scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Author

Matteo Verotti

Bio: Matteo Verotti is an academic researcher from Sapienza University of Rome. The author has contributed to research in topics: Compliant mechanism & Isotropy. The author has an hindex of 17, co-authored 45 publications receiving 741 citations. Previous affiliations of Matteo Verotti include Canadian Real Estate Association & University of Genoa.

Papers
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A modeling framework for the underwater vibration of the biomimetic tail is proposed, wherein the tail is assimilated to a cantilever beam with rectangular cross section and heterogeneous physical properties and the effect of the encompassing fluid is described through a hydrodynamic function.
Abstract: In this paper, we study energy harvesting from the beating of a biomimetic fish tail using ionic polymer–metal composites. The design of the biomimetic tail is based on carangiform swimmers and is specifically inspired by the morphology of the heterocercal tail of thresher sharks. The tail is constituted of a soft silicone matrix molded in the form of the heterocercal tail and reinforced by a steel beam of rectangular cross section. We propose a modeling framework for the underwater vibration of the biomimetic tail, wherein the tail is assimilated to a cantilever beam with rectangular cross section and heterogeneous physical properties. We focus on base excitation in the form of a superimposed rotation about a fixed axis and we consider the regime of moderately large-amplitude vibrations. In this context, the effect of the encompassing fluid is described through a hydrodynamic function, which accounts for inertial, viscous and convective phenomena. The model is validated through experiments in which the base excitation is systematically varied and the motion of selected points on the biomimetic tail tracked in time. The feasibility of harvesting energy from an ionic polymer–metal composite attached to the vibrating structure is experimentally and theoretically assessed. The response of the transducer is described using a black-box model, where the voltage output is controlled by the rate of change of the mean curvature. Experiments are performed to elucidate the impact of the shunting resistance, the frequency of the base excitation and the placement of the ionic polymer–metal composite on energy harvesting from the considered biomimetic tail.

71 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A new approach to tissue and cell manipulation is presented, which employs a conceptually new conjugate surfaces flexure hinge (CSFH) silicon MEMS-based technology micro-gripper that solves most of the above-mentioned problems.
Abstract: Although tissue and cell manipulation nowadays is a common task in biomedical analysis, there are still many different ways to accomplish it, most of which are still not sufficiently general, inexpensive, accurate, efficient or effective. Several problems arise both for in vivo or in vitro analysis, such as the maximum overall size of the device and the gripper jaws (like in minimally-invasive open biopsy) or very limited manipulating capability, degrees of freedom or dexterity (like in tissues or cell-handling operations). This paper presents a new approach to tissue and cell manipulation, which employs a conceptually new conjugate surfaces flexure hinge (CSFH) silicon MEMS-based technology micro-gripper that solves most of the above-mentioned problems. The article describes all of the phases of the development, including topology conception, structural design, simulation, construction, actuation testing and in vitro observation. The latter phase deals with the assessment of the function capability, which consists of taking a series of in vitro images by optical microscopy. They offer a direct morphological comparison between the gripper and a variety of tissues.

62 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a flexure hinge for MEMS applications is presented, which combines a curved beam, as a flexible element, and a pair of conjugate surfaces, whose contact depends on load conditions.
Abstract: This paper presents a new concept flexure hinge for MEMS applications and reveals how to design, construct, and experimentally test. This hinge combines a curved beam, as a flexible element, and a pair of conjugate surfaces, whose contact depends on load conditions. The geometry is conceived in such a way that minimum stress conditions are maintained within the flexible beam. A comparison of the new design with the other kind of revolute and flexible joints is presented. Then, the static behavior of the hinge is analyzed by means of a theoretical approach, based on continuum mechanics, and the results are compared to those obtained by means of finite element analysis (FEA) simulation. A silicon hinge prototype is also presented and the construction process, based on single step lithography and reactive ion etching (RIE) technology, is discussed. Finally, a crucial in–SEM experiment is performed and the experimental results are interpreted through the theoretical models.

56 citations


Cited by
More filters
01 Jan 2016
TL;DR: Some basic problems of the mathematical theory of elasticity, but end up in infectious downloads because people cope with some infectious bugs inside their computer.
Abstract: Thank you for downloading some basic problems of the mathematical theory of elasticity. As you may know, people have search hundreds times for their favorite readings like this some basic problems of the mathematical theory of elasticity, but end up in infectious downloads. Rather than reading a good book with a cup of coffee in the afternoon, instead they cope with some infectious bugs inside their computer.

423 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the moment and charge stored along the IPMC are computed from the solution of a modified Poisson-Nernst-Planck system, in terms of the through-the-thickness coordinate.
Abstract: Ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) are electroactive materials composed of a hydrated ionomeric membrane that is sandwiched between noble metal electrodes. Here, we propose a modeling framework to study quasi-static large deformations and electrochemistry of IPMCs. Specifically, IPMC kinematics is described in terms of its mechanical deformation, the concentration of mobile counterions neutralizing the ionomer, and the electric potential. The chemoelectromechanical constitutive behavior is obtained from a Helmholtz free energy density, which accounts for mechanical stretching, ion mixing, and electric polarization. The three-dimensional framework is specialized to plane bending of thin IPMCs. Hence, we propose a structural model, where the moment and the charge stored along the IPMC are computed from the solution of a modified Poisson–Nernst–Planck system, in terms of the through-the-thickness coordinate. For small static deformations, we present a semianalytical solution based on the method of matched asymptotic expansions, which is ultimately used to study IPMC sensing and actuation. We demonstrate that the linearity of IPMC actuation in a broad voltage range could be attributed to the interplay of two competing nonlinear phenomena, associated with Maxwell stress and osmotic pressure. In agreement with experimental observations, our model confirms the possibility of tailoring IPMC actuation by varying the counterion size and the concentration of fixed ions. Finally, the model is successful in predicting the significantly different voltage levels displayed by IPMC sensors and actuators, which are associated with remarkable variations in the ion mixing and polarization energies.

93 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Zhuoran Zhang1, Xian Wang1, Jun Liu1, Changsheng Dai1, Yu Sun1 
TL;DR: In this article, the fundamental physics; techniques for sensing, actuation, and control; tool sets; and techniques for micromanipulation of robotic micromachines are discussed.
Abstract: Robotic micromanipulation is a relatively young field. However, after three decades of development and evolution, the fundamental physics; techniques for sensing, actuation, and control; tool sets ...

90 citations