage prototype of a vehicle that will consist of many actuated body segments. The current work describes the design, modeling and testing of a single-segment demonstration SMA actuated hydrofoil. The SMA actuation elements are two sets of thin wires on either side of an elastomeric component that joins together the leading and trailing edges of the hydrofoil. Controlled heating and cooling of the two wire sets generates bi-directional bending of the elastomer, which in turn deflects the trailing edge of the hydrofoil. In this paper the design of the hydrofoil and the experimental tests preformed thereon are explained. A detailed account of SMA actuator preparation (training) and material characterization is given. Finite-element method (FEM) modeling of hydrofoil response to electrical heating of the SMA actuators is carried out using a thermomechanical constitutive model for the SMA with input from the material characterization. The modeling predictions are finally compared with experimental measurements of the trailing edge deflection and the SMA actuator temperature.

Hydraulically amplified PZT mems actuator

DOEpatents

Miles, Robin R.

2004-11-02

A hydraulically amplified microelectromechanical systems actuator. A piece of piezoelectric material or stacked piezo bimorph is bonded or deposited as a thin film. The piece is operatively connected to a primary membrane. A reservoir is operatively connected to the primary membrane. The reservoir contains a fluid. A membrane is operatively connected to the reservoir. In operation, energizing the piezoelectric material causing the piezoelectric material to bow. Bowing of the piezoelectric material causes movement of the primary membrane. Movement of the primary membrane results in a force in being transmitted to the liquid in the reservoir. The force in the liquid causes movement of the membrane. Movement of the membrane results in an operating actuator.

Networked Rectenna Array for Smart Material Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang H.; Golembiewski, Walter T.; Song, Kyo D.

2000-01-01

The concept of microwave-driven smart material actuators is envisioned as the best option to alleviate the complexity associated with hard-wired control circuitry. Networked rectenna patch array receives and converts microwave power into a DC power for an array of smart actuators. To use microwave power effectively, the concept of a power allocation and distribution (PAD) circuit is adopted for networking a rectenna/actuator patch array. The PAD circuit is imbedded into a single embodiment of rectenna and actuator array. The thin-film microcircuit embodiment of PAD circuit adds insignificant amount of rigidity to membrane flexibility. Preliminary design and fabrication of PAD circuitry that consists of a few nodal elements were made for laboratory testing. The networked actuators were tested to correlate the network coupling effect, power allocation and distribution, and response time. The features of preliminary design are 16-channel computer control of actuators by a PCI board and the compensator for a power failure or leakage of one or more rectennas.

A soft biomolecule actuator based on a highly functionalized bacterial cellulose nano-fiber network with carboxylic acid groups.

PubMed

Wang, Fan; Jeon, Jin-Han; Park, Sukho; Kee, Chang-Doo; Kim, Seong-Jun; Oh, Il-Kwon

2016-01-07

Upcoming human-related applications such as soft wearable electronics, flexible haptic systems, and active bio-medical devices will require bio-friendly actuating materials. Here, we report a soft biomolecule actuator based on carboxylated bacterial cellulose (CBC), ionic liquid (IL), and poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PSS) electrodes. Soft and biocompatible polymer-IL composites were prepared via doping of CBC with ILs. The highly conductive PSS layers were deposited on both sides of the CBC-IL membranes by a dip-coating technique to yield a sandwiched actuator system. Ionic conductivity and ionic exchange capacity of the CBC membrane can be increased up to 22.8 times and 1.5 times compared with pristine bacterial cellulose (BC), respectively, resulting in 8 times large bending deformation than the pure BC actuators with metallic electrodes in an open air environment. The developed CBC-IL actuators show significant progress in the development of biocompatible and soft actuating materials with quick response, low operating voltage and comparatively large bending deformation.

An electromagnetically actuated fiber optic switch using magnetized ferromagnetic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandojirao-S, Praveen; Dhaubanjar, Naresh; Phuyal, Pratibha C.; Chiao, Mu; Chiao, J.-C.

2008-03-01

This paper presents the design, fabrication and testing of a fiber optic switch actuated electromagnetically. The ferromagnetic gel coated optical fiber is actuated using external electromagnetic fields. The ferromagnetic gel consists of ferromagnetic powders dispersed in epoxy. The fabrication utilizes a simple cost-effective coating setup. A direct fiberto-fiber alignment eliminates the need for complementary optical parts and the displacement of fiber switches the laser coupling. The magnetic characteristics of magnetized ferromagnetic materials are performed using alternating gradient magnetometer and the magnetic hysteresis curves are measured for different ferromagnetic materials including iron, cobalt, and nickel. Optical fiber switches with various fiber lengths are actuated and their static and dynamic responses for the same volume of ferromagnetic gel are summarized. The highest displacement is 1.345 mm with an input current of 260mA. In this paper, the performance of fiber switches with various coating materials is presented.

Dually actuated triple shape memory polymers of cross-linked polycyclooctene-carbon nanotube/polyethylene nanocomposites.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenwen; Zhao, Jun; Chen, Min; Yang, Minhao; Tang, Luyang; Dang, Zhi-Min; Chen, Fenghua; Huang, Miaoming; Dong, Xia

2014-11-26

In this work, electrically and thermally actuated triple shape memory polymers (SMPs) of chemically cross-linked polycyclooctene (PCO)-multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polyethylene (PE) nanocomposites with co-continuous structure and selective distribution of fillers in PCO phase are prepared. We systematically studied not only the microstructure including morphology and fillers' selective distribution in one phase of the PCO/PE blends, but also the macroscopic properties including thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. The co-continuous window of the immiscible PCO/PE blends is found to be the volume fraction of PCO (vPCO) of ca. 40-70 vol %. The selective distribution of fillers in one phase of co-continuous blends is obtained by a masterbatch technique. The prepared triple SMP materials show pronounced triple shape memory effects (SMEs) on the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and the visual observation by both thermal and electric actuations. Such polyolefin samples with well-defined microstructure, electrical actuation, and triple SMEs might have potential applications as, for example, multiple autochoke elements for engines, self-adjusting orthodontic wires, and ophthalmic devices.

Application of a Broadband Active Vibration Control System to a Helicopter Trim Panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabell, Randolph H.; Schiller, Noah H.; Simon, Frank

2013-01-01

This paper discusses testing of a broadband active vibration control concept on an interior trim panel in a helicopter cabin mockup located at ONERA's Centre de Toulouse. The control system consisted of twelve diamond-shaped piezoelectric actuators distributed around a 1.2m x 1.2m trim panel. Accelerometers were mounted at the four vertices of each diamond. The aspect ratio of the diamond was based on the dielectric constants of the piezoelectric material in order to create an actuator-sensor pair that was collocated over a broad frequency range. This allowed robust control to be implemented using simple, low power analog electronics. Initial testing on a thick acrylic window demonstrated the capability of the controller, but actuator performance was less satisfactory when mounted on a composite sandwich trim panel. This may have been due to the orthotropic nature of the trim panel, or due to its much higher stiffness relative to the acrylic window. Insights gained from a finite element study of the actuator-sensor-structural system are discussed.

Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)-Based Launch Lock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Badescu, Mircea; Bao, Xiaoqi; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph

2014-01-01

Most NASA missions require the use of a launch lock for securing moving components during the launch or securing the payload before release. A launch lock is a device used to prevent unwanted motion and secure the controlled components. The current launch locks are based on pyrotechnic, electro mechanically or NiTi driven pin pullers and they are mostly one time use mechanisms that are usually bulky and involve a relatively high mass. Generally, the use of piezoelectric actuation provides high precession nanometer accuracy but it relies on friction to generate displacement. During launch, the generated vibrations can release the normal force between the actuator components allowing shaft's free motion which could result in damage to the actuated structures or instruments. This problem is common to other linear actuators that consist of a ball screw mechanism. The authors are exploring the development of a novel launch lock mechanism that is activated by a shape memory alloy (SMA) material ring, a rigid element and an SMA ring holding flexure. The proposed design and analytical model will be described and discussed in this paper.

A Novel Soft Pneumatic Artificial Muscle with High-Contraction Ratio.

PubMed

Han, Kwanghyun; Kim, Nam-Ho; Shin, Dongjun

2018-06-20

There is a growing interest in soft actuators for human-friendly robotic applications. However, it is very challenging for conventional soft actuators to achieve both a large working distance and high force. To address this problem, we present a high-contraction ratio pneumatic artificial muscle (HCRPAM), which has a novel actuation concept. The HCRPAM can contract substantially while generating a large force suitable for a wide range of robotic applications. Our proposed prototyping method allows for an easy and quick fabrication, considering various design variables. We derived a mathematical model using a virtual work principle, and validated the model experimentally. We conducted simulations for the design optimization using this model. Our experimental results show that the HCRPAM has a 183.3% larger contraction ratio and 37.1% higher force output than the conventional pneumatic artificial muscle (McKibben muscle). Furthermore, the actuator has a compatible position tracking performance of 1.0 Hz and relatively low hysteresis error of 4.8%. Finally, we discussed the controllable bending characteristics of the HCRPAM, which uses heterogeneous materials and has an asymmetrical structure to make it comfortable for a human to wear.

Active damping using a control structure interaction approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umland, Jeffrey W.

1991-12-01

The vibration control of flexible structures using electromagnetic actuators is investigated. A model of an electromagnetic voice coil actuator is developed from elementary theory, and the required parameters are measured. Given a constant magnetic field, the force output of the voice coil varies linearly with the current flowing through the coil. The primary damping mechanism of the actuator used is found to be Coulomb friction. It is seen that Coulomb friction inhibits the response of the actuator to low levels of excitation. It is also seen that the actuator displayed a nonlinear relationship between force and current indicating that the applied magnetic field was not constant. This nonlinearity leads to a closed loop instability. Several design improvements are considered. Four different feedback control laws are developed to add active damping to a structure. The actuator is used as both a point force source and as a link in a mechanism that applies bending moments at two places on the structure. The actuator is used as both a point force source and as a link in a mechanism that applies bending moments at two places on the structure. The first control law uses the actuator as a traditional passive vibration absorber. The second control law is direct structural velocity feedback plus direct proof mass position feedback. The third control strategy is also direct structural velocity feedback but using compensated feedback of the proof mass position. The compensator is designed according to an H infinity optimization technique. The fourth control law uses the actuator as an equivalent mechanical viscous damper connected to two points on the structure. The results show that using direct structural velocity feedback provides improved vibration suppression in comparison to a traditional vibration absorber. Furthermore, the tuning criteria is only restricted to maintaining the actuator's single degree of freedom natural frequency below those of the structure to which it is attached.

Active skin for turbulent drag reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rediniotis, Othon K.; Lagoudas, Dimitris C.; Mani, Raghavendran; Karniadakis, George

2002-07-01

Drag reduction for aerial vehicles has a range of positive ramifications: reduced fuel consumption with the associated economic and environmental consequences, larger flight range and endurance and higher achievable flight speeds. This work capitalizes on recent advances in active turbulent drag reduction and active material based actuation to develop an active or 'smart' skin for turbulent drag reduction in realistic flight conditions. The skin operation principle is based on computational evidence that spanwise traveling waves of the right amplitude, wavelength and frequency can result in significant turbulent drag reduction. Such traveling waves can be induced in the smart skin via active-material actuation. The flow control technique pursued is 'micro' in the sense that only micro-scale wave amplitudes (order of 30mm) and energy inputs are sufficient to produce significant benefits. Two actuation principles have been proposed and analyzed. Different skin designs based on these two actuation principles have been discussed. The feasibility of these different actuation possibilities (such as Shape Memory Alloys and Piezoelectric material based actuators) and relative merits of different skin designs are discussed. The realization of a mechanically actuated prototype skin capable of generating a traveling wave, using a rapid prototyping machine, for the purpose of validating the proposed drag reduction technique is also presented.

Parallel kinematic mechanisms for distributed actuation of future structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, G.; Plummer, A. R.; Cleaver, D. J.; Zhou, H.

2016-09-01

Future machines will require distributed actuation integrated with load-bearing structures, so that they are lighter, move faster, use less energy, and are more adaptable. Good examples are shape-changing aircraft wings which can adapt precisely to the ideal aerodynamic form for current flying conditions, and light but powerful robotic manipulators which can interact safely with human co-workers. A 'tensegrity structure' is a good candidate for this application due to its potentially excellent stiffness and strength-to-weight ratio and a multi-element structure into which actuators could be embedded. This paper presents results of an analysis of an example practical actuated tensegrity structure consisting of 3 ‘unit cells’. A numerical method is used to determine the stability of the structure with varying actuator length, showing how four actuators can be used to control movement in three degrees of freedom as well as simultaneously maintaining the structural pre-load. An experimental prototype has been built, in which 4 pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are embedded in one unit cell. The PAMs are controlled antagonistically, by high speed switching of on-off valves, to achieve control of position and structure pre-load. Experimental and simulation results are presented, and future prospects for the approach are discussed.

Dynamic profile of a prototype pivoted proof-mass actuator. [damping the vibration of large space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, D. W.

1981-01-01

A prototype of a linear inertial reaction actuation (damper) device employing a flexure-pivoted reaction (proof) mass is discussed. The mass is driven by an electromechanic motor using a dc electromagnetic field and an ac electromagnetic drive. During the damping process, the actuator dissipates structural kinetic energy as heat through electromagnetic damping. A model of the inertial, stiffness and damping properties is presented along with the characteristic differential equations describing the coupled response of the actuator and structure. The equations, employing the dynamic coefficients, are oriented in the form of a feedback control network in which distributed sensors are used to dictate actuator response leading to a specified amount of structural excitation or damping.

Spooled packaging of shape memory alloy actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redmond, John A.

A vast cross-section of transportation, manufacturing, consumer product, and medical technologies rely heavily on actuation. Accordingly, progress in these industries is often strongly coupled to the advancement of actuation technologies. As the field of actuation continues to evolve, smart materials show significant promise for satisfying the growing needs of industry. In particular, shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuators present an opportunity for low-cost, high performance actuation, but until now, they have been limited or restricted from use in many otherwise suitable applications by the difficulty in packaging the SMA wires within tight or unusually shaped form constraints. To address this packaging problem, SMA wires can be spool-packaged by wrapping around mandrels to make the actuator more compact or by redirecting around multiple mandrels to customize SMA wire pathways to unusual form factors. The goal of this dissertation is to develop the scientific knowledge base for spooled packaging of low-cost SMA wire actuators that enables high, predictable performance within compact, customizable form factors. In developing the scientific knowledge base, this dissertation defines a systematic general representation of single and multiple mandrel spool-packaged SMA actuators and provides tools for their analysis, understanding, and synthesis. A quasi-static analytical model distills the underlying mechanics down to the three effects of friction, bending, and binding, which enables prediction of the behavior of generic spool-packaged SMA actuators with specifiable geometric, loading, frictional, and SMA material parameters. An extensive experimental and simulation-based parameter study establishes the necessary understanding of how primary design tradeoffs between performance, packaging, and cost are governed by the underlying mechanics of spooled actuators. A design methodology outlines a systematic approach to synthesizing high performance SMA wire actuators with mitigated material, power, and packaging costs and compact, customizable form factors. By examining the multi-faceted connections between performance, packaging, and cost, this dissertation builds a knowledge base that goes beyond implementing SMA actuators for particular applications. Rather, it provides a well-developed strategy for realizing the advantages of SMA actuation for a broadened range of applications, thereby enabling opportunities for new functionality and capabilities in industry.

Low-Shock Pyrotechnic Actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucy, M. H.

1984-01-01

Miniature 1-ampere, 1-watt pyrotechnic actuator enclosed in flexible metal bellows. Bellows confines outgassing products, and pyrotechnic shock reduction achieved by action of bellows, gas cushion within device, and minimum use of pyrotechnic material. Actuator inexpensive, compact, and lightweight.

Software for Testing Electroactive Structural Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, Robert W.; Fox, Robert L.; Dimery, Archie D.; Bryant, Robert G.; Shams, Qamar

2003-01-01

A computer program generates a graphical user interface that, in combination with its other features, facilitates the acquisition and preprocessing of experimental data on the strain response, hysteresis, and power consumption of a multilayer composite-material structural component containing one or more built-in sensor(s) and/or actuator(s) based on piezoelectric materials. This program runs in conjunction with Lab-VIEW software in a computer-controlled instrumentation system. For a test, a specimen is instrumented with appliedvoltage and current sensors and with strain gauges. Once the computational connection to the test setup has been made via the LabVIEW software, this program causes the test instrumentation to step through specified configurations. If the user is satisfied with the test results as displayed by the software, the user activates an icon on a front-panel display, causing the raw current, voltage, and strain data to be digitized and saved. The data are also put into a spreadsheet and can be plotted on a graph. Graphical displays are saved in an image file for future reference. The program also computes and displays the power and the phase angle between voltage and current.

Polymeric blends for sensor and actuation dual functionality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

St. Clair, Terry L. (Inventor); Harrison, Joycelyn S. (Inventor); Su, Ji (Inventor); Ounaies, Zoubeida (Inventor)

2004-01-01

The invention described herein supplies a new class of electroactive polymeric blend materials which offer both sensing and actuation dual functionality. The blend comprises two components, one component having a sensing capability and the other component having an actuating capability. These components should be co-processable and coexisting in a phase separated blend system. Specifically, the materials are blends of a sensing component selected from the group consisting of ferroelectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric and photoelectric polymers and an actuating component that responds to an electric field in terms of dimensional change. Said actuating component includes, but is not limited to, electrostrictive graft elastomers, dielectric electroactive elastomers, liquid crystal electroactive elastomers and field responsive polymeric gels. The sensor functionality and actuation functionality are designed by tailoring the relative fraction of the two components. The temperature dependence of the piezoelectric response and the mechanical toughness of the dual functional blends are also tailored by the composition adjustment.

Piezoelectric line moment actuator for active radiation control from light-weight structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jandak, Vojtech; Svec, Petr; Jiricek, Ondrej; Brothanek, Marek

2017-11-01

This article outlines the design of a piezoelectric line moment actuator used for active structural acoustic control. Actuators produce a dynamic bending moment that appears in the controlled structure resulting from the inertial forces when the attached piezoelectric stripe actuators start to oscillate. The article provides a detailed theoretical analysis necessary for the practical realization of these actuators, including considerations concerning their placement, a crucial factor in the overall system performance. Approximate formulas describing the dependency of the moment amplitude on the frequency and the required electric voltage are derived. Recommendations applicable for the system's design based on both theoretical and empirical results are provided.

Active vibration damping using smart material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baras, John S.; Yan, Zhuang

1994-01-01

We consider the modeling and active damping of an elastic beam using distributed actuators and sensors. The piezoelectric ceramic material (PZT) is used to build the actuator. The sensor is made of the piezoelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). These materials are glued on both sides of the beam. For the simple clamped beam, the closed loop controller has been shown to be able to extract energy from the beam. The shape of the actuator and its influence on the closed loop system performance are discussed. It is shown that it is possible to suppress the selected mode by choosing the appropriate actuator layout. It is also shown that by properly installing the sensor and determining the sensor shape we can further extract and manipulate the sensor signal for our control need.

Freeform Fluidics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dehoff, Ryan R; Love, Lonnie J; Lind, Randall F

This work explores the integration of miniaturized fluid power and additive manufacturing. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been developing an approach to miniaturized fluidic actuation and control that enables high dexterity, low cost and a pathway towards energy efficiency. Previous work focused on mesoscale digital control valves (high pressure, low flow) and the integration of actuation and fluid passages directly with the structure, the primary application being fluid powered robotics. The fundamental challenge was part complexity. ORNL s new additive manufacturing technologies (e-beam, laser and ultrasonic deposition) enables freeform manufacturing using conventional metal alloys with excellent mechanical properties. Themore » combination of these two technologies, miniaturized fluid power and additive manufacturing, can enable a paradigm shift in fluid power, increasing efficiency while simultaneously reducing weight, size, complexity and cost. This paper focuses on the impact additive manufacturing can have on new forms of fluid power components and systems. We begin with a description of additive manufacturing processes, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each technology. Next we describe fundamental results of material characterization to understand the design and mechanical limits of parts made with the e-beam process. A novel design approach is introduced that enables integration of fluid powered actuation with mechanical structure. Finally, we describe a proof-of-principle demonstration: an anthropomorphic (human-like) hydraulically powered hand with integrated power supply and actuation.« less

Design and development of a structural mode control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

A program was conducted to compile and document some of the existing information about the conceptual design, development, and tests of the B-1 structural mode control system (SMCS) and its impact on ride quality. This report covers the following topics: (1) Rationale of selection of SMCS to meet ride quality criteria versus basic aircraft stiffening. (2) Key considerations in designing an SMCS, including vane geometry, rate and deflection requirements, power required, compensation network design, and fail-safe requirements. (3) Summary of key results of SMCS vane wind tunnel tests. (4) SMCS performance. (5) SMCS design details, including materials, bearings, and actuators. (6) Results of qualification testing of SMCS on the "Iron Bird" flight control simulator, and lab qualification testing of the actuators. (7) Impact of SMCS vanes on engine inlet characteristics from wind tunnel tests.

Controlling flexible structures with second order actuator dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Inman, Daniel J.; Umland, Jeffrey W.; Bellos, John

1989-01-01

The control of flexible structures for those systems with actuators that are modeled by second order dynamics is examined. Two modeling approaches are investigated. First a stability and performance analysis is performed using a low order finite dimensional model of the structure. Secondly, a continuum model of the flexible structure to be controlled, coupled with lumped parameter second order dynamic models of the actuators performing the control is used. This model is appropriate in the modeling of the control of a flexible panel by proof-mass actuators as well as other beam, plate and shell like structural numbers. The model is verified with experimental measurements.

Deployable robotic woven wire structures and joints for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shahinpoor, MO; Smith, Bradford

1991-01-01

Deployable robotic structures are basically expandable and contractable structures that may be transported or launched to space in a compact form. These structures may then be intelligently deployed by suitable actuators. The deployment may also be done by means of either airbag or spring-loaded typed mechanisms. The actuators may be pneumatic, hydraulic, ball-screw type, or electromagnetic. The means to trigger actuation may be on-board EPROMS, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that trigger actuation based on some input caused by the placement of the structure in the space environment. The actuation may also be performed remotely by suitable remote triggering devices. Several deployable woven wire structures are examined. These woven wire structures possess a unique form of joint, the woven wire joint, which is capable of moving and changing its position and orientation with respect to the structure itself. Due to the highly dynamic and articulate nature of these joints the 3-D structures built using them are uniquely and highly expandable, deployable, and dynamic. The 3-D structure naturally gives rise to a new generation of deployable three-dimensional spatial structures.

Electro-Statically Stricted Polymers (ESSP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, C.; Bar-Cohen, Y.; Leary, S.

1999-01-01

Miniature, lightweight, miser actuators that operate similar to biological muscles can be used to develop robotic devices with unmatched capabilities and impact many technology areas. Electroactive polymers (EAP) offer the potential to producing such actuators and their main attractive feature is their ability to induce relatively large bending or longitudinal strain. EAP actuators can change the paradigm about the complexity of robots, where robotic components such as motors, gears, bearings, and others can be eliminated with simple drive mechanisms. Generally, these materials produce a relatively low force and the applications that can be considered at the current state of the art are relatively limited. While improved material are being developed there is a need for methods to develop longitudinal actuators that can contract similar to muscles. In this study, the authors began investigating the electromechanical behavior of polymers in reaction to a complex configuration of electric fields. A computer model was used to simulate the electromechanical response. Efforts were made to develop both the material basis as well as the electromechanical modeling of the actuator.

Active Joint Mechanism Driven by Multiple Actuators Made of Flexible Bags: A Proposal of Dual Structural Actuator

PubMed Central

Inou, Norio

2013-01-01

An actuator is required to change its speed and force depending on the situation. Using multiple actuators for one driving axis is one of the possible solutions; however, there is an associated problem of output power matching. This study proposes a new active joint mechanism using multiple actuators. Because the actuator is made of a flexible bag, it does not interfere with other actuators when it is depressurized. The proposed joint achieved coordinated motion of multiple actuators. This report also discusses a new actuator which has dual cylindrical structure. The cylinders are composed of flexible bags with different diameters. The joint torque is estimated based on the following factors: empirical formula for the flexible actuator torque, geometric relationship between the joint and the actuator, and the principle of virtual work. The prototype joint mechanism achieves coordinated motion of multiple actuators for one axis. With this motion, small inner actuator contributes high speed motion, whereas large outer actuator generates high torque. The performance of the prototype joint is examined by speed and torque measurements. The joint showed about 30% efficiency at 2.0 Nm load torque under 0.15 MPa air input. PMID:24385868

Active joint mechanism driven by multiple actuators made of flexible bags: a proposal of dual structural actuator.

PubMed

Kimura, Hitoshi; Matsuzaki, Takuya; Kataoka, Mokutaro; Inou, Norio

2013-01-01

An actuator is required to change its speed and force depending on the situation. Using multiple actuators for one driving axis is one of the possible solutions; however, there is an associated problem of output power matching. This study proposes a new active joint mechanism using multiple actuators. Because the actuator is made of a flexible bag, it does not interfere with other actuators when it is depressurized. The proposed joint achieved coordinated motion of multiple actuators. This report also discusses a new actuator which has dual cylindrical structure. The cylinders are composed of flexible bags with different diameters. The joint torque is estimated based on the following factors: empirical formula for the flexible actuator torque, geometric relationship between the joint and the actuator, and the principle of virtual work. The prototype joint mechanism achieves coordinated motion of multiple actuators for one axis. With this motion, small inner actuator contributes high speed motion, whereas large outer actuator generates high torque. The performance of the prototype joint is examined by speed and torque measurements. The joint showed about 30% efficiency at 2.0 Nm load torque under 0.15 MPa air input.

Microfabricated therapeutic actuators

DOEpatents

Lee, Abraham P.; Northrup, M. Allen; Ciarlo, Dino R.; Krulevitch, Peter A.; Benett, William J.

1999-01-01

Microfabricated therapeutic actuators are fabricated using a shape memory polymer (SMP), a polyurethane-based material that undergoes a phase transformation at a specified temperature (Tg). At a temperature above temperature Tg material is soft and can be easily reshaped into another configuration. As the temperature is lowered below temperature Tg the new shape is fixed and locked in as long as the material stays below temperature Tg. Upon reheating the material to a temperature above Tg, the material will return to its original shape. By the use of such SMP material, SMP microtubing can be used as a release actuator for the delivery of embolic coils through catheters into aneurysms, for example. The microtubing can be manufactured in various sizes and the phase change temperature Tg is determinate for an intended temperature target and intended use.

Microfabricated therapeutic actuators

DOEpatents

Lee, A.P.; Northrup, M.A.; Ciarlo, D.R.; Krulevitch, P.A.; Benett, W.J.

1999-06-15

Microfabricated therapeutic actuators are fabricated using a shape memory polymer (SMP), a polyurethane-based material that undergoes a phase transformation at a specified temperature (Tg). At a temperature above temperature Tg material is soft and can be easily reshaped into another configuration. As the temperature is lowered below temperature Tg the new shape is fixed and locked in as long as the material stays below temperature Tg. Upon reheating the material to a temperature above Tg, the material will return to its original shape. By the use of such SMP material, SMP microtubing can be used as a release actuator for the delivery of embolic coils through catheters into aneurysms, for example. The microtubing can be manufactured in various sizes and the phase change temperature Tg is determinate for an intended temperature target and intended use. 8 figs.

Workshop on Smart Structures (1st) Held at The University of Texas at Arlington on September 22-24 1993. Collection of Extended Abstracts

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

and Optimization of Composite and Sandwich Panels Using Piezoelectric Stiffeners-Actuators" Z. Chaudhry, T. Ganino and Craig A. Rogers, Virginia...Mitigation’ Abu S. Islam and Kevin C. Craig, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute * ’Damage Detection in Composite Structures Using Piezoelectric Materials" H...Singh, L. Y. Lo and J. S. Sirkis, University of Maryland "Meaningful Damage Evolution Tracking In Composites Using Structurally Embedded Optical Fiber

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sypek, John T.; Yu, Hang; Dusoe, Keith J.

Shape memory materials have the ability to recover their original shape after a significant amount of deformation when they are subjected to certain stimuli, for instance, heat or magnetic fields. But, their performance is often limited by the energetics and geometry of the martensitic-austenitic phase transformation. We report a unique shape memory behavior in CaFe 2As 2, which exhibits superelasticity with over 13% recoverable strain, over 3 GPa yield strength, repeatable stress–strain response even at the micrometer scale, and cryogenic linear shape memory effects near 50 K. These properties are acheived through a reversible uni-axial phase transformation mechanism, the tetragonal/orthorhombic-to-collapsed-tetragonalmore » phase transformation. These results offer the possibility of developing cryogenic linear actuation technologies with a high precision and high actuation power per unit volume for deep space exploration, and more broadly, suggest a mechanistic path to a class of shape memory materials, ThCr 2Si 2-structured intermetallic compounds.« less

Encapsulation of ionic electroactive polymers: reducing the interaction with environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaakson, P.; Aabloo, A.; Tamm, T.

2016-04-01

Ionic electro-active polymer (iEAP) actuators are composite materials that change their mechanical properties in response to external electrical stimulus. The interest in these devices is mainly driven by their capability to generate biomimetic movements, and their potential use in soft robotics. The driving voltage of an iEAP-actuator (0.5… 3 V) is at least an order of magnitude lower than that needed for other types of electroactive polymers. To apply iEAP-actuators in potential real-world applications, the capability of operating in different environments (open air, different solvents) must be available. In their natural form, the iEAP-actuators are capable of interacting with the surrounding environment (evaporation of solvent from the electrolyte solution, ion or solvent exchange, humidity effects), therefore, for prevention of unpredictable behavior of the actuator and the contamination of the environment, encapsulation of the actuator is needed. The environmental contamination aspect of the encapsulation material is substantial when selecting an applicable encapsulant. The suitable encapsulant should form thin films, be light in weight, elastic, fit tightly, low cost, and easily reproducible. The main goal of the present study is to identify and evaluate the best potential encapsulation techniques for iEAPactuators. Various techniques like thin film on liquid coating, dip coating, hot pressing, hot rolling; and several materials like polydimethylsiloxane, polyurethane, nitrocellulose, paraffin-composite-films were investigated. The advantages and disadvantages of the combinations of the above mentioned techniques and materials are discussed. Successfully encapsulated iEAP-actuators gained durability and were stably operable for long periods of time under ambient conditions. The encapsulation process also increased the stability of the iEAP-actuator by minimizing the environment effects. This makes controlling iEAP-actuators more straight-forward and reliable since there is no need to take the environmental factors like relative humidity and/or gas circulation into account.

A comprehensive review of select smart polymeric and gel actuators for soft mechatronics and robotics applications: fundamentals, freeform fabrication, and motion control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrico, James D.; Tyler, Tom; Leang, Kam K.

2017-10-01

Smart polymeric and gel actuators change shape or size in response to stimuli like electricity, heat, or light. These smart polymeric- and gel-based actuators are compliant and well suited for development of soft mechatronic and robotic devices. This paper provides a thorough review of select smart polymeric and gel actuator materials where an automated and freeform fabrication process, like 3D printing, is exploited to create custom shaped monolithic devices. In particular, the advantages and limitations, examples of applications, manufacturing and fabrication techniques, and methods for actuator control are discussed. Finally, a rigorous comparison and analysis of some of the advantages and limitations, as well as manufacturing processes, for these materials, are presented.

Assessment of Shape Memory Alloys - From Atoms To Actuators - Via In Situ Neutron Diffraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benafan, Othmane

2014-01-01

As shape memory alloys (SMAs) become an established actuator technology, it is important to identify the fundamental mechanisms responsible for their performance by understanding microstructure performance relationships from processing to final form. Yet, microstructural examination of SMAs at stress and temperature is often a challenge since structural changes occur with stress and temperature and microstructures cannot be preserved through quenching or after stress removal, as would be the case for conventional materials. One solution to this dilemma is in situ neutron diffraction, which has been applied to the investigation of SMAs and has offered a unique approach to reveal the fundamental micromechanics and microstructural aspects of bulk SMAs in a non-destructive setting. Through this technique, it is possible to directly correlate the micromechanical responses (e.g., internal residual stresses, lattice strains), microstructural evolutions (e.g., texture, defects) and phase transformation properties (e.g., phase fractions, kinetics) to the macroscopic actuator behavior. In this work, in situ neutron diffraction was systematically employed to evaluate the deformation and transformation behavior of SMAs under typical actuator conditions. Austenite and martensite phases, yield behavior, variant selection and transformation temperatures were characterized for a polycrystalline NiTi (49.9 at. Ni). As the alloy transforms under thermomechanical loading, the measured textures and lattice plane-level variations were directly related to the cyclic actuation-strain characteristics and the dimensional instability (strain ratcheting) commonly observed in this alloy. The effect of training on the shape memory characteristics of the alloy and the development of two-way shape memory effect (TWSME) were also assessed. The final conversion from a material to a useful actuator, typically termed shape setting, was also investigated in situ during constrained heatingcooling and subsequent shape recovery experiments. Neutron diffraction techniques are also being applied to the investigation of novel high temperature SMAs with the objective of designing alloys with better stability, higher transition temperatures and ultimately superior durability.

Superconducting linear actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Bruce; Hockney, Richard

1993-01-01

Special actuators are needed to control the orientation of large structures in space-based precision pointing systems. Electromagnetic actuators that presently exist are too large in size and their bandwidth is too low. Hydraulic fluid actuation also presents problems for many space-based applications. Hydraulic oil can escape in space and contaminate the environment around the spacecraft. A research study was performed that selected an electrically-powered linear actuator that can be used to control the orientation of a large pointed structure. This research surveyed available products, analyzed the capabilities of conventional linear actuators, and designed a first-cut candidate superconducting linear actuator. The study first examined theoretical capabilities of electrical actuators and determined their problems with respect to the application and then determined if any presently available actuators or any modifications to available actuator designs would meet the required performance. The best actuator was then selected based on available design, modified design, or new design for this application. The last task was to proceed with a conceptual design. No commercially-available linear actuator or modification capable of meeting the specifications was found. A conventional moving-coil dc linear actuator would meet the specification, but the back-iron for this actuator would weigh approximately 12,000 lbs. A superconducting field coil, however, eliminates the need for back iron, resulting in an actuator weight of approximately 1000 lbs.

Sonic Actuation of Small-Scale Robots in a Fluidic Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-09

model, calculated from (4)-(13) using dimensions and materials that are typical of the laser cutter for the milliscale and of the polyMUMPS process...propel the robot structure through the low Reynolds number environment. The flappers and robot structures were fabricated using a 30 W laser cutter...commonly used in fabrication with the laser cutter, were assigned to the flapper. Figure 15: Geometric model implemented in COMSOL of Flapper 0

Nastic Actuation: Electroosmotic Pumping for Shape-Changing Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-23

ELECTROOSMOTIC PUMPING FOR SHAPE-CHANGING MATERIALS Sb. GRANT NUMBER FA9550-09-1-0125 Sc. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Sd. PROJECT NUMBER... Electroosmotic Pumping for Shape-Changing Materials Shapiro, Smela, Fourkas Introduction and Background We had developed a new type of...polymer actuator based on electroosmotic pumping of fluid from one place to another within an elastomeric material. Theoretical calculations showed that

Soft, Rotating Pneumatic Actuator.

PubMed

Ainla, Alar; Verma, Mohit S; Yang, Dian; Whitesides, George M

2017-09-01

This article describes a soft pneumatic actuator that generates cyclical motion. The actuator consists of several (three, four, or five) chambers (arranged around the circumference of a circle surrounding a central rod) that can be actuated independently using negative pressure (or partial vacuum). Sequential actuation of the four-chamber device using reduced pressure moves the central rod cyclically in an approximately square path. We characterize the trajectory of the actuator and the force exerted by it, as we vary the material used for fabrication, the number of chambers, and the size of the actuator. We demonstrate two applications of this actuator: to deliver fluid while stirring (by replacing the central rod with a needle) and for locomotion that mimics a reptilian gait (by combining four actuators together).

A study of reusable electromechanical impedance methods for structural health monitoring of civil structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tawie, R.; Na, S.; Lee, H. K.

2013-04-01

Up to date, various studies have been conducted using electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) method on concrete, including monitoring the strength development or to find damage in the structure. Since EMI method utilizes a single piezoelectric material to be used as an actuator and a sensor simultaneously, the method has major advantages compared to other non-destructive testing methods. However the method requires a piezoelectric material to be permanently attached or embedded into a structure. Thus when monitoring multiple structures, the method may become quite expensive. In this study, two re-usable EMI methods conducted by researchers Na et al and Tawie et al are overviewed. The idea of re-usable EMI method is still relatively new, resulting in the reduction of monitoring costs since the same piezoelectric material is used as many times as possible, while ensuring better repeatability and reliability in measurements.

The three-hinged arch as an example of piezomechanic passive controlled structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagnini, Luisa Carlotta; Piccardo, Giuseppe

2016-09-01

Although piezoelectric transducers are employed in a variety of fields, their application for vibration control of civil or industrial structures has not yet been fully developed, at the best of authors' knowledge. Thanks to a new generation of ever more performing piezoceramic materials and to the recent development of scientific proposals based on a very simple technology, this paper presents a step forward to engineering applications for the control of structural systems. A three-hinged arch controlled by piezoelectric stack actuators and passive RL electrical circuits is chosen as a simple structural model that may represent the starting point for a generalization to the most common typologies of civil and industrial engineering structures. Based on the concept of electromechanical analogy, the evolution equations are obtained through a consistent Lagrangian approach. A multimodal vibration suppression is guaranteed by the spectral analogy between the mechanical and electrical components. Preliminary applications related to free oscillations, with one or more actuators on each member, seem to lead to excellent performance in terms of multimodal damping and dissipated energy.

A Novel SMA-based Concept for Airfoil Structural Morphing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbarino, S.; Pecora, R.; Lecce, L.; Concilio, A.; Ameduri, S.; Calvi, E.

2009-08-01

The adaptive structures concept is of great interest in the aerospace field because of the several benefits which can be accomplished in the fields including noise reduction, load alleviation, weight reduction, etc., at a level in which they can be considered as compulsory in the design of future aircraft. Improvements in terms of the aerodynamic efficiency, aeroelastic behavior, stability, and manoeuvrability performance have already been proved through many international studies in the past. In the family of the Smart Materials, Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) seem to be a suitable solution for many static applications. Their high structural integrability in conjunction with actuation capabilities and a favorable performance per weight ratio, allows the development of original architectures. In this study, a morphing wing trailing edge concept is presented; morphing ability was introduced with the aim of replacing a conventional flap device. A compliant rib structure was designed, based on SMA actuators exhibiting structural potential (bearing external aerodynamic loads). Numerical results, achieved through a FE approach, are presented in terms of trailing edge induced displacement and morphed shape.

Nonlinear dynamic modeling for smart material electro-hydraulic actuator development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, John P.; Dapino, Marcelo J.

2013-03-01

Smart material electro-hydraulic actuators use hydraulic rectification by one-way check valves to amplify the motion of smart materials, such as magnetostrictives and piezoelectrics, in order to create compact, lightweight actuators. A piston pump driven by a smart material is combined with a hydraulic cylinder to form a self-contained, power-by-wire actuator that can be used in place of a conventional hydraulic system without the need for hydraulic lines and a centralized pump. The performance of an experimental actuator driven by a 12.7 mm diameter, 114 mm length Terfenol-D rod is evaluated over a range of applied input frequencies, loads, and currents. The peak performance achieved is 37 W, moving a 220 N load at a rate of 17 cm/s and producing a blocked pressure of 12.5 MPa. Additional tests are conducted to quantify the dynamic behavior of the one-way reed valves using a scanning laser vibrometer to identify the frequency response of the reeds and the effect of the valve seat and fluid mass loading. A lumped-parameter model is developed for the system that includes valve inertia and fluid response nonlinearities, and the model results are compared with the experimental data.

Fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles.

PubMed

Li, Shuguang; Vogt, Daniel M; Rus, Daniela; Wood, Robert J

2017-12-12

Artificial muscles hold promise for safe and powerful actuation for myriad common machines and robots. However, the design, fabrication, and implementation of artificial muscles are often limited by their material costs, operating principle, scalability, and single-degree-of-freedom contractile actuation motions. Here we propose an architecture for fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles. This concept requires only a compressible skeleton, a flexible skin, and a fluid medium. A mechanical model is developed to explain the interaction of the three components. A fabrication method is introduced to rapidly manufacture low-cost artificial muscles using various materials and at multiple scales. The artificial muscles can be programed to achieve multiaxial motions including contraction, bending, and torsion. These motions can be aggregated into systems with multiple degrees of freedom, which are able to produce controllable motions at different rates. Our artificial muscles can be driven by fluids at negative pressures (relative to ambient). This feature makes actuation safer than most other fluidic artificial muscles that operate with positive pressures. Experiments reveal that these muscles can contract over 90% of their initial lengths, generate stresses of ∼600 kPa, and produce peak power densities over 2 kW/kg-all equal to, or in excess of, natural muscle. This architecture for artificial muscles opens the door to rapid design and low-cost fabrication of actuation systems for numerous applications at multiple scales, ranging from miniature medical devices to wearable robotic exoskeletons to large deployable structures for space exploration. Copyright © 2017 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles

PubMed Central

Li, Shuguang; Vogt, Daniel M.; Rus, Daniela; Wood, Robert J.

2017-01-01

Artificial muscles hold promise for safe and powerful actuation for myriad common machines and robots. However, the design, fabrication, and implementation of artificial muscles are often limited by their material costs, operating principle, scalability, and single-degree-of-freedom contractile actuation motions. Here we propose an architecture for fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles. This concept requires only a compressible skeleton, a flexible skin, and a fluid medium. A mechanical model is developed to explain the interaction of the three components. A fabrication method is introduced to rapidly manufacture low-cost artificial muscles using various materials and at multiple scales. The artificial muscles can be programed to achieve multiaxial motions including contraction, bending, and torsion. These motions can be aggregated into systems with multiple degrees of freedom, which are able to produce controllable motions at different rates. Our artificial muscles can be driven by fluids at negative pressures (relative to ambient). This feature makes actuation safer than most other fluidic artificial muscles that operate with positive pressures. Experiments reveal that these muscles can contract over 90% of their initial lengths, generate stresses of ∼600 kPa, and produce peak power densities over 2 kW/kg—all equal to, or in excess of, natural muscle. This architecture for artificial muscles opens the door to rapid design and low-cost fabrication of actuation systems for numerous applications at multiple scales, ranging from miniature medical devices to wearable robotic exoskeletons to large deployable structures for space exploration. PMID:29180416

Fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuguang; Vogt, Daniel M.; Rus, Daniela; Wood, Robert J.

2017-12-01

Artificial muscles hold promise for safe and powerful actuation for myriad common machines and robots. However, the design, fabrication, and implementation of artificial muscles are often limited by their material costs, operating principle, scalability, and single-degree-of-freedom contractile actuation motions. Here we propose an architecture for fluid-driven origami-inspired artificial muscles. This concept requires only a compressible skeleton, a flexible skin, and a fluid medium. A mechanical model is developed to explain the interaction of the three components. A fabrication method is introduced to rapidly manufacture low-cost artificial muscles using various materials and at multiple scales. The artificial muscles can be programed to achieve multiaxial motions including contraction, bending, and torsion. These motions can be aggregated into systems with multiple degrees of freedom, which are able to produce controllable motions at different rates. Our artificial muscles can be driven by fluids at negative pressures (relative to ambient). This feature makes actuation safer than most other fluidic artificial muscles that operate with positive pressures. Experiments reveal that these muscles can contract over 90% of their initial lengths, generate stresses of ˜600 kPa, and produce peak power densities over 2 kW/kg—all equal to, or in excess of, natural muscle. This architecture for artificial muscles opens the door to rapid design and low-cost fabrication of actuation systems for numerous applications at multiple scales, ranging from miniature medical devices to wearable robotic exoskeletons to large deployable structures for space exploration.

Apparatus for raising or tilting a micromechanical structure

DOEpatents

Allen, James J [Albuquerque, NM

2008-09-09

An active hinge apparatus is disclosed which can be used to raise a micromechanical structure (e.g. a plate or micromirror) on a substrate. The active hinge apparatus utilizes one or more of teeth protruding outward from an axle which also supports the micromechanical structure on one end thereof. A rack is used to engage the teeth and rotate the axle to raise the micromechanical structure and tilt the structure at an angle to the substrate. Motion of the rack is provided by an actuator which can be a mechanically-powered actuator, or alternately an electrostatic comb actuator or a thermal actuator. A latch can be optionally provided in the active hinge apparatus to lock the micromechanical structure in an "erected" position.

Manufacturing of Smart Structures Using Fiber Placement Manufacturing Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Matthew M.; Glowasky, Robert A.; McIlroy, Bruce E.; Story, Todd A.

1996-01-01

Smart structures research and development, with the ultimate aim of rapid commercial and military production of these structures, are at the forefront of the Synthesis and Processing of Intelligent Cost-Effective Structures (SPICES) program. As part of this ARPA-sponsored program, MDA-E is using fiber placement processes to manufacture integrated smart structure systems. These systems comprise advanced composite structures with embedded fiber optic sensors, shape memory alloys, piezoelectric actuators, and miniature accelerometers. Cost-effective approaches and solutions to smart material synthesis in the fiber-placement process, based upon integrated product development, are discussed herein.

Artificial muscles of dielectric elastomers attached to artificial tendons of functionalized carbon fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Zhihang; Faisal, Md. Shahnewaz Sabit; Asmatulu, Ramazan; Chen, Zheng

2014-03-01

Dielectric elastomers are soft actuation materials with promising applications in robotics and biomedical de- vices. In this paper, a bio-inspired artificial muscle actuator with artificial tendons is developed for robotic arm applications. The actuator uses dielectric elastomer as artificial muscle and functionalized carbon fibers as artificial tendons. A VHB 4910 tape is used as the dielectric elastomer and PDMS is used as the bonding material to mechanically connect the carbon fibers to the elastomer. Carbon fibers are highly popular for their high electrical conductivities, mechanical strengths, and bio-compatibilities. After the acid treatments for the functionalization of carbon fibers (500 nm - 10 μm), one end of carbon fibers is spread into the PDMS material, which provides enough bonding strength with other dielectric elastomers, while the other end is connected to a DC power supply. To characterize the actuation capability of the dielectric elastomer and electrical conductivity of carbon fibers, a diaphragm actuator is fabricated, where the carbon fibers are connected to the actuator. To test the mechanical bonding between PDMS and carbon fibers, specimens of PDMS bonded with carbon fibers are fabricated. Experiments have been conducted to verify the actuation capability of the dielectric elastomer and mechanical bonding of PDMS with carbon fibers. The energy efficiency of the dielectric elastomer increases as the load increases, which can reach above 50%. The mechanical bonding is strong enough for robotic arm applications.

Dual measurement self-sensing technique of NiTi actuators for use in robust control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurley, Austin; Lambert, Tyler Ross; Beale, David; Broughton, Royall

2017-10-01

Using a shape memory alloy actuator as both an actuator and a sensor provides huge benefits in cost reduction and miniaturization of robotic devices. Despite much effort, reliable and robust self-sensing (using the actuator as a position sensor) had not been achieved for general temperature, loading, hysteresis path, and fatigue conditions. Prior research has sought to model the intricacies of the electrical resistivity changes within the NiTi material. However, for the models to be solvable, nearly every previous technique only models the actuator within very specific boundary conditions. Here, we measure both the voltage across the entire NiTi wire and of a fixed-length segment of it; these dual measurements allow direct calculation of the actuator length without a material model. We review previous self-sensing literature, illustrate the mechanism design that makes the new technique possible, and use the dual measurement technique to determine the length of a single straight wire actuator under controlled conditions. This robust measurement can be used for feedback control in unknown ambient and loading conditions.

Design-based modeling of magnetically actuated soft diaphragm materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayaneththi, V. R.; Aw, K. C.; McDaid, A. J.

2018-04-01

Magnetic polymer composites (MPC) have shown promise for emerging biomedical applications such as lab-on-a-chip and implantable drug delivery. These soft material actuators are capable of fast response, large deformation and wireless actuation. Existing MPC modeling approaches are computationally expensive and unsuitable for rapid design prototyping and real-time control applications. This paper proposes a macro-scale 1-DOF model capable of predicting force and displacement of an MPC diaphragm actuator. Model validation confirmed both blocked force and displacement can be accurately predicted in a variety of working conditions i.e. different magnetic field strengths, static/dynamic fields, and gap distances. The contribution of this work includes a comprehensive experimental investigation of a macro-scale diaphragm actuator; the derivation and validation of a new phenomenological model to describe MPC actuation; and insights into the proposed model’s design-based functionality i.e. scalability and generalizability in terms of magnetic filler concentration and diaphragm diameter. Due to the lumped element modeling approach, the proposed model can also be adapted to alternative actuator configurations, and thus presents a useful tool for design, control and simulation of novel MPC applications.

Active materials for automotive adaptive forward lighting Part 1: system requirements vs. material properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keefe, Andrew C.; Browne, Alan L.; Johnson, Nancy L.

2011-04-01

Adaptive Frontlighting Systems (AFS in GM usage) improve visibility by automatically optimizing the beam pattern to accommodate road, driving and environmental conditions. By moving, modifying, and/or adding light during nighttime, inclement weather, or in sharp turns, the driver is presented with dynamic illumination not possible with static lighting systems The objective of this GM-HRL collaborative research project was to assess the potential of active materials to decrease the cost, mass, and packaging volume of current electric stepper-motor AFS designs. Solid-state active material actuators, if proved suitable for this application, could be less expensive than electric motors and have lower part count, reduced size and weight, and lower acoustic and EMF noise1. This paper documents Part 1 of the collaborative study, assessing technically mature, commercially available active materials for use as actuators. Candidate materials should reduce cost and improve AFS capabilities, such as increased angular velocity on swivel. Additional benefits to AFS resulting from active materials actuators were to be identified as well such as lower part count. In addition, several notional approaches to AFS were documented to illustrate the potential function, which is developed more fully in Part 2. Part 1 was successful in verifying the feasibility of using two active materials for AFS: shape memory alloys, and piezoelectrics. In particular, this demonstration showed that all application requirements including those on actuation speed, force, and cyclic stability to effect manipulation of the filament assembly and/or the reflector could be met by piezoelectrics (as ultrasonic motors) and SMA wire actuators.

A low-voltage three-axis electromagnetically actuated micromirror for fine alignment among optical devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Il-Joo; Yoon, Euisik

2009-08-01

In this paper, a new three-axis electromagnetically actuated micromirror structure has been proposed and fabricated. It is electromagnetically actuated at low voltage using an external magnetic field. The main purpose of this work was to obtain a three-axis actuated micromirror in a mechanically robust structure with large static angular and vertical displacement at low actuation voltage for fine alignment among optical components in an active alignment module as well as conventional optical systems. The mirror plate and torsion bars are made of bulk silicon using a SOI wafer, and the actuation coils are made of electroplated Au. The maximum static deflection angles were measured as ±4.2° for x-axis actuation and ±9.2° for y-axis actuation, respectively. The maximum static vertical displacement was measured as ±42 µm for z-axis actuation. The actuation voltages were below 3 V for all actuation. The simulated resonant frequencies are several kHz, and these imply that the fabricated micromirror can be operated in sub-millisecond order. The measured radius of curvature (ROC) of the fabricated micromirror is 7.72 cm, and the surface roughness of the reflector is below 1.29 nm which ensure high optical performance such as high directionality and reflectivity. The fabricated micromirror has demonstrated large actuated displacement at low actuation voltage, and it enables us to compensate a larger misalignment value when it is used in an active alignment module. The robust torsion bar and lifting bar structure formed by bulk silicon allowed the proposed micromirror to have greater operating stability. The additional degree of freedom with z-axis actuation can decrease the difficulty in the assembly of optical components and increase the coupling efficiency between optical components.

Boeing Smart Rotor Full-scale Wind Tunnel Test Data Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kottapalli, Sesi; Hagerty, Brandon; Salazar, Denise

2016-01-01

A full-scale helicopter smart material actuated rotor technology (SMART) rotor test was conducted in the USAF National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel at NASA Ames. The SMART rotor system is a five-bladed MD 902 bearingless rotor with active trailing-edge flaps. The flaps are actuated using piezoelectric actuators. Rotor performance, structural loads, and acoustic data were obtained over a wide range of rotor shaft angles of attack, thrust, and airspeeds. The primary test objective was to acquire unique validation data for the high-performance computing analyses developed under the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) Helicopter Quieting Program (HQP). Other research objectives included quantifying the ability of the on-blade flaps to achieve vibration reduction, rotor smoothing, and performance improvements. This data set of rotor performance and structural loads can be used for analytical and experimental comparison studies with other full-scale rotor systems and for analytical validation of computer simulation models. The purpose of this final data report is to document a comprehensive, highquality data set that includes only data points where the flap was actively controlled and each of the five flaps behaved in a similar manner.

Thermally actuated wedge block

DOEpatents

Queen, Jr., Charles C.

1980-01-01

This invention relates to an automatically-operating wedge block for maintaining intimate structural contact over wide temperature ranges, including cryogenic use. The wedging action depends on the relative thermal expansion of two materials having very different coefficients of thermal expansion. The wedge block expands in thickness when cooled to cryogenic temperatures and contracts in thickness when returned to room temperature.

Soft Active Materials for Actuation, Sensing, and Electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kramer, Rebecca Krone

Future generations of robots, electronics, and assistive medical devices will include systems that are soft and elastically deformable, allowing them to adapt their morphology in unstructured environments. This will require soft active materials for actuation, circuitry, and sensing of deformation and contact pressure. The emerging field of soft robotics utilizes these soft active materials to mimic the inherent compliance of natural soft-bodied systems. As the elasticity of robot components increases, the challenges for functionality revert to basic questions of fabrication, materials, and design - whereas such aspects are far more developed for traditional rigid-bodied systems. This thesis will highlight preliminary materials and designs that address the need for soft actuators and sensors, as well as emerging fabrication techniques for manufacturing stretchable circuits and devices based on liquid-embedded elastomers.

Design and application of shape memory actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mertmann, M.; Vergani, G.

2008-05-01

The use of shape memory alloys in actuators allows the development of robust, simple and lightweight elements for application in a multitude of different industries. Over the years, the intermetallic compound Nickel-Titanium (NiTi or Nitinol) together with its ternary and quaternary derivates has gained general acceptance as a standard alloy. Even though as many as 99% of all shape memory actuator applications make use of Nitinol there are certain properties of this alloy system which require further research in order to find improvements and new markets: • Lack of higher transformation temperatures in the available alloys in order to open the field of automotive applications (Mf temperature > 80 °C) • Non-linearity in the electrical resistivity in order to improve the controllability of the actuator, • Wide hysteresis in the temperature-vs.-strain behaviour, which has a signi-ficant effect on both, the dynamics of the actuator and its controllability. Hence, there is a constant strive in the field towards an improvement of the related properties. However, these improvements are not always just alloy composition related. There is also a tremendous potential in the thermomechanical treatment of the material and in the design of the actuator. Significant improvement steps are already possible if the usage of the existent materials is optimized for the projected application and if the actuator system is designed in the most efficient way. This paper provides an overview about existent designs, applications and alloys for use in actuators, as well as examples of new shape memory actuator application with improved performance. It also gives an overview about general design rules and reflects about the strengths of the material and the related opportunities for its application.

Design and development of a bio-inspired, under-actuated soft gripper.

PubMed

Hassan, Taimoor; Manti, Mariangela; Passetti, Giovanni; d'Elia, Nicolò; Cianchetti, Matteo; Laschi, Cecilia

2015-08-01

The development of robotic devices able to perform manipulation tasks mimicking the human hand has been assessed on large scale. This work stands in the challenging scenario where soft materials are combined with bio-inspired design in order to develop soft grippers with improved grasping and holding capabilities. We are going to show a low-cost, under-actuated and adaptable soft gripper, highlighting the design and the manufacturing process. In particular, a critical analysis is made among three versions of the gripper with same design and actuation mechanism, but based on different materials. A novel actuation principle has been implemented in both cases, in order to reduce the encumbrance of the entire system and improve its aesthetics. Grasping and holding capabilities have been tested for each device, with target objects varying in shape, size and material. Results highlight synergy between the geometry and the intrinsic properties of the soft material, showing the way to novel design principles for soft grippers.

Soft actuators and soft actuating devices

DOEpatents

Yang, Dian; Whitesides, George M.

2017-10-17

A soft buckling linear actuator is described, including: a plurality of substantially parallel bucklable, elastic structural components each having its longest dimension along a first axis; and a plurality of secondary structural components each disposed between and bridging two adjacent bucklable, elastic structural components; wherein every two adjacent bucklable, elastic structural components and the secondary structural components in-between define a layer comprising a plurality of cells each capable of being connected with a fluid inflation or deflation source; the secondary structural components from two adjacent layers are not aligned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and the secondary structural components are configured not to buckle, the bucklable, elastic structural components are configured to buckle along the second axis to generate a linear force, upon the inflation or deflation of the cells. Methods of actuation using the same are also described.

Static shape control for adaptive wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, Fred; Rossi, Michael J.; van Nostrand, William; Knowles, Gareth; Jameson, Antony

1994-09-01

A theoretical method was developed and experimentally validated, to control the static shape of flexible structures by employing internal translational actuators. A finite element model of the structure, without the actuators present, is employed to obtain the multiple-input, multiple-output control-system gain matrices for actuator-load control as well as actuator-displacement control. The method is applied to the quasistatic problem of maintaining an optimum-wing cross section during various transonic-cruise flight conditions to obtain significant reductions in the shock-induced drag. Only small, potentially achievable, adaptive modifications to the profile are required. The adaptive-wing concept employs actuators as truss elements of active ribs to reshape the wing cross section by deforming the structure. Finite element analyses of an adaptive-rib model verify the controlled-structure theory. Experiments on the model were conducted, and arbitrarily selected deformed shapes were accurately achieved.

On guided circumferential waves in soft electroactive tubes under radially inhomogeneous biasing fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Bin; Su, Yipin; Chen, Weiqiu; Zhang, Chuanzeng

2017-02-01

Soft electroactive (EA) tube actuators and many other cylindrical devices have been proposed recently in literature, which show great advantages over those made from conventional hard solid materials. However, their practical applications may be limited because these soft EA devices are prone to various failure modes. In this paper, we present an analysis of the guided circumferential elastic waves in soft EA tube actuators, which has potential applications in the in-situ nondestructive evaluation (NDE) or online structural health monitoring (SHM) to detect structural defects or fatigue cracks in soft EA tube actuators and in the self-sensing of soft EA tube actuators based on the concept of guided circumferential elastic waves. Both circumferential SH and Lamb-type waves in an incompressible soft EA cylindrical tube under inhomogeneous biasing fields are considered. The biasing fields, induced by the application of an electric voltage difference to the electrodes on the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of the EA tube in addition to an axial pre-stretch, are inhomogeneous in the radial direction. Dorfmann and Ogden's theory of nonlinear electroelasticity and the associated linear theory for small incremental motion constitute the basis of our analysis. By means of the state-space formalism for the incremental wave motion along with the approximate laminate technique, dispersion relations are derived in a particularly efficient way. For a neo-Hookean ideal dielectric model, the proposed approach is first validated numerically. Numerical examples are then given to show that the guided circumferential wave propagation characteristics are significantly affected by the inhomogeneous biasing fields and the geometrical parameters. Some particular phenomena such as the frequency veering and the nonlinear dependence of the phase velocity on the radial electric voltage are discussed. Our numerical findings demonstrate that it is feasible to use guided circumferential elastic waves for the ultrasonic non-destructive online SHM to detect interior structural defects or fatigue cracks and for the self-sensing of the actual state of the soft EA tube actuator.

Fiber Optic Strain Measurements In Filament-Wound Graphite-Epoxy Tubes Containing Embedded Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogowski, R. S.; Heyman, J. S.; Holben, M. S.; Egalon, C.; Dehart, D. W.; Doederlein, T.; Koury, J.

1989-01-01

Several planned United States Air Force (USAF) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space systems such as Space Based Radar (SBR), Space Based Laser (SBL), and Space Station, pose serious vibration and control issues. Their low system mass combined with their large size, precision pointing/shape control and rapid retargetting requirements, will result in an unprecedented degree of interaction between the system controller and the modes of vibration of the structure. The resulting structural vibrations and/or those caused by foreign objects impacting the space structure could seriously degrade system performance, making it virtually impossible for passive structural systems to perform their missions. Therefore an active vibration control system which will sense these natural and spurious vibrations, evaluate them and dampen them out is required. This active vibration control system must be impervious to the space environment and electromagnetic interference, have very low weight, and in essence become part of the structure itself. The concept of smart structures meets these criteria. Smart structures is defined as the embedment of sensors, actuators, and possibly microprocessors in the material which forms the structure, a concept that is particularly applicable to advanced composites. These sensors, actuators, and microprocessors will work interactively to sense, evaluate, and dampen those vibrations which pose a threat to large flexible space systems (LSS). The sensors will also be capable of sensing any degradation to the structure. The Air Force Astronautics Laboratory (AFAL) has been working in the area of dynamics and control of LSS for the past five years. Several programs involving both contractual and in-house efforts to develop sensors and actuators for controlling LSS have been initiated. Presently the AFAL is developing a large scale laboratory which will have the capacity of performing large angle retargetting manuevers and vibration analysis on LSS. Advanced composite materials have been fabricated for the last seven years, consisting mostly of rocket components such as: nozzles, payload shrouds, exit cones, and nose cones. Recently, however, AFAL has been fabricating composite components such as trusses, tubes and flat panels for space applications. Research on fiber optic sensors at NASA Langley Research Center (NASA LaRC) dates back to 1979. Recently an optical phase locked loop (OPLL) has been developed that can be used to make strain and temperature measurements. Static and dynamic strain measurements have been demonstrated using this device.' To address future space requirements, AFAL and NASA have initiated a program to design, fabricate, and experimentally test composite struts and panels with embedded sensors, actuators, and microprocessors that can be used to control vibration and motion in space structures.

Application of EAP materials toward a refreshable Braille display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Spigna, N.; Chakraborti, P.; Yang, P.; Ghosh, T.; Franzon, P.

2009-03-01

The development of a multiline, refreshable Braille display will assist with the full inclusion and integration of blind people into society. The use of both polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film planar bending mode actuators and silicone dielectric elastomer cylindrical tube actuators have been investigated for their potential use in a Braille cell. A liftoff process that allows for aggressive scaling of miniature bimorph actuators has been developed using standard semiconductor lithography techniques. The PVDF bimorphs have been demonstrated to provide enough displacement to raise a Braille dot using biases less than 1000V and operating at 10Hz. In addition, silicone tube actuators have also been demonstrated to achieve the necessary displacement, though requiring higher voltages. The choice of electrodes and prestrain conditions aimed at maximizing axial strain in tube actuators are discussed. Characterization techniques measuring actuation displacement and blocking forces appropriate for standard Braille cell specifications are presented. Finally, the integration of these materials into novel cell designs and the fabrication of a prototype Braille cell are discussed.

Self-sensing of dielectric elastomer actuator enhanced by artificial neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Zhihang; Chen, Zheng

2017-09-01

Dielectric elastomer (DE) is a type of soft actuating material, the shape of which can be changed under electrical voltage stimuli. DE materials have promising usage in future’s soft actuators and sensors, such as soft robotics, energy harvesters, and wearable sensors. In this paper, a stripe DE actuator with integrated sensing capability is designed, fabricated, and characterized. Since the strip actuator can be approximated as a compliant capacitor, it is possible to detect the actuator’s displacement by analyzing the actuator’s impedance change. An integrated sensing scheme that adds a high frequency probing signal into actuation signal is developed. Electrical impedance changes in the probing signal are extracted by fast Fourier transform algorithm, and nonlinear data fitting methods involving artificial neural network are implemented to detect the actuator’s displacement. A series of experiments show that by improving data processing and analyzing methods, the integrated sensing method can achieve error level of lower than 1%.

Effect of organo-clay on the dielectric relaxation response of silicone rubber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gharavi, N.; Razzaghi-Kashani, M.; Golshan-Ebrahimi, N.

2010-02-01

Dielectric elastomers are light weight, low-cost, highly deformable and fast response smart materials capable of converting electrical energy into mechanical work or vice versa. Silicone rubber is a well-known dielectric elastomer which is used as actuator, and in order to enhance the efficiency of this smart material, compounding of silicone rubber with various fillers can be carried out. The effect of organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) nano-clay on improvement of dielectric properties, actuation stress and its relaxation response was considered in this study. OMMT was dispersed in room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber, and a composite film was cast. Using an in-house actuation set-up, it was shown that the actuation stress for a given electric field intensity is higher for composites than that for pristine silicone rubber. Also, the time-dependent actuation response of the samples was evaluated, and it was shown that the characteristic relaxation time of the actuation stress for composites is less than for the pristine rubber as a result of OMMT addition.

Evaluation of piezoceramic actuators for control of aircraft interior noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silcox, Richard J.; Lefebvre, Sylvie; Metcalf, Vern L.; Beyer, Todd B.; Fuller, Chris R.

1992-01-01

Results of an experiment to evaluate piezoceramic actuators as the control actuator for active control of interior noise in a large-scale fuselage model are presented. Control was demonstrated for tonal excitation using a time domain least mean squares algorithm. A maximum of four actuator channels and six error signals were used. The actuators were employed for control of noise at frequencies where interior cavity modes were the dominant response and for driven acoustic responses where a structure resonance was dominant. Global reductions of 9 to 12 dB were obtained for the cases examined. The most effective configuration of skin-mounted actuators was found to be a pure in-plane forcing function as opposed to a bending excitation. The frame-mounted actuators were found to be equally effective as the skin-mounted actuators. However, both configurations resulted in local regions of unacceptably high vibration response in the structure.

Vibration control in statically indeterminate adaptive truss structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baycan, C. M.; Utku, Senol; Wada, Ben K.

1993-01-01

In this work vibration control of statically indeterminate adaptive truss structures is investigated. Here, the actuators (i.e., length adjusting devices) that are used for vibration control, work against the axial forces caused by the inertial forces. In statically determinate adaptive trusses no axial force is induced by the actuation. The control problem in statically indeterminate trusses may be dominated by the actuation-induced axial element forces. The creation of actuation-induced axial forces puts the system to a higher energy state, thus aggravates the controls. It is shown that by the usage of sufficient number of slave actuators in addition to the actual control actuators, the actuation-induced axial element forces can be nullified, and the control problem of the statically indeterminate adaptive truss problem is reduced to that of a statically determinate one. It is also shown that the usage of slave actuators saves a great amount of control energy and provides robustness for the controls.

Optimal Control Surface Layout for an Aeroservoelastic Wingbox

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, Bret K.

2017-01-01

This paper demonstrates a technique for locating the optimal control surface layout of an aeroservoelastic Common Research Model wingbox, in the context of maneuver load alleviation and active utter suppression. The combinatorial actuator layout design is solved using ideas borrowed from topology optimization, where the effectiveness of a given control surface is tied to a layout design variable, which varies from zero (the actuator is removed) to one (the actuator is retained). These layout design variables are optimized concurrently with a large number of structural wingbox sizing variables and control surface actuation variables, in order to minimize the sum of structural weight and actuator weight. Results are presented that demonstrate interdependencies between structural sizing patterns and optimal control surface layouts, for both static and dynamic aeroelastic physics.

A concept for fault tolerant design and improved availability of active composite elastic structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soeffker, D.; Wolters, K.; Krajcin, I.

2005-05-01

New functionalities, higher comfort and increasing performance requirements are often be solved by adding new technologies to existing (passive) solutions. Monitoring and control approaches uses additional sensors and actuators, new materials, microprocessors and new devices realizing new and improved functionalities. Two effects are becoming more and more interesting: (1) the lifetime of new actuators/materials strongly depends on the usage-history, (2) the functionality of the new composed systems depends on the fully functionality of all elements. In the consequence, the availability of such new systems is decreased by the number of elements and depends strongly on the use. These effects are known and act against new developments improving performance behavior also in mechanical engineering, automotive systems etc. This will be also the case for multifunctional composite or compound systems such as piezomaterials, magnetostrictive alloys or smart memory alloys (SMA) and is actually within the focus of the Structural-Health-Monitoring (SHM)-community. This contribution explains a new and systematically structured methodological approach to avoid and eliminate failures in mechatronical systems in an integrated and intelligent way to achieve a desirable or required amount of utilization in compliance with a defined failure rate. The result is an enhancement of the dependability of such a system.

Underwater thrust and power generation using flexible piezoelectric composites: an experimental investigation toward self-powered swimmer-sensor platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erturk, Alper; Delporte, Ghislain

2011-12-01

Fiber-based flexible piezoelectric composites offer several advantages to use in energy harvesting and biomimetic locomotion. These advantages include ease of application, high power density, effective bending actuation, silent operation over a range of frequencies, and light weight. Piezoelectric materials exhibit the well-known direct and converse piezoelectric effects. The direct piezoelectric effect has received growing attention for low-power generation to use in wireless electronic applications while the converse piezoelectric effect constitutes an alternative to replace the conventional actuators used in biomimetic locomotion. In this paper, underwater thrust and electricity generation are investigated experimentally by focusing on biomimetic structures with macro-fiber composite piezoelectrics. Fish-like bimorph configurations with and without a passive caudal fin (tail) are fabricated and compared. The favorable effect of having a passive caudal fin on the frequency bandwidth is reported. The presence of a passive caudal fin is observed to bring the second bending mode close to the first one, yielding a wideband behavior in thrust generation. The same smart fish configuration is tested for underwater piezoelectric power generation in response to harmonic excitation from its head. Resonant piezohydroelastic actuation is reported to generate milli-newton level hydrodynamic thrust using milli-watt level actuation power input. The average actuation power requirement for generating a mean thrust of 19 mN at 6 Hz using a 10 g piezoelastic fish with a caudal fin is measured as 120 mW. This work also discusses the feasibility of thrust generation using the harvested energy toward enabling self-powered swimmer-sensor platforms with comparisons based on the capacity levels of structural thin-film battery layers as well as harvested solar and vibrational energy.

Actuator assembly including a single axis of rotation locking member

DOEpatents

Quitmeyer, James N.; Benson, Dwayne M.; Geck, Kellan P.

2009-12-08

An actuator assembly including an actuator housing assembly and a single axis of rotation locking member fixedly attached to a portion of the actuator housing assembly and an external mounting structure. The single axis of rotation locking member restricting rotational movement of the actuator housing assembly about at least one axis. The single axis of rotation locking member is coupled at a first end to the actuator housing assembly about a Y axis and at a 90.degree. angle to an X and Z axis providing rotation of the actuator housing assembly about the Y axis. The single axis of rotation locking member is coupled at a second end to a mounting structure, and more particularly a mounting pin, about an X axis and at a 90.degree. angle to a Y and Z axis providing rotation of the actuator housing assembly about the X axis. The actuator assembly is thereby restricted from rotation about the Z axis.

Turtle mimetic soft robot with two swimming gaits.

PubMed

Song, Sung-Hyuk; Kim, Min-Soo; Rodrigue, Hugo; Lee, Jang-Yeob; Shim, Jae-Eul; Kim, Min-Cheol; Chu, Won-Shik; Ahn, Sung-Hoon

2016-05-04

This paper presents a biomimetic turtle flipper actuator consisting of a shape memory alloy composite structure for implementation in a turtle-inspired autonomous underwater vehicle. Based on the analysis of the Chelonia mydas, the flipper actuator was divided into three segments containing a scaffold structure fabricated using a 3D printer. According to the filament stacking sequence of the scaffold structure in the actuator, different actuating motions can be realized and three different types of scaffold structures were proposed to replicate the motion of the different segments of the flipper of the Chelonia mydas. This flipper actuator can mimic the continuous deformation of the forelimb of Chelonia mydas which could not be realized in previous motor based robot. This actuator can also produce two distinct motions that correspond to the two different swimming gaits of the Chelonia mydas, which are the routine and vigorous swimming gaits, by changing the applied current sequence of the SMA wires embedded in the flipper actuator. The generated thrust and the swimming efficiency in each swimming gait of the flipper actuator were measured and the results show that the vigorous gait has a higher thrust but a relatively lower swimming efficiency than the routine gait. The flipper actuator was implemented in a biomimetic turtle robot, and its average swimming speed in the routine and vigorous gaits were measured with the vigorous gait being capable of reaching a maximum speed of 11.5 mm s(-1).

Microengineering of magnetic bearings and actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghantasala, Muralihar K.; Qin, LiJiang; Sood, Dinesh K.; Zmood, Ronald B.

2000-06-01

Microengineering has evolved in the last decade as a subject of its own with the current research encompassing every possible area of devices from electromagnetic to optical and bio-micro electromechanical systems (MEMS). The primary advantage of the micro system technology is its small size, potential to produce high volume and low cost devices. However, the major impediments in the successful realization of many micro devices in practice are the reliability, packaging and integration with the existing microelectronics technology. Microengineering of actuators has recently grown tremendously due to its possible applicability to a wide range of devices of practical importance and the availability of a choice of materials. Selection of materials has been one of the important aspects of the design and fabrication of many micro system and actuators. This paper discusses the issues related to the selection of materials and subsequently their effect on the performance of the actuator. These will be discussed taking micro magnetic actuators and bearings, in particular, as examples. Fabrication and processing strategies and performance evaluation methods adopted will be described. Current status of the technology and projected futuristic applications in this area will be reviewed.

HIGH EFFICIENCY STRUCTURAL FLOWTHROUGH ROTOR WITH ACTIVE FLAP CONTROL: VOLUME THREE: MARKET & TEAM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zuteck, Michael D.; Jackson, Kevin L.; Santos, Richard A.

The Zimitar one-piece rotor primary structure is integrated, so balanced thrust and gravity loads flow through the hub region without transferring out of its composite material. Large inner rotor geometry is used since there is no need to neck down to a blade root region and pitch bearing. Rotor control is provided by a highly redundant, five flap system on each blade, sized so that easily handled standard electric linear actuators are sufficient.

Mechatronic Materials and Systems. Design and Demonstration of High Aughtority Shape Morphing Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

thermal expansion of these truss elements. One side of the structure is fully clamped, while the other is free to displace. As in prior assessments [6...levels, by using the finite element package ABAQUS . To simulate the complete system, the core and the Kagome face members are modeled using linear...code ABAQUS . To simulate the complete actuation system, the core and Kagome members are modeled using linear Timoshenko-type beams, while the solid

Vortex wake control via smart structures technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quackenbush, Todd R.; Bilanin, Alan J.; McKillip, Robert M., Jr.

1996-05-01

Control of trailing vortex wakes is an important challenges for both military and civilian applications. This paper summarizes an assessment of the feasibility of mitigating adverse vortex wake effects using control surfaces actuated via Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) technology. The assessment involved a combined computational/design analysis that identified methods for introducing small secondary vortices to promote the deintensification of vortex wakes of submarines and aircraft. Computational analyses of wake breakup using this `vortex leveraging' strategy were undertaken, and showed dramatic increases in the dissipation rate of concentrated vortex wakes. This paper briefly summarizes these results and describes the preliminary design of actuation mechanisms for the deflectable surfaces that effect the required time-varying wake perturbations. These surfaces, which build on the high-force, high- deflection capabilities of SMA materials, are shown to be well suited for the very low frequency actuation requirements of the wake deintensification mission. The paper outlines the assessment of device performance capabilities and describes the sizing studies undertaken for full-scale Vortex Leveraging Tabs (VLTs) designed for use in hydrodynamic and aerodynamic applications. Results obtained to date indicate that the proposed VLTs can accelerate wake breakup by over a factor of three and can be implemented using deflectable surfaces actuated using SMAs.

Naphthalocyanine as a New Photothermal Actuator for Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems.

PubMed

Du, Joanne D; Hong, Linda; Tan, Angel; Boyd, Ben J

2018-02-08

One approach to address the substantial global burden of ocular diseases such as aged related macular degeneration is using light-activated drug delivery to obviate the need for highly invasive and frequent, costly intravitreal injections. To enable such systems, new light responsive materials are required. This communication reports the use of silicon 2,3-naphthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyloxide) (SiNC), a small molecule photosensitizer, as a new actuator for triggering light responsive lipid-based drug delivery systems. Small-angle X-ray scattering was used to confirm that the addition of SiNC imparted light sensitivity to the lipid systems, resulting in a complete phase transition within 20 s of near-infrared irradiation. The phase transition was also reversible, suggesting the potential for on-demand drug delivery. When compared to the phase transitions induced using alternative light responsive actuators, gold nanorods and graphene, there were some differences in phase behavior. Namely, the phytantriol with SiNC system transitioned directly to the inverse micellar phase, skipping the intermediate inverse hexagonal structure. The photodynamic properties and efficiency in controlling the release of drug suggest that SiNC-actuated lipid systems have the potential to reduce the burden of repeated intravitreal injections.

Shape memory alloy actuated accumulator for ultra-deepwater oil and gas exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, Devendra; Song, Gangbing

2016-04-01

As offshore oil and gas exploration moves further offshore and into deeper waters to reach hydrocarbon reserves, it is becoming essential for the industry to develop more reliable and efficient hydraulic accumulators to supply pressured hydraulic fluid for various control and actuation operations, such as closing rams of blowout preventers and controlling subsea valves on the seafloor. By utilizing the shape memory effect property of nitinol, which is a type of shape memory alloy (SMA), an innovative SMA actuated hydraulic accumulator prototype has been developed and successfully tested at Smart Materials and Structure Laboratory at the University of Houston. Absence of gas in the developed SMA accumulator prototype makes it immune to hydrostatic head loss caused by water depth and thus reduces the number of accumulators required in deep water operations. Experiments with a feedback control have demonstrated that the proposed SMA actuated accumulator can provide precisely regulated pressurized fluids. Furthermore the potential use of ultracapacitors along with an embedded system to control the electric power supplied to SMA allows this accumulator to be an autonomous device for deployment. The developed SMA accumulator will make deepwater oil extraction systems more compact and cost effective.

Advanced Layered Composite Polylaminate Electroactive Actuator and Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, Robert L. (Inventor); Hellbaum, Richard F. (Inventor); Copeland, Benjamin M., Jr. (Inventor); Bryant, Robert G. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

The present invention relates to the mounting of pre-stressed electroactive material in such a manner that large displacement actuators or sensors result. The invention comprises mounting the pre-stressed electroactive material to a support layer. This combination of a pre-stressed electroactive material and support layer may in turn be attached to a mounting surface. The pre-stressed electroactive material may be a ferroelectric, pyroelectric, piezoelectric, or magnetostrictive material. The size, stiffness, mass, and material of the support layer is selected to result in the electroactive device having dynamic response properties, environmental capability characteristics, and the required resilience optimized for a given application. The capacity to connect the support layer to a surface expands the arenas in which the prestressed electroactive device may be used. Application for which the invention may be used include actuators, sensors, or as a component in a pumps, switches, relays, pressure transducers and acoustic devices.

Thermally Actuated Hydraulic Pumps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jack; Ross, Ronald; Chao, Yi

2008-01-01

Thermally actuated hydraulic pumps have been proposed for diverse applications in which direct electrical or mechanical actuation is undesirable and the relative slowness of thermal actuation can be tolerated. The proposed pumps would not contain any sliding (wearing) parts in their compressors and, hence, could have long operational lifetimes. The basic principle of a pump according to the proposal is to utilize the thermal expansion and contraction of a wax or other phase-change material in contact with a hydraulic fluid in a rigid chamber. Heating the chamber and its contents from below to above the melting temperature of the phase-change material would cause the material to expand significantly, thus causing a substantial increase in hydraulic pressure and/or a substantial displacement of hydraulic fluid out of the chamber. Similarly, cooling the chamber and its contents from above to below the melting temperature of the phase-change material would cause the material to contract significantly, thus causing a substantial decrease in hydraulic pressure and/or a substantial displacement of hydraulic fluid into the chamber. The displacement of the hydraulic fluid could be used to drive a piston. The figure illustrates a simple example of a hydraulic jack driven by a thermally actuated hydraulic pump. The pump chamber would be a cylinder containing encapsulated wax pellets and containing radial fins to facilitate transfer of heat to and from the wax. The plastic encapsulation would serve as an oil/wax barrier and the remaining interior space could be filled with hydraulic oil. A filter would retain the encapsulated wax particles in the pump chamber while allowing the hydraulic oil to flow into and out of the chamber. In one important class of potential applications, thermally actuated hydraulic pumps, exploiting vertical ocean temperature gradients for heating and cooling as needed, would be used to vary hydraulic pressures to control buoyancy in undersea research vessels. Heretofore, electrically actuated hydraulic pumps have been used for this purpose. By eliminating the demand for electrical energy for pumping, the use of the thermally actuated hydraulic pumps could prolong the intervals between battery charges, thus making it possible to greatly increase the durations of undersea exploratory missions.

Fiber-reinforced dielectric elastomer laminates with integrated function of actuating and sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tiefeng; Xie, Yuhan; Li, Chi; Yang, Xuxu; Jin, Yongbin; Liu, Junjie; Huang, Xiaoqiang

2015-04-01

The natural limbs of animals and insects integrate muscles, skins and neurons, providing both the actuating and sensing functions simultaneously. Inspired by the natural structure, we present a novel structure with integrated function of actuating and sensing with dielectric elastomer (DE) laminates. The structure can deform when subjected to high voltage loading and generate corresponding output signal in return. We investigate the basic physical phenomenon of dielectric elastomer experimentally. It is noted that when applying high voltage, the actuating dielectric elastomer membrane deforms and the sensing dielectric elastomer membrane changes the capacitance in return. Based on the concept, finite element method (FEM) simulation has been conducted to further investigate the electromechanical behavior of the structure.

Mechanical strain energy shuttle for aircraft morphing via wing twist or structural deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clingman, Dan J.; Ruggeri, Robert T.

2004-07-01

Direct structural deformation to achieve aerodynamic benefit is difficult because large actuators must supply energy for structural strain and aerodynamic loads. This ppaer presents a mechanism that allows most of the energy required to twist or deform a wing to be stored in descrete springs. When this device is used, only sufficient energy is provided to control the position of the wing. This concept allows lightweight actuators to perform wing twisting and other structural distortions, and it reduces the onboard mass of the wing-twist system. The energy shuttle can be used with any actuator and it has been adapted for used with shape memory alloy, piezoelectric, and electromagnetic actuators.

Dielectric elastomer actuators used for pneumatic valve technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giousouf, Metin; Kovacs, Gabor

2013-10-01

Dielectric elastomer actuators have been investigated for applications in the field of pneumatic automation technology. We have developed different valve designs with stacked dielectric elastomer actuators and with integrated high voltage converters. The actuators were made using VHB-4910 material and a stacker machine for automated fabrication of the cylindrical actuators. Typical characteristics of pneumatic valves such as flow rate, power consumption and dynamic behaviour are presented. For valve construction the force and stroke parameters of the dielectric elastomer actuator have been measured. Further, benefits for valve applications using dielectric elastomers are shown as well as their potential operational area. Finally, challenges are discussed that are relevant for the use of elastomer actuators in valves for industrial applications.

Computational Nanotechnology of Molecular Materials, Electronics, and Actuators with Carbon Nanotubes and Fullerenes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, Deepak; Menon, Madhu; Cho, Kyeongjae; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The role of computational nanotechnology in developing next generation of multifunctional materials, molecular scale electronic and computing devices, sensors, actuators, and machines is described through a brief review of enabling computational techniques and few recent examples derived from computer simulations of carbon nanotube based molecular nanotechnology.

Input Shaping to Reduce Solar Array Structural Vibrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doherty, Michael J.; Tolson, Robert J.

1998-01-01

Structural vibrations induced by actuators can be minimized using input shaping. Input shaping is a feedforward method in which actuator commands are convolved with shaping functions to yield a shaped set of commands. These commands are designed to perform the maneuver while minimizing the residual structural vibration. In this report, input shaping is extended to stepper motor actuators. As a demonstration, an input-shaping technique based on pole-zero cancellation was used to modify the Solar Array Drive Assembly (SADA) actuator commands for the Lewis satellite. A series of impulses were calculated as the ideal SADA output for vibration control. These impulses were then discretized for use by the SADA stepper motor actuator and simulated actuator outputs were used to calculate the structural response. The effectiveness of input shaping is limited by the accuracy of the knowledge of the modal frequencies. Assuming perfect knowledge resulted in significant vibration reduction. Errors of 10% in the modal frequencies caused notably higher levels of vibration. Controller robustness was improved by incorporating additional zeros in the shaping function. The additional zeros did not require increased performance from the actuator. Despite the identification errors, the resulting feedforward controller reduced residual vibrations to the level of the exactly modeled input shaper and well below the baseline cases. These results could be easily applied to many other vibration-sensitive applications involving stepper motor actuators.

Electro-Active Polymer (EAP) Actuators for Planetary Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bar-Cohen, Y.; Leary, S.; Shahinpoor, M.; Harrison, J. O.; Smith, J.

1999-01-01

NASA is seeking to reduce the mass, size, consumed power, and cost of the instrumentation used in its future missions. An important element of many instruments and devices is the actuation mechanism and electroactive polymers (EAP) are offering an effective alternative to current actuators. In this study, two families of EAP materials were investigated, including bending ionomers and longitudinal electrostatically driven elastomers. These materials were demonstrated to effectively actuate manipulation devices and their performance is being enhanced in this on-going study. The recent observations are reported in this paper, include the operation of the bending-EAP at conditions that exceed the harsh environment on Mars, and identify the obstacles that its properties and characteristics are posing to using them as actuators. Analysis of the electrical characteristics of the ionomer EAP showed that it is a current driven material rather than voltage driven and the conductivity distribution on the surface of the material greatly influences the bending performance. An accurate equivalent circuit modeling of the ionomer EAP performance is essential for the design of effective drive electronics. The ionomer main limitations are the fact that it needs to be moist continuously and the process of electrolysis that takes place during activation. An effective coating technique using a sprayed polymer was developed extending its operation in air from a few minutes to about four months. The coating technique effectively forms the equivalent of a skin to protect the moisture content of the ionomer. In parallel to the development of the bending EAP, the development of computer control of actuated longitudinal EAP has been pursued. An EAP driven miniature robotic arm was constructed and it is controlled by a MATLAB code to drop and lift the arm and close and open EAP fingers of a 4-finger gripper. Keywords: Miniature Robotics, Electroactive Polymers, Electroactive Actuators, EAP Materials

Dielectric elastomer bending tube actuators with rigid electrode structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wehrheim, F.; Schlaak, H. F.; Meyer, J.-U.

2010-04-01

The common approach for dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) is based on the assumption that compliant electrodes are a fundamental design requirement. For tube-like applications compliant electrodes cause a change of the actuator diameter during actuation and would require additional support-structures. Focused on thinwalled actuator-tube geometries room consumption and radial stabilityr epresent crucial criteria. Following the ambition of maximum functional integration, the concept of using a rigid electrode structure arises. This structure realizes both, actuation and support characteristics. The intended rigid electrode structure is based on a stacked DEA with a non-compressible dielectric. Byactu ation, the displaced dielectric causes an overlap. This overlap serves as an indicator for geometrical limitations and has been used to extract design rules regarding the electrode size, electrode distance and maximum electrode travel. Bycons idering the strain in anydir ection, the mechanical efficiencyhas been used to define further design aspects. To verifyt he theoretic analysis, a test for determination of the compressive stress-strain-characteristics has been applied for different electrode setups. As result the geometrydep ending elastic pressure module has been formulated by implementation of a shape factor. The presented investigations consider exclusive the static behavior of a DEA-setup with rigid electrodes.

Design and characterization of low-cost fabric-based flat pneumatic actuators for soft assistive glove application.

PubMed

Yap, Hong Kai; Sebastian, Frederick; Wiedeman, Christopher; Yeow, Chen-Hua

2017-07-01

We present the design of low-cost fabric-based Hat pneumatic actuators for soft assistive glove application. The soft assistive glove is designed to assist hand impaired patients in performing activities of daily living and rehabilitation. The actuators consist of flexible materials such as fabric and latex bladder. Using zero volume actuation concept, the 2D configuration of the actuators simplifies the manufacturing process and allows the actuators to be more compact. The actuators achieve bi-directional flexion and extension motions. Compared to previously developed inflatable soft actuators, the actuators generate sufficient force and torque to assist in both finger flexion and extension at lower air pressure. Preliminary evaluation results show that the glove is able to provide both active finger flexion and extension assistance for activities of daily living and rehabilitative training.

Composite Elastic Skins for Shape-Changing Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cagle, Christopher M.; Schlecht, Robin W.

2007-01-01

Composite elastic skins having tailorable mechanical properties have been invented for covering shape-changing ( morphable ) structures. These skins are intended especially for use on advanced aircraft that change shapes in order to assume different aerodynamic properties. Many of the proposals for aircraft that could perform large aerodynamic shape changes require flexible skins that could follow shape changes of internal structures driven by actuators. Examples of such shape changes can include growth or shrinkage of bumps, conformal changes in wing planforms, cambers, twists, and bending of integrated leading- and trailing-edge flaps. Prior to this invention, there was no way of providing smooth aerodynamic surfaces capable of large deflections while maintaining smoothness and sufficient rigidity. Although latex rubber, silicone rubber, and similar conventional materials can be made into smooth coverings, they are not suitable for this purpose because, in order to impart required stiffness against out-of-plane bending, it would be necessary to make the coverings excessively thick, thereby necessitating the use of impractically large actuation forces. The basic idea of the invention is that of smoothly wrapping an underlying variable structure with a smooth skin that can be stretched or otherwise warped with low actuation force in one or both in-plane direction(s) and is relatively stiff against out-of-plane bending. It is envisioned that a skin according to the invention could be stretched as much as 20 percent in a desired direction. Because this basic idea admits of numerous variations, the following description is necessarily oversimplified for the sake of brevity.

Hybrid nanocomposites based on electroactive hydrogels and cellulose nanocrystals for high-sensitivity electro-mechanical underwater actuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santaniello, Tommaso; Migliorini, Lorenzo; Locatelli, Erica; Monaco, Ilaria; Yan, Yunsong; Lenardi, Cristina; Comes Franchini, Mauro; Milani, Paolo

2017-08-01

We report the synthesis, fabrication and characterization of a hybrid hydrogel/cellulose nanocomposite, which exhibits high-performance electro-mechanical underwater actuation and high sensitivity in response to electrical stimuli below the standard potential of water electrolysis. The macromolecular structure of the material is constituted by an electroactive hydrogel, obtained through a photo-polymerization reaction with the use of three vinylic co-monomers: Na-4-vinylbenzenesulfonate, 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate, and acrylonitrile. Different amounts (from 0.1% to 1.4% w/w) of biodegradable cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with sulfonate surface groups, obtained through the acidic hydrolysis of sulphite pulp lapsheets, are physically incorporated into the gel matrix during the synthesis step. Freestanding thin films of the nanocomposites are molded, and their swelling, mechanical and responsive properties are fully characterized. We observed that the embedding of the CNCs enhanced both the material Young’s modulus and its sensitivity to the applied electric field in the sub-volt regime (down to 5 mV cm-1). A demonstrator integrating multiple actuators that cooperatively bend together, mimicking the motion of an electro-valve, is also prototyped and tested. The presented nanocomposite is suitable for the development of soft smart components for bio-robotic applications and cells-based and bio-hybrid fluidic devices fabrication.

Development of an active member using piezoelectric and electrostrictive actuation for control of precision structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, E. H.; Moore, D. M.; Fanson, J. L.; Ealey, M. A.

1990-01-01

The design and development of a zero stiction active member containing piezoelectric and electrostrictive actuator motors is presented. The active member is intended for use in submicron control of structures. Experimental results are shown which illustrate actuator and device characteristics relevant to precision control applications.

Responsive hydrogels--structurally and dimensionally optimized smart frameworks for applications in catalysis, micro-system technology and material science.

PubMed

Döring, Artjom; Birnbaum, Wolfgang; Kuckling, Dirk

2013-09-07

Although the technological and scientific importance of functional polymers has been well established over the last few decades, the most recent focus that has attracted much attention has been on stimuli-responsive polymers. This group of materials is of particular interest due to its ability to respond to internal and/or external chemico-physical stimuli, which is often manifested as large macroscopic responses. Aside from scientific challenges of designing stimuli-responsive polymers, the main technological interest lies in their numerous applications ranging from catalysis through microsystem technology and chemomechanical actuators to sensors that have been extensively explored. Since the phase transition phenomenon of hydrogels is theoretically well understood advanced materials based on the predictions can be prepared. Since the volume phase transition of hydrogels is a diffusion-limited process the size of the synthesized hydrogels is an important factor. Consistent downscaling of the gel size will result in fast smart gels with sufficient response times. In order to apply smart gels in microsystems and sensors, new preparation techniques for hydrogels have to be developed. For the up-coming nanotechnology, nano-sized gels as actuating materials would be of great interest.

Digital active material processing platform effort (DAMPER), SBIR phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blackburn, John; Smith, Dennis

1992-01-01

Applied Technology Associates, Inc., (ATA) has demonstrated that inertial actuation can be employed effectively in digital, active vibration isolation systems. Inertial actuation involves the use of momentum exchange to produce corrective forces which act directly on the payload being actively isolated. In a typical active vibration isolation system, accelerometers are used to measure the inertial motion of the payload. The signals from the accelerometers are then used to calculate the corrective forces required to counteract, or 'cancel out' the payload motion. Active vibration isolation is common technology, but the use of inertial actuation in such systems is novel, and is the focus of the DAMPER project. A May 1991 report was completed which documented the successful demonstration of inertial actuation, employed in the control of vibration in a single axis. In the 1 degree-of-freedom (1DOF) experiment a set of air bearing rails was used to suspend the payload, simulating a microgravity environment in a single horizontal axis. Digital Signal Processor (DSP) technology was used to calculate in real time, the control law between the accelerometer signals and the inertial actuators. The data obtained from this experiment verified that as much as 20 dB of rejection could be realized by this type of system. A discussion is included of recent tests performed in which vibrations were actively controlled in three axes simultaneously. In the three degree-of-freedom (3DOF) system, the air bearings were designed in such a way that the payload is free to rotate about the azimuth axis, as well as translate in the two horizontal directions. The actuator developed for the DAMPER project has applications beyond payload isolation, including structural damping and source vibration isolation. This report includes a brief discussion of these applications, as well as a commercialization plan for the actuator.

Digital active material processing platform effort (DAMPER), SBIR phase 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blackburn, John; Smith, Dennis

1992-11-01

Applied Technology Associates, Inc., (ATA) has demonstrated that inertial actuation can be employed effectively in digital, active vibration isolation systems. Inertial actuation involves the use of momentum exchange to produce corrective forces which act directly on the payload being actively isolated. In a typical active vibration isolation system, accelerometers are used to measure the inertial motion of the payload. The signals from the accelerometers are then used to calculate the corrective forces required to counteract, or 'cancel out' the payload motion. Active vibration isolation is common technology, but the use of inertial actuation in such systems is novel, and is the focus of the DAMPER project. A May 1991 report was completed which documented the successful demonstration of inertial actuation, employed in the control of vibration in a single axis. In the 1 degree-of-freedom (1DOF) experiment a set of air bearing rails was used to suspend the payload, simulating a microgravity environment in a single horizontal axis. Digital Signal Processor (DSP) technology was used to calculate in real time, the control law between the accelerometer signals and the inertial actuators. The data obtained from this experiment verified that as much as 20 dB of rejection could be realized by this type of system. A discussion is included of recent tests performed in which vibrations were actively controlled in three axes simultaneously. In the three degree-of-freedom (3DOF) system, the air bearings were designed in such a way that the payload is free to rotate about the azimuth axis, as well as translate in the two horizontal directions. The actuator developed for the DAMPER project has applications beyond payload isolation, including structural damping and source vibration isolation. This report includes a brief discussion of these applications, as well as a commercialization plan for the actuator.

An Unconventional Inchworm Actuator Based on PZT/ERFs Control Technology

PubMed Central

Liu, Guojun; Zhang, Yanyan; Liu, Jianfang; Li, Jianqiao; Tang, Chunxiu; Wang, Tengfei; Yang, Xuhao

2016-01-01

An unconventional inchworm actuator for precision positioning based on piezoelectric (PZT) actuation and electrorheological fluids (ERFs) control technology is presented. The actuator consists of actuation unit (PZT stack pump), fluid control unit (ERFs valve), and execution unit (hydraulic actuator). In view of smaller deformation of PZT stack, a new structure is designed for actuation unit, which integrates the advantages of two modes (namely, diaphragm type and piston type) of the volume changing of pump chamber. In order to improve the static shear yield strength of ERFs, a composite ERFs valve is designed, which adopts the series-parallel plate compound structure. The prototype of the inchworm actuator has been designed and manufactured in the lab. Systematic test results indicate that the displacement resolution of the unconventional inchworm actuator reaches 0.038 μm, and the maximum driving force and velocity are 42 N, 14.8 mm/s, respectively. The optimal working frequency for the maximum driving velocity is 120 Hz. The complete research and development processes further confirm the feasibility of developing a new type of inchworm actuator with high performance based on PZT actuation and ERFs control technology, which provides a reference for the future development of a new type of actuator. PMID:27022234

An Unconventional Inchworm Actuator Based on PZT/ERFs Control Technology.

PubMed

Liu, Guojun; Zhang, Yanyan; Liu, Jianfang; Li, Jianqiao; Tang, Chunxiu; Wang, Tengfei; Yang, Xuhao

2016-01-01

An unconventional inchworm actuator for precision positioning based on piezoelectric (PZT) actuation and electrorheological fluids (ERFs) control technology is presented. The actuator consists of actuation unit (PZT stack pump), fluid control unit (ERFs valve), and execution unit (hydraulic actuator). In view of smaller deformation of PZT stack, a new structure is designed for actuation unit, which integrates the advantages of two modes (namely, diaphragm type and piston type) of the volume changing of pump chamber. In order to improve the static shear yield strength of ERFs, a composite ERFs valve is designed, which adopts the series-parallel plate compound structure. The prototype of the inchworm actuator has been designed and manufactured in the lab. Systematic test results indicate that the displacement resolution of the unconventional inchworm actuator reaches 0.038 μm, and the maximum driving force and velocity are 42 N, 14.8 mm/s, respectively. The optimal working frequency for the maximum driving velocity is 120 Hz. The complete research and development processes further confirm the feasibility of developing a new type of inchworm actuator with high performance based on PZT actuation and ERFs control technology, which provides a reference for the future development of a new type of actuator.

Design of a piezoelectric-based structural health monitoring system for damage detection in composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kessler, Seth S.; Spearing, S. Mark

2002-07-01

Cost-effective and reliable damage detection is critical for the utilization of composite materials. This paper presents the conclusions of an experimental and analytical survey of candidate methods for in-situ damage detection in composite structures. Experimental results are presented for the application of modal analysis and Lamb wave techniques to quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy test specimens containing representative damage. Piezoelectric patches were used as actuators and sensors for both sets of experiments. Modal analysis methods were reliable for detecting small amounts of global damage in a simple composite structure. By comparison, Lamb wave methods were sensitive to all types of local damage present between the sensor and actuator, provided useful information about damage presence and severity, and present the possibility of estimating damage type and location. Analogous experiments were also performed for more complex built-up structures. These techniques are suitable for structural health monitoring applications since they can be applied with low power conformable sensors and can provide useful information about the state of a structure during operation. Piezoelectric patches could also be used as multipurpose sensors to detect damage by a variety of methods such as modal analysis, Lamb wave, acoustic emission and strain based methods simultaneously, by altering driving frequencies and sampling rates. This paper present guidelines and recommendations drawn from this research to assist in the design of a structural health monitoring system for a vehicle. These systems will be an important component in future designs of air and spacecraft to increase the feasibility of their missions.

Modeling Defects, Shape Evolution, and Programmed Auto-origami in Liquid Crystal Elastomers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konya, Andrew; Gimenez-Pinto, Vianney; Selinger, Robin

2016-06-01

Liquid crystal elastomers represent a novel class of programmable shape-transforming materials whose shape change trajectory is encoded in the material’s nematic director field. Using three-dimensional nonlinear finite element elastodynamics simulation, we model a variety of different actuation geometries and device designs: thin films containing topological defects, patterns that induce formation of folds and twists, and a bas-relief structure. The inclusion of finite bending energy in the simulation model reveals features of actuation trajectory that may be absent when bending energy is neglected. We examine geometries with a director pattern uniform through the film thickness encoding multiple regions of positive Gaussian curvature. Simulations indicate that heating such a system uniformly produces a disordered state with curved regions emerging randomly in both directions due to the film’s up/down symmetry. By contrast, applying a thermal gradient by heating the material first on one side breaks up/down symmetry and results in a deterministic trajectory producing a more ordered final shape. We demonstrate that a folding zone design containing cut-out areas accommodates transverse displacements without warping or buckling; and demonstrate that bas-relief and more complex bent/twisted structures can be assembled by combining simple design motifs.

A small biomimetic quadruped robot driven by multistacked dielectric elastomer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Canh Toan; Phung, Hoa; Dat Nguyen, Tien; Lee, Choonghan; Kim, Uikyum; Lee, Donghyouk; Moon, Hyungpil; Koo, Jachoon; Nam, Jae-do; Ryeol Choi, Hyouk

2014-06-01

A kind of dielectric elastomer (DE) material, called ‘synthetic elastomer’, has been developed based on acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) to be used as a dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA). By stacking single layers of synthetic elastomer, a linear actuator, called a multistacked actuator, is produced, and used by mechatronic and robotic systems to generate linear motion. In this paper, we demonstrate the application of the multistacked dielectric elastomer actuator in a biomimetic legged robot. A miniature robot driven by a biomimetic actuation system with four 2-DOF (two-degree-of-freedom) legged mechanisms is realized. Based on the experimental results, we evaluate the performance of the proposed robot and validate the feasibility of the multistacked actuator in a locomotion system as a replacement for conventional actuators.

Development of thermal actuators with multi-locking positions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, J. K.; Zhu, Y.; Fu, Y. Q.; Flewitt, A. J.; Spearing, S. M.; Miao, J. M.; Milne, W. I.

2006-04-01

To reduce power consumption and operation temperature for micro-thermal actuators, metal-based micro-mechanical locks with multi-locking positions were analyzed and fabricated. The micro-locks consist of two or three U-shaped thermal actuators. The devices were made by a single mask process using electroplated Ni as the active material. Tests showed that the metal based thermal actuators deliver a maximum displacement of ~20µm at a much lower temperature than that of Si-based actuators. However Ni-actuators showed a severe back bending, which increases with increasing applied power. The temperature to initiate the back bending is as low as ~240°C. Back bending increases the distance between the two actuators, and leads to locking function failure. For practical application, Ni-based thermal actuators must be operated below 200°C.

Large strain variable stiffness composites for shear deformations with applications to morphing aircraft skins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKnight, G. P.; Henry, C. P.

2008-03-01

Morphing or reconfigurable structures potentially allow for previously unattainable vehicle performance by permitting several optimized structures to be achieved using a single platform. The key to enabling this technology in applications such as aircraft wings, nozzles, and control surfaces, are new engineered materials which can achieve the necessary deformations but limit losses in parasitic actuation mass and structural efficiency (stiffness/weight). These materials should exhibit precise control of deformation properties and provide high stiffness when exercised through large deformations. In this work, we build upon previous efforts in segmented reinforcement variable stiffness composites employing shape memory polymers to create prototype hybrid composite materials that combine the benefits of cellular materials with those of discontinuous reinforcement composites. These composites help overcome two key challenges for shearing wing skins: the resistance to out of plane buckling from actuation induced shear deformation, and resistance to membrane deflections resulting from distributed aerodynamic pressure loading. We designed, fabricated, and tested composite materials intended for shear deformation and address out of plane deflections in variable area wing skins. Our designs are based on the kinematic engineering of reinforcement platelets such that desired microstructural kinematics is achieved through prescribed boundary conditions. We achieve this kinematic control by etching sheets of metallic reinforcement into regular patterns of platelets and connecting ligaments. This kinematic engineering allows optimization of materials properties for a known deformation pathway. We use mechanical analysis and full field photogrammetry to relate local scale kinematics and strains to global deformations for both axial tension loading and shear loading with a pinned-diamond type fixture. The Poisson ratio of the kinematically engineered composite is ~3x higher than prototypical orthotropic variable stiffness composites. This design allows us to create composite materials that have high stiffness in the cold state below SMP T g (4-14GPa) and yet achieve large composite shear strains (5-20%) in the hot state (above SMP T g).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bradshaw, Nathan P.; Severt, Sean Y.; Wang, Zhaoying

Biocompatible materials capable of controlled actuation under biologically relevant conditions are in high demand for use in a number of biomedical applications. Recently, we demonstrated that a composite material composed of silk biopolymer and the conducting polymer poly(pyrrole) can bend under an applied voltage using a simple bilayer device. Here we present further characterization of these bilayer actuators using time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and provide clarification on the mechanism of actuation and factors affecting device performance and stability. We will discuss the results of this study in the context of strategies for optimization of device performance.

Active control of structures using macro-fiber composite (MFC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalovs, A.; Barkanov, E.; Gluhihs, S.

2007-12-01

This paper presents the use of macro-fiber composites (MFC) for vibration reduces of structures. The MFC consist of polyimid films with IDE-electrodes that are glued on the top and the bottom of rectangular piezoceramic fibers. The interdigitated electrodes deliver the electric field required to activate the piezoelectric effect in the fibers and allows to invoke the stronger longitudinal piezoelectric effect along the length of the fibers. When this actuator embedded in a surface or attached to flexible structures, the MFC actuator provides distributed solid-state deflection and vibration control. The major advantages of the piezoelectric fibre composite actuators are their high performance, flexibility, and durability when compared with the traditional piezoceramic (PZT) actuators. In addition, the ability of MFC devices to couple the electrical and mechanical fields is larger than in monolithic PZT. In this study, we showed the experimental results that an MFC could be used as actuator to find modal parameters and reduce vibration for structures such as an aluminium beam and metal music plate. Two MFC actuators were attached to the surfaces of test subjects. First MFC actuator used to supply a signal as exciter of vibration and second MFC show his application for reduction of vibration in the range of resonance frequencies. Experimental results of aluminium beam with MFC actuators compared with finite element model which modelled in ANSYS software. The applied voltage is modelled as a thermal load according to thermal analogy for MFC. The experimental and numerical results presented in this paper confirm the potential of MFC for use in the vibration control of structures.

Optimal actuator placement in adaptive precision trusses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baycan, C. M.; Utku, S.; Das, S. K.; Wada, B. K.

1992-01-01

Actuator placement in adaptive truss structures is to cater to two needs: displacement control of precision points and preloading the elements to overcome joint slackness. Due to technological and financial considerations, the number of actuators available is much less than the degrees of freedom of precision points to be controlled and the degree of redundancy of the structure. An approach for optimal actuator location is outlined. Test cases to demonstrate the effectiveness of the scheme are applied to the Precision Segmented Reflector Truss.

Analysis and application of a velocity command motor as a reaction mass actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sulla, Jeffrey L.; Juang, Jer-Nan; Horta, Lucas G.

1990-01-01

A commercially available linear stepper motor is applied as a reaction mass (RM) actuator. With the actuator operating in the (RM) relative-velocity command mode, open-loop and closed-loop testing is performed to determine operational limits. With the actuator mounted on a simple beam structure, root strain, RM acceleration, or beam acceleration is used in the feedback loop to augment the structural damping. The RM relative position is also used as feedback to ensure that the RM remains centered.

Self-similar and fractal design for stretchable electronics

DOEpatents

Rogers, John A.; Fan, Jonathan; Yeo, Woon-Hong; Su, Yewang; Huang, Yonggang; Zhang, Yihui

2017-04-04

The present invention provides electronic circuits, devices and device components including one or more stretchable components, such as stretchable electrical interconnects, electrodes and/or semiconductor components. Stretchability of some of the present systems is achieved via a materials level integration of stretchable metallic or semiconducting structures with soft, elastomeric materials in a configuration allowing for elastic deformations to occur in a repeatable and well-defined way. The stretchable device geometries and hard-soft materials integration approaches of the invention provide a combination of advance electronic function and compliant mechanics supporting a broad range of device applications including sensing, actuation, power storage and communications.

Analysis of actuator delay and its effect on uncertainty quantification for real-time hybrid simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Cheng; Xu, Weijie; Guo, Tong; Chen, Kai

2017-10-01

Uncertainties in structure properties can result in different responses in hybrid simulations. Quantification of the effect of these uncertainties would enable researchers to estimate the variances of structural responses observed from experiments. This poses challenges for real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) due to the existence of actuator delay. Polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) projects the model outputs on a basis of orthogonal stochastic polynomials to account for influences of model uncertainties. In this paper, PCE is utilized to evaluate effect of actuator delay on the maximum displacement from real-time hybrid simulation of a single degree of freedom (SDOF) structure when accounting for uncertainties in structural properties. The PCE is first applied for RTHS without delay to determine the order of PCE, the number of sample points as well as the method for coefficients calculation. The PCE is then applied to RTHS with actuator delay. The mean, variance and Sobol indices are compared and discussed to evaluate the effects of actuator delay on uncertainty quantification for RTHS. Results show that the mean and the variance of the maximum displacement increase linearly and exponentially with respect to actuator delay, respectively. Sensitivity analysis through Sobol indices also indicates the influence of the single random variable decreases while the coupling effect increases with the increase of actuator delay.

Dual Salt- and Thermo-Responsive Programmable Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with Pseudo-Interpenetrating Double-Network Structures.

PubMed

Xiao, Shengwei; Zhang, Mingzhen; He, Xiaomin; Huang, Lei; Zhang, Yanxian; Ren, Baiping; Zhong, Mingqiang; Chang, Yung; Yang, Jintao; Zheng, Jie

2018-06-07

Development of smart soft actuators is highly important for fundamental research and industrial applications, but has proved to be extremely challenging. In this work, we present a facile, one-pot, one-step method to prepare dual-responsive bilayer hydrogels, consisting of a thermos-responsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (polyNIPAM) layer and a salt-responsive poly(3-(1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium-3-yl)propane-1-sulfonat) (polyVBIPS) layer. Both polyNIPAM and polyVBIPs layers exhibit a completely opposite swelling/shrinking behavior, where polyNIPAM shrinks (swells) but polyVBIPS swells (shrinks) in salt solution (water) or at high (low) temperatures. By tuning NIPAM:VBIPS ratios, the resulting polyNIPAM/polyVBIPS bilayer hydrogels enable to achieve fast and large-amplitude bidirectional bending in response to temperatures, salt concentrations, and salt types. Such bidirectional bending, bending orientation and degree can be reversibly, repeatedly, and precisely controlled by salt- or temperature-induced cooperative, swelling-shrinking properties from both layers. Based on their fast, reversible, bidirectional bending behavior, we further design two conceptual hybrid hydrogel actuators, serving as a six-arm gripper to capture, transport, and release an object and an electrical circuit switch to turn on-and-off a lamp. Different from the conventional two or multi-step methods for preparation of bilayer hydrogels, our simple, one-pot, one-step method and a new bilayer hydrogel system provide an innovative concept to explore new hydrogel-based actuators through combining different responsive materials that allow to program different stimulus for soft and intelligent materials applications.

Smart Sensing and Dynamic Fitting for Enhanced Comfort and Performance of Prosthetics

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

developing the antenna pressure/shear sensors and the bubble actuators for pressure regulation. An antenna sensor that is capable of measuring shear and...liner materials. We have characterized the load bearing capability of bubble actuator arrays at different actuation pressures. A “limb-socket...laboratory test setup was developed for capturing the internal pressure change of bubble actuators when the “limb” was subjected to the external force. 15

Discrete piezoelectric sensors and actuators for active control of two-dimensional spacecraft components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bayer, Janice I.; Varadan, V. V.; Varadan, V. K.

1991-01-01

This paper describes research into the use of discrete piezoelectric sensors and actuators for active modal control of flexible two-dimensional structures such as might be used as components for spacecraft. A dynamic coupling term is defined between the sensor/actuator and the structure in terms of structural model shapes, location and piezoelectric behavior. The relative size of the coupling term determines sensor/actuator placement. Results are shown for a clamped square plate and for a large antenna. An experiment was performed on a thin foot-square plate clamped on all sides. Sizable vibration control was achieved for first, second/third (degenerate) and fourth modes.

Porous polycarbene-bearing membrane actuator for ultrasensitive weak-acid detection and real-time chemical reaction monitoring.

PubMed

Sun, Jian-Ke; Zhang, Weiyi; Guterman, Ryan; Lin, Hui-Juan; Yuan, Jiayin

2018-04-30

Soft actuators with integration of ultrasensitivity and capability of simultaneous interaction with multiple stimuli through an entire event ask for a high level of structure complexity, adaptability, and/or multi-responsiveness, which is a great challenge. Here, we develop a porous polycarbene-bearing membrane actuator built up from ionic complexation between a poly(ionic liquid) and trimesic acid (TA). The actuator features two concurrent structure gradients, i.e., an electrostatic complexation (EC) degree and a density distribution of a carbene-NH 3 adduct (CNA) along the membrane cross-section. The membrane actuator performs the highest sensitivity among the state-of-the-art soft proton actuators toward acetic acid at 10 -6  mol L -1 (M) level in aqueous media. Through competing actuation of the two gradients, it is capable of monitoring an entire process of proton-involved chemical reactions that comprise multiple stimuli and operational steps. The present achievement constitutes a significant step toward real-life application of soft actuators in chemical sensing and reaction technology.

Additive Manufacturing of Composites and Complex Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spowart, Jonathan E.; Gupta, Nikhil; Lehmhus, Dirk

2018-03-01

Advanced composite materials form an important class of high-performance industrial materials used in weight-sensitive applications such as aerospace structures, automotive structures and sports equipment. In many of these applications, parts are made in small production runs, are highly customized and involve long process development times. Developments in additive manufacturing (AM) methods have helped in overcoming many of these limitations. The special topic of Additive Manufacturing of Composites and Complex Materials captures the state of the art in this area by collecting nine papers that present much novel advancement in this field. The studies under this topic show advancement in the area of AM of carbon fiber and graphene-reinforced composites with high thermal and electrical conductivities, development of new hollow glass particle-filled syntactic foam filaments for printing lightweight structures and integration of sensors or actuators during AM of metallic parts. Some of the studies are focused on process optimization or modification to increase the manufacturing speed or tuning manufacturing techniques to enable AM of new materials.

Chemical Modification and Structure-property Relationships of Acrylic and Ionomeric Thermoplastic Elastomer Gels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargantwar, Pruthesh Hariharrao

Block copolymers (BCs) have remained at the forefront of materials research due to their versatility in applications ranging from hot-melt/pressure-sensitive adhesives and impact modifiers to compatibilizing agents and vibration-dampening/nanotemplating media. Of particular interest are macromolecules composed of two or more chemically dissimilar blocks covalently linked together to form triblock or pentablock copolymers. If the blocks are sufficiently incompatible and the copolymer behaves as a thermoplastic elastomer, the molecules can spontaneously self-assemble to form nanostructured materials that exhibit shape memory due to the formation of a supramolecular network. The BCs of these types are termed as conventional. When BCs contain blocks having ionic moieties such as sulfonic acid groups, they are termed as block ionomers. Designing new systems based on either conventional or ionic BCs, characterizing their structure-property relationships and later using them as electroacive polymers form the essential objectives of this work. Electroactive polymers (EAPs) exhibit electromechanical actuation when stimulated by an external electric field. In the first part of this work, it is shown that BCs resolve some of the outstanding problems presently encountered in the design of two different classes of EAP actuators: dielectric elastomers (DEs) and ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs). All-acrylic triblock copolymer gels used as DEs actuate with high efficacy without any requirement of mechanical prestrain and, thus, eliminate the need for bulky and heavy hardware essential with prestrained dielectric actuators, as well as material problems associated with stress relaxation. The dependence of actuation behavior on gel morphology as evaluated from mechanical and microstructure studies is observed. In the case of IPMCs, ionic BCs employed in this study greatly facilitate processing compared to other contenders such as NafionRTM, which is commonly used in this class of EAPs. The unique copolymer investigated here (i) retains its mechanical integrity when highly solvated by polar solvents, (ii) demonstrates a high degree of actuation when tested in a cantilever configuration, and (iii) avoids the shortcomings of back-relaxation/overshoot within the testing conditions when used in combination with an appropriate solvent. In the second part of this work, two chemical strategies to design midblock sulfonated block ionomers are explored. In one case, selective sulfonation of the midblocks in triblock copolymers is achieved via a dioxane:sulfur trioxide chemistry, while in the other acetyl sulfate is used for the same purpose. Excellent control on the degree of sulfonation (DOS) is achieved. The block ionomers swell in different solvents while retaining their mechanical integrity. They show disorder-order, order-order, and order-reduced order morphological transitions as DOS varies. These transitions in morphologies are reflected in their thermal behavior as well. The microstructures show periodicity, which is, again, a function of DOS. The transitions are explained in terms of the molar volume expansion and volume densification of the blocks on sulfonation. The ionic levels, morphology and periodicity in microstructure are important for applications such as actuators, sensors and fuel cell membranes. The ability to tune these aspects in the ionomers designed in this work make them potential candidates for these applications.

HIGH EFFICIENCY STRUCTURAL FLOWTHROUGH ROTOR WITH ACTIVE FLAP CONTROL: VOLUME TWO: INNOVATION & COST OF ENERGY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zuteck, Michael D.; Jackson, Kevin L.; Santos, Richard A.

The Zimitar one-piece rotor primary structure is integrated, so balanced thrust and gravity loads flow through the hub region without transferring out of its composite material. Large inner rotor geometry is used since there is no need to neck down to a blade root region and pitch bearing. Rotor control is provided by a highly redundant, five flap system on each blade, sized so that easily handled standard electric linear actuators are sufficient.

HIGH EFFICIENCY STRUCTURAL FLOWTHROUGH ROTOR WITH ACTIVE FLAP CONTROL: VOLUME ONE: PRELIMINARY DESIGN REPORT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zuteck, Michael D.; Jackson, Kevin L.; Santos, Richard A.

The Zimitar one-piece rotor primary structure is integrated, so balanced thrust and gravity loads flow through the hub region without transferring out of its composite material. Large inner rotor geometry is used since there is no need to neck down to a blade root region and pitch bearing. Rotor control is provided by a highly redundant, five flap system on each blade, sized so that easily handled standard electric linear actuators are sufficient.

HIGH EFFICIENCY STRUCTURAL FLOWTHROUGH ROTOR WITH ACTIVE FLAP CONTROL: VOLUME ZERO: OVERVIEW AND COMMERCIAL PATH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zuteck, Michael D.; Jackson, Kevin L.; Santos, Richard A.

The Zimitar one-piece rotor primary structure is integrated, so balanced thrust and gravity loads flow through the hub region without transferring out of its composite material. Large inner rotor geometry is used since there is no need to neck down to a blade root region and pitch bearing. Rotor control is provided by a highly redundant, five flap system on each blade, sized so that easily handled standard electric linear actuators are sufficient.

Kirigami artificial muscles with complex biologically inspired morphologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sareh, Sina; Rossiter, Jonathan

2013-01-01

In this paper we present bio-inspired smart structures which exploit the actuation of flexible ionic polymer composites and the kirigami design principle. Kirigami design is used to convert planar actuators into active 3D structures capable of large out-of-plane displacement and that replicate biological mechanisms. Here we present the burstbot, a fluid control and propulsion mechanism based on the atrioventricular cuspid valve, and the vortibot, a spiral actuator based on Vorticella campanula, a ciliate protozoa. Models derived from biological counterparts are used as a platform for design optimization and actuator performance measurement. The symmetric and asymmetric fluid interactions of the burstbot are investigated and the effectiveness in fluid transport applications is demonstrated. The vortibot actuator is geometrically optimized as a camera positioner capable of 360° scanning. Experimental results for a one-turn spiral actuator show complex actuation derived from a single degree of freedom control signal.

Hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic actuators with muscle-like performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acome, E.; Mitchell, S. K.; Morrissey, T. G.; Emmett, M. B.; Benjamin, C.; King, M.; Radakovitz, M.; Keplinger, C.

2018-01-01

Existing soft actuators have persistent challenges that restrain the potential of soft robotics, highlighting a need for soft transducers that are powerful, high-speed, efficient, and robust. We describe a class of soft actuators, termed hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators, which harness a mechanism that couples electrostatic and hydraulic forces to achieve a variety of actuation modes. We introduce prototypical designs of HASEL actuators and demonstrate their robust, muscle-like performance as well as their ability to repeatedly self-heal after dielectric breakdown—all using widely available materials and common fabrication techniques. A soft gripper handling delicate objects and a self-sensing artificial muscle powering a robotic arm illustrate the wide potential of HASEL actuators for next-generation soft robotic devices.

Modeling of mechanical properties of stack actuators based on electroactive polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tepel, Dominik; Graf, Christian; Maas, Jürgen

2013-04-01

Dielectric elastomers are thin polymer films belonging to the class of electroactive polymers, which are coated with compliant and conductive electrodes on each side. Under the influence of an electrical field, dielectric elastomers perform a large amount of deformation. Depending on the mechanical setup, stack and roll actuators can be realized. In this contribution the mechanical properties of stack actuators are modeled by a holistic electromechanical approach of a single actuator film, by which the model of a stack actuator without constraints can be derived. Due to the mechanical connection between the stack actuator and the application, bulges occur at the free surfaces of the EAP material, which are calculated, experimentally validated and considered in the model of the stack actuator. Finally, the analytic actuator film model as well as the stack actuator model are validated by comparison to numerical FEM-models in ANSYS.

Environmentally responsive optical microstructured hybrid actuator assemblies and applications thereof

DOEpatents

Aizenberg, Joanna; Aizenberg, Michael; Kim, Philseok

2016-01-05

Microstructured hybrid actuator assemblies in which microactuators carrying designed surface properties to be revealed upon actuation are embedded in a layer of responsive materials. The microactuators in a microactuator array reversibly change their configuration in response to a change in the environment without requiring an external power source to switch their optical properties.

Characterization of DBD Plasma Actuators Performance Without External Flow - Part I: Thrust-Voltage Quadratic Relationship in Logarithmic Space for Sinusoidal Excitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashpis, David E.; Laun, Matthew C.

2016-01-01

Results of characterization of Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma actuators without external flow are presented. The results include aerodynamic and electric performance of the actuators without external flow for different geometrical parameters, dielectric materials and applied voltage level and wave form.

Robust tracking control of an IPMC actuator using nonsingular terminal sliding mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khawwaf, Jasim; Zheng, Jinchuan; Lu, Renquan; Al-Ghanimi, Ali; Kazem, Bahaa I.; Man, Zhihong

2017-09-01

Ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) is a highly innovative material that has recently gained attention in many fields such as medical, biomimetic, and micro/nano underwater applications. The main characteristic of IPMC lies in its ability to achieve a large deflection under a fairly low driving voltage. Moreover, its agile, light weight, noiseless and flexible features render it well suited for certain specific applications. Like other smart materials, such as piezoelectric ceramics, IPMC could be used in actuators or sensors. In this paper, we study the application of IPMC as an actuator for underwater use. The goal is to develop a robust feedback controller for the IPMC actuator to track a desired reference whilst dealing with the uncertainties due to the inherent actuator nonlinearity, external disturbance or the variations of working environment. To this end, we first present a nominal model of the IPMC actuator through experimental identification. Next, a nonsingular terminal sliding mode controller is proposed. Lastly, experimental studies are conducted to verify the tracking accuracy and robustness of the designed controller.

Piezoelectric step-motion actuator

DOEpatents

Mentesana,; Charles, P [Leawood, KS

2006-10-10

A step-motion actuator using piezoelectric material to launch a flight mass which, in turn, actuates a drive pawl to progressively engage and drive a toothed wheel or rod to accomplish stepped motion. Thus, the piezoelectric material converts electrical energy into kinetic energy of the mass, and the drive pawl and toothed wheel or rod convert the kinetic energy of the mass into the desired rotary or linear stepped motion. A compression frame may be secured about the piezoelectric element and adapted to pre-compress the piezoelectric material so as to reduce tensile loads thereon. A return spring may be used to return the mass to its resting position against the compression frame or piezoelectric material following launch. Alternative embodiment are possible, including an alternative first embodiment wherein two masses are launched in substantially different directions, and an alternative second embodiment wherein the mass is eliminated in favor of the piezoelectric material launching itself.

A Cryogenic Magnetostrictive Actuator Using a Persistent High Temperature Superconducting Magnet. Part 1; Concept and Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horner, Garnett; Bromberg, Leslie; Teter, J. P.

2000-01-01

Cryogenic magnetostrictive materials, such as rare earth zinc crystals, offer high strains and high forces with minimally applied magnetic fields, making the material ideally suited for deformable optics applications. For cryogenic temperature applications the use of superconducting magnets offer the possibility of a persistent mode of operation, i.e., the magnetostrictive material will maintain a strain field without power. High temperature superconductors (HTS) are attractive options if the temperature of operation is higher than 10 degrees Kelvin (K) and below 77 K. However, HTS wires have constraints that limit the minimum radius of winding, and even if good wires can be produced, the technology for joining superconducting wires does not exist. In this paper, the design and capabilities of a rare earth zinc magnetostrictive actuator using bulk HTS is described. Bulk superconductors can be fabricated in the sizes required with excellent superconducting properties. Equivalent permanent magnets, made with this inexpensive material, are persistent, do not require a persistent switch as in HTS wires, and can be made very small. These devices are charged using a technique which is similar to the one used for charging permanent magnets, e.g., by driving them into saturation. A small normal conducting coil can be used for charging or discharging. Because of the magnetic field capability of the superconductor material, a very small amount of superconducting magnet material is needed to actuate the rare earth zinc. In this paper, several designs of actuators using YBCO and BSCCO 2212 superconducting materials are presented. Designs that include magnetic shielding to prevent interaction between adjacent actuators will also be described. Preliminary experimental results and comparison with theory for BSCCO 2212 with a magnetostrictive element will be discussed.

Using the dynamic bond to access macroscopically responsive structurally dynamic polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojtecki, Rudy J.; Meador, Michael A.; Rowan, Stuart J.

2011-01-01

New materials that have the ability to reversibly adapt to their environment and possess a wide range of responses ranging from self-healing to mechanical work are continually emerging. These adaptive systems have the potential to revolutionize technologies such as sensors and actuators, as well as numerous biomedical applications. We will describe the emergence of a new trend in the design of adaptive materials that involves the use of reversible chemistry (both non-covalent and covalent) to programme a response that originates at the most fundamental (molecular) level. Materials that make use of this approach - structurally dynamic polymers - produce macroscopic responses from a change in the material's molecular architecture (that is, the rearrangement or reorganization of the polymer components, or polymeric aggregates). This design approach requires careful selection of the reversible/dynamic bond used in the construction of the material to control its environmental responsiveness.

Design of a piezoelectric inchworm actuator and compliant end effector for minimally invasive surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canfield, Shawn; Edinger, Ben; Frecker, Mary I.; Koopmann, Gary H.

1999-06-01

Recent advances in robotics, tele-robotics, smart material actuators, and mechatronics raise new possibilities for innovative developments in millimeter-scale robotics capable of manipulating objects only fractions of a millimeter in size. These advances can have a wide range of applications in the biomedical community. A potential application of this technology is in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The focus of this paper is the development of a single degree of freedom prototype to demonstrate the viability of smart materials, force feedback and compliant mechanisms for minimally invasive surgery. The prototype is a compliant gripper that is 7-mm by 17-mm, made from a single piece of titanium that is designed to function as a needle driver for small scale suturing. A custom designed piezoelectric `inchworm' actuator drives the gripper. The integrated system is computer controlled providing a user interface device capable of force feedback. The design methodology described draws from recent advances in three emerging fields in engineering: design of innovative tools for MIS, design of compliant mechanisms, and design of smart materials and actuators. The focus of this paper is on the design of a millimeter-scale inchworm actuator for use with a compliant end effector in MIS.

Single-crystal-material-based induced-shear actuation for vibration reduction of helicopters with composite rotor system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawar, Prashant M.; Jung, Sung Nam

2008-12-01

In this study, an assessment is made for the helicopter vibration reduction of composite rotor blades using an active twist control concept. Special focus is given to the feasibility of implementing the benefits of the shear actuation mechanism along with elastic couplings of composite blades for achieving maximum vibration reduction. The governing equations of motion for composite rotor blades with surface bonded piezoceramic actuators are obtained using Hamilton's principle. The equations are then solved for dynamic response using finite element discretization in the spatial and time domains. A time domain unsteady aerodynamic theory with free wake model is used to obtain the airloads. A newly developed single-crystal piezoceramic material is introduced as an actuator material to exploit its superior shear actuation authority. Seven rotor blades with different elastic couplings representing stiffness properties similar to stiff-in-plane rotor blades are used to investigate the hub vibration characteristics. The rotor blades are modeled as a box beam with actuator layers bonded on the outer surface of the top and bottom of the box section. Numerical results show that a notable vibration reduction can be achieved for all the combinations of composite rotor blades. This investigation also brings out the effect of different elastic couplings on various vibration-reduction-related parameters which could be useful for the optimal design of composite helicopter blades.

Superelasticity and cryogenic linear shape memory effects of CaFe 2As 2

DOE PAGES

Sypek, John T.; Yu, Hang; Dusoe, Keith J.; ...

2017-10-20

Shape memory materials have the ability to recover their original shape after a significant amount of deformation when they are subjected to certain stimuli, for instance, heat or magnetic fields. But, their performance is often limited by the energetics and geometry of the martensitic-austenitic phase transformation. We report a unique shape memory behavior in CaFe 2As 2, which exhibits superelasticity with over 13% recoverable strain, over 3 GPa yield strength, repeatable stress–strain response even at the micrometer scale, and cryogenic linear shape memory effects near 50 K. These properties are acheived through a reversible uni-axial phase transformation mechanism, the tetragonal/orthorhombic-to-collapsed-tetragonalmore » phase transformation. These results offer the possibility of developing cryogenic linear actuation technologies with a high precision and high actuation power per unit volume for deep space exploration, and more broadly, suggest a mechanistic path to a class of shape memory materials, ThCr 2Si 2-structured intermetallic compounds.« less

Microprocessor controlled force actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, D. C.; Inman, D. J.; Horner, G. C.

1986-01-01

The mechanical and electrical design of a prototype force actuator for vibration control of large space structures (LSS) is described. The force actuator is an electromagnetic system that produces a force by reacting against a proof-mass. The actuator has two colocated sensors, a digital microcontroller, and a power amplifier. The total weight of actuator is .998 kg. The actuator has a steady state force output of approximately 2.75 N from approximately 2 Hz to well beyond 1000 Hz.

Spring roll dielectric elastomer actuators for a portable force feedback glove

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rui; Lochmatter, Patrick; Kunz, Andreas; Kovacs, Gabor

2006-03-01

Miniature spring roll dielectric elastomer actuators for a novel kinematic-free force feedback concept were manufactured and experimentally characterized. The actuators exhibited a maximum blocking force of 7.2 N and a displacement of 5 mm. The theoretical considerations based on the material's incompressibility were discussed in order to estimate the actuator behavior under blocked-strain activation and free-strain activation. One prototype was built for the demonstration of the proposed force feedback concept.

Dynamic actuation of single-crystal diamond nanobeams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sohn, Young-Ik; Burek, Michael J.; Lončar, Marko, E-mail: loncar@seas.harvard.edu

2015-12-14

We show the dielectrophoretic actuation of single-crystal diamond nanomechanical devices. Gradient radio-frequency electromagnetic forces are used to achieve actuation of both cantilever and doubly clamped beam structures, with operation frequencies ranging from a few MHz to ∼50 MHz. Frequency tuning and parametric actuation are also studied.

Piezoceramic devices and PVDF films as sensors and actuators for intelligent structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanagud, S.; Obal, M. W.; Calise, A. G.

The use of bonded piezoceramic sensors and piezoceramic actuators to control vibrations in structural dynamic systems is discussed. Equations for developing optimum control strategies are derived. An example of a cantilever beam is considered to illustrate the development procedure for optimal vibration control of structures by the use of piezoceramic sensors, actuators, and rate feedbacks with appropriate gains. Research areas and future directions are outlined, including dynamic coupling and constitutive equations; load and energy transfer; composite structures; optimal dynamic compensation; estimation and identification; and distributed control.

Design and testing of botanical thermotropic actuator mechanisms in thermally adaptive building coverings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, Ronald M.; Barrett, Ronald P.; Barrett, Cassandra M.

2017-09-01

This paper lays out the inspiration, operational principles, analytical modeling and coupon testing of a new class of thermally adaptive building coverings. The fundamental driving concepts for these coverings are derived from various families of thermotropic plant structures. Certain plant cellular structures like those in Mimosa pudica (Sensitive Plant), Rhododendron leaves or Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa Tree), exhibit actuation physiology which depends on changes in cellular turgor pressures to generate motion. This form of cellular action via turgor pressure manipulation is an inspiration for a new field of thermally adaptive building coverings which use various forms of cellular foam to aid or enable actuation much like plant cells are used to move leaves. When exposed to high solar loading, the structures use the inherent actuation capability of pockets of air trapped in closed cell foam as actuators to curve plates upwards and outwards. When cold, these same structures curve back towards the building forming large convex pockets of dead air to insulate the building. This paper describes basic classical laminated plate theory models comparing theory and experiment of such coupons containing closed-cell foam actuators. The study concludes with a global description of the effectiveness of this class of thermally adaptive building coverings.

Biocompatible silk-conducting polymer composite trilayer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fengel, Carly V.; Bradshaw, Nathan P.; Severt, Sean Y.; Murphy, Amanda R.; Leger, Janelle M.

2017-05-01

Biocompatible materials capable of controlled actuation are in high demand for use in biomedical applications such as dynamic tissue scaffolding, valves, and steerable surgical tools. Conducting polymer actuators are of interest because they operate in aqueous electrolytes at low voltages and can generate stresses similar to natural muscle. Recently, our group has demonstrated a composite material of silk and poly(pyrrole) (PPy) that is mechanically robust, made from biocompatible materials, and bends under an applied voltage when incorporated into a simple bilayer device architecture and actuated using a biologically relevant electrolyte. Here we present trilayer devices composed of two silk-PPy composite layers separated by an insulating silk layer. The trilayer architecture allows one side to expand while the other contracts, resulting in improved performance over bilayer devices. Specifically, this configuration shows a larger angle of deflection per volt applied than the analogous bilayer system, while maintaining a consistent current response throughout cycling. In addition, the overall motion of the trilayer devices is more symmetric than that of the bilayer analogs, allowing for fully reversible operation.

Superconductivity Devices: Commercial Use of Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haertling, Gene (Principal Investigator); Furman, Eugene; Li, Guang

1996-01-01

The work described in this report covers various aspects of the Rainbow solid-state actuator and sensor technologies. It is presented in five parts dealing with sensor applications, nonlinear properties, stress-optic and electrooptic properties, stacks and arrays, and publications. The Rainbow actuator technology is a relatively new materials development which had its inception in 1992. It involves a new processing technique for preparing pre-stressed, high lead containing piezoelectric and electrostrictive ceramic materials. Ceramics fabricated by this method produce bending-mode actuator devices which possess several times more displacement and load bearing capacity than present-day benders. Since they can also be used in sensor applications, Rainbows are part of the family of materials known as smart ceramics. During this period, PLZT Rainbow ceramics were characterized with respect to their piezoelectric properties for potential use in stress sensor applications. Studies of the nonlinear and stress-optic/electrooptic birefringent properties were also initiated during this period. Various means for increasing the utility of stress-enhanced Rainbow actuators are presently under investigation.

Chatter active control in a lathe machine using magnetostrictive actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nosouhi, R.; Behbahani, S.

2011-01-01

This paper analyzes the chatter phenomena in lathe machines. Chatter is one of the main causes of inaccuracy, reduction of life cycle of the machine and tool wear in machine tools. This phenomenon limits the depth of cut as a function of the cutting speed, which consequently reduces the material removal rate and machining efficiency. Chatter control is therefore important since it increases the stability region in machining and increases the critical depth of cut in machining case. To control the chatter in lathe machines, a magnetostrictive actuator is used. The materials with magnetostriction properties are kind of smart materials of which their length changes as a result of applying an exterior magnetic field, which make them suitable for control applications. It is assumed that the actuator applies the proper force exactly at the point where the machining force is applied on the tool. In this paper the chatter stability lobes is excelled as a result of applying a PID controller on the magnetostrictive actuator equipped-tool in turning.

Bio-inspired passive actuator simulating an abalone shell mechanism for structural control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Henry T. Y.; Lin, Chun-Hung; Bridges, Daniel; Randall, Connor J.; Hansma, Paul K.

2010-10-01

An energy dispersion mechanism called 'sacrificial bonds and hidden length', which is found in some biological systems, such as abalone shells and bones, is the inspiration for new strategies for structural control. Sacrificial bonds and hidden length can substantially increase the stiffness and enhance energy dissipation in the constituent molecules of abalone shells and bone. Having been inspired by the usefulness and effectiveness of such a mechanism, which has evolved over millions of years and countless cycles of evolutions, the authors employ the conceptual underpinnings of this mechanism to develop a bio-inspired passive actuator. This paper presents a fundamental method for optimally designing such bio-inspired passive actuators for structural control. To optimize the bio-inspired passive actuator, a simple method utilizing the force-displacement-velocity (FDV) plots based on LQR control is proposed. A linear regression approach is adopted in this research to find the initial values of the desired parameters for the bio-inspired passive actuator. The illustrative examples, conducted by numerical simulation with experimental validation, suggest that the bio-inspired passive actuator based on sacrificial bonds and hidden length may be comparable in performance to state-of-the-art semi-active actuators.

Stimuli-Responsive Polymers for Actuation.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiang Matthew; Serpe, Michael J

2017-06-02

A variety of stimuli-responsive polymers have been developed and used as actuators and/or artificial muscles, with the movement being driven by an external stimulus, such as electrical potential. This Review highlights actuators constructed from liquid-crystal elastomers, dielectric elastomers, ionic polymers, and conducting polymers. The Review covers recent examples of a variety of actuators generated from these materials and their utility. The mechanism of actuation will be detailed for most examples in order to stimulate possible future research, and lead to new applications and advanced applications. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Design of Active Composites

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-30

SMA and piezoelectric ceramics(SMA-piezo composite) for fast-responsive actuator, (iii) SMA-piezo composite for thermal energy harvester , and (iv...Composite for Thermal Energy Harvesting Piezoelectric materials and shape memory alloys (SMAs) are very common materials for actuators and sensors; however...their composites as electrical generators is least explored, although use of piezoelectric as the mechanical energy harvester is increasingly popular

Piezoelectric devices for vibration suppression: Modeling and application to a truss structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Won, Chin C.; Sparks, Dean W., Jr.; Belvin, W. Keith; Sulla, Jeff L.

1993-01-01

For a space structure assembled from truss members, an effective way to control the structure may be to replace the regular truss elements by active members. The active members play the role of load carrying elements as well as actuators. A piezo strut, made of a stack of piezoceramics, may be an ideal active member to be integrated into a truss space structure. An electrically driven piezo strut generates a pair of forces, and is considered as a two-point actuator in contrast to a one-point actuator such as a thruster or a shaker. To achieve good structural vibration control, sensing signals compatible to the control actuators are desirable. A strain gage or a piezo film with proper signal conditioning to measure member strain or strain rate, respectively, are ideal control sensors for use with a piezo actuator. The Phase 0 CSI Evolutionary Model (CEM) at NASA Langley Research Center used cold air thrusters as actuators to control both rigid body motions and flexible body vibrations. For the Phase 1 and 2 CEM, it is proposed to use piezo struts to control the flexible modes and thrusters to control the rigid body modes. A tenbay truss structure with active piezo struts is built to study the modeling, controller designs, and experimental issues. In this paper, the tenbay structure with piezo active members is modelled using an energy method approach. Decentralized and centralized control schemes are designed and implemented, and preliminary analytical and experimental results are presented.

Self-regulating chemo-mechano-chemical systems

DOEpatents

Aizenberg, Joanna; He, Ximin; Aizenberg, Michael

2017-05-16

A chemo-mechano-chemical (C.sub.1-M-C.sub.2) system includes a base supporting an actuatable structure, said structure comprising a functionalized portion and being embedded in an environmentally responsive gel capable of volume change in response to an environmental stimulus; a first fluid layer disposed over the base and in contact with the actuatable structure, said first fluid layer comprising the environmentally responsive gel; and a second fluid layer in contact with the actuatable structure, wherein the layers are positioned such that the functionalized portion is in contact with the second layer in a first relaxed state and in contact with the first layer in a second actuated state and wherein the functionalized portion interacts with at least one of the layers to provide a chemical or physical response.

Bubble-driven light-absorbing hydrogel microrobot for the assembly of bio-objects.

PubMed

Hu, Wenqi; Fan, Qihui; Tonaki, Wade; Ohta, Aaron T

2013-01-01

Microrobots made of light-absorbing hydrogel material were actuated by optically induced thermocapillary flow and move at up to 700 µm/s. The micro-assembly capabilities of the microrobots were demonstrated by assembling polystyrene beads and yeast cells into various patterns on standard glass microscope slides. Two microrobots operating independently in parallel were also used to assemble micro-hydrogel structures.