Reducing the peak actuating force(PAF)and parasitic displacement is of high significance for improving the performance of compliant parallel mechanisms(CPMs).In this study,a 2-DOF 4-4R compliant parallel pointing mech...Reducing the peak actuating force(PAF)and parasitic displacement is of high significance for improving the performance of compliant parallel mechanisms(CPMs).In this study,a 2-DOF 4-4R compliant parallel pointing mechanism(4-4R CPPM)was used as the object,and the actuating force of the mechanism was optimized through redundant actuation.This was aimed at minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement.First,a kinetostatic model of the redundantly actuated 4-4R CPPM was established to reveal the relationship between the input forces/displacements and the output displacements of the mobile platform.Subsequently,based on the established kinetostatic model,methods for optimizing the actuating force distribution with the aim of minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement were introduced successively.Second,a simulated example of a mobile platform’s spatial pointing trajectory validated the accuracy of the kinetostatic model.The results show a less than 0.9%relative error between the analytical and finite element(FE)results,and the high consistency indicates the accuracy of the kinetostatic model.Then,the effectiveness of the method in minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement was validated using two simulated examples.The results indicate that compared with the non-redundant actuation case,the PAF of the mechanism could be reduced by up to 50%,and the parasitic displacement was reduced by approximately three-four orders of magnitude by means of redundant actuation combined with the optimal distribution of the actuating force.As expected,with the reduction in parasitic displacement,the FE-results of the output angular displacements(θ_(x) andθ_(z))of the mobile platform were closer to the target oscillation trajectory.This further verified that the reduction in parasitic displacement is indeed effective in improving the motion accuracy of the mechanism.The advantage of this proposed method is that it reduces the PAF and parasitic displacement from the perspective of the actuating force control strategy,without the requirement of structural changes to the original mechanism.展开更多
The hydraulic exoskeleton is one research hotspot in the field of robotics,which can take heavy load due to the high power density of the hydraulic system.However,the traditional hydraulic system is normally centraliz...The hydraulic exoskeleton is one research hotspot in the field of robotics,which can take heavy load due to the high power density of the hydraulic system.However,the traditional hydraulic system is normally centralized,inefficient,and bulky during application,which limits its development in the exoskeleton.For improving the robot's performance,its hydraulic actuating system should be optimized further.In this paper a novel hydraulic actuating system(HAS)based on electric-hydrostatic actuator is proposed,which is applied to hip and knee joints.Each HAS integrates an electric servo motor,a high-speed micro pump,a specific tank,and other components into a module.The specific parameters are obtained through relevant simulation according to human motion data and load requirements.The dynamic models of the HAS are built,and validated by the system identification.Experiments of trajectory tracking and human-exoskeleton interaction are carried out,which demonstrate the proposed HAS has the ability to be applied to the exoskeleton.Compared with the previous prototype,the total weight of the HAS in the robot is reduced by about 40%,and the power density is increased by almost 1.6 times.展开更多
Piezoelectric ceramic element (PCE) is a kind of actuator applied widely on the intelligent material & structure. Establishing the relationship between the transferring stress and the controlling signal, namely t...Piezoelectric ceramic element (PCE) is a kind of actuator applied widely on the intelligent material & structure. Establishing the relationship between the transferring stress and the controlling signal, namely the transferring and actuating equation, is a key step to analyze the actuating performance of the PCE. Based on the method of the shear lag theory, the procedure of the stress transferring is analyzed and the transferring and actuating model is established in this paper. Some measurements for PCE(PZT5) actuating the Glass Fiber/Epoxy laminate have been done to verify the model established. The experimental results show that the theoretical model agrees well with the practice. Finally, the effect of the main factors on PCE actuating the laminate is studied by using the experimental and theoretical results.展开更多
Three kinds of landing gear actuating cylinder inner-locks of an aircrafi ： block ring lock, steel ball lock, finger lock are taken as the study object based on the mechanics, geometry, materials, technology etc and ...Three kinds of landing gear actuating cylinder inner-locks of an aircrafi ： block ring lock, steel ball lock, finger lock are taken as the study object based on the mechanics, geometry, materials, technology etc and some aircrafi typical inner-lock practical applications. The working principle of the three typical actuating cylinder innerlocks are expounded and the stress and workmanship requirements of the three inner-lock core components are analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of different kinds are compared and the characteristics and applications of the three inner-locks investigated. The research and analysis results provide valuable information for the actuating cylinder inner-lock of the aircraft landing gear design.展开更多
In this paper the conception of smart materials and structures is firstly combined with research of air bag,and the main theory of self adapting cushioning of intelligent air bag is expatiated.The intelligent venting...In this paper the conception of smart materials and structures is firstly combined with research of air bag,and the main theory of self adapting cushioning of intelligent air bag is expatiated.The intelligent venting structure is the main part affecting the cushioning result.Electrostrictive material was found having big force,high response speed and wide linearity,and it is fit to utilize in intelligent venting structure. The characteristic of the dynamic response and cushioning actuating of an electrostrictive stack actuator is analyzed,and the result of the computer simulation of the fuzzy control to intelligent venting structure is given.It is concluded that intelligent venting structure has good actuating characteristic and can satisfy the need of intelligent air bag.展开更多
The influence of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge was studied in detail.A loose coupling method was used to simulate the ...The influence of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge was studied in detail.A loose coupling method was used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogen–oxygen mixture in a detonation tube under different actuating voltage amplitudes and discharge gap sizes.Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process assisted by the plasma were analyzed.It was found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle keep unchanged as changing the two discharge operating parameters.However,the adoption of a higher actuating voltage leads to a higher active species concentration within the discharge zone,and atom H is the most sensitive to the variations of the actuating voltage amplitude among the given species.Adopting a larger discharge gap results in a lower concentration of the active species,and all species have the same sensitivity to the variations of the gap.With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube,the corresponding deflagration to detonation transition（DDT） time and distance become slightly longer when a higher actuating voltage is chosen.The acceleration effect of plasma is more prominent with a smaller discharge gap,and the benefit builds gradually throughout the DDT process.Generally,these two control parameters have little effect on the amplitude of the flow field parameters,and they do not alter the combustion degree within the reaction zone.展开更多
Aiming at studying the influence of actuating frequency on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge, a loosely coupled method is used to simulate the detonation initiat...Aiming at studying the influence of actuating frequency on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge, a loosely coupled method is used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogenoxygen mixture in a detonation tube at different actuating frequencies. Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process which is assisted by the plasma are analyzed. It is found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle are not changed by the actuating frequency. However, the concentration of every species decreases as the actuating frequency rises, and atom O is the most sensitive to this variation, which is related to the decrease of discharge power. With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube, the deflagration-todetonation transition（DDT） time and distance both increase as the actuating frequency rises, but the degree of effect on DDT development during flow field evolution is erratic. Generally, the actuating frequency affects none of the amplitude value of the pressure, temperature, species concentration of the flow field, and the combustion degree within the reaction zone.展开更多
The paper addresses the designs of a caudal peduncle actuator, which is able to furnish a thrust for swimming of a robotic fish. The caudal peduncle actuator is based on concepts of ferromagnetic shape memory alloy （...The paper addresses the designs of a caudal peduncle actuator, which is able to furnish a thrust for swimming of a robotic fish. The caudal peduncle actuator is based on concepts of ferromagnetic shape memory alloy （FSMA） composite and hybrid mechanism that can provide a fast response and a strong thrust. The caudal peduncle actuator was inspired by Scomber Scombrus which utilises thunniform mode swimming, which is the most efficient locomotion mode evolved in the aquatic environment, where the thrust is generated by the lift-based method, allowing high cruising speeds to be maintained for a long period of time. The morphology of an average size Scomber Scombrus （length in 310 mm） was investigated, and a 1：1 scale caudal peduncle actuator prototype was modelled and fabricated. The propulsive wave characteristics of the fish at steady speeds were employed as initial design objectives. Some key design parameters are investigated, i.e. aspect ratio （AR） （AR = 3.49）, Reynolds number （Re = 429 649）, reduced frequency （σ = 1.03）, Strouhal number （St = 0.306） and the maximum strain of the bent tail was estimated at ε = 1.11% which is in the range of superelasticity. The experimental test of the actuator was carried out in a water tank. By applying 7 V and 2.5 A, the actuator can reach the tip-to-tip rotational angle of 85° at 4 Hz.展开更多
In micro-electrochemical machining(μECM), material dissolution takes place at very close vicinity of tool electrode due to localization of electric field. Controlling the gap between tool electrode and workpiece is t...In micro-electrochemical machining(μECM), material dissolution takes place at very close vicinity of tool electrode due to localization of electric field. Controlling the gap between tool electrode and workpiece is the key to μECM. Therefore, a new method is proposed to solve a variety of problems in small gap control. In the present context, experiments were carried out with an indigenously developed setup to fabricate cylindrical arrays. During the machining process, the flat electrode bends due to electrostatic force in pulse on-time, which self-adaptively narrows the gap between the electrode and the workpiece. The workpiece material will be removed once the gap meets the processing condition. Therefore, this method has advantages of reducing dependence on high precision machine tools and of avoiding complex servo control. The flat electrode quickly restores to its original condition when it is in pulse off-time, making the gap much larger than that in traditional electrochemical machining(ECM). The large gap benefits debris removing, which improves the machining accuracy. The influence of different experimental parameters on accuracy and efficiency during the machining process has been investigated. It is observed that with the increase in applied voltage or concentration of electrolyte, the material removal rate and the process gap both increase. The detailed analysis of the experimental results is described in this paper.展开更多
Multi-functional smart textiles are receiving a lot of attention for their tremendous application devel-opment in the fields of personal thermal management,artificial muscle,electronic skin,and human-machine interacti...Multi-functional smart textiles are receiving a lot of attention for their tremendous application devel-opment in the fields of personal thermal management,artificial muscle,electronic skin,and human-machine interaction.For the complex use of many different smart textiles,designing a multifunctional textile that integrates personal thermal management,smart sensing,and flexible actuating is still a great challenge.Here,we decorated MXene on elastic fabrics by simple dip-coating and asymmetric Ecoflex encapsulation protocol to obtain electrical/optical dual-energy-driven wearable heaters with highly re-sponsive actuating and strain-sensing performance.The MXene fabric-based heaters(MFHs)have high efficiency of Joule heating(Steady state temperature of 116.7℃ at 12 V)and photothermal conversion performance(180.3℃ in 60 s under the near infrared lamp irradiation,up to 57.5℃ under 600 W m^(-2) simulated solar irradiation).Benefiting from high electrical/optical dual-energy conversion efficiency,MFH has a fast photothermal driving effect(bending angle up to 360°in 5 s)due to the different curvature of thermal expansion on both sides of the fabric.Interestingly,MFH has the capability to monitor human strain(such as muscle and joint movements).Based on the above excellent performance,we finally be-lieve that the MFHs have broad application prospects in the fields of all-weather body heat management,health monitoring,thermal health care,and thermal robotics.展开更多
Achieving autonomously responding to external stimuli and providing real-time feedback on their motion state are key challenges in soft robotics.Herein,we propose an asymmetric three-layer hydrogel muscle with integra...Achieving autonomously responding to external stimuli and providing real-time feedback on their motion state are key challenges in soft robotics.Herein,we propose an asymmetric three-layer hydrogel muscle with integrated sensing and actuating performances.The actuating layer,made of p(NIPAm-HEMA),features an open pore structure,enabling it to achieve 58%volume shrinkage in just 8 s.The customizable heater allows for efficient programmable deformation of the actuating layer.A strain-responsive hydrogel layer,with a linear response of up to 50%strain,is designed to sense the deformation process.Leveraging these actuating and sensing capabilities,we develop an integrated hydrogel muscle that can recognize lifted objects with various weights or grasped objects of different sizes.Furthermore,we demonstrate a self-crawling robot to showcase the application potential of the hydrogel muscle for soft robots working in aquatic environments.This robot,featuring a modular distributed sensing and actuating layer,can autonomously move forward under closed-loop control based on self-detected resistance signals.The strategy of modular distributed stimuli-responsive sensing and actuating materials offers unprecedented capabilities for creating smart and multifunctional soft robotics.展开更多
Despite enormous efforts in actuators,most researches are only limited to various actuation behaviors and demonstrations of soft materials.It has not yet been reported to capture and monitor its movement status in an ...Despite enormous efforts in actuators,most researches are only limited to various actuation behaviors and demonstrations of soft materials.It has not yet been reported to capture and monitor its movement status in an invisible environment.Therefore,it is of great significance to develop a self-sensing and self-actuating dual-function hydrogel actuator system to realize real-time monitoring.Here,we report a bifunctional hydrogel system with self-actuating and self-monitoring abilities,which combines the functions of photothermal actuation and electrical resistance sensing into a single material.The bilayer tough conductive hydrogel synthesized by unconventional complementary concentration recombination and cryogenic freezing technique presents a dense conductive network and high-porosity structure,achieving high toughness at 190.3 kPa of tensile strength,high stretchability(164.3%strain),and the toughness dramatically(1,471.4 kJ·m^(−3)).The working mechanism of the monitoring and self-sensing system is accomplished through the integrated monitoring device of surface temperature–bending angle–electron current,to solve the problem of not apperceiving actuator motion state when encountering obstacles in an invisible environment.We demonstrated for the first time a photothermal actuator’s motion of a football player and goalkeeper to finish the penalty and a soft actuator hand,which can achieve the action of sticking to grab and release under photo-thermal actuation.When connected to the control closed circuit,the actuator realized closed-loop monitoring and sensing feedback.The development of bifunctional hydrogel systems may bring new opportunities and ideas in the fields of material science,circuit technology,sensors,and mechanical engineering.展开更多
This paper studies cooperative robust parallel operation of multiple actuators over an undirected communication graph.The plant is modeled as an uncertain linear system,and the actuators are linear and identical.Based...This paper studies cooperative robust parallel operation of multiple actuators over an undirected communication graph.The plant is modeled as an uncertain linear system,and the actuators are linear and identical.Based on the internal model principle,a distributed dynamic output feedback control law is proposed to achieve both robust output regulation of the closed-loop system and plant input sharing among the actuators.A practical example of five motors cooperatively driving an uncertain shaft under an external load torque is presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control law.展开更多
Dear Editor,This letter addresses the challenge of achieving robust global coordination in multi-agent systems(MASs)subject to heterogeneous actuator saturation and additive input disturbances.We develop a novel distr...Dear Editor,This letter addresses the challenge of achieving robust global coordination in multi-agent systems(MASs)subject to heterogeneous actuator saturation and additive input disturbances.We develop a novel distributed control framework that strategically integrates a redesigned saturation function to handle the nonlinear actuator constraint and a high-gain feedback mechanism for effective disturbance rejection.展开更多
Soft actuators,capable of producing mechanical work in response to external stimuli,have potential applications in robotics and exoskeletons.However,they face major challenges related to energy supply,especially in lo...Soft actuators,capable of producing mechanical work in response to external stimuli,have potential applications in robotics and exoskeletons.However,they face major challenges related to energy supply,especially in long-distance and miniaturized environments.Fuel-driven actuators offer a promising solution by enabling the conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy,supporting selfsustaining operations.Chemical energy from fuel can be converted into mechanical energy either directly or indirectly through methods such as electron transfer-induced charge injection,structural changes,fuel-to-electricity conversion,fuel combustioninduced heat,or fuel-induced pneumatic actuation.This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in fuel-powered actuators,covering their fundamental principles,advancements,and challenges.It concludes with an outlook for miniaturized and autonomous robots,highlighting the great potential of integrating fuel-powered actuators.展开更多
Dear Editor,This letter presents a model predictive control(MPC)scheme for human-robot interaction(HRI)in a multi-joint exoskeleton robot(ER)driven by series elastic actuator(SEA).The proposed scheme in robot-in-charg...Dear Editor,This letter presents a model predictive control(MPC)scheme for human-robot interaction(HRI)in a multi-joint exoskeleton robot(ER)driven by series elastic actuator(SEA).The proposed scheme in robot-in-charge(RIC)mode facilitates the ER driven by SEA to provide the required assistance and support for the subject.展开更多
This paper proposes a fault-tolerant control scheme for Euler-Lagrange systems that ensures the tracking error decays to a pre-specified accuracy level within a prescribed time period,despite unknown actuation charact...This paper proposes a fault-tolerant control scheme for Euler-Lagrange systems that ensures the tracking error decays to a pre-specified accuracy level within a prescribed time period,despite unknown actuation characteristics and potential fading powering faults.By performing deliberately designed coordinate transformations on the tracking error,the complex and demanding problem of“reaching specified precision within a given time”is transformed into a bounded control problem,facilitating the development of the control scheme.To enhance practicality,the design incorporates smooth function fitting and dynamic surface control techniques.Additionally,the proposed control algorithm is robust to faults,effectively handling a combination of fading powering faults and additive actuator faults without requiring additional human intervention.Numerical simulations on a two-link robotic manipulator verify the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.展开更多
This study develops an event-triggered control strategy utilizing the fully actuated system approach for nonlinear interconnected large-scale systems containing actuator failures.First,to reduce the complexity of the ...This study develops an event-triggered control strategy utilizing the fully actuated system approach for nonlinear interconnected large-scale systems containing actuator failures.First,to reduce the complexity of the design process,we transform the studied system into the form of a fully actuated system through a state transformation.Then,to address the unknown nonlinear functions and actuator fault parameters,we employ neural networks and adaptive estimation techniques,respectively.Moreover,to reduce the control cost and improve the control efficiency,we introduce event-triggered inputs into the control strategy.It is proved by the Lyapunov stability analysis that all signals of the closed-loop system are bounded and the output of system eventually converge to a bounded region.The efficacy of the control approach is ultimately demonstrated via the simulation of an actual machine feeding system.展开更多
Azobenzene-based polymer actuators show great promise for photoactuation owing to their unique photoisomerization behavior and tailorable molecular programmability.However,conventional systems are limited by inadequat...Azobenzene-based polymer actuators show great promise for photoactuation owing to their unique photoisomerization behavior and tailorable molecular programmability.However,conventional systems are limited by inadequate mechanical robustness,self-healing,and recyclability,hindering their practical implementation.Herein,we present a high-performance azobenzene-functionalized polyurethane(AzoPU)elastomer actuator designed via molecular engineering of photoactive azobenzene moieties and dynamic disulfide bonds.AzoPU exhibits exceptional mechanical properties with retained performance after multiple reshaping cycles,enabled by well-engineered hard-soft segments and synergistic stress dissipation from weak covalent bonds/hierarchical hydrogen bonds.It achieves over 93%self-healing efficiency at room temperature owing to the synergistic interplay of disulfide bonds in the polymer backbone and intermolecular hydrogen bonds.Furthermore,it demonstrates remarkable light-triggered actuation behavior,achieving a phototropic bending angle exceeding 180°toward the light source within 45 s.To showcase its practical potential,proof-of-concept photoactuated devices with flower-,hook-,and gripper-like and local-orientation processed strip-shaped structures were fabricated,which exhibited rapid and reversible light-triggered deformation.This study proposes a novel strategy for the development of intelligent polymeric materials that integrate light responsiveness,self-healing,and recyclability,thus holding great promise for applications in flexible electronics,smart actuators,and sustainable functional materials.展开更多
In recent years,the rising incidence of gastrointestinal(GI)cancer has triggered an urgent need for effective early intervention strategies.Traditional endoscopic techniques often cause patient discomfort,and it is di...In recent years,the rising incidence of gastrointestinal(GI)cancer has triggered an urgent need for effective early intervention strategies.Traditional endoscopic techniques often cause patient discomfort,and it is difficult to navigate deep regions of complex organ structures.This work proposes a kind of bio-inspired magnetic soft robot(BMSR)to address these challenges.The design of the BMSRs is inspired by the rolling motion of the golden wheel spider.Two six-degree-of-freedom(6-DOF)robotic arms are used,where one arm is responsible for real-time manipulation of the BMSRs,and the other is dedicated to monitoring their status.Under the actuation of an external rotating magnetic field,the BMSRs can flexibly climb on inclined surfaces at any angle,involving the inverted surface.Through the powerful output force,the BMSRs can overcome the mobility barrier induced by different human organs,including mucus,folds,and height differences of up to 8 cm.Such an exceptional mobility enables the BMSRs to deliver drugs in the targeted complex GI environment.Moreover,in combination with an endoscope,it provides real-time visual feedback for precise navigation.In vitro animal experiments validate the feasibility of BMSRs,paving a way for their usage in minimally invasive GI treatment.This work advances the potential applications of magnetic soft robots in the biomedical field.展开更多
基金Supported by Key Project of Hubei Provincial Department of Education Research Program(Grant No.D20211401).
文摘Reducing the peak actuating force(PAF)and parasitic displacement is of high significance for improving the performance of compliant parallel mechanisms(CPMs).In this study,a 2-DOF 4-4R compliant parallel pointing mechanism(4-4R CPPM)was used as the object,and the actuating force of the mechanism was optimized through redundant actuation.This was aimed at minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement.First,a kinetostatic model of the redundantly actuated 4-4R CPPM was established to reveal the relationship between the input forces/displacements and the output displacements of the mobile platform.Subsequently,based on the established kinetostatic model,methods for optimizing the actuating force distribution with the aim of minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement were introduced successively.Second,a simulated example of a mobile platform’s spatial pointing trajectory validated the accuracy of the kinetostatic model.The results show a less than 0.9%relative error between the analytical and finite element(FE)results,and the high consistency indicates the accuracy of the kinetostatic model.Then,the effectiveness of the method in minimizing the PAF and parasitic displacement was validated using two simulated examples.The results indicate that compared with the non-redundant actuation case,the PAF of the mechanism could be reduced by up to 50%,and the parasitic displacement was reduced by approximately three-four orders of magnitude by means of redundant actuation combined with the optimal distribution of the actuating force.As expected,with the reduction in parasitic displacement,the FE-results of the output angular displacements(θ_(x) andθ_(z))of the mobile platform were closer to the target oscillation trajectory.This further verified that the reduction in parasitic displacement is indeed effective in improving the motion accuracy of the mechanism.The advantage of this proposed method is that it reduces the PAF and parasitic displacement from the perspective of the actuating force control strategy,without the requirement of structural changes to the original mechanism.
基金Supported by Nati onal Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2018YFB1305400,2018YFB1305402)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.518902883)Fun dame ntal Resea rch Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.2018XZZX001-04).
文摘The hydraulic exoskeleton is one research hotspot in the field of robotics,which can take heavy load due to the high power density of the hydraulic system.However,the traditional hydraulic system is normally centralized,inefficient,and bulky during application,which limits its development in the exoskeleton.For improving the robot's performance,its hydraulic actuating system should be optimized further.In this paper a novel hydraulic actuating system(HAS)based on electric-hydrostatic actuator is proposed,which is applied to hip and knee joints.Each HAS integrates an electric servo motor,a high-speed micro pump,a specific tank,and other components into a module.The specific parameters are obtained through relevant simulation according to human motion data and load requirements.The dynamic models of the HAS are built,and validated by the system identification.Experiments of trajectory tracking and human-exoskeleton interaction are carried out,which demonstrate the proposed HAS has the ability to be applied to the exoskeleton.Compared with the previous prototype,the total weight of the HAS in the robot is reduced by about 40%,and the power density is increased by almost 1.6 times.
文摘Piezoelectric ceramic element (PCE) is a kind of actuator applied widely on the intelligent material & structure. Establishing the relationship between the transferring stress and the controlling signal, namely the transferring and actuating equation, is a key step to analyze the actuating performance of the PCE. Based on the method of the shear lag theory, the procedure of the stress transferring is analyzed and the transferring and actuating model is established in this paper. Some measurements for PCE(PZT5) actuating the Glass Fiber/Epoxy laminate have been done to verify the model established. The experimental results show that the theoretical model agrees well with the practice. Finally, the effect of the main factors on PCE actuating the laminate is studied by using the experimental and theoretical results.
文摘Three kinds of landing gear actuating cylinder inner-locks of an aircrafi ： block ring lock, steel ball lock, finger lock are taken as the study object based on the mechanics, geometry, materials, technology etc and some aircrafi typical inner-lock practical applications. The working principle of the three typical actuating cylinder innerlocks are expounded and the stress and workmanship requirements of the three inner-lock core components are analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of different kinds are compared and the characteristics and applications of the three inner-locks investigated. The research and analysis results provide valuable information for the actuating cylinder inner-lock of the aircraft landing gear design.
文摘In this paper the conception of smart materials and structures is firstly combined with research of air bag,and the main theory of self adapting cushioning of intelligent air bag is expatiated.The intelligent venting structure is the main part affecting the cushioning result.Electrostrictive material was found having big force,high response speed and wide linearity,and it is fit to utilize in intelligent venting structure. The characteristic of the dynamic response and cushioning actuating of an electrostrictive stack actuator is analyzed,and the result of the computer simulation of the fuzzy control to intelligent venting structure is given.It is concluded that intelligent venting structure has good actuating characteristic and can satisfy the need of intelligent air bag.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China with grant numbers 91441123,51777214the Open Project of Science and Technology on Scramjet Laboratory with grant number CG-2014-05-118 under the technical monitor of program manager Dr Zhiyong Lin
文摘The influence of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge was studied in detail.A loose coupling method was used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogen–oxygen mixture in a detonation tube under different actuating voltage amplitudes and discharge gap sizes.Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process assisted by the plasma were analyzed.It was found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle keep unchanged as changing the two discharge operating parameters.However,the adoption of a higher actuating voltage leads to a higher active species concentration within the discharge zone,and atom H is the most sensitive to the variations of the actuating voltage amplitude among the given species.Adopting a larger discharge gap results in a lower concentration of the active species,and all species have the same sensitivity to the variations of the gap.With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube,the corresponding deflagration to detonation transition（DDT） time and distance become slightly longer when a higher actuating voltage is chosen.The acceleration effect of plasma is more prominent with a smaller discharge gap,and the benefit builds gradually throughout the DDT process.Generally,these two control parameters have little effect on the amplitude of the flow field parameters,and they do not alter the combustion degree within the reaction zone.
基金Project supported by the Open Project of Science and Technology on Scramjet Laboratory,China(Grant No.CG-2014-05-118)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.91441123)
文摘Aiming at studying the influence of actuating frequency on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge, a loosely coupled method is used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogenoxygen mixture in a detonation tube at different actuating frequencies. Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process which is assisted by the plasma are analyzed. It is found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle are not changed by the actuating frequency. However, the concentration of every species decreases as the actuating frequency rises, and atom O is the most sensitive to this variation, which is related to the decrease of discharge power. With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube, the deflagration-todetonation transition（DDT） time and distance both increase as the actuating frequency rises, but the degree of effect on DDT development during flow field evolution is erratic. Generally, the actuating frequency affects none of the amplitude value of the pressure, temperature, species concentration of the flow field, and the combustion degree within the reaction zone.
文摘The paper addresses the designs of a caudal peduncle actuator, which is able to furnish a thrust for swimming of a robotic fish. The caudal peduncle actuator is based on concepts of ferromagnetic shape memory alloy （FSMA） composite and hybrid mechanism that can provide a fast response and a strong thrust. The caudal peduncle actuator was inspired by Scomber Scombrus which utilises thunniform mode swimming, which is the most efficient locomotion mode evolved in the aquatic environment, where the thrust is generated by the lift-based method, allowing high cruising speeds to be maintained for a long period of time. The morphology of an average size Scomber Scombrus （length in 310 mm） was investigated, and a 1：1 scale caudal peduncle actuator prototype was modelled and fabricated. The propulsive wave characteristics of the fish at steady speeds were employed as initial design objectives. Some key design parameters are investigated, i.e. aspect ratio （AR） （AR = 3.49）, Reynolds number （Re = 429 649）, reduced frequency （σ = 1.03）, Strouhal number （St = 0.306） and the maximum strain of the bent tail was estimated at ε = 1.11% which is in the range of superelasticity. The experimental test of the actuator was carried out in a water tank. By applying 7 V and 2.5 A, the actuator can reach the tip-to-tip rotational angle of 85° at 4 Hz.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51105110,51475107)Shenzhen Basic Research Program(Grant No.JCYJ20170811160440239)
文摘In micro-electrochemical machining(μECM), material dissolution takes place at very close vicinity of tool electrode due to localization of electric field. Controlling the gap between tool electrode and workpiece is the key to μECM. Therefore, a new method is proposed to solve a variety of problems in small gap control. In the present context, experiments were carried out with an indigenously developed setup to fabricate cylindrical arrays. During the machining process, the flat electrode bends due to electrostatic force in pulse on-time, which self-adaptively narrows the gap between the electrode and the workpiece. The workpiece material will be removed once the gap meets the processing condition. Therefore, this method has advantages of reducing dependence on high precision machine tools and of avoiding complex servo control. The flat electrode quickly restores to its original condition when it is in pulse off-time, making the gap much larger than that in traditional electrochemical machining(ECM). The large gap benefits debris removing, which improves the machining accuracy. The influence of different experimental parameters on accuracy and efficiency during the machining process has been investigated. It is observed that with the increase in applied voltage or concentration of electrolyte, the material removal rate and the process gap both increase. The detailed analysis of the experimental results is described in this paper.
基金the Key Research and Development Program of the Science and Technology Bureau of Ningbo City(Grant No.2023Z082)supported by the Major scientific and technologic project of Fuzhou Science and Technology Project Plan(No.2022-ZD-007)+2 种基金by the Jiangxi Provincial Administration for Market Regulation(No.GSJK202221)by the Natural Science Foundation Project of Shanghai“science and technology innovation action plan”(Nos.20ZR1400200 and 22ZR1400500)supported by Project(No.Grant52173218)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,and funded by Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Advanced Textiles.
文摘Multi-functional smart textiles are receiving a lot of attention for their tremendous application devel-opment in the fields of personal thermal management,artificial muscle,electronic skin,and human-machine interaction.For the complex use of many different smart textiles,designing a multifunctional textile that integrates personal thermal management,smart sensing,and flexible actuating is still a great challenge.Here,we decorated MXene on elastic fabrics by simple dip-coating and asymmetric Ecoflex encapsulation protocol to obtain electrical/optical dual-energy-driven wearable heaters with highly re-sponsive actuating and strain-sensing performance.The MXene fabric-based heaters(MFHs)have high efficiency of Joule heating(Steady state temperature of 116.7℃ at 12 V)and photothermal conversion performance(180.3℃ in 60 s under the near infrared lamp irradiation,up to 57.5℃ under 600 W m^(-2) simulated solar irradiation).Benefiting from high electrical/optical dual-energy conversion efficiency,MFH has a fast photothermal driving effect(bending angle up to 360°in 5 s)due to the different curvature of thermal expansion on both sides of the fabric.Interestingly,MFH has the capability to monitor human strain(such as muscle and joint movements).Based on the above excellent performance,we finally be-lieve that the MFHs have broad application prospects in the fields of all-weather body heat management,health monitoring,thermal health care,and thermal robotics.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Development Fund of Macao SAR(File No.0117/2024/AMJ)the University of Macao(MYRGGRG2023-00041-FST-UMDF,MYRG-GRG2024-00121-FST-UMDF,MYRGCRG2024-00014-FST-ICI).
文摘Achieving autonomously responding to external stimuli and providing real-time feedback on their motion state are key challenges in soft robotics.Herein,we propose an asymmetric three-layer hydrogel muscle with integrated sensing and actuating performances.The actuating layer,made of p(NIPAm-HEMA),features an open pore structure,enabling it to achieve 58%volume shrinkage in just 8 s.The customizable heater allows for efficient programmable deformation of the actuating layer.A strain-responsive hydrogel layer,with a linear response of up to 50%strain,is designed to sense the deformation process.Leveraging these actuating and sensing capabilities,we develop an integrated hydrogel muscle that can recognize lifted objects with various weights or grasped objects of different sizes.Furthermore,we demonstrate a self-crawling robot to showcase the application potential of the hydrogel muscle for soft robots working in aquatic environments.This robot,featuring a modular distributed sensing and actuating layer,can autonomously move forward under closed-loop control based on self-detected resistance signals.The strategy of modular distributed stimuli-responsive sensing and actuating materials offers unprecedented capabilities for creating smart and multifunctional soft robotics.
基金the Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum,Beijing(No.2462019BJRC007)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22178384).
文摘Despite enormous efforts in actuators,most researches are only limited to various actuation behaviors and demonstrations of soft materials.It has not yet been reported to capture and monitor its movement status in an invisible environment.Therefore,it is of great significance to develop a self-sensing and self-actuating dual-function hydrogel actuator system to realize real-time monitoring.Here,we report a bifunctional hydrogel system with self-actuating and self-monitoring abilities,which combines the functions of photothermal actuation and electrical resistance sensing into a single material.The bilayer tough conductive hydrogel synthesized by unconventional complementary concentration recombination and cryogenic freezing technique presents a dense conductive network and high-porosity structure,achieving high toughness at 190.3 kPa of tensile strength,high stretchability(164.3%strain),and the toughness dramatically(1,471.4 kJ·m^(−3)).The working mechanism of the monitoring and self-sensing system is accomplished through the integrated monitoring device of surface temperature–bending angle–electron current,to solve the problem of not apperceiving actuator motion state when encountering obstacles in an invisible environment.We demonstrated for the first time a photothermal actuator’s motion of a football player and goalkeeper to finish the penalty and a soft actuator hand,which can achieve the action of sticking to grab and release under photo-thermal actuation.When connected to the control closed circuit,the actuator realized closed-loop monitoring and sensing feedback.The development of bifunctional hydrogel systems may bring new opportunities and ideas in the fields of material science,circuit technology,sensors,and mechanical engineering.
基金Supported by the Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Control Theory and Intelligent Systems (ZDSYS20220330161800001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (62303207)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2024A1515010725)。
文摘This paper studies cooperative robust parallel operation of multiple actuators over an undirected communication graph.The plant is modeled as an uncertain linear system,and the actuators are linear and identical.Based on the internal model principle,a distributed dynamic output feedback control law is proposed to achieve both robust output regulation of the closed-loop system and plant input sharing among the actuators.A practical example of five motors cooperatively driving an uncertain shaft under an external load torque is presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control law.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62522313,62473207,U25A20301)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2024SMECP03)。
文摘Dear Editor,This letter addresses the challenge of achieving robust global coordination in multi-agent systems(MASs)subject to heterogeneous actuator saturation and additive input disturbances.We develop a novel distributed control framework that strategically integrates a redesigned saturation function to handle the nonlinear actuator constraint and a high-gain feedback mechanism for effective disturbance rejection.
基金Financial support from the program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.52475059)Major Program of National Natural Science Founda-tion of China(NSFC)for Basic Theory and Key Technology of Tri-Co Robots(92248301)+3 种基金the Postdoctoral Research Foundation of China(No.2024M751167)the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST(2023QNRC001)Jiangsu Province Natural Science Foundation(No.BK20240155)supported by the Nano&Material Technology Development Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF),funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT(RS2024-00406534,RS-2025-25442809)。
文摘Soft actuators,capable of producing mechanical work in response to external stimuli,have potential applications in robotics and exoskeletons.However,they face major challenges related to energy supply,especially in long-distance and miniaturized environments.Fuel-driven actuators offer a promising solution by enabling the conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy,supporting selfsustaining operations.Chemical energy from fuel can be converted into mechanical energy either directly or indirectly through methods such as electron transfer-induced charge injection,structural changes,fuel-to-electricity conversion,fuel combustioninduced heat,or fuel-induced pneumatic actuation.This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in fuel-powered actuators,covering their fundamental principles,advancements,and challenges.It concludes with an outlook for miniaturized and autonomous robots,highlighting the great potential of integrating fuel-powered actuators.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62173048,62373065,61873304,62106023)the Key Science and Technology Projects of Jilin Province,China(20230204081YY)the Research and Innovation Team of Anhui Province(2024AH010023)。
文摘Dear Editor,This letter presents a model predictive control(MPC)scheme for human-robot interaction(HRI)in a multi-joint exoskeleton robot(ER)driven by series elastic actuator(SEA).The proposed scheme in robot-in-charge(RIC)mode facilitates the ER driven by SEA to provide the required assistance and support for the subject.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(W2411061,624B2029)the Graduate Research and Innovation Foundation of Chongqing,China(CYS20069)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2024CDJYXTD-007)the Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing(CSTB2023NSCQ-LZX0026).
文摘This paper proposes a fault-tolerant control scheme for Euler-Lagrange systems that ensures the tracking error decays to a pre-specified accuracy level within a prescribed time period,despite unknown actuation characteristics and potential fading powering faults.By performing deliberately designed coordinate transformations on the tracking error,the complex and demanding problem of“reaching specified precision within a given time”is transformed into a bounded control problem,facilitating the development of the control scheme.To enhance practicality,the design incorporates smooth function fitting and dynamic surface control techniques.Additionally,the proposed control algorithm is robust to faults,effectively handling a combination of fading powering faults and additive actuator faults without requiring additional human intervention.Numerical simulations on a two-link robotic manipulator verify the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.
基金supported by the Science Center Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 62188101the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 62573265.
文摘This study develops an event-triggered control strategy utilizing the fully actuated system approach for nonlinear interconnected large-scale systems containing actuator failures.First,to reduce the complexity of the design process,we transform the studied system into the form of a fully actuated system through a state transformation.Then,to address the unknown nonlinear functions and actuator fault parameters,we employ neural networks and adaptive estimation techniques,respectively.Moreover,to reduce the control cost and improve the control efficiency,we introduce event-triggered inputs into the control strategy.It is proved by the Lyapunov stability analysis that all signals of the closed-loop system are bounded and the output of system eventually converge to a bounded region.The efficacy of the control approach is ultimately demonstrated via the simulation of an actual machine feeding system.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52503154)Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(Nos.ZR2022MB034 and ZR2025QC512)。
文摘Azobenzene-based polymer actuators show great promise for photoactuation owing to their unique photoisomerization behavior and tailorable molecular programmability.However,conventional systems are limited by inadequate mechanical robustness,self-healing,and recyclability,hindering their practical implementation.Herein,we present a high-performance azobenzene-functionalized polyurethane(AzoPU)elastomer actuator designed via molecular engineering of photoactive azobenzene moieties and dynamic disulfide bonds.AzoPU exhibits exceptional mechanical properties with retained performance after multiple reshaping cycles,enabled by well-engineered hard-soft segments and synergistic stress dissipation from weak covalent bonds/hierarchical hydrogen bonds.It achieves over 93%self-healing efficiency at room temperature owing to the synergistic interplay of disulfide bonds in the polymer backbone and intermolecular hydrogen bonds.Furthermore,it demonstrates remarkable light-triggered actuation behavior,achieving a phototropic bending angle exceeding 180°toward the light source within 45 s.To showcase its practical potential,proof-of-concept photoactuated devices with flower-,hook-,and gripper-like and local-orientation processed strip-shaped structures were fabricated,which exhibited rapid and reversible light-triggered deformation.This study proposes a novel strategy for the development of intelligent polymeric materials that integrate light responsiveness,self-healing,and recyclability,thus holding great promise for applications in flexible electronics,smart actuators,and sustainable functional materials.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant 52175556the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund under grant 0004/2022/AKP,0102/2022/A2,and 0078/2023/RIB3+1 种基金the Research Committee of the University of Macao under grants MYRG2022-00068-FST and MYRG-CRG202200004-FST-ICIthe Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation under grant 2023A1515011178。
文摘In recent years,the rising incidence of gastrointestinal(GI)cancer has triggered an urgent need for effective early intervention strategies.Traditional endoscopic techniques often cause patient discomfort,and it is difficult to navigate deep regions of complex organ structures.This work proposes a kind of bio-inspired magnetic soft robot(BMSR)to address these challenges.The design of the BMSRs is inspired by the rolling motion of the golden wheel spider.Two six-degree-of-freedom(6-DOF)robotic arms are used,where one arm is responsible for real-time manipulation of the BMSRs,and the other is dedicated to monitoring their status.Under the actuation of an external rotating magnetic field,the BMSRs can flexibly climb on inclined surfaces at any angle,involving the inverted surface.Through the powerful output force,the BMSRs can overcome the mobility barrier induced by different human organs,including mucus,folds,and height differences of up to 8 cm.Such an exceptional mobility enables the BMSRs to deliver drugs in the targeted complex GI environment.Moreover,in combination with an endoscope,it provides real-time visual feedback for precise navigation.In vitro animal experiments validate the feasibility of BMSRs,paving a way for their usage in minimally invasive GI treatment.This work advances the potential applications of magnetic soft robots in the biomedical field.
