Sensor application requirements vary tremendously, ranging from densely deployed habitat-monitoring setup to the real-time constrained military applications. This paper presents the design of a novel self-organizing framework for SANETs (Sensor and Actuator Networks). We assume two wireless interfaces at the actuator nodes, one to communicate with sensor nodes, and the other, for the neighborin...

Massive actuator arrays found their applications in robotics, pharmaceutics, aerospace, etc. Compared with electrically and/or pneumatically powered actuator array, hydraulic actuator has the comprehensive advantages of higher force density (i.e. force / actuation area), better controllability, and simpler remote control accessibility. This paper presents approaches to construct and control a m...

A new diaphragm actuator based on the ferromagnetic shape memory alloy (FSMA) composite is designed where the FSMA composite is composed of ferromagnetic soft iron and superelastic grade of NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA). The actuation mechanism for the FSMA composite plate of the actuator is the hybrid mechanism that we proposed previously. This diaphragm actuator is the first design toward des...

Mechatronics control technology can not only improve the performance of vehicles but also solve traditional automotive braking system problems such as long brake pipeline, lots valve components, slow response and so on. In this paper, a giant-magnetostrictive actuator disc structure were used to build drive system, module was designed with single-chip microcomputer core. Combined sensor selecti...

This paper presents a new architecture in soft robotics that utilizes particulate jamming technology. A novel concept of actuation is described that utilizes jamming technology to modulate the direction and magnitude of the work performed by a single central actuator. Jamming “activators” modulate work by jamming and unjamming (solidifying and liquifying) a granular medium coupled to a core act...

This paper presents a method of modeling and subsequently characterizing stochastically controlled actuator arrays. The actuator arrays are built from cells, each containing six piezoelectric actuators and an amplification structure; however the results can be generalized to actuator arrays using solenoids, pneumatic cylinders, or any other fast acting linear actuators. The cells are controlled...

Since the actuator capacity is limited, in the real application of active control systems under sever earthquakes it is conceivable that the actuators saturate, hence the actuator saturation should be considered as a constraint in design of optimal controllers. In this paper optimal design of active controllers for nonlinear structures by considering actuator saturation, has been studied. The p...