Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Design, Fabrication And Characterization Of Zero Power Sensor/Harvester For Smart Grid Applications, Zeynel Guler

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

This study presents a flexible sensor/harvester device to be used in both electromagnetic sensing and energy harvesting applications for smart grids. When a current passes through a wire, the sensor detects the magnetic field created by that current. The sensor magnet interacts with the wire magnetic field resulting in a transfer of energy through the piezoelectric cantilever. Piezoelectric, conductive, magnetic, and magnetostrictive composite thin films were prepared to fabricate this device.

Initially, the magnet of the cantilever was optimized considering its shape, thickness, length, taper angle etc. via both simulations and experiments. Peak to peak voltage versus cantilever position graph …

Development Of A Wireless Telemetry Load And Displacement Sensor For Orthopaedic Applications, William Anderson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Due to sensor size and supporting circuitry, in vivo load and deformation measurements are currently restricted to applications within larger orthopaedic implants. The objective of this thesis is to repurpose a commercially available low-power, miniature, wireless, telemetric, tire-pressure sensor (FXTH87) to measure load and deformation for future use in biomechanical applications. The capacitive transducer membrane of the FXTH87 was modified, and a relationship was reported between applied compressive deformation and sensor signal value. The sensor package was embedded within a deformable enclosure to illustrate potential applications of the sensor for monitoring load. Finite element analysis was an effective tool to …

Advanced Mechatronics, Hao Su

Open Educational Resources

Project-based course on the design of mechatronic devices to address needs identified by hospital-based clinicians and industry. Students work in teams to develop a mechatronic prototype. The lectures will cover the design of medical devices and robotics including sensors, actuators, and robots. The students will communicate with customers to understand design needs, then conduct study on prior art, intellectual property, due diligence, and idea conceptualization. Students will present ideas in class and to a broad audience from local industry. Students will also write a publication-quality final report, which they will be encouraged for publication submission.

Engineering Design I, Hao Su

Open Educational Resources

Introduction to robotics

Microwave Acoustic Saw Resonators For Stable High-Temperature Harsh-Environment Static And Dynamic Strain Sensing Applications, Anin K. Maskay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High-temperature, harsh-environment static and dynamic strain sensors are needed for industrial process monitoring and control, fault detection, structural health monitoring in power plant environments, steel and refractory material manufacturing, aerospace, and defense applications. Sensor operation in the aforementioned extreme environments require robust devices capable of sustaining the targeted high temperatures, while maintaining a stable sensor response. Current technologies face challenges regarding device or system size, complexity, operational temperature, or stability.

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor technology using high temperature capable piezoelectric substrates and thin film technology has favorable properties such as robustness; miniature size; capability of mass production; reduced installation …

Ubot-7: The Design Of A Compliant Dexterous Mobile Manipulator, Jonathan Cummings

Masters Theses

This thesis presents the design of uBot-7, the latest version of a dexterous mobile manipulator. This platform has been iteratively developed to realize a high performance-to-cost dexterous whole body manipulator with respect to mobile manipulation. The semi-anthropomorphic design of the uBot is a demonstrated and functional research platform for developing advanced autonomous perception, manipulation, and mobility tasks. The goal of this work is to improve the uBot’s ability to sense and interact with its environment in order to increase the platforms capability to operate dexterously, through the incorporation of joint torque feedback, and safely, through the implementation of passive and …

Artificial Skin Tactile Sensor For Prosthetic And Robotic Applications, Ross James Miller

Master's Theses

To solve the problem of limited tactile sensing in humanoid robotics as well as provide for future planned mechanical prostheses, an innovative tactile sensor system was created and embedded into two realistic-looking artificial skin gloves. These artificial skin tactile sensors used small piezoelectric ceramic disks to measure applied force at multiple points on each glove. The gloves were created using silicone rubber to simulate both the texture and look of human skin, while maintaining both flexibility and durability. The sensor outputs were buffered by high-impedance voltage-following operational amplifiers, and then read sequentially using a multiplexing scheme by a microcontroller. Sensor …