IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics

This paper describes the design and prototyping of a new high-performance actuation system that combines the benefits of conventional hydraulic systems and direct-drive electrical actuators, namely high torque/mass ratio and modularity. It is referred to as the electrohydraulic actuator (EHA) and results from the fusion of the above-mentioned technologies. The EHA is a unique device with its own c... View full abstract»

Jointed-member robotic devices (Arthrobots) can benefit from the pneumatic tug-and-twist technology. In particular, two crossed Twistor-pairs provide a flexural spherical joint in the form of a Twistor gimbal-drive. Previous papers have shown that the performance characteristics of both Tuggers and Twistors may be derived from a unique appropriate enthalpy function, which results in open-loop prop... View full abstract»

The development of a multiple-sensor coordinate measuring system (CMM) is introduced and its applications to automated part localization and rapid surface digitization are experimentally demonstrated. The developed multiple-sensor CMM is characterized by an integrated use of a high-precision CMM equipped with a motorized touch probe, and a 3D active vision system, advanced computational software, ... View full abstract»

The system under investigation is the hydraulically driven autonomous large scale-combined legged and wheeled vehicle, the anthropomorphically legged and wheeled Duisburg robot (ALDURO). In this paper, a complete mechatronic simulation model, realized in the object-oriented programming language C++, is presented. It contains the mechanical system including an explicit solution of the kinematic loo... View full abstract»

A distributed tele-operating system has been designed and simulated in our laboratory with model-based supervisory control to enable reduced human attendance. Dual sensory feedback channels, top-down image processing, and a global positional system permit robust vehicle pose recovery. The distributed network component design and model three-dimensional display are based on currently available tech... View full abstract»

The working of three-way catalytic converters (TWCs) is based on chemical reactions whose rates are nonlinear functions of temperature and reactant concentrations all along the device. The choice of suitable expressions and the tuning of their parameters is particularly difficult in dynamic conditions. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid modeling technique which allows one to preserve the most im... View full abstract»

An automated biomechatronic submicroliter fluid handling system for processing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been developed in the Genomation Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle. This first generation system, ACAPELLA-1K, can process 1000 samples in 8 h in preparation for DNA sequencing using sample volumes ten times smaller than current state-of-t... View full abstract»

A complete model-based control for traveling-wave-type ultrasonic motors is presented. The control scheme consists of inner control loops with respect to the oscillation systems, offering all meaningful degrees of freedom for adjusting the traveling bending wave, and outer control loops for torque and speed. After a brief review on modeling the actuator and presentation of a parameter identificati... View full abstract»

In this paper, the problem of designing a force controller for industrial robots with a positional interface is addressed. A systematic design procedure to compute structures and parameters of the controller is devised, to provide a useful tool for rapid and robust setup of force control at the industrial level. The proposed method for synthesis of the force controller simply requires technology p... View full abstract»

Various speech production substitutes which aim to reconstruct speech functions have been developed and used practically, for vocalization-handicapped persons. However, current speech production substitutes have problems, and it is hoped that perfect speech production substitutes are developed. We pay attention to a PZT ceramics vibrator as a sound source of an artificial larynx. We try to produce... View full abstract»

This paper investigates the possibility as to whether protozoa can be treated as a living micro manipulator/actuator. Motion control of protozoa is made by using the negative galvanotaxis. First, a basic property test with a DC electric field showed that the Paramecium could be controlled by the electrical potential gradient. By using the eight-direction carbon electrode pool (4 mm electrode dista... View full abstract»

The paper is based on a series of special events focusing on mechatronics education at the 1999 DEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics. The series consisted of two invited-paper sessions on “Teaching of Mechatronics” and a conference-wide roundtable discussion concerned with “Infrastructure for Mechatronics Education.” In the paper, a framew... View full abstract»

The nanoManipulator system adds a virtual-reality interface to an atomic-force microscope (AFM), thus providing a tool that can be used by scientists to image and manipulate nanometer-sized molecular structures in a controlled manner. As the AFM tip scans the sample, the tip-sample interaction forces are monitored, which, in turn, can yield information about the frictional, mechanical, material, a... View full abstract»

A nano-robotic manipulation system using an atomic force microscope probe as the pushing manipulator and force and topology sensor is proposed. The task is the two-dimensional positioning of nanometer-size particles on a substrate in ambient conditions. Thus, the modeling of interaction forces and dynamics during the pushing operation is analyzed, and compared with the experimental results for an ... View full abstract»