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This paper endeavours to bridge the existing gap in muscular actuator design for ligament-skeletal-inspired robots, thereby fostering the evolution of these robotic systems. We introduce two novel compliant actuators, namely the Internal…
Spin Waves(SWs) enable the realization of energy efficient circuits as they propagate and interfere within waveguides without consuming noticeable energy. However, SW computing can be even more energy efficient by taking advantage of the…
This works presents the theoretical analysis and experimental observations of bidirectional motion of a millimeter-scale bristle robot (milli-bristle-bot) with an on-board piezoelectric actuator. First, the theory of the motion, based on…
The Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) micro-plasma actuator stands out as a highly promising tool for active fluid flow control. Researchers specializing in flow control have taken a keen interest in this actuator due to its economical…
Since the experimental discovery of magnetic skyrmions achieved one decade ago, there have been significant efforts to bring the virtual particles into all-electrical fully functional devices, inspired by their fascinating physical and…
The backswimmer fly is an aquatic insect, capable of regulating its buoyancy underwater. Its abdomen is covered with hemoglobin cells, used to bind and release oxygen, reversibly. Upon entering water, the fly entraps an air bubble in a…
Microrobots have the potential to impact many areas such as microsurgery, micromanipulation and minimally invasive sensing. Due to their small size, microrobots swim in a regime that is governed by low Reynolds number hydrodynamics. In this…
A sensor-fused wearable assistance prototype for upper-limb function (triceps brachii and extensor pollicis brevis) is presented. The device integrates surface electromyography (sEMG), an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and flex/force…
Background: Upper-limb weakness and tremor (4--12 Hz) limit activities of daily living (ADL) and reduce adherence to home rehabilitation. Objective: To assess technical feasibility and clinician-relevant signals of a sensor-fused wearable…
Many applications, including medical diagnostics, sonar and navigation rely on the detection of acoustic waves. Photonic hydrophones demonstrate comparable sensitivity to piezoelectric-based hydrophones, but with significantly reduced size,…
We present the realization of a compact micro-wave frequency synthesizer for an atom interferometer based on stimulated Raman transitions, applied to transportable inertial sensing. Our set-up is intended to address the hyperfine…
Small-scale robots hold great potential for targeted cargo delivery in minimally-inv asive medicine. However, current robots often face challenges to locomote efficiently on slip pery biological tissue surfaces, especially when loaded with…
Complex ferromagnetic oxides such as La$_{0.67}$Sr$_{0.33}$MnO$_3$ (LSMO) offer pathways for creating energy efficient spintronic devices with new functionalities. LSMO exhibits high-temperature ferromagnetism, half metallicity, sharp…
This work presents the mechanical design and control of a novel small-size and lightweight Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) for aerial manipulation. To our knowledge, with a total take-off mass of only 2.0 kg, the proposed system is the most…
Intelligent interaction with the physical world requires perceptual abilities beyond vision and hearing; vibrant tactile sensing is essential for autonomous robots to dexterously manipulate unfamiliar objects or safely contact humans.…
Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), also recognized as artificial muscle, have been widely developed for the soft locomotion robot. With the complaint skeleton and miniaturized dimension, they are well suited for the narrow space…
Compared to traditional rigid robotics, soft robotics has attracted increasing attention due to its advantages as compliance, safety, and low cost. As an essential part of soft robotics, the soft robotic gripper also shows its superior…
The morphology of a slender soft-robot can be modified by sensing its shape via sensors and exerting moments via actuators embedded along its body. The actuating moments required to morph these soft-robots to a desired shape are often…
This paper presents design, fabrication and control of a compliant 2D manipulator, a so called soft actuator. Our focus is on fiber-reinforced elastomer actuators driven by a constant pressure hydraulic supply and modulated on/off valves.…
Shape transformation is crucial for the survival, adaptation, predation, defense, and reproduction of organisms in complex environments. It also serves as a key mechanism for the development of various applications, including soft robotics,…