Related papers: Dynamically Reprogrammable Stiffness in Gecko-Insp…
Human joint dynamic stiffness plays an important role in the stability of performance augmentation exoskeletons. In this paper, we consider a new frequency domain model of the human joint dynamics which features a complex value stiffness.…
We introduce a sample-efficient method for learning state-dependent stiffness control policies for dexterous manipulation. The ability to control stiffness facilitates safe and reliable manipulation by providing compliance and robustness to…
Acoustic transparency is the capability of a medium to transmit mechanical waves to adjacent media, without scattering. This characteristic can be achieved by carefully engineering the acoustic impedance of the medium -- a combination of…
Antagonistic artificial muscles can decouple joint torque and stiffness, but contact transients often degrade this independence. We present a unified real-time framework applicable across pneumatic, electrohydraulic, and dielectric…
As one of the core parts of flexible manufacturing systems, material handling involves storage and transportation of materials between workstations with automated vehicles. The improvement in material handling can impulse the overall…
The article is aimed to address a mutually boosting use of asymptotic analysis and machine learning, for fast stiffness design of configurations infilled with smoothly-varying graded microstructures. The discussion is conducted in the…
Growing demands in the semiconductor industry necessitate increasingly stringent requirements on throughput and positioning accuracy of lithographic equipment. Meeting these demands involves employing highly aggressive motion profiles,…
Many biological systems can form strong adhesion to various materials with complex shapes. The adhesion is further switchable between strongly adhering and completely non-adhering in a simple and fast manner. By contrast, no engineering…
Shape-morphing structures possess the ability to change their shapes from one state to another, and therefore, offer great potential for a broad range of applications. A typical paradigm of morphing is transforming from an initial…
This paper presents a computational framework for the robust stiffness design of hyperelastic structures at finite deformations subject to various uncertain sources. In particular, the loading, material properties, and geometry…
A tunable stiffness bone rod was designed, optimized, and 3D printed to address the common shortcomings of existing bone rods in the healing of long fractured bones. The common deficiencies of existing bone fixations are high stiffness,…
This study examines the mechanical behavior of a novel class of mechanical metamaterials alternating pentamode lattices and stiffening plates. The unit cell of such lattices consists of a sub-lattice of the face cubic-centered unit cell…
The natural impedance, or dynamic relationship between force and motion, of a human operator can determine the stability of exoskeletons that use interaction-torque feedback to amplify human strength. While human impedance is typically…
This paper deals with the development of a handling-oriented stiffness control strategy using multichamber suspensions. Indeed, being this technology capable of stiffness variability, it is particularly indicated for improving the vehicle…
This paper expounds the design and control of a new Variable Stiffness Series Elastic Actuator (VSSEA). It is established by employing a modular mechanical design approach that allows us to effectively optimise the stiffness modulation…
Stability and reliable operation under a spectrum of environmental conditions is still an open challenge for soft and continuum style manipulators. The inability to carry sufficient load and effectively reject external disturbances are two…
Crumpling of a thin film leads to a unique stiff yet lightweight structure. The stiffness has been attributed to a complex interplay between four basic elements - smooth bends, sharp folds, localized points (developable cones), and…
Structural stiffness plays an important role in engineering design. The analysis of stiffness requires precise experiments and computational models that can be difficult or time-consuming to procure. A novel relation between modal and…
Elastic instabilities such as buckling and snapping have evolved into a powerful design principle, enabling memory, sequential shape morphing, and computing in metamaterials and devices. Modifying the post-buckling configurations or their…
Vine-inspired robots achieve large workspace coverage through tip eversion, enabling safe navigation in confined and cluttered environments. However, their deployment in free space is fundamentally limited by low axial stiffness, poor…