MEMS Accelerometers: Testing and Practical Approach for Smart Sensing and Machinery Diagnostics

In the recent years a major change in the engineering process of mechatronics and robotics has taken place. In various design oriented laboratories around the world a shift can be recognised from a focus on analysis, simulation and modelling combined with outsourcing hardware design to the use of digital fabrication tools (laser cutter, 3D printer) allowing a cyclic (iterative) design process inside in the lab. This chapter aims to give an overview of the impact of this change, using many examples from various projects, and will share some insights and lessons learned for facilitating and implementing this process

Sociolingüística versus política y planificación lingüísticas: distinciones entre los campos y nociones integradoras

En el marc de la visió del fenomen lingüístic com a complex més que no pas com a «objecte», l'aproximació sociolingüística se centra en la llengua i els seus contextos eco-socio-cognitius. Així, la perspectiva sociolingüística es constitueix ineluctablement de forma inter- i transdisciplinària, i se situa clarament en una cruïlla de camins i perspectives que ha d'interrelacionar. No obstant, avui dia la sociolingüística és encara una àrea fragmentada i amb moltes línies d"estudi poc integrades i comunicades, i per tant el seu repte actual i de cara al futur immediat és construir un marc teòric integrador propi en el qual puguin convergir els diferents angles i plans d"estudi. En aquesta recerca d"elements generals unificadors sobresurt una noció que podria actuar si més no d"element cohesionador, i és la que es refereix al fenomen de la sociosignificació extragramàtica relacionat amb la diversitat de «com diem les coses» els humans. Així en societats amb presència de llengües distintes, dir alguna cosa fent-ne servir una o altra pot ser considerat com a significatiu per als interlocutors, tal com pot succeir en el cas de la concurrència de distintes varietats geodialectals o sociodialectals, que poden ser valorades de diferent manera pels parlants. Així mateix, més en el pla interpersonal, la selecció de formes lingüístiques i paralingüístiques adequades és crucial si, per exemple, volem indicar enuig o bé alegria i actitud festiva. Aquesta perspectiva se situa més a prop del «gir cognitivista» en les ciències socioculturals, ja que postula la centralitat del cervell-ment en el control de la conducta humana i, per tant, del comportament lingüístic

Design of an inspection robot for small diameter gas distribution mains

The gas distribution network in the Netherlands has a length of roughly 100.000 km in urban areas. This network needs to be monitored constantly and segments need to be replaced when the risks of leaks increase. Since no information can be obtained from inse the network, in this thesis the design of a robot which can move (autonomously) through the gas distribution network for inspection is investigated.\ud \ud Three prototypes have been realised. The design of a propulsion mechanism depends strongly on the layout of the gas distribution network. The most important aspects are long stretches of pipe (tens of metres), a diameter range of 63 mm to 125 mm, (mitre) bends, T-joints and inclinations up to 30◦.\ud \ud The design consists of a wheeled robot ‘snake’ consisting of a number of modules which can be used as two clamping V-shapes. The central module is a rotation joint which can be used to change the orientation of the robot in a pipe.\ud \ud To reduce the amount of wiring, the electronic system has been distributed over the robot segments. A master controller is added which communicates to these distributed ’slave nodes’ via a serial bus. Also energy for propulsion is provided through this bus. \ud \ud A camera system has been developed which can be used for both pipe assessment and navigation. The camera system uses a laser projector which projects a cone (circle) on the inside of the pipe. Deformations of the pipe and obstacles such as bends and T-joints show up as deviations of the captured circle shape. \ud \ud The first prototype has been designed and produced in a ‘conventional’ way which took a long time and missed some crucial steps in integration. The second and third prototype have been designed and produced using `digital fabrication' tools (3D printing, laser cutting). The differences in design and production between the first prototype and the subsequent prototypes can be used to describe the importance of accessibility, visibility and availability of these fabrication tools as condition for fruitful usage

Sensors for Mechatronics

Sensors for Mechatronics, Second Edition, offers an overview of the sensors and sensor systems required and applied in mechatronics. Emphasis lies on the physical background of the operating principles that is illustrated with examples of commercially available sensors and recent developments. Chapters discuss the general aspects of sensors, with a special section on quantities, notations and relations. In addition, the book includes a section devoted to sensor errors and error minimization that apply to most of the sensors discussed. Each subsequent chapter deals with one class of sensors, pursuing a classification according to physical principles rather than measurands. Categories discussed include resistive, capacitive, inductive and magnetic, optical, piezoelectric and acoustic sensors. For each category of sensors, a number of applications is given. Where appropriate, a section is added on the interfacing of the sensor

Dribbel: lopende robot van 10 kg. op zestien penlites

De dynamisch lopende robot Dribbel is een ‘2D-biped’: hij kan niet naar de zijkanten toe omvallen omdat vier benen op een rij worden gebruikt (vergelijkbaar met iemand die op krukken loopt). Dit is gedaan om alleen de voorwaartse loopbeweging te kunnen bestuderen, zonder daarbij direct de complexe 3D-stabilisering te hoeven oplossen. Het uit-eindelijke doel is een zo robuust en energiezuinig mogelijke loopbeweging te realiseren. Dit artikel behandelt vooral de praktische kant van het werken aan de robot Dribbel: de ontwerpstrategie, de bouw van de mechanica, de elektronica en de software

Design and Implementation of actuated ankles on a planar bipedal robot

The Control Engineering Group at the University of Twente is involved in research directed towards the realization of an energy-efficient humanoid robot. A prototype robot, named Dribbel, has been constructed and is used to study and analyze energy efficient locomotion based on passive dynamic walkers. The design and construction of Dribbel has been described in a previous issue of Mikroniek [1]. This article focuses on the design and implementation of the latest addition to this robot: actuated ankles

Dynamic walking with Dribbel

This paper describes the design and construction of Dribbel, a passivity-based walking robot. Dribbel has been designed and built at the Control Engineering group of the University of Twente. This paper focuses on the practical side: the design approach, construction, electronics, and software design. After a short introduction of dynamic walking, the design process, starting with simulation, is discussed