• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.60-66
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• 2006

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate potential application of Lightweight Piezo-composite Actuator (LIPCA) to suppress vibrations of structures. The LIPCA, consisting of a piezoelectric layer, a carbon/epoxy layer and glass/epoxy layers, has advantages in terms of high performance, durability and reliability, compared to the bare piezoelectric ceramic (PZT) actuator. We performed two kinds of experiments on static actuation and active vibration suppression to investigate the actuation performances of the LIPCA and the bare PZT. We attached the actuator on one side and a strain gage on the other side of an aluminum beam. In the static actuation test, we evaluated the performance by comparing equivalent actuation moments of the LIPCA and the bare PZT due to the applied voltage. In the active vibration control test, control signals were generated to suppress the vibration of the beam by the PID control algorithm based on the measured strain signals. The performances were estimated based on settling times of the strain responses. It can be concluded that the LIPCA has better actuation performances than the bare PZT in active control of free vibration as well as static actuation.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.423-443
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• 2009

We present the design and implementation of a unique sensing and actuation application -- the Illuminator: a sensor network-based intelligent light control system for entertainment and media production. Unlike most sensor network applications, which focus on sensing alone, a distinctive aspect of the Illuminator is that it closes the loop from light sensing to lighting control. We describe the Illuminator's design requirements, system architecture, algorithms, implementation and experimental results. The system uses the Illumimote, a multi-modal and high fidelity light sensor module well-suited for wireless sensor networks, to satisfy the high-performance light sensing requirements of entertainment and media production applications. The Illuminator system is a toolset to characterize the illumination profile of a deployed set of fixed position lights, generate desired lighting effects for moving targets (actors, scenic elements, etc.) based on user constraints expressed in a formal language, and to assist in the set up of lights to achieve the same illumination profile in multiple venues. After characterizing deployed lights, the Illuminator computes optimal light settings at run-time to achieve a user-specified actuation profile, using an optimization framework based on a genetic algorithm. Uniquely, it can use deployed sensors to incorporate changing ambient lighting conditions and moving targets into actuation. Experimental results demonstrate that the Illuminator handles various high-level user requirements and generates an optimal light actuation profile. These results suggest that the Illuminator system supports entertainment and media production applications.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.55-80
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• 2014

The present work pays emphasis on investigating the effect of different types of debonding on the bending behaviour of active sandwich beam, consisting of both extension and shear actuators. An active sandwich beam finite element is formulated by using Timoshenko's beam theory, characterized by first order shear deformation for the core and Euler-Bernoulli's beam theory for the top and bottom faces. The problem of debondings of extension actuator and face are dealt with by employing four-region model for inner debonding and three-region model for the edge debonding respectively. Displacement based continuity conditions are enforced at the interfaces of different regions using penalty method. Firstly, piezoelectric actuation of healthy sandwich beam is assessed through deflection analysis. Then the effect of actuators' debondings with different boundary conditions on bending behavior is computationally evaluated and experimentally clamped-free case is validated. The results generated will be useful to address the damage tolerant design procedures for smart sandwich beam structures with structural control and health monitoring applications.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.5 no.8
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• pp.977-989
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the human body having more muscles than its degree-of-freedom modulates an effective stiffness using redundant actuation, and to apply this concept to the design and control of advanced machines which requires adaptable spring. To investigate the adaptable stiffness phenomenon due to redundant actuation in the human body, this paper derives a general stiffness model of the Human body. In particular, for a planar 1 DOF human arm model, a planar 2 DOF human arm model, a spherical 3 DOF shoulder model, a 4 DOF human arm model, and a 7 DOF human arm model, the required nonlinear geometry ad the number of required actuator for successful modulation of the effective stiffness are analyzed along with a load distribution method for modulation of the required stiffness of such systems. Secondly, the concept of motion frequency modulation is introduced to show the usefulness of adaptive stiffness modulation. The motion frequency modulation represents a control of stiffness and / or inertia properties of systems. To show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, simulations are performed for 2 DOF anthropomorphic robot.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.153-156
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• 2009

The pitch and yaw axis controls of Kick Motor, KLSV-I second propulsion system, was provided by the flexible seal that consists of alternate laminate of natural rubber and composite reinforcements between forward and aft ring. A hydrostatic actuating test has been conducted to evaluate a performance of the manufactured flexibke seal before it is assembled at the nozzle. Through the tests, we have verified an actuation torque and axial displacement of the flexible seal according to pressure variation. The actuation torque and axial displacement of all flexible seal is shown below 60kgf-m/deg at without pressure and 6mm at MEOP respectively.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.533-541
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• 2011

This paper presents a frequency-response test performed on an antagonistic actuation system consisting of two Mckibben pneumatic artificial muscles and a pneumatic circuit with pressure valves. Varying switching frequency to pressure valves from 0.1 Hz to 5 Hz, parameters of a linear model were estimated optimally to predict dynamic characteristics of the antagonistic actuation. A model-base control scheme with estimated parameters was built for the precise trajectory tracking of the antagonistic structure and realized on a reconfigurable embedded control system, CompactRIO. Experimental results showed that the proposed model-based control scheme gave good performance in trajectory tracking comparing with a PD control scheme when square wave and sinusoidal wave were given as references to follow.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.711-730
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• 2014

In this paper the system dynamic influences in actuators with variable stiffness as contemporary used in robotics for safety and efficiency reasons are investigated. Therefore, different configurations of serial and parallel elasticities are modeled by dynamic equations and linearized transfer functions. The latter ones are used to identify the characteristic behavior of the different systems and to study the effect of the different elasticities. As such actuation concepts are often used to reach energy-efficient operation, a power consumption analysis of the configurations is performed. From the comparison of this with the system dynamics, strategies to select and control stiffness are derived. Those are based on matching the natural frequencies or antiresonance modes of the actuation system to the frequency of the trajectory. Results show that exclusive serial and parallel elasticity can minimize power consumption when tuning the system to the natural frequencies. Antiresonance modes are an additional possibility for stiffness control in the series elastic setup. Configurations combining both types of elasticities do not provide further advantages regarding power reduction but an input parallel elasticity might enable for more versatile stiffness selection. Yet, design and control effort increase in such solutions. Topologies incorporating output parallel elasticity showed not to be beneficial in the chosen example but might do so in specific applications.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.363-367
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• 2011

We have designed, fabricated and demonstrated a novel micro-system for programmable magnetic actuation using magnetic elliptical pathways on Si substrates. Lithographically patterned soft NiFe ellipses are arranged sequentially perpendicular to each other as stepping stones for the transport of magnetic beads. We have measured the magnetization curve of the ellipsoid ($9\;{\mu}m{\times}4\;{\mu}m{\times}0.1\;{\mu}m$) elements with respect to the long and short axes of the ellipse. We found that the magnetization in the long axis direction is larger than that in the short axis direction for an applied field of ${\leq}$ 1,000 Oe, causing a force on carriers that causes them to move from one element to another. We have successfully demonstrated a micro-system for the magnetic actuation of biomolecule carriers of superparamagnetic beads (Dynabead$^{(R)}$ 2.8 ${\mu}m$) by rotating the external magnetic field. This novel concept of magnetic actuation is useful for future integrated lab-on-a-chip systems for biomolecule manipulation, separation and analysis.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.409-425
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• 2014

Converging flows of a gas and a liquid at a microchannel cross junction, under proper conditions, can result in the formation of periodic, dispersed microslugs. This microslug formation phenomenon has been proposed as the basis for a fuel injection system in a novel, 'discrete' monopropellant microthruster designed for use in next-generation miniaturized satellites. Previous experimental studies demonstrated the ability to generate fuel slugs with characteristics commensurate with the intended application during steady-state operation. In this work, numerical and experimental techniques are used to study the effect of valve actuation on slug characteristics, and the results are used to compare with equivalent steady-state slugs. Computational simulations of a valve with a 1 ms valve-actuation cycle show that as the ratio of the response time of the valve to the fully open time is increased, transient effects can increase slug length by up to 17%. The simulations also demonstrate that the effect of the valve is largely independent of surface tension coefficient, which is the thermophysical parameter most responsible for slug formation characteristics. Flow visualization experiments performed using a miniature valve with a 20 ms response time showed less than a 1% change in the length of slugs formed during the actuation cycle. The results of this study indicate that impulse bit and thrust calculations can discount transient effects for slower valves, but as valve technology improves transient effects may become more significant.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.887-893
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• 2009

In this paper, a mask-panel alignment robot system is considered for IT industry applications. Two kinds of solutions are suggested which are required in constructing a control system for the alignment robot with actuation redundancy. First, the kinematic solution for the 4PPR parallel positioning mechanism is formulated for an arbitrary initial posture, which relates the mask-panel misalignment in the task space and the desired actuator displacements in the joint space. Secondly, in order to increase the stiffness of the control motion and also to avoid the mechanical lock which may happen due to the redundant actuation, a new synchronous control method is proposed which has the merit of coordinating joint control motions while not losing individual joint control performance. In addition, the engineering process to develop a visual alignment robot system is described with the results of experimental setup and GUI software. Finally, the experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed alignment system control methodology and how much beneficial it will be in real industrial applications.