Zero-mass pulsatile jets are proposed for low speed maneuvering and station keeping of small underwater vehicles. The flow field of such jets are initially dominated by vortex ring formation. Such pulsatile jets can be actuated through a variety of techniques. Two prototypes of such actuators, presented here, include a mechanical plunger system and a solenoid actuator. The actuators consist of ...

Abstract Hypersonic boundary layer transition is a hot yet challenging problem restricting the development and breakthrough of hypersonic aerodynamics. In recent years, despite great progress made by wind tunnel experiment, mechanism prediction, only partial knowledge has been gained so far. this paper, firstly, specific scenarios control are clarified. Secondly, experimental research passive a...

Existing remotely-actuated microrobots powered by magnetic coils far from the workspace exhibit a maximum of only five-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) actuation, as creation of a driving torque about the magnetization axis is not achievable. This lack of orientation control limits the effectiveness of existing microrobots for precision tasks of object manipulation and orientation for advanced medical,...

Shape control of adaptive wings has the potential to enhance wing aerodynamic performance during cruise and high-speed off-design conditions. A possible way to attain this objective is to develop specific technologies for trailing edge morphing, aimed at variating the airfoil camber. In the framework of SARISTU project (EU-FP7), an innovative structural system incorporating a gapless deformable...

Electrowetting (EW)-induced droplet motion has been studied over the last decade in view of its promising applications in the field of microfluidics. The objective of the present work is to analyze the physics underlying two specific EW-based applications for microelectronics thermal management. The first of these involves heat absorption by liquid droplets moving on the surface of a chip under...

The focus of this paper is the study of tensile work characteristics and the transformation behavior of a High Temperature Shape Memory Alloy (HTSMA) by thermomechanical characterization at temperatures ranging from 200 to 500°C. In order to investigate the above issues, a nominal composition of Ti50Pd40Ni10 HTSMA was used. The alloy was fabricated using a vacuum arc melting technique. The melt...

Applications with physical human-robot interaction require a high level of safety even in case of software or hardware failures. This paper highlights the advantages of combining tendon actuation with transmission elasticity to maximize safety for robotic arms sharing workspaces with humans. To this end, the collision behavior of combinations of tendon or joint and elastic or stiff actuation wi...