Related papers: Single-Input Control of Multiple Fluid-Driven Elas…
We propose a mechanically simple and cheap design for a series elastic actuator with controllable stiffness. Such characteristics are necessary for animals for running, jumping, throwing, and manipulation, yet in robots, variable stiffness…
Experiments have shown that flow in compliant microchannels can become unstable at a much lower Reynolds number than the corresponding flow in a rigid conduit. Therefore, it has been suggested that the wall's elastic compliance can be…
Motivated by problems arising in the pneumatic actuation of controllers for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), labs-on-a-chip or biomimetic soft robots, and the study of microrheology of both gases and soft solids, we analyze the…
Humanoid robots may require a degree of compliance at the joint level for improving efficiency, shock tolerance, and safe interaction with humans. The presence of joint elasticity, however, complexifies the design of balancing and walking…
We investigate the laminar flow of two-fluid mixtures inside a simple network of inter-connected tubes. The fluid system is comprised of two miscible Newtonian fluids of different viscosity which do not mix and remain as nearly distinct…
Wire-harnessing tasks pose great challenges to be automated by the robot due to the complex dynamics and unpredictable behavior of the deformable wire. Traditional methods, often reliant on dual-robot arms or tactile sensing, face…
We analyze the linear stability of the base state of the problem of coupled flow and deformation in a long and shallow rectangular soft hydraulic conduit with a thick top wall. Specifically, the steady base state is computed at low but…
The tendency for flows in microfluidic systems to behave linearly poses a challenge for designing integrated flow control schemes to carry out complex fluid processing tasks. This hindrance has led to the use of numerous external control…
A wide range of microorganisms, e.g. bacteria, propel themselves by rotation of soft helical tails, also known as flagella. Due to the small size of these organisms, viscous forces overwhelm inertial effects and the flow is at low Reynolds…
Interface-resolved direct numerical simulations are performed to investigate bubble-induced transition from laminar to elasto-inertial turbulent (EIT) state in a pressure-driven viscoelastic square channel flow. The Giesekus model is used…
Soft electrothermal actuators are of great interest in diverse application domains for their simplicity, compliance, and ease of control. However, the very nature of thermally induced mechanical actuation sets inherent operation…
Recent experiments on active materials, such as dense bacterial suspensions and microtubule-kinesin motor mixtures, show a promising potential for achieving self-sustained flows. However, to develop active microfluidics it is necessary to…
Diffusioosmotic flow arises in microfluidic configurations due to solute concentration gradients. In soft microfluidic channels, internal pressure gradients generated by diffusioosmotic flow to conserve mass result in elastic deformation of…
Mechanically characterizing the human-machine interface is essential to understanding user behavior and optimizing wearable robot performance. This interface has been challenging to sensorize due to manufacturing complexity and non-linear…
Remote Center of Motion (RCM) robotic manipulators have revolutionized Minimally Invasive Surgery, enabling precise, dexterous surgical manipulation within the patient's body cavity without disturbing the insertion point on the patient.…
Thin film dynamics and associated instability mechanisms have triggered a wide range of scientific innovations, as attributed to their abilities of creating fascinating patterns over small scales. Here, we demonstrate a new thin film…
When simulating three-dimensional flows interacting with deformable and elastic obstacles, current methods often encounter complexities in the governing equations and challenges in numerical implementation. In this work, we introduce a…
Viscous streaming is an efficient rectification mechanism to exploit flow inertia at small scales for fluid and particle manipulation. It typically entails a fluid vibrating around an immersed solid feature that, by concentrating stresses,…
The shape of a microchannel during flow through it is instrumental to understanding the physics that govern various phenomena ranging from rheological measurements of fluids to separation of particles and cells. Two commonly used approaches…
Soft-walled microchannels arise in many applications, ranging from organ-on-a-chip platforms to soft-robotic actuators. However, despite extensive research on their static and dynamic response, the potential failure of these devices has not…