13 research outputs found
Roadmap for optical tweezers
Optical tweezers are tools made of light that enable contactless pushing, trapping, and manipulation of objects, ranging from atoms to space light sails. Since the pioneering work by Arthur Ashkin in the 1970s, optical tweezers have evolved into sophisticated instruments and have been employed in a broad range of applications in the life sciences, physics, and engineering. These include accurate force and torque measurement at the femtonewton level, microrheology of complex fluids, single micro- and nano-particle spectroscopy, single-cell analysis, and statistical-physics experiments. This roadmap provides insights into current investigations involving optical forces and optical tweezers from their theoretical foundations to designs and setups. It also offers perspectives for applications to a wide range of research fields, from biophysics to space exploration.journal articl
Modular robots for sorting
Current industrial sorting systems allow for low error, high throughput sorts with tightly
constrained properties. These sorters, however, are often hardware limited to certain
items and criteria. There is a need for more adaptive sorting systems for processes that
involve a high throughput of heterogeneous items such as import testing by port authorities, warehouse sorting for online retailers, and sorting recycling. The variety of goods
that need to be sorted in these applications mean that existing sorting systems are unsuitable, and the objects often need to be sorted by hand. In this work I detail my design
and control of a modular, robotic sorting system using linear actuating robots to create
both low-frequency vibrations and peristaltic waves for sorting. The adaptability of
the system allows for multimodal sorting and can improve heterogeneous sorting systems.
I have designed a novel modular robot called the Linbot. These Linbots are based on
an actuator design utilising a voice coil for linear motion. I designed this actuator to be
part of a modular robot by adding on-board computation, sensing and communication. I
demonstrate the individual characteristics of these robots through a series of experiments
in order to give a comprehensive overview of their abilities. By combining multiple
Linbots in a collective I demonstrate their ability to move and sort objects using
cooperative peristaltic motion.
In order to allow for rapid optimisation of control schemes for Linbot collectives I
required a peristaltic table simulator. I designed and implemented a peristaltic table
simulator, called PeriSim, due to a lack of existing solutions. Controllers optimised in
simulation often suffer from a reduction in performance when moved to a real-world
system due to the inaccuracies in the simulation, this effect is called the reality gap. I
used a method for reducing the reality gap called the radical envelope of noise hypothesis,
whereby I only modelled the key aspects of peristalsis in PeriSim and then varied the
underlying physics of the simulation between runs. I used PeriSim to optimise controllers
in simulation that worked on a real-world system.
I demonstrate the how the Linbots and PeriSim can be used to build and control an
adaptive sorter. I built an adaptive sorter made of a 5x5 grid of Linbots with a soft
sheet covering them. I demonstrate that the sorter can grade produce and move objects
of varying shapes and sizes. My work can guide the future design of industrial adaptive
sorting systems
Energy: A continuing bibliography with indexes
This bibliography lists 1169 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system from January 1, 1983 through March 31, 1983
International Workshop on MicroFactories (IWMF 2012): 17th-20th June 2012 Tampere Hall Tampere, Finland
This Workshop provides a forum for researchers and practitioners in industry working on the diverse issues of micro and desktop factories, as well as technologies and processes applicable for micro and desktop factories. Micro and desktop factories decrease the need of factory floor space, and reduce energy consumption and improve material and resource utilization thus strongly supporting the new sustainable manufacturing paradigm. They can be seen also as a proper solution to point-of-need manufacturing of customized and personalized products near the point of need
Proceedings of the 8th International Conference EEMODS'2013 Energy Efficiency in Motor Driven Systems
This book contains the papers presented at the eighth international conference on Energy Efficiency in
Motor Driven Systems EEMODS 2013
EEMODS 2013 was organised in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil from 28 to 30 October 2013. This major international
conference, which was previously been staged in Lisbon (1996), London (1999), Treviso (2002), Heidelberg (2005),
Beijing (2007), Nantes (2009) and Washington DC (2011) has been very successful in attracting an international and
distinguished audience, representing a wide variety of stakeholders in policy implementation and development,
manufacturing and promotion of energy-efficient motor systems, including key policy makers, equipment
manufacturers, academia and end-users.
Potential readers who may benefit from this book include researchers, engineers, policymakers,
energy agencies, electric utilities, and all those who can influence the design, selection, application, and
operation of electrical motor driven systems.JRC.F.7-Renewables and Energy Efficienc
Survey on Air Levitation Conveyors with Possible Scalability Properties
International audienceRe-configurability and scalability are important properties of smart non-contact conveyors. The paper studies smart conveyors. It concentrates on levitation methods; it makes a comprehensive survey on levitation technologies that are currently most active. A conclusion is made that air levitation is well suited to smart conveyors. Furthermore, an overview of the movement mechanisms on air levitation platforms is presented; the various advantages of these technologies are reviewed here and associated scalability properties are detailed. This provides a reference for selecting a reliable movement mechanism for future smart conveyors
Data and the city – accessibility and openness. a cybersalon paper on open data
This paper showcases examples of bottom–up open data and smart city applications and identifies lessons for future such efforts. Examples include Changify, a neighbourhood-based platform for residents, businesses, and companies; Open Sensors, which provides APIs to help businesses, startups, and individuals develop applications for the Internet of Things; and Cybersalon’s Hackney Treasures. a location-based mobile app that uses Wikipedia entries geolocated in Hackney borough to map notable local residents. Other experiments with sensors and open data by Cybersalon members include Ilze Black and Nanda Khaorapapong's The Breather, a "breathing" balloon that uses high-end, sophisticated sensors to make air quality visible; and James Moulding's AirPublic, which measures pollution levels. Based on Cybersalon's experience to date, getting data to the people is difficult, circuitous, and slow, requiring an intricate process of leadership, public relations, and perseverance. Although there are myriad tools and initiatives, there is no one solution for the actual transfer of that data