We tested a series of commercially available titanium ultralight wheelchairs using American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) testing procedures to compare their durability with previously tested aluminum ultralight wheelchairs and lightweight wheelchairs. Three of each of the following titanium wheelchairs ...

background: this study is the first research investigating the possible effect of pulsed power signals on the characteristics of cortical bone by comparing the mechanical properties of this type of bone pre and post expose to pulsed power. methods: a positive buck-boost converter was applied to generate adjustable high voltage, high frequency pulses (up to 500 v and 10 khz). the functional beha...

Recent progress in advanced manufacturing enables fabrication of macro-scale hollow metallic lattices with unit cells in the millimeter range and sub-unit cell features at the submicron scale. If designed to minimize mass, these metallic microlattices can be manufactured with densities lower than 1 mg/cm3, making them the lightest metallic materials ever demonstrated. Measuring the compressive ...

Recent progress in advanced manufacturing enables fabrication of macro-scale hollow metallic lattices with unit cells in the millimeter range and sub-unit cell features at the submicron scale. If designed to minimize mass, these metallic microlattices can be manufactured with densities lower than 1 mg/cm3, making them the lightest metallic materials ever demonstrated. Measuring the compressive ...

This paper describes the development of what might be considered the first successful ultralight sailplane. The SWIFT is a high performance foot-launched glider, designed to combine some of the convenience of hang gliders with the soaring performance of sailplanes. It takes off and lands like a hang glider, yet maintains exceptional performance at high speeds, achieving a lift-to-drag ratio of ...

Successful bird migration can depend on individual learning, social learning, and innate navigation programs. Using 8 years of data on migrating whooping cranes, we were able to partition genetic and socially learned aspects of migration. Specifically, we analyzed data from a reintroduced population wherein all birds were captive bred and artificially trained by ultralight aircraft on their fir...

This paper presents a detailed small-signal and transient analysis of a full bridge PWM DC-DC converter designed for high voltage, high power applications using an average model. The derived model is implemented in a typical system and used to produce the small-signal and transient characteristics of the converter. Results obtained in the analysis of the high voltage and high power design examp...

In recent years, flexible devices based on nanoscale materials and structures have begun to emerge, exploiting semiconductor nanowires, graphene, and carbon nanotubes. This is primarily to circumvent the existing shortcomings of the conventional flexible electronics based on organic and amorphous semiconductors. The aim of this new class of flexible nanoelectronics is to attain high-performance...