Patents by Inventor Marko Popovic
Marko Popovic has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11925594Abstract: Actuators and methods of use are provided. An actuator may include an inner member made from an elastic material and defining a compartment for receiving an actuating fluid, the inner member being moveable in a longitudinal direction from a relaxed state to an expanded state by introducing an actuating fluid into the inner member; and an outer member made from an inelastic material and being disposed around the elastic inner member to control expansion of the elastic inner member in a radial direction, the outer member being moveable from a folded relaxed configuration to an unfolded extended configuration as the inner member moves from the relaxed state to the expanded state, wherein the movement of the actuator between the relaxed state and the expanded state causes a movement of a structure to which the actuator is attached.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Marko Popovic, Cagdas Onal, Daniil Effraimidis, Brian Jennings, Gregory D. McCarthy, Nicholas Corso
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Publication number: 20220018455Abstract: The systems and methods for fluid flow control valve device, where the device may include a support structure, one or more fluid tubes associated with the support structure, tensioning element supported by the support structure and being rotatable about an axis point relative to the support structure in response to an application of force, and one or more threads, each extending between the tensioning element and the one or more fluid tubes, the one or more threads configured to provide sufficient tension to compress at least one of the one or more fluid tubes in response to tension generated due to the rotation of the tensioning element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2021Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Marko Popovic, Ellen Clarrissimeaux, Julia D'Agostino, Shannon Moffat
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Patent number: 10952888Abstract: Variable stiffness devices and methods of their use are provided. In some embodiments, a variable stiffness device comprises an inner member defining a compartment for receiving an actuating fluid; an outer member disposed around the inner member; and a granular medium disposed between the inner member and the outer member; wherein the inner member is being moveable in a radial direction from a relaxed state to an expanded state by introducing the actuating fluid into the compartment of the inner member to compress the granular medium against the outer member to increase the stiffness of the device.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Marko Popovic, Saivimal Sridar, Corey Majeika, Nicholas Deisadze, Erika Giancarlo
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Publication number: 20200038280Abstract: Actuators and methods of use are provided. An actuator may include an inner member made from an elastic material and defining a compartment for receiving an actuating fluid, the inner member being moveable in a longitudinal direction from a relaxed state to an expanded state by introducing an actuating fluid into the inner member, and an outer member made from an inelastic material and being disposed around the elastic inner member to control expansion of the elastic inner member in a radial direction, the outer member being moveable from a folded relaxed configuration to an unfolded extended configuration as the inner member moves from the relaxed state to the expanded state, wherein the movement of the actuator between the relaxed state and the expanded state causes a movement of a structure to which the actuator is attached.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Marko Popovic, Cagdas Onal, Daniil Effraimidis, Brian Jennings, Gregory D. McCarthy, Nicholas Corso
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Patent number: 10456316Abstract: Actuators and methods of use are provided. An actuator may include an inner member made from an elastic material and defining a compartment for receiving an actuating fluid, the inner member being moveable in a longitudinal direction from a relaxed state to an expanded state by introducing an actuating fluid into the inner member; and an outer member made from an inelastic material and being disposed around the elastic inner member to control expansion of the elastic inner member in a radial direction, the outer member being moveable from a folded relaxed configuration to an unfolded extended configuration as the inner member moves from the relaxed state to the expanded state, wherein the movement of the actuator between the relaxed state and the expanded state causes a movement of a structure to which the actuator is attached.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2015Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Marko Popovic, Cagdas Onal, Daniil Effraimidis, Brian Jennings, Gregory D. McCarthy, Nicholas Corso
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Publication number: 20180296382Abstract: Variable stiffness devices and methods of their use are provided. In some embodiments, a variable stiffness device comprises an inner member defining a compartment for receiving an actuating fluid; an outer member disposed around the inner member; and a granular medium disposed between the inner member and the outer member; wherein the inner member is being moveable in a radial direction from a relaxed state to an expanded state by introducing the actuating fluid into the compartment of the inner member to compress the granular medium against the outer member to increase the stiffness of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2018Publication date: October 18, 2018Inventors: Marko Popovic, Saivimal Sridar, Corey Majeika, Nicholas Deisadze, Erika Giancarlo
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Patent number: 10028855Abstract: Variable stiffness devices and methods of their use are provided. In some embodiments, a variable stiffness device comprises an inner member defining a compartment for receiving an actuating fluid; an outer member disposed around the inner member; and a granular medium disposed between the inner member and the outer member; wherein the inner member is being moveable in a radial direction from a relaxed state to an expanded state by introducing the actuating fluid into the compartment of the inner member to compress the granular medium against the outer member to increase the stiffness of the device.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Marko Popovic, Saivimal Sridar, Corey Majeika, Nicholas Deisadze, Erika Giancarlo
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Publication number: 20160331572Abstract: Variable stiffness devices and methods of their use are provided. In some embodiments, a variable stiffness device comprises an inner member defining a compartment for receiving an actuating fluid; an outer member disposed around the inner member; and a granular medium disposed between the inner member and the outer member; wherein the inner member is being moveable in a radial direction from a relaxed state to an expanded state by introducing the actuating fluid into the compartment of the inner member to compress the granular medium against the outer member to increase the stiffness of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2016Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: Marko Popovic, Saivimal Sridar, Corey Majeika, Nicholas Deisadze, Erika Giancarlo
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Publication number: 20150359698Abstract: Actuators and methods of use are provided. An actuator may comprise an inner member made from an elastic material and defining a compartment for receiving an actuating fluid, the inner member being moveable in a longitudinal direction from a relaxed state to an expanded state by introducing an actuating fluid into the inner member; and an outer member made from an inelastic material and being disposed around the elastic inner member to control expansion of the elastic inner member in a radial direction, the outer member being moveable from a folded relaxed configuration to an unfolded extended configuration as the inner member moves from the relaxed state to the expanded state, wherein the movement of the actuator between the relaxed state and the expanded state causes a movement of a structure to which the actuator is attached.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2015Publication date: December 17, 2015Inventors: Marko Popovic, Cagdas Onal, Daniil Effraimidis, Brian Jennings, Gregory D. McCarthy, Nicholas Corso
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Publication number: 20070016329Abstract: Systems for controlling the motion of multiple articulated elements connected by one or more joints in an artificial appendage system. Four different embodiments are disclosed and include a controller that reduces the dimension of joint state space by utilizing biomechanically inspired motion primitives; a quadratic proportional-derivative (PD) controller which employs a two-stage linearization method, applies constraints to variables for dynamic stability, and employs a corrective “sliding control” mechanism to account for errors in the linear model used; a non-prioritized balance control approach that employs enforced linear dynamics in which all control variables are truncated to linear terms in joint jerks; and a biomimetic motion and balance controller based on center of mass (CM) energetic and biomimetic zero moment conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2006Publication date: January 18, 2007Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Hugh Herr, Andreas Hofmann, Marko Popovic