Actuators, Volume 8, Issue 3

Actuators play an important role in modern active flow control technology. Dielectric barrier discharge plasma can be used to induce localized velocity perturbations in air, so as to accomplish modifications to the global flow field. This paper prese...

Various actuator topologies are discussed for the purpose of powering periodic processes and particularly walking robots. The Clutched Parallel Elastic Actuator (CPEA) is proposed to reduce the energy consumption of active exoskeletons. A nonlinear m...

In modern times, the design and optimization of different actuator systems for controlling a high-precision position control system represent a popular interdisciplinary research area. Initially, only single-stage actuator systems were used to contro...

The paper aims to develop improved acoustic-based structural health monitoring (SHM) and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques, which provide the waves directivity emitted by the angle beam wedge actuators in thin-walled structures made of plast...

New robotic applications, among others, in medical and related fields, have in recent years boosted research in the development of new actuators in the search for solutions that are lighter and more flexible than conventional actuators. Shape-Memory...

Soft robotics is a novel approach in the field of robotics. Soft robots or soft actuators are typically polymer-based and are characterized by their flexibility and adaptability, which brings new far-reaching applications. Soft robotics is currently...

This paper evaluates possible applications for SMAs (Shape Memory Alloys) based on the requirements in the field of aircraft interiors. The authors gather requirements regarding industry standards and regulations by detailed literature research and l...

In industrial applications, rotatory motions and torques are often needed. State-of-the-art actuators are based on either combustion engines, electro-motors, hydraulic, or pneumatic machines. The main disadvantages are the construction space, the hig...

Hydrostatic actuation has gained interest from both academia and industry due to the unquestionable energetic advantages when compared to valve-controlled actuators; the main feature being the absence of throttling losses due to the direct control of...

Nowadays, the development or improvement of soft actuation mechanisms is a crucial topic for the achievement of dexterous manipulation using. Then, a primary target of research is the design of actuation and driving devices. Consequently, in this pap...

A novel discrete-valued model-predictive control (DVMPC) algorithm termed DVMPC2 for the position control of pneumatic actuators using inexpensive on/off valves is presented. DVMPC2 includes a more flexible cost function, an improved prediction strat...

A self-bearing motor (SBM) is an electric motor with a magnetically integrated bearing function, that is, it can provide levitation and rotation simultaneously as a single actuator. This paper presents the design, operating principle and control syst...

This study presents the experimental evaluation of a piezo-inductive mechanical system for applications of energy harvesting with low-frequency vibrations. The piezo-inductive vibration energy harvester (PI-VEH) device is composed of a voice coil mot...

This paper describes the analysis, from a statistical point of view, of a maritime gas turbine, under various operating conditions, so as to determine its state. The data used concerns several functioning parameters of the turbines, such as temperatu...

In this work, the parametric structural schematic diagrams of a multilayer electromagnetoelastic actuator and a multilayer piezoactuator for nanomechanics were determined in contrast to the electrical equivalent circuits of a piezotransmitter and pie...

This paper reviews Artificial Immune Systems (AIS) that can be implemented to compensate for actuators that are in a faulted state or operating abnormally. Eventually, all actuators will fail or wear out, and these actuator faults must be managed if...

A branch of robotics, variable impedance actuation, along with one of its subfields variable stiffness actuation (VSA) targets the realization of complaint robotic manipulators. In this paper, we present the modeling, identification, and control of a...

The work at hand focuses on the modeling, prototyping, and experimental functionality test of a smart actuator based on shape memory polymer technology. Particular attention is paid to the specific modeling approach, here conceived as an effective pr...