Mechanical Microactuators with Photostrictive Control.

"Light-induced Non-contact Actuation and Control with Photostrictive Actuators,"

Control of Impact Microactuators for Precise Positioning

Electrically driven impact microactuators generate nanoscale displacements without large driving distances and high voltages. These systems exhibit complex dynamics because of inherent nonlinearities due to impacts, friction, and electric forces. As a result, dramatic changes in system behavior, associated with socalled grazing bifurcations, may occur during the transition between impacting and...

Mechanical stimulation of epithelial cells using polypyrrole microactuators.

The importance of mechanotransduction for physiological systems is becoming increasingly recognized. The effect of mechanical stimulation is well studied in organs and tissues, for instance by using flexible tissue culture substrates that can be stretched by external means. However, on the cellular and subcellular level, dedicated technology to apply appropriate mechanical stimuli is limited. H...

Perpendicular Actuation with Individually Controlled Polymer Microactuators

We are using microactuators based on a conducting polymer, polypyrrole, and demonstrate here a scheme to make true three-dimensional movements. We present a complementary microfabrication method, which was developed in order to create individually addressable and controllable PPy/Au actuators. Using these individually controlled microactuators we are able to obtain movements both out of and in ...

Modeling, Identification, and Control of Hysteretic Systems with Application to Vanadium Dioxide Microactuators

MODELING, IDENTIFICATION, AND CONTROL OF HYSTERETIC SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATION TO VANADIUM DIOXIDEMICROACTUATORS By Jun Zhang Hysteresis nonlinearity in magnetic and smart material systems hinders the realization of their potential in sensors and actuators. The goal of this dissertation is to advance methods for modeling, identification, and control of hysteretic systems. These methods are applie...