Parameter identification and position control for helical hydraulic rotary actuators based on particle swarm optimization

It is difficult to obtain an accurate mathematical model in electro-hydraulic servo control system, due to the nonlinear factors such as dead zone, saturation, flow coefficient, and friction. Hence, a parameter identification algorithm, combining recursive least squares (RLS) with modified nonlinear particle swarm optimization (NPSO) algorithm, is proposed. On this basis, another improved NPSO algorithm is also put forward, aiming at searching for the optimal proportional–integral (PI) controller gain of the nonlinear hydraulic system while giving comprehensive consideration to the system performance indexes. The system identification experiments and position tracking control are conducted, respectively. As indicated by the comparison with the least squares (LS), RLS, PSO, and RLS–LPSO results, the proposed method shows higher identification and control accuracy.     

Light-Responsive Programmable Shape-Memory Soft Actuator Based on Liquid Crystalline Polymer/Polyurethane Network

Liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs), especially liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) can generate ultrahigh shape change amplitude but has lower mechanical strength. Although some attempts have been tried to improve the mechanical performance of LCE, there are still limitations including complicated fabrication and high actuation temperature. Here, a versatile method is reported to fabricate light-driven actuator by covalently cross-linking polyurethane (PU) into LCP networks (PULCN). This new scheme is distinct from the previous interpenetrating network strategy, the hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds are used in this study to improve the miscibility of non-liquid-crystalline PU and LCP materials and enhance the stability of the composite system. This material not only possesses the shape memory properties of PU but shows shape-changing behavior of LCPs. With a shrinkage ratio of 20% at the phase transition temperature, the prepared materials reached a maximum mechanical strength of 20 MPa, higher than conventional LCP. Meanwhile, the resulting film shows diverse and programmable initial shapes by constructing crosslinking density gradient across the thickness of the film. By integration of PULCN with near-infrared light-responsive polydopamine, local and sequential light control is achieved. This study may provide a new route for the fabrication of programmable and mechanically robust light-driven soft actuator.     

Recent Development of Jumping Motions Based on Soft Actuators

Drawing inspiration from the jumping motions of living creatures in nature, jumping robots have emerged as a promising research field over the past few decades due to great application potential in interstellar exploration, military reconnaissance, and life rescue missions. Early reviews mainly focused on jumping robots made of lightweight and rigid materials with mechanical components, concentrating on jumping control and stability. Herein, attention is paid to the jumping mechanisms of soft actuators assembled from various soft smarting materials and powered by different stimulus sources. The challenges and prospects of soft jumping actuators are also discussed. It is hoped that this review will contribute to the further development of soft jumping actuators and broaden their practical applications.     

Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)‐Based Microscale Actuators with 60% Deformation Rate and 1.6 kHz Actuation Speed

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are widely utilized as an actuation source in microscale devices, since they have a simple actuation mechanism and high‐power density. However, they have limitations in terms of strain range and actuation speed. High‐speed microscale SMA actuators are developed having diamond‐shaped frame structures with a diameter of 25 µm. These structures allow for a large elongation range compared with bulk SMA materials, with the aid of spring‐like behavior under tensile deformation. These actuators are validated in terms of their applicability as an artificial muscle in microscale by investigating their behavior under mechanical deformation and changes in thermal conditions. The shape memory effect is triggered by delivering thermal energy with a laser. The fast heating and cooling phenomenon caused by the scale effect allows high‐speed actuation up to 1600 Hz. It is expected that the proposed actuators will contribute to the development of soft robots and biomedical devices.     

Control of ignition delay in microfabricated hot-wire igniters: Simulation, fabrication, and experimental results

The presented work studied thermal interactions between laminated, metal-foil, hot-wire igniters and exothermic solid-state, composite chemical systems in order to demonstrate precise timing control of a thermal ignition process. The study includes FEA modeling, device fabrication, and characterization to demonstrate control microthruster ignition delays to within 2 ms. The modeling included studies of total ignition delay as well as the ignition delay variation versus process variations. Microthrusters were then fabricated via printed circuit board lamination, and the ignition performance was characterized. The characterization showed agreement with modeling to within 2-sigma for most cases. And the characterization demonstrated that the ignition delay could be controlled to within 0.36 and 0.84 ms for the best case. Furthermore, this performance was demonstrated with a small battery supply (200-600 mAh) and minimal electronics in the ignition system. This work extends the use of current microthrusters to short-lifetime applications that need high forces delivered in millisecond time intervals.     

Design and experimental evaluation of a robust force controller for an electro-hydraulic actuator via quantitative feedback theory

This paper presents the design and experimental evaluation of an explicit force controller for a hydraulic actuator in the presence of significant system uncertainties and nonlinearities. The nonlinear version of quantitative feedback theory (QFT) is employed to design a robust time-invariant controller. Two approaches are developed to identify linear time-invariant equivalent model that can precisely represent the nonlinear plant, operating over a wide range. The first approach is based on experimental input–output measurements, obtained directly from the actual system. The second approach is model-based, and utilizes the general nonlinear mathematical model of a hydraulic actuator interacting with an uncertain environment. Given the equivalent models, a controller is then designed to satisfy a priori specified tracking and stability specifications. The controller enjoys the simplicity of fixed-gain controllers while exhibiting robustness. Experimental tests are performed on a hydraulic actuator equipped with a low-cost proportional valve. The results show that the compensated system is not sensitive to the variation of parameters such as environmental stiffness or supply pressure and can equally work well for various set-point forces.     

Smart Electroceramics

"Smart" materials have the ability to perform both sensing and actuating functions. Passively smart materials respond to external change in a useful manner without assistance, whereas actively smart materials have a feedback loop which allows them to both recognize the change and initiate an appropriate response through an actuator circuit. Many smart materials are analogous to biological systems: piezoelectric hydrophones are similar in mechanism to the "ears" by which a fish senses vibrations. Piezoelectrics with electromechanical coupling, shape-memory materials that can "remember" their original shape, electrorheological fluids with adjustable viscosities, and chemical sensors which act as synthetic equivalents to the human nose are examples of smart electroceramics. "Very smart" materials, in addition to sensing and actuating, have the ability to "learn" by altering their property coefficients in response to the environment. Integration of these different technologies into compact, multifunction packages is the ultimate goal of research in the area of smart materials.     

Coupled mechanics and finite element for non‐linear laminated piezoelectric shallow shells undergoing large displacements and rotations

A theoretical framework is presented for analysing the coupled non‐linear response of shallow doubly curved adaptive laminated piezoelectric shells undergoing large displacements and rotations. The formulated mechanics incorporate coupling between in‐plane and flexural stiffness terms due to geometric curvature, coupling between mechanical and electric fields, and encompass geometric non‐linearity effects due to large displacements and rotations. The governing equations are formulated explicitly in orthogonal curvilinear co‐ordinates and are combined with the kinematic assumptions of a mixed‐field shear‐layerwise shell laminate theory. Based on the above formulation, a finite element methodology together with an incremental‐iterative technique, based on Newton–Raphson method is formulated. An eight‐node coupled non‐linear shell element is also developed. Various evaluation cases on laminated curved beams and cylindrical panels illustrate the capability of the shell finite element to predict the complex non‐linear behaviour of active shell structures including buckling, which is not captured by linear shell models. The numerical results also show the inherent capability of piezoelectric shell structures to actively induce large displacements through piezoelectric actuators, by jumping between multiple equilibrium states. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.