This paper presents analytical and experimental results of an investigation of joint actuators and their suitability for a particular class of complex mechanisms: serpentine robots. In practice, serpentine robots usually comprise of multiple segments connected by joints. Some serpentine robots provide legged, wheeled, or tracked propulsion, and, in addition, actuation for the joints. We compare...

Fulfillment by the lungs of their bellows function depends largely on their resiliency and elasticity. Unless the lungs can readily comply with the changes in the thoracic cage during inspiration and expiration, ventilation will be seriously impaired. Pulmonary compliance is expressed as the ratio of lung volume in liters to intraesophageal pressure in centimeters of water. The present study is...

Pressure measurement devices can be classified into two groups: those where pressure is the only source of power and those that require electrical excitation. The mechanical style devices that are only excited by pressure, such as bellows, diaphragms, bourdons, tubes or manometers, are usually suitable for purely mechanical systems. With these devices a change in pressure will initiate a mechan...