Mechatronics 

About: Mechatronics is an academic journal published by Elsevier BV. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Control theory & Actuator. It has an ISSN identifier of 0957-4158. Over the lifetime, 2692 publications have been published receiving 78938 citations. The journal is also known as: mechatronic engineering.

MR fluid, foam and elastomer devices

Abstract: Magnetorheological (MR) fluids, foams and elastomers comprise a class of smart materials whose rheological properties may be controlled by the application of an external magnetic field. MR fluids are liquids whose flow or shear properties are easily controlled to enable a variety of unique torque transfer or vibration control devices. MR foams, in which the controllable fluid is contained in an absorptive matrix, provide a convenient way of realizing the benefits of MR fluids in highly cost sensitive applications. MR elastomers are solid, rubber-like materials whose stiffness may be controlled to provide tunable or adjustable mounts and suspension devices.

Review Article Tactile sensing for mechatronics—a state of the art survey

Abstract: In this paper we examine the state of the art in tactile sensing for mechatronics. We define a tactile sensor as a device or system that can measure a given property of an object or contact event through physical contact between the sensor and the object. We consider any property that can be measured through contact, including the shape of an object, texture, temperature, hardness, moisture content, etc. A comprehensive search of the literature revealed that there was a significant increase in publications on tactile sensing from 1991 onwards. Considerable effort in the 1980s was spent investigating transduction techniques and developing new sensors, whilst emphasis in more recent research has focused on experiments using tactile sensors to perform a variety of tasks. This paper reports on progress in tactile sensing in the following areas: cutaneous sensors, sensing fingers, soft materials, industrial robot grippers, multifingered hands, probes and whiskers, analysis of sensing devices, haptic perception, processing sensory data and new application areas. We conclude that the predominant choice of transduction method is piezoelectric, with arrays using resistive or capacitive sensing. We found that increased emphasis on understanding tactile sensing and perception issues has opened up potential for new application areas. The predicted growth in applications in industrial automation has not eventuated. New applications for tactile sensing including surgery, rehabilitation and service robotics, and food processing automation show considerable potential and are now receiving significant levels of research attention.

Survey on human–robot collaboration in industrial settings: Safety, intuitive interfaces and applications

Abstract: Easy-to-use collaborative robotics solutions, where human workers and robots share their skills, are entering the market, thus becoming the new frontier in industrial robotics. They allow to combine the advantages of robots, which enjoy high levels of accuracy, speed and repeatability, with the flexibility and cognitive skills of human workers. However, to achieve an efficient human–robot collaboration, several challenges need to be tackled. First, a safe interaction must be guaranteed to prevent harming humans having a direct contact with the moving robot. Additionally, to take full advantage of human skills, it is important that intuitive user interfaces are properly designed, so that human operators can easily program and interact with the robot. In this survey paper, an extensive review on human–robot collaboration in industrial environment is provided, with specific focus on issues related to physical and cognitive interaction. The commercially available solutions are also presented and the main industrial applications where collaborative robotic is advantageous are discussed, highlighting how collaborative solutions are intended to improve the efficiency of the system and which the open issue are.

A review of atomic force microscopy imaging systems: application to molecular metrology and biological sciences

Abstract: The atomic force microscope (AFM) system has evolved into a useful tool for direct measurements of micro-structural parameters and unraveling the intermolecular forces at nanoscale level with atomic-resolution characterization. Typically, these micro-cantilever systems are operated in three open-loop modes; non-contact mode, contact mode, and tapping mode. In order to probe electric, magnetic, and/or atomic forces of a selected sample, the non-contact mode is utilized by moving the cantilever slightly away from the sample surface and oscillating the cantilever at or near its natural resonance frequency. Alternatively, the contact mode acquires sample attributes by monitoring interaction forces while the cantilever tip remains in contact with the target sample. The tapping mode of operation combines qualities of both the contact and non-contact modes by gleaning sample data and oscillating the cantilever tip at or near its natural resonance frequency while allowing the cantilever tip to impact the target sample for a minimal amount of time. Recent research on AFM systems has focused on many manufacturing and metrology processes at molecular levels due to its tremendous surface microscopic capabilities. This paper provides a review of such recent developments in AFM imaging system with emphasis on operational modes, micro-cantilever dynamic modeling and control. Due to the important contributions of AFM systems to metrology and biological sciences, this study also provides a comprehensive review of recent applications of different AFM systems in these two important areas.

MR damper and its application for semi-active control of vehicle suspension system

Abstract: In this paper, a semi-active control of vehicle suspension system with magnetorheological (MR) damper is presented. At first a MR damper working in flow mode is designed. Performance testing is done for this damper with INSTRON machine. Then a mathematical model, Bouc–Wen model, is adopted to characterize the performance of the MR damper. With optimization method in MATLAB® and experimental results of MR damper, the coefficients of the model are determined. Finally, a scaled quarter car model is set up including the model of the MR damper and a semi-active control strategy is adopted to control the vibration of suspension system. Simulation results show that with the semi-active control the vibration of suspension system is well controlled.