Airfoil friction drag reduction based on grid-type and super-dense array plasma actuators

To improve the cruise flight performance of aircraft, two new configurations of plasma actuators(grid-type and super-dense array) were investigated to reduce the turbulent skin friction drag of a low-speed airfoil. The induced jet characteristics of the two actuators in quiescent air were diagnosed with high-speed particle image velocimetry(PIV), and their drag reduction efficiencies were examined under different operating conditions in a wind tunnel. The results showed that the grid-type plasma actuator was capable of producing a wall-normal jet array(peak magnitude: 1.07 m/s) similar to that generated in a micro-blowing technique, while the superdense array plasma actuator created a wavy wall-parallel jet(magnitude: 0.94 m/s) due to the discrete spanwise electrostatic forces. Under a comparable electrical power consumption level,the super-dense array plasma actuator array significantly outperformed the grid-type configuration,reducing the total airfoil friction drag by approximately 22% at a free-stream velocity of 20 m/s.The magnitude of drag reduction was proportional to the dimensionless jet velocity ratio(r), and a threshold r = 0.014 existed under which little impact on airfoil drag could be discerned.

A framework for dynamic modelling of railway track switches considering the switch blades,actuators and control systems

The main contribution of this paper is the development and demonstration of a novel methodology that can be followed to develop a simulation twin of a railway track switch system to test the functionality in a digital environment.This is important because,globally,railway track switches are used to allow trains to change routes;they are a key part of all railway networks.However,because track switches are single points of failure and safety-critical,their inability to operate correctly can cause significant delays and concomitant costs.In order to better understand the dynamic behaviour of switches during operation,this paper has developed a full simulation twin of a complete track switch system.The approach fuses finite element for the rail bending and motion,with physics-based models of the electromechanical actuator system and the control system.Hence,it provides researchers and engineers the opportunity to explore and understand the design space around the dynamic operation of new switches and switch machines before they are built.This is useful for looking at the modification or monitoring of existing switches,and it becomes even more important when new switch concepts are being considered and evaluated.The simulation is capable of running in real time or faster meaning designs can be iterated and checked interactively.The paper describes the modelling approach,demonstrates the methodology by developing the system model for a novel“REPOINT”switch system,and evaluates the system level performance against the dynamic performance requirements for the switch.In the context of that case study,it is found that the proposed new actuation system as designed can meet(and exceed)the system performance requirements,and that the fault tolerance built into the actuation ensures continued operation after a single actuator failure.

A Hybrid Compensation Scheme for the Input Rate-Dependent Hysteresis of the Piezoelectric Ceramic Actuators

A hybrid compensation scheme for piezoelectric ceramic actuators(PEAs)is proposed.In the hybrid compensation scheme,the input rate-dependent hysteresis characteristics of the PEAs are compensated.The feedforward controller is a novel input rate-dependent neural network hysteresis inverse model,while the feedback controller is a proportion integration differentiation(PID)controller.In the proposed inverse model,an input ratedependent auxiliary inverse operator(RAIO)and output of the hysteresis construct the expanded input space(EIS)of the inverse model which transforms the hysteresis inverse with multi-valued mapping into single-valued mapping,and the wiping-out,rate-dependent and continuous properties of the RAIO are analyzed in theories.Based on the EIS method,a hysteresis neural network inverse model,namely the dynamic back propagation neural network(DBPNN)model,is established.Moreover,a hybrid compensation scheme for the PEAs is designed to compensate for the hysteresis.Finally,the proposed method,the conventional PID controller and the hybrid controller with the modified input rate-dependent Prandtl-Ishlinskii(MRPI)model are all applied in the experimental platform.Experimental results show that the proposed method has obvious superiorities in the performance of the system.

Practical prescribed-time fuzzy tracking control for uncertain nonlinear systems with time-varying actuators faults

The paper investigates the practical prescribed-time fuzzy tracking control problem for a category of nonlinear system subject to time-varying actuator faults.The presence of unknown nonlinear dynamics and actuator faults makes achieving tracking control within a prescribed-time challenging.To tackle this issue,we propose a novel practical prescribed-time fuzzy tracking control strategy,which is independent of the initial state of the system and does not rely on precise modeling of the system and actuators.We apply the approximation capabilities of fuzzy logic systems to handle the unknown nonlinear functions and unidentified actuator faults in the system.The piecewise controller and adaptive law constructed based on piecewise prescribed time-varying function and backstepping technique method establish the theoretical framework of practical prescribed-time tracking control,and extend the range of prescribed-time tracking control to infinity.Regardless of the initial conditions,the proposed control strategy can guarantee that all signals remain uniformly bounded within the practical prescribed time in the presence of unknown nonlinear item and time-varying actuator faults.Simulation example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

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.

Design of a Novel Robotic Fish Structure Utilizing PVC Gel Actuators

In this research work, it has been designed a bionic robot fish structure, can swim underwater. The active compact body is powered by eight sets of symmetric PVC gel actuators with a caudal fin. The robot’s 200 mm-long, fish structure design incorporates a 55.52 angle to optimize the fish dynamics movement. It’s a fast and smooth operation and can swim. The robot can swim fast and quietly by using the right positions and the appropriate actuators on PVC gel actuators. This design entails a unique architecture that enables the robot to move safely and unobtrusively at the same time, which makes it suitable equipment for different exploration and surveillance missions in the water with speed and silent operation as the foremost concern.

Docker API与SpringBoot Actuator未授权访问风险分析与防范研究

随着云计算技术的普及和容器化技术的发展,Docker和SpringBoot已成为现代软件开发和部署的重要工具。然而,这种广泛的使用也伴随着安全风险。针对DockerAPI与SpringBoot Actuator的未授权访问风险进行了深入分析。当这些关键组件暴露于未授权访问之下时,攻击者可能利用这些漏洞执行恶意操作,如部署恶意容器、篡改应用程序配置或窃取敏感信息。这些行为不仅可能导致服务中断和数据泄露,还可能对企业造成严重的声誉和财务损失。

Bioinspired MXene-Based Soft Actuators Exhibiting Angle-Independent Structural Color

In nature,many living organisms exhibiting unique structural coloration and soft-bodied actuation have inspired scientists to develop advanced structural colored soft actuators toward biomimetic soft robots.However,it is challenging to simultaneously biomimic the angle-independent structural color and shape-morphing capabilities found in the plum-throated cotinga flying bird.Herein,we report biomimetic MXene-based soft actuators with angle-independent structural color that are fabricated through controlled self-assembly of colloidal SiO_(2) nanoparticles onto highly aligned MXene films followed by vacuum-assisted infiltration of polyvinylidene fluoride into the interstices.The resulting soft actuators are found to exhibit brilliant,angle-independent structural color,as well as ultrafast actuation and recovery speeds(a maximum curvature of 0.52 mm−1 can be achieved within 1.16 s,and a recovery time of~0.24 s)in response to acetone vapor.As proof-of-concept illustrations,structural colored soft actuators are applied to demonstrate a blue gripper-like bird’s claw that can capture the target,artificial green tendrils that can twine around tree branches,and an artificial multicolored butterfly that can flutter its wings upon cyclic exposure to acetone vapor.The strategy is expected to offer new insights into the development of biomimetic multifunctional soft actuators for somatosensory soft robotics and next-generation intelligent machines.

Importance of Three-Dimensional Piezoelectric Coupling Modeling in Quantitative Analysis of Piezoelectric Actuators

This paper demonstrates the importance of three-dimensional(3-D)piezoelectric coupling in the electromechanical behavior of piezoelectric devices using three-dimensional finite element analyses based on weak and strong coupling models for a thin cantilevered piezoelectric bimorph actuator.It is found that there is a significant difference between the strong and weak coupling solutions given by coupling direct and inverse piezoelectric effects(i.e.,piezoelectric coupling effect).In addition,there is significant longitudinal bending caused by the constraint of the inverse piezoelectric effect in the width direction at the fixed end(i.e.,3-D effect).Hence,modeling of these effects or 3-D piezoelectric coupling modeling is an electromechanical basis for the piezoelectric devices,which contributes to the accurate prediction of their behavior.

Fuzzy Feedback Control for Electro-Hydraulic Actuators

Electro-hydraulic actuators(EHA)have recently played a significant role in modern industrial applications,especially in systems requiring extremely high precision.This can be explained by EHA’s ability to precisely control the position and force through advanced sensors and innovative control algorithms.One of the promising approaches to improve control accuracy for EHA systems is applying classical to modern control algorithms,in which the proportional–inte-gral–derivative(PID)algorithm,fuzzy logic controller,and a hybrid of these methods are popular options.In this paper,we developed a novel version of the fuzzy control algorithm and linear feedback control method,namely fuzzy lin-ear feedback control,to improve the control performance.To achieve the highest performance,wefirst designed a mathematical EHA model based on the Matlab/Simulink software packages thanks to the selected parameters,which are similar to a real EHA system.Then,we respectively applied PID,fuzzy PID(FPID),and fuzzy linear feedback control(FLFC)before comparing them to have a full view of the outstanding advantages of the proposed algorithm.The simulation results showed that the proposed FLFC algorithm is approximately 99%and 77%super-ior in performance to the PID and feedback control algorithms,respectively.

Observer-based robust high-order fully actuated attitude autopilot design for spinning glide-guided projectiles

This paper investigates the design of an attitude autopilot for a dual-channel controlled spinning glideguided projectile(SGGP),addressing model uncertainties and external disturbances.Based on fixed-time stable theory,a disturbance observer with integral sliding mode and adaptive techniques is proposed to mitigate total disturbance effects,irrespective of initial conditions.By introducing an error integral signal,the dynamics of the SGGP are transformed into two separate second-order fully actuated systems.Subsequently,employing the high-order fully actuated approach and a parametric approach,the nonlinear dynamics of the SGGP are recast into a constant linear closed-loop system,ensuring that the projectile's attitude asymptotically tracks the given goal with the desired eigenstructure.Under the proposed composite control framework,the ultimately uniformly bounded stability of the closed-loop system is rigorously demonstrated via the Lyapunov method.Validation of the effectiveness of the proposed attitude autopilot design is provided through extensive numerical simulations.

Path-Following Control With Obstacle Avoidance of Autonomous Surface Vehicles Subject to Actuator Faults

This paper investigates the path-following control problem with obstacle avoidance of autonomous surface vehicles in the presence of actuator faults,uncertainty and external disturbances.Autonomous surface vehicles inevitably suffer from actuator faults in complex sea environments,which may cause existing obstacle avoidance strategies to fail.To reduce the influence of actuator faults,an improved artificial potential function is constructed by introducing the lower bound of actuator efficiency factors.The nonlinear state observer,which only depends on measurable position information of the autonomous surface vehicle,is used to address uncertainties and external disturbances.By using a backstepping technique and adaptive mechanism,a path-following control strategy with obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance is designed which can ensure that the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of zero.Compared with existing results,the proposed control strategy has the capability of obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance simultaneously.Finally,the comparison results through simulations are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Turbulent boundary layer control with DBD plasma actuators

The flat-plate turbulent boundary layer at Reτ=1140 is manipulated using a spanwise array of bidirectional dielectric barrier discharge(DBD)plasma actuators.Based on the features of no moving mechanical parts in the DBD plasma control technology and hot-wire anemometer velocity measurements,a novel convenient method of local drag reduction(DR)measurement is proposed by measuring the single-point velocity within the linear region of the viscous sublayer.We analyze the premise of using the method,and the maximum effective measurement range of-73.1%<DR<42.2%is obtained according to the experimental environment in this work.The local drag decreases downstream of the center of two adjacent upper electrodes and increases downstream of the upper electrodes.The magnitude of the local DR increases with increasing voltage and decreases as it moves away from the actuators.For the spanwise position in between,the streamwise distribution of the local DR is very dependent on the voltage.The variable-interval time-average detection results reveal that all bursting intensities are reduced compared to the baseline,and the amount of reduction is comparable to the absolute values of the local DR.Compared with previous results,we infer that the control mechanism is that many meandering streaks are combined together into single stabilized streaks.

An Investigation of the Effects of Thermal Interference between Adjacent Nitinol Spring Actuators in a Tactile Display

Over the years, there has been increased research interest in the application of Nitinol as an actuator, due to its shape memory behaviour, simplicity, high power-to-weight ratio, compactness, and extreme high fatigue resistance to cyclic motion, and noiseless operation. Nitinol has found application in tactile displays which reproduce tactile parameters such as texture and shape, depending on the application. This paper presents the effects of thermal interference between adjacent Nitinol spring actuators in a tactile display. The tactile display is made of a 3 by 3 pin array whose spatial resolution was varied from 4 mm to 6 mm in steps of 1 mm while a current of 1.5 A was used to actuate 8 of the springs, and the centre spring was left unactivated to observe the thermal effects on it due to the heat gradient formed. A Finite Element (FE) model was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics and the results were further verified through experimentation. In both cases, there was visible thermal interference between actuators. The increase in spatial resolution saw a decrease in thermal interference by 12.7%. Using a fan to introduce forced convection, reduced the thermal interference in the simulation by 20% and during experimentation by 11%. The results of this research indicate a spatial resolution of 6 mm reduced the thermal inference to a negligible rate. However, thermal interference could not be eliminated with these two methods.

Experimental investigation of the inhibition of deep-sea mining sediment plumes by polyaluminum chloride

Deep-sea sediment disturbance may occur when collecting polymetallic nodules,resulting in the creation of plumes that could have a negative impact on the ecological environment.This study aims to investigate the potential solution of using polyaluminum chloride(PAC)in the water jet.The effects of PAC are examined through a self-designed simulation system for deep-sea polymetallic nodule collection and sediment samples from a potential deep-sea mining area.The experimental results showed that the optimal PAC dose was found to be 0.75 g/L.Compared with the test conditions without the addition of PAC,the presence of PAC leads to a reduction in volume,lower characteristic turbidity,smaller diffusion velocity,and shorter settling time of the plume.This indicates that PAC inhibits the entire development process of the plume.The addition of PAC leads to the flocculation of mm-sized particles,resulting in the formation of cm-sized flocs.The flocculation of particles decreases the rate of erosion on the seabed by around 30%.This reduction in erosion helps to decrease the formation of plumes.Additionally,when the size of suspended particles increases,it reduces the scale at which they diffuse.Furthermore,the settling velocity of flocs(around 10^(-2) m/s)is much higher that of compared to sediment particles(around 10^(-5) m/s),which effectively reduces the amount of time the plume remains in suspension.

Integrated biomarker response to assess toxic impacts of iron and manganese on deep-sea mussel Gigantidas platifrons under a deep-sea mining activity scenario

Deep-sea mining activities can potentially release metals,which pose a toxicological threat to deep-sea ecosystems.Nevertheless,due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the deep-sea biosphere,there is insufficient knowledge about the impact of metal exposure on its inhabitants.In this study,deep-sea mussel Gigantidas platifrons,a commonly used deep-sea toxicology model organism,was exposed to manganese(100,1000μg/L)or iron(500,5000μg/L)for 7 d,respectively.Manganese and iron were chosen for their high levels of occurrence within deep-sea deposits.Metal accumulation and a battery of biochemical biomarkers related to antioxidative stress in superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),malondialdehyde(MDA);immune function in alkaline phosphatase(AKP),acid phosphatase(ACP);and energy metabolism in pyruvate kinase(PK)and hexokinase(HK)were assessed in mussel gills.Results showed that deep-sea mussel G.platifrons exhibited a high capacity to accumulate Mn/Fe.In addition,most tested biochemical parameters were altered by metal exposure,demonstrating that metals could induce oxidative stress,suppress the immune system,and affect energy metabolism of deep-sea mussels.The integrated biomarker response(IBR)approach indicated that the exposure to Mn/Fe had a negative impact on deep-sea mussels,and Mn demonstrated a more harmful impact on deep-sea mussels than Fe.Additionally,SOD and CAT biomarkers had the greatest impact on IBR values in Mn treatments,while ACP and HK were most influential for the low-and high-dose Fe groups,respectively.This study represents the first application of the IBR approach to evaluate the toxicity of metals on deep-sea fauna and serves as a crucial framework for risk assessment of deep-sea mining-associated metal exposure.

Bioinspired Multifunctional Self-Sensing Actuated Gradient Hydrogel for Soft-Hard Robot Remote Interaction

The development of bioinspired gradient hydrogels with self-sensing actuated capabilities for remote interaction with soft-hard robots remains a challenging endeavor. Here, we propose a novel multifunctional self-sensing actuated gradient hydrogel that combines ultrafast actuation and high sensitivity for remote interaction with robotic hand. The gradient network structure, achieved through a wettability difference method involving the rapid precipitation of MoO_(2) nanosheets, introduces hydrophilic disparities between two sides within hydrogel. This distinctive approach bestows the hydrogel with ultrafast thermo-responsive actuation(21° s^(-1)) and enhanced photothermal efficiency(increase by 3.7 ℃ s^(-1) under 808 nm near-infrared). Moreover, the local cross-linking of sodium alginate with Ca^(2+) endows the hydrogel with programmable deformability and information display capabilities. Additionally, the hydrogel exhibits high sensitivity(gauge factor 3.94 within a wide strain range of 600%), fast response times(140 ms) and good cycling stability. Leveraging these exceptional properties, we incorporate the hydrogel into various soft actuators, including soft gripper, artificial iris, and bioinspired jellyfish, as well as wearable electronics capable of precise human motion and physiological signal detection. Furthermore, through the synergistic combination of remarkable actuation and sensitivity, we realize a self-sensing touch bioinspired tongue. Notably, by employing quantitative analysis of actuation-sensing, we realize remote interaction between soft-hard robot via the Internet of Things. The multifunctional self-sensing actuated gradient hydrogel presented in this study provides a new insight for advanced somatosensory materials, self-feedback intelligent soft robots and human–machine interactions.

Predicting impact forces on pipelines from deep-sea fluidized slides:A comprehensive review of key factors

Deep-sea pipelines play a pivotal role in seabed mineral resource development,global energy and resource supply provision,network communication,and environmental protection.However,the placement of these pipelines on the seabed surface exposes them to potential risks arising from the complex deep-sea hydrodynamic and geological environment,particularly submarine slides.Historical incidents have highlighted the substantial damage to pipelines due to slides.Specifically,deep-sea fluidized slides(in a debris/mud flow or turbidity current physical state),characterized by high speed,pose a significant threat.Accurately assessing the impact forces exerted on pipelines by fluidized submarine slides is crucial for ensuring pipeline safety.This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in understanding pipeline impact forces caused by fluidized deep-sea slides,thereby identifying key factors and corresponding mechanisms that influence pipeline impact forces.These factors include the velocity,density,and shear behavior of deep-sea fluidized slides,as well as the geometry,stiffness,self-weight,and mechanical model of pipelines.Additionally,the interface contact conditions and spatial relations were examined within the context of deep-sea slides and their interactions with pipelines.Building upon a thorough review of these achievements,future directions were proposed for assessing and characterizing the key factors affecting slide impact loading on pipelines.A comprehensive understanding of these results is essential for the sustainable development of deep-sea pipeline projects associated with seabed resource development and the implementation of disaster prevention measures.

High-performance liquid metal electromagnetic actuator fabricated by femtosecond laser

Small-scale electromagnetic soft actuators are characterized by a fast response and simplecontrol,holding prospects in the field of soft and miniaturized robotics.The use of liquid metal(LM)to replace a rigid conductor inside soft actuators can reduce the rigidity and enhance the actuation performance and robustness.Despite research efforts,challenges persist in the flexible fabrication of LM soft actuators and in the improvement of actuation performance.To address these challenges,we developed a fast and robust electromagnetic soft microplate actuator based on a laser-induced selective adhesion transfer method.Equipped with unprecedentedly thin LM circuit and customized low Young’s modulus silicone rubber(1.03 kPa),our actuator exhibits an excellent deformation angle(265.25?)and actuation bending angular velocity(284.66 rad·s^(-1)).Furthermore,multiple actuators have been combined to build an artificial gripper with a wide range of functionalities.Our actuator presents new possibilities for designing small-scaleartificial machines and supports advancements in ultrafast soft and miniaturized robotics.

Precision Motion Control of Hydraulic Actuator Using Adaptive Back-Stepping Sliding Mode Controller

Hydraulic actuators are highly nonlinear when they are subjected to different types of model uncertainties and dynamic disturbances.These unfavorable factors adversely affect the control performance of the hydraulic actuator.Although various control methods have been employed to improve the tracking precision of the dynamic system,optimizing and adjusting control gain to mitigate the hydraulic actuator model uncertainties remains elusive.This study presents an adaptive back-stepping sliding mode controller(ABSMC)to enhance the trajectory tracking precision,where the virtual control law is constructed to replace the position error.The adaptive control theory is introduced in back-stepping controller design to compensate for the model uncertainties and time-varying disturbances.Based on Lyapunov theory,the finite-time convergence of the position tracking errors is proved.Furthermore,the effectiveness of the developed control scheme is conducted via extensive comparative experiments.