scholarly journals Soft phototactic swimmer based on self-sustained hydrogel oscillator

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (33) ◽  
pp. eaax7112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusen Zhao ◽  
Chen Xuan ◽  
Xiaoshi Qian ◽  
Yousif Alsaid ◽  
Mutian Hua ◽  
...  

Oscillations are widely found in living organisms to generate propulsion-based locomotion often driven by constant ambient conditions, such as phototactic movements. Such environment-powered and environment-directed locomotions may advance fully autonomous remotely steered robots. However, most man-made oscillations require nonconstant energy input and cannot perform environment-dictated movement. Here, we report a self-sustained soft oscillator that exhibits perpetual and untethered locomotion as a phototactic soft swimming robot, remotely fueled and steered by constant visible light. This particular out-of-equilibrium actuation arises from a self-shadowing–enabled negative feedback loop inherent in the dynamic light–material interactions, promoted by the fast and substantial volume change of the photoresponsive hydrogel. Our analytical model and governing equation unveil the oscillation mechanism and design principle with key parameters identified to tune the dynamics. On this autonomous oscillator platform, we establish a broadly applicable principle for converting a continuous input into a discontinuous output. The modular design can be customized to accommodate various forms of input energy and to generate diverse oscillatory behaviors. The hydrogel oscillator showcases agile life-like omnidirectional motion in the entire three-dimensional space with near-infinite degrees of freedom. The large force generated by the powerful and long-lasting oscillation can sufficiently overcome water damping and effectively self-propel away from a light source. Such a hydrogel oscillator–based all-soft swimming robot, named OsciBot, demonstrated high-speed and controllable phototactic locomotion. This autonomous robot is battery free, deployable, scalable, and integratable. Artificial phototaxis opens broad opportunities in maneuverable marine automated systems, miniaturized transportation, and solar sails.

2015 ◽  
Vol 762 ◽  
pp. 249-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stelian Popa ◽  
Alexandru Dorin ◽  
Florin Adrian Nicolescu ◽  
Andrei Mario Ivan

This article follows a detailed description of development and validation for the direct kinematic model of six degrees of freedom articulated arm robot - Kawasaki FS10E model. The development of the kinematic model is based on widely used Denavit-Hartenberg notation, but, after the initial parameter identification, the mathematical algorithm itself follows an approach that uses the quaternion number system, taking advantage of their efficiency in describing spatial rotation - providing a convenient mathematical notation for expressing rotations and orientations of objects in three-dimensional space. The proposed algorithm concludes with two quaternion-based relations that express both the position of robot tool center point (TCP) position and end-effector orientation with respect to robot base coordinate system using Denavit-Hartenberg parameters and joint values as input data. Furthermore, the developed direct kinematic model was validated using the programming and offline simulation software Kawasaki PC Roset.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongzhe Zhang ◽  
Jiachen Zheng

This paper adopts IMU motion recognition technology based on mechanical learning. IMU, inertial measurement unit, is a device that uses accelerometer and gyroscope to measure the three-axis attitude Angle (or angular velocity) and acceleration of an object. In a narrow sense, an IMU is equipped with gyroscope and accelerometer on three orthogonal axes, with a total of 6 degrees of freedom, to measure the angular velocity and acceleration of an object in three-dimensional space, which is known as "6-axis IMU". Broadly speaking, the IMU can add magnetometer to accelerometer and gyroscope to form the "9-axis IMU" which is now known to the public.


Author(s):  
Fei Jiang ◽  
Haijie Zhang ◽  
Jianguo Zhao

Continuum manipulators are continuously bending robots with unlimited number of kinematic degrees of freedom. Most existing continuum manipulators have a central strut made of a single elastic material, and multiple cables placed around the strut are employed to actuate the manipulator. The kinematics for such robots has been extensively studied by assuming the manipulator has a circular shape. In this paper, we aim to investigate the kinematic and static modeling for novel soft continuum manipulators fabricated by multi-material 3D printing with heterogeneous soft materials. We model cylindrical shape manipulators consisting of three sections with three different materials, and they are actuated by three independent cables placed symmetrically. By pulling the cables with different displacements, the manipulators can be bent in three-dimensional space. As our initial study, we employ a single cable for all prototypes. Experimental results are compared with the simulation results to validate the proposed modeling method.


Author(s):  
Sayyed Mahdi Sajedi ◽  
Parviz Ghadimi ◽  
Mohammad Sheikholeslami ◽  
Mohammad A Ghassemi

This paper presents experimental and numerical investigation of stability and rooster tail of a mono-hull high-speed planing craft with a constant deadrise angle. Initially, a one-fifth scale model was tested in a towing tank, which showed porpoising phenomenon at 8 m/s (equal to the speed of sailing). Subsequently, two wedges of 5 and 10 mm heights, based on the boundary layer calculations, were mounted on the aft section of the planing hull. These wedges were shown to increase the lift at the aft section. These experiments were carried out at different speeds up to 10 m/s in calm water. The experimental results indicated that the installed wedges reduced the trim, drag, and the elapsed time for reaching the hump peak, and also eliminated the porpoising condition. All these test cases were also numerically simulated using Star CCM+ software. The free surface was modeled using the volume of fluid scheme in three-dimensional space. The examined planing craft had two degrees of freedom, and overset mesh technique was used for space discretization. The obtained numerical results were compared with experimental data and good agreement was displayed in the presented comparisons. Ultimately, the effect of the wedge on the rooster tail behind the planing craft was studied. The results of this investigation showed that by decreasing the trim at a constant speed, the height of the generated wake profile (rooster tail) behind the craft decreases, albeit its length increases.


Author(s):  
Linkai Niu ◽  
Hongrui Cao ◽  
Zhengjia He ◽  
Yamin Li

A dynamic model is developed to investigate vibrations of high speed rolling ball bearings with localized surface defects on raceways. In this model, each bearing component (i.e., inner raceway, outer raceway and rolling ball) has six degrees of freedom (DOFs) to completely describe its dynamic characteristics in three-dimensional space. Gyroscopic moment, centrifugal force, lubrication traction/slip between bearing component are included owing to high speed effects. Moreover, local defects are modeled accurately and completely with consideration of additional deflection due to material absence, changes of Hertzian contact coefficient and changes of contact force directions due to raceway curvature variations. The obtained equations of motion are solved numerically using the fourth order Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg scheme with step-changing criterion. Vibration responses of a defective bearing with localized surface defects are simulated and analyzed in both time domain and frequency domain, and the effectiveness of fault feature extraction techniques is also discussed. An experiment is carried out on an aerospace bearing test rig. By comparing the simulation results with experiments, it is confirmed that the proposed model is capable of predicting vibration responses of defective high speed rolling ball bearings effectively.


Author(s):  
Mahdi Khorram ◽  
S Ali A Moosavian

Legged robots have superior advantages rather than wheeled robots for moving over uneven terrains in the presence of various obstacles. The design of an appropriate path for the main body and legs is an important issue for such robots especially on the uneven terrains. In this paper, the focus is to develop a stable gait for a quadruped robot to trot on uneven terrains. First, a stability condition is developed for a whole-body quadruped robot over uneven terrains based on avoiding the tumbling. By using a simple model, a point with zero moments is calculated in the three-dimensional space. Then, the reference path of this point is determined so that the tumbling moments become zero. The path of the main body will be calculated by using an optimal controller. The main feature of the proposed gait generation framework is that the height of robot can change continuously and stably on uneven terrains. To evaluate the robot stability, the tumbling moments around diagonal lines are calculated and some methods are proposed to reduce these moments to improve the robot stability. The tip of swing foot is also planned to avoid any collision with the environment. The proposed method will be demonstrated using an 18-Degrees of freedom (DOF) quadruped robot in simulation and experimental studies. The experimental setup is a small-size quadruped robot, which is composed of a rectangular plate as its main body with four legs that each one has three active joints with DC servo motors. Obtained results reveal that the robot can trot on uneven terrains stably. Besides, the comparison with the previous methods approves the merits of proposed algorithm on uneven terrains.


Author(s):  
Roscoe C. Bowen ◽  
Rami Seliktar ◽  
Tariq Rahman ◽  
Michael Alexander ◽  
Mena Scavina

A number of neuropathologies such as Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy (DMD), cause disability in the upper extremity due to the loss of muscle strength. This will eventually prevent the individual from moving their arms in three-dimensional space so it has been proposed that a robotic orthosis could support and augment movement. This orthosis would need to accommodate the movement capabilities of the user. To accomplish this, knowledge of how movements are formed and controlled in the presence of neuromuscular disease needs to be determined. While the arm was supported in a floatation device, DMD subjects were asked to make pointing movements to several targets in the transverse plane. This was done from two start positions while torso movement was constrained and unconstrained. The hand trajectories formed while the torso was constrained were essentially straight but at a cost to the uni-modality of the hand velocity profile. In this configuration the velocity profile contains several phases of acceleration and deceleration producing a multi-modal profile. However, the additional degrees of freedom introduced in the unconstrained torso configuration were employed is such a manner as to produce a smooth uni-modal hand velocity profile.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly R. Sutherland ◽  
Sean P. Colin ◽  
John H. Costello ◽  
Brad J. Gemmell

AbstractCoordination of multiple propulsors can provide performance benefits in swimming organisms. Siphonophores are marine colonial organisms that orchestrate the motion of multiple swimming zooids for effective swimming. However, the kinematics at the level of individual swimming zooids (nectophores) have not been examined in detail. We used high speed, high resolution microvideography and particle image velocimetry (PIV) of the physonect siphonophore, Nanomia bijuga, to study the motion of the nectophores and the associated fluid motion during jetting and refilling. The integration of nectophore and velum kinematics allow for a high-speed (maximum ~1 m s−1), narrow (1-2 mm) jet and rapid refill as well as a 1:1 ratio of jetting to refill time. Overall swimming performance is enhanced by velocity gradients produced in the nectophore during refill, which lead to a high pressure region that produces forward thrust. Generating thrust during both the jet and refill phases augments the distance travelled by 17% over theoretical animals, which generate thrust only during the jet phase. The details of velum kinematics and associated fluid mechanics elucidate how siphonophores effectively navigate three-dimensional space and could be applied to exit flow parameters in multijet underwater vehicles.Summary statement:Colonial siphonophores produce high speed jets and generate forward thrust during refill using a flexible velum to achieve effective propulsion.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 2223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron J. Pung ◽  
Michael D. Goldflam ◽  
D. Bruce Burckel ◽  
Igal Brener ◽  
Michael B. Sinclair ◽  
...  

Metamaterials research has developed perfect absorbers from microwave to optical frequencies, mainly featuring planar metamaterials, also referred to as metasurfaces. In this study, we investigated vertically oriented metamaterials, which make use of the entire three-dimensional space, as a new avenue to widen the spectral absorption band in the infrared regime between 20 and 40 THz. Vertically oriented metamaterials, such as those simulated in this work, can be experimentally realized through membrane projection lithography, which allows a single unit cell to be decorated with multiple resonators by exploiting the vertical dimension. In particular, we analyzed the cases of a unit cell containing a single vertical split-ring resonator (VSRR), a single planar split-ring resonator (PSRR), and both a VSRR and PSRR to explore intra-cell coupling between resonators. We show that the additional degrees of freedom enabled by placing multiple resonators in a unit cell lead to novel ways of achieving omnidirectional super absorption. Our results provide an innovative approach for controlling and designing engineered nanostructures.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaidong Tian ◽  
Bangji Zhang ◽  
Nong Zhang ◽  
Xuhui Liu ◽  
Jinchen Ji

A damper of the hydraulically interconnected suspension (HIS) system, as a quarter HIS, is prototyped and its damping characteristic is tested to characterize the damping property. The force-velocity characteristic of the prototype is analyzed based on a set of testing results and accordingly a piecewise hysteresis model for the damper is proposed. The proposed equivalent parametric model consists of two parts: hysteresis model in low speed region and saturation model in high speed region which are used to describe the hysteresis phenomenon in low speed and nonhysteresis phenomenon in high speed, respectively. The parameters of the model are identified based on genetic algorithm by setting the constraints of parameters according to their physical significances and the corresponding testing results. The advantages of the model are highlighted by comparing to the nonhysteresis model and the permanent hysteresis model. The numerical simulation results are compared with the testing results to validate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed model. Finally, to further verify the proposed model’s wide applicability under different excitation conditions, its results are compared to the testing results in three-dimensional space. The research in this paper is significant for the dynamic analysis of the HIS vehicle.


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