Competitive cooling with capacitors Current large-scale devices use vapor compression refrigeration. The efficiency of air conditioners has been optimized, but they can be noisy and rely on problematic greenhouse gases. Two groups now present designs for electrocaloric using lead scandium tantalate that change temperature under an electric field. Y. Wang et al. obtained a very large heat flux only solid materials fan to remove from their device. Torello used fluids transfer, leading...

Competitive cooling with capacitors Current large-scale devices use vapor compression refrigeration. The efficiency of air conditioners has been optimized, but they can be noisy and rely on problematic greenhouse gases. Two groups now present designs for electrocaloric using lead scandium tantalate that change temperature under an electric field. Y. Wang et al. obtained a very large heat flux only solid materials fan to remove from their device. Torello used fluids transfer, leading...

Cooling through solid-state electrocaloric materials is an attractive replacement for vapor compression. Despite recent efforts, devices that are potentially commercially competitive have not been developed. We present cooler with a maximum temperature span of 20.9 kelvin and cooling power 4.2 watts under the moderate applied electric field 10 volts per micrometer without any observed breakdown. Moreover, coefficient performance, even taking into account energy expended on fluid pumping,...

A control system for a shape memory alloy (SMA) servo actuator, and its application to unique medical tool, are considered. It is thought that the electric resistance value of an SMA can be utilized monitor transformation directly. Therefore, antagonistic scheme using feedback proposed verified by several experiments. This reduces open-loop hysteresis actuator improves greatly robustness against heat disturbance due changes in cooling condition. Research into method active endoscope...

La 1−x Sr x CuOS (x=0, 0.05) thin films prepared by radio-frequency sputtering were found to have high optical transmission (⩾70%) at the visible and near-infrared wavelengths an energy gap of about 3.1 eV. The dc electrical conductivities x=0 0.05 room temperature 1.2×10−2 2.6×10−1 S cm−1, respectively. Seebeck coefficients these samples positive, indicating that p-type conduction is dominant in materials. A sharp photoluminescence peak, probably originating from interband transition, was...

Losses in piezoelectrics are considered general to have three different mechanisms: dielectric, mechanical, and piezoelectric losses. This paper deals with the phenomenology of losses first, then how measure these separately experiments. We found that heat generation at off-resonance is caused mainly by dielectric loss tan delta' (i.e., P-E hysteresis loss), not mechanical loss, a significant decrease Qm an increase vibration level was observed resonant ceramic devices, which due extensive...

A number of positioning identification techniques have been used for mobile robots. Dead reckoning is a popular method, but not reliable when robot travels long distances or over an uneven surface because variations in wheel diameter and slippage. The landmark which estimates the current position relative to landmarks, cannot be uncharted environment. authors propose new method called "cooperative with multiple robots". For cooperative positioning, divide robots into two groups, B. One...

Abstract Coming up with sustainable sources of electricity is one the grand challenges this century. The research field materials for energy harvesting stems from motivation, including thermoelectrics 1 , photovoltaics 2 and thermophotovoltaics 3 . Pyroelectric materials, converting temperature periodic variations in electricity, have been considered as sensors 4 harvesters 5–7 although we lack devices able to harvest joule range. Here develop a macroscopic thermal harvester made 42 g lead...

An advanced mathematical model of a shape memory alloy (SMA) useful for designing SMA micro-devices is proposed and applied to coil spring theory analyze the appropriate mechanical electrical characteristics. This can handle three phases SMA: parent phase, martensitic R-phase. steps. First, properties are modeled at solid mechanics level. Second, thermoelectric transformation obtained thermodynamic Finally, first second steps combined. The was verified successfully by experiments under...

We discuss the development of quadruped walking robot TITAN-VIII, especially about its leg mechanism and results experiments using a one-leg model. In design we have considered not only "high performance movement" but also "low cost", "simplicity treatment", functional extension", etc. introduce driving system wires, which is helpful to achieve these objectives. first constructed model TITAN-VIII. By this model, did made remarks feature response, velocity, force energy consumption. From...

The configuration design for a wall-climbing robot which is capable of moving on diversified surfaces wall and has high payload capability, discussed, developed quadruped robot, NINJA-1, introduced. NINJA-1 composed (1) legs based 3D parallel link mechanism producing powerful driving force the surface wall, (2) conduit-wire-driven parallelogram to adjust posture ankles, (3) valve-regulated multiple sucker can provide suction even if there are grooves small differences in level wall. Finally,...

We have developed the snake-like robot since 1972. The body of snake has "the function an arm" when it holds something by coiling itself and also legs" moves creeping. ACM several functions, which are fulfilled one after another according to situation. Especially in this paper, introduces about various move method realized using 3-dimensional type ACM, its feature

The development of a wall climbing robot which is able to move over the surface "3-dimensional terrain", terrain including floor, wall, ceiling any kinds structures with agility and adaptability strongly demanded in many industries. conventional wall-climbing machines were far from fulfilling demand, authors thus have been developing four-terrain-adaptive legs basic mobilities already demonstrated by manufactured prototype model NINJA-I. However, as there are almost no examples quadrupedal...

Multi-DOF flexibly-deformable machines are studied from. a biomechanical standpoint and called "slime robots". A rope-like, one-dimensional slime robot "slim robot" is paid special attention, its mechanical design basic locomotion examined by experiments of the practical model.

In this paper we outline the design of in-pipe inspection vehicle for pipes with diameters /spl phi/25, phi/50 and phi/150 mm, respectively. We introduce concept "whole stem drive". This is very effective to allow an travel long distance in pipeline. Based on concept, have built four vehicles, "Theseus" series. For pipe a diameter 50 propose two mechanisms, spiral motion (Theseus-I) practical gas (Theseus-II). 150 based idea control configured (Theseus-III). Finally, 25 which has actuator...

This paper describes the development and experiments of ACM-R3, which is a new version Active Cord Mechanism with three-dimensional mobility. ACM-R3 equipped large passive wheels that wrap its body overall, has frictional characteristics similar to snake-like skin. It also radio control servomotors gears added them, held tightly by shell frames, so it can move steadily high power With this robot, we realized fundamental two-dimensional serpentine locomotion, lateral rolling locomotion in...

Magnetoelectric (ME) properties were investigated for BaSrCo2−xZnxFe11AlO22 ceramics with the Y-type hexaferrite structure. This system exhibits a magnetic ordering above room temperature (RT) and high electrical resistivity exceeding 500 MΩ·cm by annealing under 10 atm O2. It is found that samples x ≤ 0.4 exhibit robust ME effect reversal of polarization induced low field at RT. Moreover, electric-field-induced magnetization switching also observed These results clearly demonstrate mutual...

Abstract Ferroaxial materials that exhibit spontaneous ordering of a rotational structural distortion with an axial vector symmetry have gained growing interest, motivated by recent extensive studies on ferroic materials. As in conventional ferroics (e.g., ferroelectrics and ferromagnetics), domain states will be present the ferroaxial However, observation domains is non-trivial due to nature order parameter, which invariant under both time-reversal space-inversion operations. Here we...

Design and control of a new quadruped walking manipulating robot TITAN VII which can be operated on steep slope is discussed. We first consider the optimal design driving system legs consisting prismatic actuators so as to produce large output power with minimum weight based concept coupled drive. Secondly, we discuss criteria for stability introduce type extensible leg maintain high terrain adaptability sleep slope. Thirdly, mention passive adaptive foot mechanism "rocker bogie sole"...

Vibration-level characteristics of lead-zirconate-titanate ceramics were studied using the constant current driving method. It was found that resonant frequency and mechanical Q markedly decreased with increasing vibration level, accompanying heat generation. The generation assumed to be caused by loss. loss reduced doping Fe atoms ceramics. On contrary, increased Nb atoms.

Snake-like robots have good properties to move on rough terrain. Their low-height bodies and articulated structures are proper go into narrow space climb over obstacles. Thus, many applications of mobile expected (e.g. rescue robots). One the types snake-like named 'Genbu' consists active wheels passive jointed multi bodies. We classified this type as wheel joint robot. Although Genbu cannot wide gaps, they high durability because their joints not activated with gear-head motors. So, has...

This paper describes the development of ACM-R3, which is a new version active cord mechanism with three-dimensional mobility. ACM-R3 equipped large passive wheels wrap its overall body, and has frictional characteristic as snake-like skin. It also radio controlled servomotors some gears added to them, held tightly by shell flames so that it can move steadily high power. Each unit consists very simple structure, batteries, electronic circuits control itself. Consequently, many units we want...

Snake-like robots and hyper-redundant manipulators have been called active cord mechanism (ACM), they one of fields robotics. However, general study on the spatial shape ACM has not conducted enough so far. In this paper, we propose a effective method for analysis 3D ideal continuous models. addition, show some important characteristics using method. The results help us understand possibility