Design and application of a cellular, piezoelectric, artificial muscle actuator for biorobotic systems

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-227).One of the foremost challenges in robotics is the development of muscle-like actuators that have the capability to reproduce the smooth motions observed in animals. Biological muscles have a unique cellular structure that departs from traditional electromechanical actuators in several ways. A muscle consists of a vast number of muscle fibers and, more fundamentally, sarcomeres that act as cellular units or building blocks. A muscle's output force and displacement are the aggregate effect of the individual building blocks. Thus, without using gearing or transmissions, muscles can be tailored to a range of loads, satisfying specific force and displacement requirements. These natural actuators are desirable for biorobotic applications, but many of their characteristics have been difficult to reproduce artificially. This thesis develops and applies a new artificial muscle actuator based on piezoelectric technology. The essential approach is to use a subdivided, cellular architecture inspired by natural muscle. The primary contributions of this work stem from three sequential aims. The first aim is to develop the operating principles and design of the actuator cellular units. The basic operating principle of the actuator involves nested flexural amplifiers applied to piezoelectric stacks thereby creating an output length strain commensurate with natural muscle. The second aim is to further improve performance of the actuator design by imparting tunable stiffness and resonance capabilities. This work demonstrates a previously unavailable level of tunability in both stiffness and resonance. The final aim is to showcase the capabilities of the actuator design by developing an underwater biorobotic fish system that utilizes the actuators for resonance-based locomotion. Each aspect of this thesis is supported by rigorous analysis and functional prototypes that augment broadly applicable design concepts.by Thomas William Secord.Ph.D

Influence of feed drives on the structural dynamics of large-scale machine tools

Milling is one of the most widely used processes in the manufacturing industry and demands machines with high productivity rates. In large machine tool applications, the cutting capability is mainly limited by the appearance of structural chatter vibrations. Chatter arises from the dynamic interaction of the machining system compliance with the cutting process. For the specific case of large-scale machine tools, the low frequency resonances have modal shapes that generate relative displacements in the machine joints. This thesis presents new approaches to minimize the appearance of chatter vibrations by targeting and understanding the machine tool compliance, in particular, from the feed drive of the machine tool. A detailed model of the double pinion and rack feed drive system and the master-slave coupling improves the large machine tools modeling. As the vibrations are measured by the axes feedback sensors, a new strategy for feed drive controller tuning allows increasing the chatter stability using a judicious selection of the servo parameters. Then, in-motion dynamic characterizations demonstrate the important influence of the nonlinear friction on the machine compliance and improve the chatter stability predictions. Finally, an operational method for characterizing both tool and workpiece side dynamics while performing a cutting operation is developed. All the contributions of the thesis have been validated experimentally and tend to consider the influence of the feed drives on the structural dynamics of large-scale machine tools

Microfabrication of photonic devices for mid-infrared optical applications

This thesis details research into the microfabrication of photonic devices for mid-infrared optical applications using the technique of ultrafast laser inscription. A diverse range of devices and materials is explored, including the first fabrication and development of an ultrafast laser inscribed mid-infrared waveguide laser source in thulium-doped sesquioxide ceramic gain media. The source produced 81 mW of output power at 1942 nm with a maximum slope efficiency of 9.5% demonstrating progress towards compact, low-threshold and efficient ultrafast laser written waveguide laser sources near 2 μm with the potential for high pulse repetition rate and ultrashort pulse operation. Also shown is the first demonstration of ultrafast laser inscription enabled selective chemical etching of chalcogenide glass. Investigations into the etching of modified regions in gallium lanthanum sulphide glass showed they could be etched at a rate ~13.3 times greater than the un-modified bulk. This result was explored further as a potential route to the production of optofluidic sensors for gas, liquid chemical or biomedical samples. The first demonstration and characterisation of ultrafast laser written waveguides in the chalcogenide glass GASIR-1 is also described. The waveguides were employed for chip scale supercontinuum generation producing the broadest and deepest Infrared supercontinuum from an ultrafast laser inscribed waveguide to-date, spanning ~4 μm from 2.5 to 6.5 μm, which has applications in remote sensing. Finally, the design, build and commissioning of an advanced laser processing setup suitable for ultrafast laser inscription is also detailed

Modeling and Control of Piezoelectric Actuators

Piezoelectric actuators (PEAs) utilize the inverse piezoelectric effect to generate fine displacement with a resolution down to sub-nanometers and as such, they have been widely used in various micro- and nanopositioning applications. However, the modeling and control of PEAs have proven to be challenging tasks. The main difficulties lie in the existence of various nonlinear or difficult-to-model effects in PEAs, such as hysteresis, creep, and distributive vibration dynamics. Such effects can seriously degrade the PEA tracking control performances or even lead to instability. This raises a great need to model and control PEAs for improved performance. This research is aimed at developing novel models for PEAs and on this basis, developing model-based control schemes for the PEA tracking control taking into account the aforementioned nonlinear effects. In the first part of this research, a model of a PEA for the effects of hysteresis, creep, and vibration dynamics was developed. Notably, the widely-used Preisach hysteresis model cannot represent the one-sided hysteresis of PEAs. To overcome this shortcoming, a rate-independent hysteresis model based on a novel hysteresis operator modified from the Preisach hysteresis operator was developed, which was then integrated with the models of creep and vibration dynamics to form a comprehensive model for PEAs. For its validation, experiments were carried out on a commercially-available PEA and the results obtained agreed with those from model simulations. By taking into account the linear dynamics and hysteretic behavior of the PEA as well as the presliding friction between the moveable platform and the end-effector, a model of the piezoelectric-driven stick-slip (PDSS) actuator was also developed in the first part of the research. The effectiveness of the developed model was illustrated by the experiments on the PDSS actuator prototyped in the author's lab. In the second part of the research, control schemes were developed based on the aforementioned PEA models for tracking control of PEAs. Firstly, a novel PID-based sliding mode (PIDSM) controller was developed. The rational behind the use of a sliding mode (SM) control is that the SM control can effectively suppress the effects of matched uncertainties, while the PEA hysteresis, creep, and external load can be represented by a lumped matched uncertainty based on the developed model. To solve the chattering and steady-state problems, associated with the ideal SM control and the SM control with boundary layer (SMCBL), the novel PIDSM control developed in the present study replaces the switching control term in the ideal SM control schemes with a PID regulator. Experiments were carried out on a commercially-available PEA and the results obtained illustrate the effectiveness of the PIDSM controller, and its superiorities over other schemes of PID control, ideal SM control, and the SMCBL in terms of steady state error elimination, chattering suppression, and tracking error suppression. Secondly, a PIDSM observer was also developed based on the model of PEAs to provide the PIDSM controller with state estimates of the PEA. And the PIDSM controller and the PIDSM observer were combined to form an integrated control scheme (PIDSM observer-controller or PIDSMOC) for PEAs. The effectiveness of the PIDSM observer and the PIDSMOC were also validated experimentally. The superiority of the PIDSMOC over the PIDSM controller with σ-β filter control scheme was also analyzed and demonstrated experimentally. The significance of this research lies in the development of novel models for PEAs and PDSS actuators, which can be of great help in the design and control of such actuators. Also, the development of the PIDSM controller, the PIDSM observer, and their integrated form, i.e., PIDSMOC, enables the improved performance of tracking control of PEAs with the presence of various nonlinear or difficult-to-model effects

Design and development of 3D printed fins integrated into an instrumented surfboard

Surfing is a highly competitive sport, to which additive manufacturing technology can be applied to develop new solutions to improve knowledge. The main focus of this study was to design, prototype and test 3D printed surfboard fins with incorporated sensors interfaced with an instrumented surfboard prototype. Specific aim 1 (customisation of a 3D printer in order to 3D print with carbon fibre composites) was addressed by changing the nozzle, extruder, motherboard, stepper drivers, heat bed surface, and introduction of the dry box to the Creality CR-10S 3D printer. Introduced modifications resulted in successful 3D printing using abrasive and hygroscopic filament materials. Specific aim 2 (3D printing of model samples and instrumented fins) was achieved by using a customised 3D printer to fabricate 101 rectangular samples and six instrumented fins. The surfboard fin was designed in CAD and inspired by Futures T1 Twin HC (Futures Fins). Two sensors were incorporated into the fin. The first was 3D printed in-house out of conductive PLA, and TPU filaments while the second one was a commercially obtained 350 Ω full Wheatstone bridge. Specific aim 3 (design, and manufacturing of moulds and tools used for mechanical analysis and data collection unit) was addressed by the development of the so-called pandemic tool, a Shimadzu EZ-S mechanical analyser adapter, touch probe, fin mould, mould for rectangular samples (produced from high-density poly(ethylene) (HDPE) material), and router templates. The comparison between the so-called pandemic tool and the Shimadzu EZ-S laboratory tool showed an excellent accuracy of around 20 % in a range of 0 to around 5 GPa of calculated flexural modulus. The accuracy above 5 GPa was exponentially lower. Specific aim 4 (mechanical analysis of model samples and fins) was achieved using the pandemic tool during Covid-19 pandemic related lockdowns, and the Shimadzu EZ-S between lockdowns. Mechanical analysis of rectangular samples concluded that carbon fibre reinforced Nylon 6 (CF-PA6) with prepreg composite exhibited the highest flexural modulus value (12 ± 1 GPa). The final aim (laboratory and field-testing of instrumented fins) was addressed by laboratory testing of an instrumented fin using a universal mechanical analyser. The results of a tested prototype of an instrumented fin indicated that under tension the commercial Wheatstone bridge exhibited a linear response to applied stroke in a range of up to 7.7 ± 0.1 % of a fin flex. Field-testing was achieved in two trials. The first field test involved driving with a car that had the instrumented surfboard and fins mounted onto it. The second field test involved paddling and walking the instrumented surfboard and fins in a waveless part of the ocean (Gunnamatta Bay, NSW, Australia). The preliminary data results indicate the excellent GPS accuracy of the telemetry unit. Data from sensors installed in the surfboard and fins were saved on the µSD card, while it was simultaneously transferred in real-time between the surfboard’s electronics and the transceiver connected to the laptop with a 13 Hz sampling rate. The main outcome of this project was the development of a working prototype of a surfboard with inbuilt electronics and a set of instrumented fins

Annals of Scientific Society for Assembly, Handling and Industrial Robotics 2021

This Open Access proceedings presents a good overview of the current research landscape of assembly, handling and industrial robotics. The objective of MHI Colloquium is the successful networking at both academic and management level. Thereby, the colloquium focuses an academic exchange at a high level in order to distribute the obtained research results, to determine synergy effects and trends, to connect the actors in person and in conclusion, to strengthen the research field as well as the MHI community. In addition, there is the possibility to become acquatined with the organizing institute. Primary audience is formed by members of the scientific society for assembly, handling and industrial robotics (WGMHI)

Annals of Scientific Society for Assembly, Handling and Industrial Robotics 2021

This Open Access proceedings presents a good overview of the current research landscape of assembly, handling and industrial robotics. The objective of MHI Colloquium is the successful networking at both academic and management level. Thereby, the colloquium focuses an academic exchange at a high level in order to distribute the obtained research results, to determine synergy effects and trends, to connect the actors in person and in conclusion, to strengthen the research field as well as the MHI community. In addition, there is the possibility to become acquatined with the organizing institute. Primary audience is formed by members of the scientific society for assembly, handling and industrial robotics (WGMHI)

Annals of Scientific Society for Assembly, Handling and Industrial Robotics 2021

This Open Access proceedings presents a good overview of the current research landscape of assembly, handling and industrial robotics. The objective of MHI Colloquium is the successful networking at both academic and management level. Thereby, the colloquium focuses an academic exchange at a high level in order to distribute the obtained research results, to determine synergy effects and trends, to connect the actors in person and in conclusion, to strengthen the research field as well as the MHI community. In addition, there is the possibility to become acquatined with the organizing institute. Primary audience is formed by members of the scientific society for assembly, handling and industrial robotics (WGMHI)