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Planned instruments utilising multi-object adaptive optics systems on the forthcoming extremely large telescopes require large numbers of high order deformable mirrors. These devices are a significant cost driver, particularly if…
This paper contains a thorough investigation of the performance of electrically activated layered soft dielectric composite actuators under plane deformation. Noting that the activation can be induced controlling either the voltage or the…
Twisted and coiled polymer actuators (TCPAs) offer the advantages of large stroke and large specific work as compared to other actuators. There have been extensive experimental investigations towards understanding their actuation response,…
As we enter the era of TESS and JWST, instrumentation that can carry out radial velocity measurements of exoplanet systems is in high demand. We will address this demand by upgrading the UC Lick Observatory's 2.4-meter Automated Planet…
Multifunctional capability, flexible design, rugged lightweight construction, and self-powered operation are desired attributes for electronics that directly interface with the human body or with advanced robotic systems. For these and…
Active optics techniques on large telescopes and astronomical instrumentations provide high imaging quality. For ground-based astronomy, the co-addition of adaptive optics again increases angular resolution up to provide diffraction-limited…
There is a growing need for robots that can change their shape, size and mechanical properties to adapt to evolving tasks and environments. However, current shape-changing systems generally utilize bespoke, system-specific mechanisms that…
Electropolishing has found wide application as the final surface treatment of metal products in mechanical engineering and instrumentation, medicine and reflective concentrators for PV cells. It was found that electropolishing (EP) not only…
Electromechanical coupling through piezoelectric polymer chains allows the emission of organic molecules in active nanowires to be tuned. This effect is evidenced by highly bendable arrays of counter-ion dye-doped nanowires made of a…
In the context of the Large Binocular Telescope project, we present the results of force actuator calibrations performed on an adaptive secondary prototype called P45, a thin deformable glass with magnets glued onto its back.…
Advancements in high-efficiency hybrid variable reluctance (HVR) actuators are an enabling technology for building the next generation of large-format deformable mirrors, including adaptive secondary mirrors. The Netherlands Organization…
Optics for future X-ray telescopes will be characterized by very large aperture and focal length, and will be made of lightweight materials like glass or plastic in order to keep the total mass within acceptable limits. Optics based on thin…
Optical gratings are a key component in many spectroscopy, communications, and imaging systems. While initially static elements, advances in optical materials have enabled dynamically tunable gratings to be designed. One common tuning…
Cryogenic fuels, such as liquid hydrogen and liquid natural gas, emerge as versatile and sustainable energy carriers that are revolutionising various industries including aerospace, automotive, marine, and power generation. Thermoplastic…
We demonstrate strong performance enhancement of an all polarization-maintaining fiber oscillator mode-locked using NPE in a linear self-stabilized fiber interferometer via suppression of cross-phase modulation (XPM). Numerical simulations…
As interest in sustainable materials grows, paper is being reimagined as a multifunctional substrate with significant potential for future technologies for innovative, environmentally friendly solutions. This study investigates the swelling…
We provide a detailed insight into piezoelectric energy generation from arrays of polymer nanofibers. For sake of comparison, we firstly measure individual poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFe)) fibers at well-defined…
The rapid adaptation of data driven AI models, such as deep learning inference, training, Vision Transformers (ViTs), and other HPC applications, drives a strong need for runtime precision configurable different non linear activation…
Halide perovskite-based photodiodes are promising for efficient detection across a broad spectral range. Perovskite absorber thin-films have a microcrystalline morphology, characterized by a high density of surface states and defects at…
Deformable Mirrors (DMs) have wide applications ranging from astronomical imaging to laser communications and vision science. However, they often require bulky multi-channel cables for delivering high power to their drive actuators. A low…