摘要:
Flexural digital materials are discrete parts that can be assembled into a lattice structure to produce an actuatable structure capable of coordinated reversible spatially-distributed deformation. The structure comprises a set of discrete flexural digital material units assembled according to a lattice geometry, with a majority of the discrete units being connected, or adapted to be connected, to at least two other units according to the geometry. In response to certain types of loading of the structure, a coordinated reversible spatially-distributed deformation of at least part of the structure occurs. The deformation of the structure is due to the shape or material composition of the discrete units, the configuration of connections between the units, and/or the configuration of the lattice geometry. Exemplary types of such actuatable structures include airplane wing sections and robotic leg structures. An automated process may be employed for constructing an actuatable structure from flexural digital materials.
摘要:
A preferred embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for measuring the position of a point with respect to at least one axis. The apparatus includes a reference electrode located at the reference point and at least one axial electrode fixed along the at least one axis. The axial electrode has a signal transmission property, such as resistivity, as measured between a first end and a point along the axis, which signal transmission property varies with the location of the point of measurement. The axial electrode is coupled to the reference electrode, typically capacitively. The apparatus also includes means for applying an electric signal to the reference electrode; means for measuring an output electric signal at the first end of the at least one axial electrode; and means for evaluating the relation between the output electric signal and the input electric signal to determine the position of the reference point relative to the axis. The invention also includes method of using the apparatus to determine the location of the reference point to the axis. The invention includes embodiments of one and more axes.
摘要:
An electropermanent linear actuator has a stator, forcer, drive circuitry, and feedback control mechanism. The stator includes at least one electropermanent magnet with a coil that passes current pulses that change the magnetization of the magnet, which change persists after current is removed. The forcer moves with respect to the stator in response to the persistent changes in magnetization. Drive circuitry controls the position or speed of the actuator by controlling the timing, magnitude, and/or shape of the current pulses. The voltage and duration of pulses are of sufficient magnitude to cause the magnetization change to persist after cessation of current, with voltage and current returning substantially to zero between pulses. The feedback control mechanism determines, based on actuator velocity or position, when the next current pulse should be issued, pulse issuance being timed so that the actuator will continue to move throughout the absence of applied current between pulses.
摘要:
An electropermanent linear actuator has a stator, forcer, drive circuitry, and feedback control mechanism. The stator includes at least one electropermanent magnet with a coil that passes current pulses that change the magnetization of the magnet, which change persists after current is removed. The forcer moves with respect to the stator in response to the persistent changes in magnetization. Drive circuitry controls the position or speed of the actuator by controlling the timing, magnitude, and/or shape of the current pulses. The voltage and duration of pulses are of sufficient magnitude to cause the magnetization change to persist after cessation of current, with voltage and current returning substantially to zero between pulses. The feedback control mechanism determines, based on actuator velocity or position, when the next current pulse should be issued, pulse issuance being timed so that the actuator will continue to move throughout the absence of applied current between pulses.
摘要:
A cryptographic method and systems using a keyed one-way function. A sending device uses the keyed one-way function to authenticate one or more receiving devices prerequisite to communication. A multidimensional hypercube is generated, from which is formed a multidimensional vector by randomly selecting one corner of the multidimensional hypercube. The keyed one-way function is computed using the multidimensional vector.
摘要:
A trans-disciplinary system for cell-free biosynthesis includes a cell-free transcription-translation (TX-TL) tool and modular, generalizable microfluidic architectures. Both components of the system are independently functional and are combinable into a cell-free biosynthesis platform. In the first component, modular plasmid libraries are used to program bacterial cell-free TX-TL systems. Each plasmid holds one gene or operon, and all the genes are controlled by the same promoter, so that the stoichiometry of enzyme synthesis is determined by the stoichiometry of plasmids in the reaction. In the second part, in order to facilitate high throughput mixing and matching of gene units from the modular plasmid libraries, a modular, reconfigurable, flexible, and scalable microfluidic architecture is employed. The microfluidic modules share common form factors and port/valve locations, so that a small set of module types, with multiple instances of each type interconnected in different geometries, allows simple reconfiguration to achieve different modes of operation.
摘要:
Discrete motion systems move relative to a lattice, using bistable mechanisms to snap between lattice locations. A discrete motion system includes a lattice having a regular configuration of attachment points, one or more motion modules that move across the lattice in discrete increments, and controllers that direct the modules. A module includes a body, actuators, and feet having mechanisms for attaching and detaching the module from the lattice. The module may include actuated joints that cause movement of arm structures to engage and disengage the feet from the lattice. The module may be a digital inchworm, and may be a relative assembler having at least one assembler arm. A method for discrete extensible construction includes creating a lattice having a regular configuration of attachment points, causing a discrete motion relative assembler to systematically move across the lattice in discrete increments, and causing placement of materials by the assembler arm.
摘要:
Flexural digital materials are discrete parts that can be assembled into a lattice structure to produce an actuatable structure capable of coordinated reversible spatially-distributed deformation. The structure comprises a set of discrete flexural digital material units assembled according to a lattice geometry, with a majority of the discrete units being connected, or adapted to be connected, to at least two other units according to the geometry. In response to certain types of loading of the structure, a coordinated reversible spatially-distributed deformation of at least part of the structure occurs. The deformation of the structure is due to the shape or material composition of the discrete units, the configuration of connections between the units, and/or the configuration of the lattice geometry. Exemplary types of such actuatable structures include airplane wing sections and robotic leg structures. An automated process may be employed for constructing an actuatable structure from flexural digital materials.
摘要:
Electromagnetic digital materials are made up of a set of voxels, some of which are made from electromagnetically active materials. Each voxel is adapted to be assembled into a structure according to a regular physical geometry and an electromagnetic geometry, and a majority of the voxels in the set are reversibly connectable to other voxels. Voxels in the set may differ in material composition or property from other voxels in the set. Voxels may be arranged into multi-voxel parts that are assembled into the structure according to a regular physical geometry and the electromagnetic geometry. Electromagnetic structures may be made from the electromagnetic digital material, and may be fabricated by an automated process that includes assembling a set of voxels by reversibly connecting the voxels to each other according to a regular physical geometry and an electromagnetic geometry and assembling the reversibly connected voxels into the electromagnetic structure.