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学术报告
2010年秋季先进机器人与MEMS技术系列学术讲座(34)
添加日期:2010-12-09 作者:宋洪生老师 来源:
2010年秋季先进机器人与MEMS技术系列学术讲座(34)

南开大学机器人与信息自动化研究所
Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information System
2010年秋季先进机器人与MEMS技术系列学术讲座
Seminar Series:Advanced Robotics & MEMS
报告人:廖维新 教授
Wei-Hsin Liao, Ph.D.
Director, Smart Materials and Structures Laboratory
Professor, Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China
http://www.mae.cuhk.edu.hk/~whliao/


题目:
Leg Exoskeletons Utilizing Multifunctional Actuators

地点:主楼227
时间:12月17日(周五)上午10:15~11:45;
Abstract
Exoskeleton systems that can enhance people’s performance or assist disabled people have been investigated in recent years. However, most exoskeletons use DC motors as actuators and batteries as power sources. While a DC motor consumes a lot of power and limits the working time of the exoskeleton, it produces large impedance that would cause discomfort and danger to people. Magnetorheological (MR) fluid is a smart fluid that can change its rheological behavior under applied magnetic field. Rotary devices using MR fluids have the benefits of high torque, good controllability, and low power requirement, while having better safety. In this research, a novel MR fluids based multifunctional actuator was designed. With MR fluids, the actuator possesses multiple functions as motor, clutch, and brake while meeting the requirement of normal human motion as well. In this talk, design details and operating principle of the actuator will be illustrated, and possible configurations of the motor part and clutch/brake part will be discussed. Finite element method was utilized to analyze the magnetic circuits, influence of permanent magnet on MR fluids, and magnetic flux distribution. Prototypes of the multifunctional actuator were fabricated and tested, and characteristics of each function were investigated. Modeling was developed for different functions, and system identification was carried out to determine the parameters. Adaptive control was utilized for torque and speed tracking of the actuator. Power consumption of knee brace using the smart joint was investigated. The results showed that the developed actuator and smart joint are promising to be used in leg exoskeletons. Besides, some of recent work on piezoelectric energy harvesting will also be briefed.

Biography
Prof. Wei-Hsin Liao received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in May 1997 from The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA. Since August 1997, Dr. Liao has been with The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was the Program Chair for the International Symposium on Smart Structures and Microsystems in 2000, as well as the 2005 IEEE International Conference on Information Acquisition. He was also the Conference Chair for the 20th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies (ICAST 2009). Dr. Liao currently serves as an Associate Editor for ASME Journal of Vibration and Acoustics as well as Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, and on the editorial board of Smart Materials and Structures. His research interests include smart structures, vibration control, energy harvesting, mechatronics, and medical devices. His research has led to publications of over 120 technical papers in international journals and conference proceedings, two US patents and five other US patent applications. He is a recipient of the T A Stewart-Dyer/F H Trevithick Prize awarded by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (2006), the Best Paper Award in Structures from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2008), and the Best Paper Awards in the IEEE International Conference on Information and Automation (2009 and 2010). Dr. Liao is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME, USA) and Institute of Physics (IOP, UK).