Abstract: A micromechanical device includes a fixed structure, a mobile portion rotatable about a first rotation axis, and a first actuation structure arranged between the fixed structure and the mobile portion to enable rotation of the mobile portion about the first rotation axis. The mobile portion includes a supporting structure, a tiltable platform rotatable about a second rotation axis, transverse to the first rotation axis, and a second actuation structure coupled between the tiltable platform and the supporting structure. Stiffening elements are arranged between the supporting structure and the fixed structure. The micromechanical device may be used within a pico-projector.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor including: a vibrator; a friction member; a pressurizing mechanism; a first holding mechanism; and a second holding mechanism, wherein the vibrator and the friction member are configured to perform relative movement with respect to each other, wherein the first holding mechanism includes a first holding portion and a second holding portion which is longer than the first holding portion in a direction of the relative movement, wherein the friction member is arranged between the first holding portion and the second holding portion, wherein the first holding portion includes a first restriction portion, wherein the second holding portion includes a second restriction portion, and wherein the first restriction portion and the second restriction portion are brought into abutment against the second holding mechanism to restrict movement in directions other than the direction of the relative movement of the vibrator and the first holding mechanism.

Abstract: An actuator includes a stack including: an elastomer layer; and an elastic electrode disposed on each surface of the elastomer layer, in which the stack is subjected to a pre-strain of 50% or more at least in one direction. The stack may have a round tubular shape with the elastic electrodes disposed on opposite surfaces of the elastomer layer in a radial direction of the stack.

Abstract: A method may include controlling commutation of a plurality of switches of an output stage comprising the plurality of switches in order to transfer charge between an energy storage device and a load to generate an output voltage across the load as an amplified version of an input signal, wherein the load comprises capacitive energy storage and controlling the power converter in order to regulate a cumulative electrical energy present in the system at an energy target, wherein the power converter is configured to transfer electrical energy from a source of electrical energy coupled to an input of the power converter to the energy storage device coupled to the output of the power converter and configured to store the electrical energy transferred from the source of electrical energy.

Abstract: A vibration wave motor includes a vibrator including an electrical-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic member, a contact member in contact with the elastic member, and a supporting member that supports the vibrator, wherein the supporting member supports an outer periphery portion of the vibrator so as to be movable along a direction in which the vibrator is pressed toward the contact member, and selectively supports a node of a vibration of the vibrator.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor including: a vibrator; a friction member configured to be brought into frictional contact with the vibrator; a first holding member holding the vibrator; a second holding member holding the first holding member; and a third holding member holding the second holding member, wherein the vibrator and the friction member move relative to each other, and wherein one side of the second holding member is configured to connect to the first holding member or the third holding member at a position where the second holding member overlaps the rectangular shape portion in a direction of the relative movement, and another side of the second holding member is configured to connect to the first holding member or the third holding member at a position where the second holding member overlaps the rectangular shape portion in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the relative movement.

Abstract: A piezoelectric driving device includes a vibrating portion including a piezoelectric element for driving and a piezoelectric element for detection and vibrating by driving of the piezoelectric element for driving, a drive circuit that generates a drive signal for driving the piezoelectric element for driving, and a detection circuit that detects vibration of the vibrating portion based on a detection signal output from the piezoelectric element for detection with the vibration of the vibrating portion, wherein the piezoelectric element for detection is placed in an area containing a center of the vibrating portion.

Abstract: A piezoelectric motor may include a stator, a rotor rotating about a rotational axis and at least one piezoelectric element driving the rotor and maintained by the stator. Mechanical reliability and performance levels of a piezoelectric motor may be increased in that the at least one piezoelectric element may be mounted in an oscillating housing that oscillates with respect to the stator about the pivot axis.

Abstract: A vibration type motor includes first and second vibrators, a friction member configured to contact the first and second vibrators, a pressure member configured to press the first and second vibrators against the friction member, and first and second guide members configured to guide a relative movement between the first and second vibrators and the friction member. The first and second vibrators are spaced in a direction different from a relative movement direction between the first and second vibrators and the friction member. The first and the second guide member are provided between the first vibrator and the second vibrator in a direction different from the relative movement direction. A pressure center of a pressure applied to the first vibrator and the second vibrator by the pressure member is located between the first guide member and the second guide member.

Abstract: A system to control slip-stick stages that includes a slip-stick stage including an actuator and a processor coupled to the actuator to obtain a frequency, a number of measurement samples, and a voltage; determine a time period based on the number of measurement samples and the frequency; sample a displacement of the actuator during the time period. The system functions to calculate an error value based on the displacement and a reference position; determine a step value based on the error value and a modulation protocol. The modulation protocol includes a proportional modulation protocol or a proportional-integral modulation protocol to generate a control signal based on the step value, the frequency and the voltage based on an integral of a function of voltage and a Heaviside function according to a direction specified by a sign of the step value; and transmit the control signal to the actuator.

Abstract: A bonded body includes a supporting substrate composed of a polycrystalline ceramic material or monocrystalline material, a piezoelectric single crystal substrate and a bonding layer provided between the supporting substrate and piezoelectric single crystal substrate. The bonding layer has a composition of Si(1-x)Ox (x represents an oxygen ratio). The oxygen ratio is increased or decreased from an end part of the bonding layer on the side of the piezoelectric single crystal substrate to an end part of the bonding layer on the side of the supporting substrate. The maximum value of the oxygen ratio x in the bonding layer is 0.013 or higher and 0.666 or lower, and the minimum value of the oxygen ratio is 0.001 or higher and 0.408 or lower.

Abstract: A control device of a piezoelectric drive device includes a drive pulse signal generation unit that generates a binary drive pulse signal, a drive signal generation unit that generates a drive signal which is applied to the piezoelectric element for drive from the drive pulse signal, a detection pulse signal generation unit that generates a detection pulse signal by binarizing the detection signal which is output from the piezoelectric element for detection, and a phase difference acquisition unit that acquires a phase difference between the drive pulse signal and the detection pulse signal, based on a rising edge and a falling edge of the drive pulse signal and a rising edge and a falling edge of the detection pulse signal.

Abstract: A vibration type drive device capable of maintaining stable drive performance and controllability includes a vibration type actuator comprising a vibrator and a contact body, and a drive control device. The drive control device applies two-phase alternating current voltages to the energy conversion element of the vibrator by a drive portion, converts a control amount of feedback control based on the relative position/speed into a phase difference between the two-phase alternating current voltages, and outputs the phase difference to the drive portion by using, for the relative movement, a phase difference of a first or second quadrant in a coordinate system (in a first direction) and a phase difference of a third or fourth quadrant (in a second direction), with ? representing the phase difference, SIN ? corresponding to the vertical axis, and COS ? corresponding to the horizontal axis in the coordinate system.

Abstract: A tactile sensation providing apparatus includes an actuator and an object of vibration configured to provide a tactile sensation to a user by vibration of the vibration plate being transmitted to the object of vibration. The actuator includes a piezoelectric element, a vibration plate, and supports. The vibration plate has the piezoelectric element joined thereto and vibrates in accordance with displacement of the piezoelectric element. The supports support the vibration plate. The angles, when the actuator is not being driven, between the vibration plate and the supports are acute.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of fabricating an apparatus for piercing an object, the apparatus comprises: a substrate; one or more needles; one or more anchors and one or more piezoelectric actuators. The method comprises the steps of deposit sacrificial layer over the substrate; deposit conducting layer over the sacrificial layer; deposit piezoelectric layer over the conducting layer; etch a geometry of the one or more piezoelectric actuators using a first mask created by lithography process; deposit the one or more needle and one or more anchors using a second mask created by lithography process and a lift-off process; etch the sacrificial layer under the needle and the one or more piezoelectric actuators, wherein the anchors are configured to connect the substrate to the piezoelectric actuators and the one or more piezoelectric actuators are configured to expand, contract or bend, and form holding arms that are configured to move the one or more needles.

Abstract: A control method for a piezoelectric drive device includes a piezoelectric vibrator having a vibrating portion and a distal end portion coupled to the vibrating portion, in which the distal end portion makes elliptic motion by a stretching vibration and a flexural vibration of the vibrating portion, a driven member driven by the elliptic motion of the distal end portion, and a drive signal generation circuit outputting a stretching vibration drive signal that generates the stretching vibration and a flexural vibration drive signal that generates the flexural vibration in the piezoelectric vibrator, and the method includes, when the driven member is stopped, superimposing and outputting a modulation signal for amplitude modification on the stretching vibration drive signal by the drive signal generation circuit.

Abstract: A piezoelectric drive device includes a rotor having a driven part and rotating around a rotation axis, a vibrating unit having a piezoelectric element and applying a drive force for rotating the rotor to the driven part by displacement of the piezoelectric element, and a bearing supporting the rotor. The driven part has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion sequentially connected, the first portion has a predetermined region along an axial direction of the rotation axis and coupled to an inner ring of the bearing within the predetermined region, the second portion overlaps with the bearing in a plan view from the axial direction, and the third portion has a contact surface in contact with the vibrating unit at an inner side of both ends of the predetermined region in a plan view from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration wave motor, including: a vibrator including a piezoelectric element and a vibrating plate; a friction member, which includes a friction-contact surface to be brought into contact with the vibrator, and is configured to perform relative movement with respect to the vibrator by vibration generated by the vibrator; and a guide mechanism, which includes a first guide member, a second guide member, and a rolling member arranged between the first guide member and the second guide member, and is configured to guide the relative movement, wherein the first guide member includes a groove portion formed of a first surface and a second surface to be brought into contact with the rolling member, and wherein the first surface is longer than the second surface in a direction of the relative movement.

Abstract: A system includes a rectifier having an input configured to receive a variable AC input voltage and convert the AC input voltage to a rectified output voltage. A power converter has an input coupled to receive the rectified output voltage and to provide a DC supply voltage at an output thereof. A low drop-out regulator has an input coupled to receive the supply voltage and is configured provide a regulated voltage. A sensor is coupled to receive the regulated voltage as a power source and is configured to sense a condition and provide sensor data indicative of the sensed condition.

Abstract: A control method for reducing vibration of a second casing of a mobile terminal includes: mounting an additional vibrator in a mounting area on the second casing, and measuring vibration responses in the mounting area under first and second preset conditions; calculating system transfer functions of the additional vibrator and a driving system formed by a first casing and an exciter; providing a signal processing unit; adjusting the value of the transfer function of the signal processing unit such that a vibration response in the mounting area under a third preset condition is at zero, and calculating the value of the transfer function H3(S) of the signal processing unit; and setting H3(S) as a preset transfer function of the signal processing unit. The present disclosure can counteract the vibration of the second casing induced by the driving system, thereby improving user experience.