In this research, a functionally graded microbeam bonded with piezoelectric layers is analyzed under electric force. Static and dynamic instability due to the electric actuation is studied because of its importance in micro electro mechanical systems, especially in micro switches. In order to prevent pull-in instability, two piezoelectric layers are used as sensor and actuator. A current amplif...

This paper studies the impact of fuel-cell (FC) performance and control strategies on the benefits of hybridization. One of the main weak points of the FC is slow dynamics dominated by a temperature and fuel-delivery system. Although many researchers have investigated the use of different powertrain topologies, component sizes, and control strategies in fuel cell vehicles, a detailed parametric...

The first commercially available plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the General Motors (GM) Volt, was introduced into the market in mid-December 2010. The Volt uses a series-split powertrain architecture, which provides benefits over the series architecture that typically has been considered for use in electric-range extended vehicles (EREVs). A specialized EREV powertrain, called the Volt...

This paper presents the autonomous micro aerial vehicle pilot, a new autopilot platform weighing 6.25 g and measuring 11.3 cm2, specifically designed for use on micro/miniature aerial vehicle mobile sensing platforms. An overview of the hardware, firmware, ground station, and validation testing used to demonstrate this autopilot as a viable research instrument for atmospheric thermodynamic sens...

20 Electric vehicle technologies (EVs) have emerged as an important climate mitigation and energy 21 security pathway. Current research demonstrating the potential benefits of EVs has largely hinged on 22 technological and engineering design breakthroughs. However, in order for electric motive systems to 23 scale up to a level necessary to realize such benefits will require crucial shifts in ag...

Vehicle simulation software is essential to vehicle design and development. Most current vehicle software simulations, however, require that components be specified prior to running the simulations. Within this context, this paper presents a simulator offering to users flexibility enough to add new component and use different level of accuracy. Thus a first version of a new software tool, in or...

We analyze the vehicle usage and consumer profile attributes extracted from both National Household Travel Survey and Vehicle Quality Survey data to understand the impact of vehicle usage upon consumers’ choices of hybrid electric vehicles in the US. In addition, the key characteristics of hybrid vehicle drivers are identified to determine the market segmentations of hybrid electric vehicles an...

In order to ensure superiority of fuel and improve start and stop performance of hybrid electric vehicle, battery is used in the system. Limited by vehicle’s size, traditional hybrid electric vehicles can only carry a limited number of batteries, resulting in a relatively short running distance in one battery charge cycle. To improve energy using efficiency and increase vehicle safety, composit...

The electric impedance of cultured myoblasts oriented on the scaffold with micro pattern has been measured between surface electrodes in vitro. Several parallel lines of micro rectangular ridges (0.001 mm height, 0.003 mm width, and 0.003 mm interval) have been made between a pair of the surface titanium electrodes at the surface of the scaffold of glass by the photolithography technique. C2C12...

GPS data for a year’s worth of travel by 255 Seattle households illuminate how plug-in electric vehicles can match household needs. The results suggest that a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) with 100 miles of range should meet the needs of 50% of one-vehicle households and 80% of multiple-vehicle households, when charging once a day and relying on another vehicle or mode just 4 days a year. More...