Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for measuring the shear stress of a fluid wherein the shear stress is determined by measuring the movement of one end of a substantially rigid lever with the other end having the active face forming the shear stress measurement surface.

Abstract: Single or multiple flexible robotic manipulator trunks can be made from individually activated, three degree-of-freedom, flexible robotic links. Three dimensional positioning and orientation of the distal end of each link is achieved exclusively by elastic deformation of the flexible link assembly without revolute or prismatic joints. The activating bending and torsional moments required for such a positioning are generated by the antagonistic action of a plurality of prestressed, inflatable, laterally bendable and axially extensible tubular actuators with the anisotropic, circumferentially reinforced walls. The positioning motion, working forces and manipulator arm stiffness are all controlled by asynchronously modulated pulse streams which regulate the distribution of energy from a common source of fluid under constant pressure.

Abstract: An artificial skeletal mechanism having a central rigid inverted T-shaped link and a pair of elastic tubular actuators on either side of the link, each actuator having an inner chamber for receiving a pressure fluid serving to pretension it. Each actuator has one end articulated to one end of the cross bar of the T so that they are antagonistically pretensioned. The artificial skeletal mechanism is intended to transform the contraction of one actuator, following extension of the other, into rotation of the link which is articulated at the free end of its long bar.