Optical micro/nanofiber enabled tactile sensors and soft actuators:A review

As a combination of fiber optics and nanotechnology,optical micro/nanofiber(MNF)is considered as an important multifunctional building block for fabricating various miniaturized photonic devices.With the rapid progress in flexible optoelectronics,MNF has been emerging as a promising candidate for assembling tactile sensors and soft actuators owing to its unique optical and mechanical properties.This review discusses the advances in MNF enabled tactile sensors and soft actuators,specifically,focusing on the latest research results over the past 5 years and the applications in health monitoring,human-machine interfaces,and robotics.Future prospects and challenges in developing flexible MNF devices are also presented.

FINITE ELEMENT MODELING OF MODERATELY THICK COMPOSITE PLATE WITH PIEZOELECTRIC SENSORS AND ACTUATORS

A rectangular finite element for laminated plate with bonded and/or embedded piezoelectric sensors and actuators is developed based on the variational principle and the first order shear deformation theory. The element has four-node, 20-degrees-of-freedom with one potential degree of freedom for each piezoelectric layer to represent the piezoelectric behavior. The higher order derivation of deflection is obtained by using the normal rotation expressions to take the effects of transverse shear deformation into considerations. The finite element can accurately simulate the deformation of both thin and moderately thick plates. A Fortran program is written and a number of benchmark tests are exercised to verify its effectiveness. Results are compared well with the existing data. The unbalanced composite with piezoelectric layers is then analyzed by using the model. Results show that the changes of the ratio between the thickness of positive angle layers and the negative angle layers have an effect on the deformation of the structure under the same electric loading.

A Review of Smart Materials for the Boost of Soft Actuators,Soft Sensors,and Robotics Applications

With the advance of smart material science,robotics is evolving from rigid robots to soft robots.Compared to rigid robots,soft robots can safely interact with the environment,easily navigate in unstructured fields,and be minimized to operate in narrow spaces,owning to the new actuation and sensing technologies developed by the smart materials.In the review,different actuation and sensing technologies based on different smart materials are analyzed and summarized.According to the driving or feedback signals,actuators are categorized into electrically responsive actuators,thermally responsive actuators,magnetically responsive actuators,and photoresponsive actuators;sensors are categorized into resistive sensors,capacitive sensors,magnetic sensors,and optical waveguide sensors.After introducing the principle and several robotic prototypes of some typical materials in each category of the actuators and sensors.The advantages and disadvantages of the actuators and sensors are compared based on the categories,and their potential applications in robotics are also presented.

Iterative Learning Control for Distributed Parameter Systems Based on Non-Collocated Sensors and Actuators

In this paper, an open-loop PD-type iterative learning control(ILC) scheme is first proposed for two kinds of distributed parameter systems(DPSs) which are described by parabolic partial differential equations using non-collocated sensors and actuators. Then, a closed-loop PD-type ILC algorithm is extended to a class of distributed parameter systems with a non-collocated single sensor and m actuators when the initial states of the system exist some errors. Under some given assumptions, the convergence conditions of output errors for the systems can be obtained. Finally, one numerical example for a distributed parameter system with a single sensor and two actuators is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed ILC schemes.

Finite Element Analysis of Smart Structures with Piezoelectric Sensors/Actuators Including Debonding

In vibration active control of composite structures, piezoelectricsensors/actuators are usually bonded to the surface of a host structure. Debonding of piezoelectricsensors/actuators can result in significant changes to the static and dynamic response. In thepresent paper, an novel Enhanced Assumed Strain(EAS) piezoelectric solid element formulation isdeveloped for vibration active control of laminated structures bonded with piezoelectric sensors andactuators. Unlike the conventional brick elements, the present formulation is very reliable, moreaccurate, and computationally efficient and can be used to model the response of shell structuresbesides thin plates. Delaminations are modeled by pairs of nodes with the same coordinates butdifferent node numbers, and numerical results demonstrate the performance of the element and theglobal and local effects of debonding sensors/actuators on the dynamics of the adaptive laminates.

ACTIVE VIBRATION CONTROL OF A CANTILEVER BEAM USING PIEZOELECTRIC SENSORS AND ACTUATORS

The topic of vibration control with distributed actuators has been the subject of many researches. This paper is concerned with the vibration control of a cantilever beam equipped with piezoelectric ceramics as sensors and actuators. One piezoelectric ceramic is bonded to the structure and provides control input for the structure, while the other piezoelectric ceramic provides the feedback signal. An approach to identification and control is presented. Observation spillover is eliminated by prefiltering the sensor data. A procedure used to determine actuator and sensor location, is discussed based on the modes to be controlled. Finally, the experimental results are presented to verify the proposed method.

Theory and Simulation Analysis of the Mode Shape and Normal Shape Actuators and Sensors

In this paper, we will try to find a universal theoretical model and approximate solutions which can be applied to both mode shape and normal shape actuators and sensors, and which can be predicted the gain of the first three modes of the mode shape and normal shape actuators and sensors, finally through computer simulation analysis to validate. In order to prove the feasibility of the theory and as well as convenient to use on the electro-mechanical engineering, we will try to simplify the three-dimension structure problem into an one-dimension structure problem. Furthermore we will design one kind of bimorph type piezoelectric cantilever beam, so that it can be used as with the actuator and sensor simultaneously, but also conducive to the theory and simulation analysis. As for the simulation analysis, we will use the ANSYS code.

Optimal Control of a Beam with Discontinuously Distributed Piezoelectric Sensors and Actuators

Because of its light weight, broadband, and adaptable properties, smart material has been widely applied in the active vibration control （AVC） of flexible structures. Based on a firstorder shear deformation theory, by coupling the electrical and mechanical operation, a 4-node quadrilateral piezoelectric composite element with 24 degrees of freedom for generalized displacements and one electrical potential degree of freedom per piezoelectric layer was derived. Dynamic characteristics of a beam with discontinuously distributed piezoelectric sensors and actuators were presented. A linear quadratic regulator （LQR） feedback controller was designed to suppress the vibration of the beam in the state space using the high precise direct （HPD） integration method.

Observer-based dynamic event-triggered control for distributed parameter systems over mobile sensor-plus-actuator networks

We develop a policy of observer-based dynamic event-triggered state feedback control for distributed parameter systems over a mobile sensor-plus-actuator network.It is assumed that the mobile sensing devices that provide spatially averaged state measurements can be used to improve state estimation in the network.For the purpose of decreasing the update frequency of controller and unnecessary sampled data transmission, an efficient dynamic event-triggered control policy is constructed.In an event-triggered system, when an error signal exceeds a specified time-varying threshold, it indicates the occurrence of a typical event.The global asymptotic stability of the event-triggered closed-loop system and the boundedness of the minimum inter-event time can be guaranteed.Based on the linear quadratic optimal regulator, the actuator selects the optimal displacement only when an event occurs.A simulation example is finally used to verify that the effectiveness of such a control strategy can enhance the system performance.

SVD Approach for Actuator and Sensor Placement in Active Vibration Control of Large Cable Net Structures

The actuator and sensor placement problem for active vibration control of large cable net structures is investigated in this paper.Since the structures exhibit closely spaced modes in the range of low frequencies,the number of modes to be considered is quite large after modal truncation,while only a limited number of actuators and sensors are to be placed.This makes it hard to determine the actuator and sensor locations with the existing placement methods in the literature such as the methods based on the controllability/observability grammian.To deal with this issue,an actuator and sensor placement method based on singular value decompositions(SVD)of the input and output matrices is proposed,which guarantees the modal controllability and observability of the system.The effectiveness of the SVD based method is verified through numerical simulations in which comparisons are conducted between randomly-chosen locations and the optimal ones obtained by a genetic algorithm.

Actuator and sensor fault isolation in a class of nonlinear dynamical systems

Fault isolation in dynamical systems is a challenging task due to modeling uncertainty and measurement noise,interactive effects of multiple faults and fault propagation.This paper proposes a unified approach for isolation of multiple actuator or sensor faults in a class of nonlinear uncertain dynamical systems.Actuator and sensor fault isolation are accomplished in two independent modules,that monitor the system and are able to isolate the potential faulty actuator(s)or sensor(s).For the sensor fault isolation(SFI)case,a module is designed which monitors the system and utilizes an adaptive isolation threshold on the output residuals computed via a nonlinear estimation scheme that allows the isolation of single/multiple faulty sensor(s).For the actuator fault isolation(AFI)case,a second module is designed,which utilizes a learning-based scheme for adaptive approximation of faulty actuator(s)and,based on a reasoning decision logic and suitably designed AFI thresholds,the faulty actuator(s)set can be determined.The effectiveness of the proposed fault isolation approach developed in this paper is demonstrated through a simulation example.

Optimal placement of dampers and actuators based on stochastic approach

A general method is developed for optimal application of dampers and actuators by installing them at optimal location on seismic-resistant structures.The study includes development of a statistical criterion,formulation of a general optimization problem and establishment of a solution procedure.Numerical analysis of the seismic response in time-history of controlled structures is used to verify the proposed method for optimal device application and to demonstrate the effectiveness of seismic response control with optimal device location.This study shows that the proposed method for the optimal device application is simple and general,and that the optimally applied dampers and actuators are very efficient for seismic response reduction.

Intelligent emergency service system based on wireless sensor and actuator networks

An intelligent emergency service（ IES） system is designed for indoor environments based on a wireless sensor and actuator network（ WSAN） composed of a gateway, sensor nodes, and a multi-robot system（ MRS）. If the MRS receives accident alarm information, the group of robots will navigate to the accident sites and provide corresponding emergency services.According to the characteristics of the MRS, a distributed consensus formation protocol is designed, which can assure that the multiple robots arrive at the accident site in a specified formation. The prototype emergency service system was designed and implemented, and some relevant simulations and experiments were carried out. The results showthat the MRS can successfully provide emergency lighting and failure node replacement services when accidents happen. The effectiveness of the algorithm and the feasibility of the system are verified.

Optimal sensor placement in hydropower house based on improved triaxial effective independence method

The capacity and size of hydro-generator units are increasing with the rapid development of hydroelectric enterprises, and the vibration of the powerhouse structure has increasingly become a major problem. Field testing is an important method for research on dynamic identification and vibration mechanisms. Research on optimal sensor placement has become a very important topic due to the need to obtain effective testing information from limited test resources. To overcome inadequacies of the present methods, this paper puts forward the triaxial effective independence driving-point residue （EfI3-DPR3） method for optimal sensor placement. The Efl3-DPR3 method can incorporate both the maximum triaxial modal kinetic energy and linear independence of the triaxial target modes at the selected nodes. It was applied to the optimal placement oftriaxial sensors for vibration testing in a hydropower house, and satisfactory results were obtained. This method can provide some guidance for optimal placement of triaxial sensors of underground powerhouses.

Improved control of distributed parameter systems using wireless sensor and actuator networks:An observer-based method

In this paper,the control problem of distributed parameter systems is investigated by using wireless sensor and actuator networks with the observer-based method.Firstly,a centralized observer which makes use of the measurement information provided by the fixed sensors is designed to estimate the distributed parameter systems.The mobile agents,each of which is affixed with a controller and an actuator,can provide the observer-based control for the target systems.By using Lyapunov stability arguments,the stability for the estimation error system and distributed parameter control system is proved,meanwhile a guidance scheme for each mobile actuator is provided to improve the control performance.A numerical example is finally used to demonstrate the effectiveness and the advantages of the proposed approaches.

Optimization of actuator/sensor position of multi-body system with quick startup and brake

A new method was put forward to optimize the position of actuator/sensor of multi-body system with quick startup and brake. Dynamical equation was established for the system with intelligent structure of piezoelectric actuators. According to the property of the modes varying with time, the performance index function was developed based on the optimal configuration principle of energy maximal dissipation, and the relevant optimal model was obtained. According to its characteristic, a float-encoding genetic algorithm, which is efficient, simple and excellent for solving the global-optimal solution of this problem, was adopted. Taking the plane manipulator as an example, the result of numerical calculation shows that, after the actuator/sensor position being optimized, the vibration amplitude of the multi-body system is reduced by 35% compared with that without optimization.

Numerical Simulation of Methane Distribution and Sensor Placement in 2-Dimension Roadway

In order to provide a theoretical basis for methane sensor placement in the vertical direction of a tunnel,the software Fluent was used to simulate methane distribution. A geometric roadway model was established and divided by grids. Methane distribution in both level and vertical sections was simulated using a realizable k-ε model with the Fluent software according to a conservation equation in a turbulent state,a turbulent kinetic energy equation and a turbulent dissipation rate equation. The realizable k-ε model and the Fluent software were used to simulate methane distribution according to the principle of the conservation equation in a state of turbulent flow. The results show that after overflow-ing,a methane level with a certain thickness is formed. Methane density curves at three specific levels were internally consistent and methane density at higher levels is denser than that at lower levels. Methane distribution becomes thinner in the direction of wind and methane in the vertical direction becomes uniform if wind speed is high. The distance be-tween sensors and roof should be less than 300 mm which is in agreement with mine safety regulations.

Piezoelectric Actuator/Sensor Wave Propagation Based Nondestructive Active Monitoring Method of Concrete Structures

In order to monitor the basic mechanical properties and interior damage of concrete structures,the piezoelectric actuator/sensor based wave propagation method was investigated experimentally in the laboratory using a specifically designed test setup.The energy attenuation of stress waves was measured by the relative index between the output voltage of sensors and the excitation voltage at the actuator.Based on the experimental results of concrete cube and cylinder specimens,the effect of excitation frequencies,excitation amplitude,wave propagation paths and the curing age on the output signals of sensors are evaluated.The results show that the relative voltage attenuation coefficient RVAC is an effective indicator for measuring the attenuation of stress waves through the interior of concrete.

APPLICATION OF FEA TO THE COLLOCATION OF ACTUATOR/SENSOR IN THE INTELLIGENT STRUCTURES

The piezothermoelectric actuator/sensor collocation for advanced intelligent structure is studied. The quasi-static equations of piezothermoelasticity are used to analyze the coupling effects between the displacement, temperature and electric fields of piezothermoelasticity continua and the governing equations for piezothermoelasticity continua are derived to discuss the effects of coupling factors on the control/sensing performance in intelligent structure. Based on those analyses, a finite element analysis model of distributed piezothertnoelectric continua is developed later. The thermal stress and deformation of a beam are calculated by FEA method so as to determine the optimal actuator/sensor placement. Based on the results of the optimal analysis procedure of actuator/sensor placement, some conclusions of actuator/sensor placement are obtained. Thus, the optimal actuator/sensor placement for piezothermoelectric intelligent structure can be found from the actuator/sensor placements available so that intelligent system will have the best controllability and observability.

Multi-type sensor placement and response reconstruction for building structures: Experimental investigations

Estimation of lateral displacement and acceleration responses is essential to assess safety and serviceability of high-rise buildings under dynamic loadings including earthquake excitations. However, the measurement information from the limited number of sensors installed in a building structure is often insufficient for the complete structural performance assessment. An integrated multi-type sensor placement and response reconstruction method has thus been proposed by the authors to tackle this problem. To validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method, an experimental investigation using a cantilever beam with multi-type sensors is performed and reported in this paper. The experimental setup is first introduced. The finite element modelling and model updating of the cantilever beam are then performed. The optimal sensor placement for the best response reconstruction is determined by the proposed method based on the updated FE model of the beam. After the sensors are installed on the physical cantilever beam, a number of experiments are carried out. The responses at key locations are reconstructed and compared with the measured ones. The reconstructed responses achieve a good match with the measured ones, manifesting the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. Besides, the proposed method is also examined for the cases of different excitations and unknown excitation, and the results prove the proposed method to be robust and effective. The superiority of the optimized sensor placement scheme is finally demonstrated through comparison with two other different sensor placement schemes： the accelerometer-only scheme and non-optimal sensor placement scheme. The proposed method can be applied to high-rise buildings for seismic performance assessment.