Abstract: A mesofluidic scale digital valve includes a valve body including a bore aligned along a longitudinal axis, a solenoid disposed substantially adjacent to the valve body and extending along the longitudinal axis, a poppet carried within the bore and configured to translate a fixed distance in response to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid, an orifice carried within valve body and configured to cooperate with the poppet in response to the magnetic field generated by the solenoid, and a bias element carried within the valve body and configured to encourage the poppet to engage the orifice to form a seal.

Abstract: A mesofluidic scale digital valve system includes a first mesofluidic scale valve having a valve body including a bore, wherein the valve body is configured to cooperate with a solenoid disposed substantially adjacent to the valve body to translate a poppet carried within the bore. The mesofluidic scale digital valve system also includes a second mesofluidic scale valve disposed substantially perpendicular to the first mesofluidic scale valve. The mesofluidic scale digital valve system further includes a control element in communication with the solenoid, wherein the control element is configured to maintain the solenoid in an energized state for a fixed period of time to provide a desired flow rate through an orifice of the second mesofluidic valve.

Abstract: A mesofluidic powered robotic and/or prosthetic finger joint includes a first finger section having at least one mesofluidic actuator in fluid communication with a first actuator, a second mesofluidic actuator in fluid communication with a second actuator and a second prosthetic finger section pivotally connected to the first finger section by a joint pivot, wherein the first actuator pivotally cooperates with the second finger to provide a first mechanical advantage relative to the joint point and wherein the second actuator pivotally cooperates with the second finger section to provide a second mechanical advantage relative to the joint point.

Abstract: A mesofluidic scale digital is disclosed. The mesofluidic scale digital includes a valve body including a bore aligned along a longitudinal axis, a solenoid disposed substantially adjacent to the valve body and extending along the longitudinal axis, a poppet carried within the bore and configured to translate a fixed distance in response to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid, an orifice carried within valve body and configured to cooperate with the poppet in response to the magnetic field generated by the solenoid, a bias element carried within the valve body and configured to encourage the poppet to engage the orifice to form a seal, a control element in communication with the solenoid, wherein the control element is configured to: energize the solenoid to generate the magnetic field and translate the poppet the fixed distance away from the seal, and maintain the solenoid in an energized state for a fixed period of time to provide a desired flow rate.

Abstract: A mesofluidic scale digital valve system is disclosed.

Abstract: A mesofluidic powered robotic and/or prosthetic finger joint includes a first finger section having at least one mesofluidic actuator in fluid communication with a first actuator, a second mesofluidic actuator in fluid communication with a second actuator and a second prosthetic finger section pivotally connected to the first finger section by a joint pivot, wherein the first actuator pivotally cooperates with the second finger to provide a first mechanical advantage relative to the joint point and wherein the second actuator pivotally cooperates with the second finger section to provide a second mechanical advantage relative to the joint point.

Abstract: A hydraulic apparatus has a cam body rotatable about an axis and with at least two mirror image involute cam surfaces on opposing sides of the axis. Hydraulic actuators on opposing sides of the axis have a linearly extendable ram and a hydraulic cylinder. A fluid supply line is provided for delivering a pressurized fluid equally to each of the cylinders. A pressure relief or flow control valve is associated with each of the hydraulic cylinders and is operable to selectively assume a closed position to retain fluid or assume an open position to release fluid from the hydraulic cylinders. A control can operate the pressure relief valves between at least the closed and open positions, to move the rams out of and in to the cylinders to rotate the cam body about the axis with controlled torque. A robotic, prosthetic or orthotic and a method for applying torque to a body are also disclosed.

Abstract: A repairable high-payload six-axis load sensor includes a table, a base, and at least three shear-pin load transducers removably mounted between the table and the base. Removable mounting permits easy replacement of damaged shear pins. Preferably, the shear-pin load transducers are responsive to shear forces imparted along the two axes perpendicular to an axis of minimum sensitivity characteristic of the transducer. Responsive to an applied shear force, each shear-pin load transducer can produce an electrical signal proportional to the reaction force. The load sensor can further include a structure for receiving the proportional electrical signals and computing the applied load corresponding to the proportional electrical signals. The computed load can be expressed in terms of a three-dimensional XYZ Cartesian coordinate system.

Abstract: A human extender controller for interface between a human operator and a physical object through a physical plant. The human extender controller uses an inner-feedback loop to increase the equivalent damping of the operating system to stabilize the system when it contacts with the environment and reduces the impact of the environment variation by utilizing a high feedback gain, determined by a root locus sketch. Because the stability of the human extender controller of the present invention is greatly enhanced over that of the prior art, the present invention is able to achieve a force reflection ratio 500 to 1 and capable of handling loads above the two (2) ton range.

Abstract: A human de-amplifier system for interfacing a human operator and a physical object through a physical plant, wherein the physical object has dimensions in the range of 1 micrometer to 1 mm. The human de-amplifier system uses an inner-feedback loop to increases the equivalent damping of the operating system to stabilize the system when it contacts with the environment and reduces the impact of the environment variation by utilizing a high feedback gain, determined by a root locus sketch. Because the stability of the human de-amplifier system of the present invention is greatly enhanced over that of the prior art, the de-amplifier system is able to manipulate the physical object has dimensions in the range of 1 micrometer to 1 mm with high stability and accuracy. The system also has a monitoring device to monitor the motion of the physical object under manipulation.

Abstract: A position and orientation tracking system presents a laser scanning appaus having two measurement pods, a control station, and a detector array. The measurement pods can be mounted in the dome of a radioactive waste storage silo. Each measurement pod includes dual orthogonal laser scanner subsystems. The first laser scanner subsystem is oriented to emit a first line laser in the pan direction. The second laser scanner is oriented to emit a second line laser in the tilt direction. Both emitted line lasers scan planes across the radioactive waste surface to encounter the detector array mounted on a target robotic vehicle. The angles of incidence of the planes with the detector array are recorded by the control station. Combining measurements describing each of the four planes provides data for a closed form solution of the algebraic transform describing the position and orientation of the target robotic vehicle.