Salvatore Graziani

Bio: Salvatore Graziani is an academic researcher from University of Catania. The author has contributed to research in topics: Ionic polymer–metal composites & Actuator. The author has an hindex of 30, co-authored 231 publications receiving 4231 citations. Previous affiliations of Salvatore Graziani include STMicroelectronics.

Soft Sensors for Monitoring and Control of Industrial Processes (Advances in Industrial Control)

Abstract: This book reviews current design paths for soft sensors, and guides readers in evaluating different choices. The book presents case studies resulting from collaborations between the authors and industrial partners. The solutions presented, some of which are implemented on-line in industrial plants, are designed to cope with a wide range of applications from measuring system backup and what-if analysis through real-time prediction for plant control to sensor diagnosis and validation.

Soft Sensors for Monitoring and Control of Industrial Processes

Abstract: This book reviews current design paths for soft sensors, and guides readers in evaluating different choices. The book presents case studies resulting from collaborations between the authors and industrial partners. The solutions presented, some of which are implemented on-line in industrial plants, are designed to cope with a wide range of applications from measuring system backup and what-if analysis through real-time prediction for plant control to sensor diagnosis and validation.

A nonlinear model for ionic polymer metal composites as actuators

Abstract: This paper introduces a comprehensive nonlinear dynamic model of motion actuators based on ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) working in air. Significant quantities ruling the acting properties of IPMC-based actuators are taken into account. The model is organized as follows. As a first step, the dependence of the IPMC absorbed current on the voltage applied across its thickness is taken into account; a nonlinear circuit model is proposed to describe this relationship. In a second step the transduction of the absorbed current into the IPMC mechanical reaction is modelled. The model resulting from the cascade of both the electrical and the electromechanical stages represents a novel contribution in the field of IPMCs, capable of describing the electromechanical behaviour of these materials and predicting relevant quantities in a large range of applied signals. The effect of actuator scaling is also investigated, giving interesting support to the activities involved in the design of actuating devices based on these novel materials. Evidence of the excellent agreement between the estimations obtained by using the proposed model and experimental signals is given.

A model for ionic polymer metal composites as sensors

Abstract: This paper introduces a comprehensive model of sensors based on ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) working in air. Significant quantities ruling the sensing properties of IPMC-based sensors are taken into account and the dynamics of the sensors are modelled. A large amount of experimental evidence is given for the excellent agreement between estimations obtained using the proposed model and the observed signals. Furthermore, the effect of sensor scaling is investigated, giving interesting support to the activities involved in the design of sensing devices based on these novel materials. We observed that the need for a wet environment is not a key issue for IPMC-based sensors to work well. This fact allows us to put IPMC-based sensors in a totally different light to the corresponding actuators, showing that sensors do not suffer from the same drawbacks.

I and i

Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality. Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

Soft robotics: Biological inspiration, state of the art, and future research

Abstract: Traditional robots have rigid underlying structures that limit their ability to interact with their environment. For example, conventional robot manipulators have rigid links and can manipulate objects using only their specialised end effectors. These robots often encounter difficulties operating in unstructured and highly congested environments. A variety of animals and plants exhibit complex movement with soft structures devoid of rigid components. Muscular hydrostats e.g. octopus arms and elephant trunks are almost entirely composed of muscle and connective tissue and plant cells can change shape when pressurised by osmosis. Researchers have been inspired by biology to design and build soft robots. With a soft structure and redundant degrees of freedom, these robots can be used for delicate tasks in cluttered and/or unstructured environments. This paper discusses the novel capabilities of soft robots, describes examples from nature that provide biological inspiration, surveys the state of the art and outlines existing challenges in soft robot design, modelling, fabrication and control.

Fractional Order Systems: Modeling and Control Applications

Abstract: Fractional Order Systems Fractional Order PID Controller Chaotic Fractional Order Systems Field Programmable Gate Array, Microcontroller and Field Programmable Analog Array Implementation Switched Capacitor and Integrated Circuit Design Modeling of Ionic Polymeric Metal Composite