Abstract: A head unit device for controlling motion of an object includes a chamber filled with a shear thickening fluid (STF) and a piston. The piston is housed within the chamber and exerts pressure against the STF from a force applied to the piston from the object. The STF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shear rates. The piston includes at least one piston bypass between opposite sides of the piston that controls flow of the STF between the opposite sides of the piston to selectively react with a shear threshold effect of the first range of shear rates or the second range of shear rates.

Abstract: An apparatus for crushing sugar cane to extract the juice has opposed crushing rolls at least one of which is formed with juice channels which are temporarily plugged by bagasse after the juice has entered into the channel. Further rotation of the rolls removes the trapped juice away from the cane blanket and the bagasse plug is then scraped out of the top of the channel to allow the juice to drain. The juice is drained away from the cane blanket and is not reabsorbed thereby. Efficiency of juice removal is improved. Further efficiency improvements are obtained by having pairs of crushing rolls positioned above each other such that the cane blanket moves in a generally vertical direction.