Related papers: High Performance Electrostatic Sensors and Actuato…
The low-frequency resolution of space-based gravitational wave observatories such as LISA (Laser Interferometry Space Antenna) hinges on the orbital purity of a free-falling reference test mass inside a satellite shield. We present here a…
We propose a sensorization method for soft pneumatic actuators that uses an embedded microphone and speaker to measure different actuator properties. The physical state of the actuator determines the specific modulation of sound as it…
A high sensitivity force sensor based on dielectric microspheres in vacuum, optically trapped by a single, upward-propagating laser beam, is described. Off-axis parabolic mirrors are used both to focus the 1064~nm trapping beam and to…
Perception in robot manipulation has been actively explored with the goal of advancing and integrating vision and touch for global and local feature extraction. However, it is difficult to perceive certain object internal states, and the…
Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have garnered extensive attention especially in soft robotic applications over the past few decades owing to the advantages of lightweight, large strain, fast response and high energy density. However,…
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), space-based gravitational wave observatory involves a complex multidimensional closed-loop dynamical system. Its instrument performance is expected to be less efficiently isolated from platform…
The electric forces acting on an atomic force microscope tip in solution have been measured using a microelectrochemical cell formed by two periodically biased electrodes. The forces were measured as a function of lift height and bias…
This paper is devoted to the unidimensional analysis of a 2-ports silicon resonator vibrating in thickness--extensional mode. Both excitation and detection ports are capacitive transducers used to control the system of longitudinal elastic…
Multi-parameter estimation is necessary for force sensing due to simultaneous and nontrivial small changes of position and momentum. Designing quantum probes that allow simultaneous estimation of all parameters is therefore an important…
Precise and high-fidelity force control is critical for new generations of robots that interact with humans and unknown environments. Mobile robots, such as wearable devices and legged robots, must also be lightweight to accomplish their…
The present paper is based upon the fact that if an object is part of a highly stable oscillating system, it is possible to obtain an extremely precise measure for its mass in terms of the energy trapped in this resonance. The subject is…
This paper reports on the systematic electromechanical characterization of a new three-axial force sensor used in dimensional metrology of micro components. The siliconbased sensor system consists of piezoresistive mechanicalstress…
Described is a device acting on an acoustically levitated object by manipulating the pressure and flow of a thin layer of air such that its rotation can be precisely controlled without mechanical contact. Virtual work analysis assists in…
Passive body-area electrostatic field sensing, also referred to as human body capacitance (HBC), is an energy-efficient and non-intrusive sensing modality that exploits the human body's inherent electrostatic properties to perceive human…
Fluid-based soft actuators are an attractive option for lightweight and human-safe robots. These actuators, combined with fluid pressure force feedback, are in principle a form of series-elastic actuation (SEA), in which nearly all…
Torque-controlled actuators are critical components in mechatronic systems that closely interact with their environment, such as legged robots, collaborative manipulators, and exoskeletons. The performance and stability of these actuators…
A torsion pendulum allows ground-based investigation of the purity of free-fall for the LISA test masses inside their capacitive position sensor. This paper presents recent improvements in our torsion pendulum facility that have both…
We have built a highly sensitive torsion balance to investigate small forces between closely spaced gold coated surfaces. Such forces will occur between the LISA proof mass and its housing. These forces are not well understood and…
The LISA Pathfinder mission will demonstrate the technology of drag-free test masses for use as inertial references in future space-based gravitational wave detectors. To accomplish this, the Pathfinder spacecraft will perform drag-free…
We consider linear feedback control of the two-dimensional flow past a cylinder at low Reynolds numbers, with a particular focus on the optimal placement of a single sensor and a single actuator. To accommodate the high dimensionality of…