Related papers: Soft Tensegrity Systems for Planetary Landing and …

For humans accustomed to 1-G environments on Earth, microgravity conditions in orbit and on celestial bodies with lower gravitational field, such as the Moon, can be physiologically compromising. Of these, motor and fine-dexterity tasks…

Soft mobile robots have emerged as a promising area of research with potential applications in various disciplines including but not limited to search-and-rescue, service, surveillance, explorations, and manufacturing. In this article, we…

This paper aims to identify in a practical manner unknown physical parameters, such as mechanical models of actuated robot links, which are critical in dynamical robotic tasks. Key features include the use of an off-the-shelf physics engine…

Converting the traction power of kites into electricity can be a low cost solution for wind energy. Reliable control of both trajectory and tether reeling is crucial. The present study proposes a modelling framework describing the dynamic…

Topological properties of quantum systems are one of the most intriguing emerging phenomena in condensed matter physics. A crucial property of topological systems is the symmetry-protected robustness towards local noise. Experiments have…

The aim of this talk is to present the most recent advances in establishing plausible planetary system architectures determined by the gravitational tidal interactions between the planets and the disc in which they are embedded during the…

Magnetic materials play a key role in the contemporary industry, providing unique features with a wide application potential. To study physical phenomena and design new materials, it is important to possess an appropriate tool, a model…

This study focuses on attitude and control motion of two bodies (a base-satellite and a sub-satellite) connected by an inextensible and massless tether in a circular orbit under the influence of the Earths gravitational force. The…

This paper investigates the use of the most fundamental elements; cables for tension and bars for compression, in the search for the most efficient bridges. Stable arrangements of these elements are called tensegrity structures. We show…

Making decisions about the structure of a future military fleet is a challenging task. Several issues need to be considered such as the existence of multiple competing objectives and the complexity of the operating environment. A particular…

This paper addresses the possibility of using robust control theory for preventing earthquakes through fluid injections in the earth's crust. The designed robust controllers drive aseismically a fault system to a new equilibrium point of…

We report, for the first time, some experimental observations regarding a new type of long range interaction between rigid particles that prevails when they are suspended in an soft elastic gel. A denser particle submerges itself to a…

Entanglement and its propagation are central to understanding a multitude of physical properties of quantum systems. Notably, within closed quantum many-body systems, entanglement is believed to yield emergent thermodynamic behavior.…

Stability is one of the most fundamental aspects regarding planetary systems. It plays an important role in our understanding on the formation channel of the planetary systems, as well as their habitability. Many approaches have been…

The general objective of this Ph.D. thesis is to study the dynamics and control of rigid and flexible spacecraft supported by a high-fidelity numerical simulation environment. The demand for greater attitude pointing precision, attitude…

The exploration of the lunar poles and the collection of samples from the martian surface are characterized by shorter time windows demanding increased autonomy and speeds. Autonomous mobile robots must intrinsically cope with a wider range…

Space debris and micrometeoroid (MMOD) impacts pose a serious threat to the safe operation of spacecraft. However, traditional protective structures typically suffer from limitations such as excessive thickness and inadequate load-bearing…

We study the bending of a book-like system, comprising a stack of elastic plates coupled through friction. The behavior of this layered system is rich and nontrivial, with a non-additive enhancement of the apparent stiffness and a…

The landing gear system is a major aircraft subsystem that must withstand extreme forces during ground maneuvers and absorb vibrations. While traditional systems perform well under normal conditions, their efficiency drops under varying…

Accurate gravity field models are essential for safe proximity operations around small bodies. State-of-the-art techniques use spherical harmonics or high-fidelity polyhedron shape models. Unfortunately, these techniques can become…