Abstract: A bicycle with a suspension system for a wheel of the bicycle, the suspension system including a smart fluid damper for dampening a movement of the wheel relative to the frame. The smart fluid damper includes a flow control element disposed within a cavity of the damper and configured to apply a field to a smart fluid within a fluid passage extending through the flow control element. The flow control element includes field barriers proximate the fluid passage to locally block and/or divert the field such that the field cannot pass therethrough. The field barriers are arranged to cause the field to criss-cross the fluid passage at multiple axial intervals along the fluid passage, thereby focusing the field within the fluid passage.

Abstract: A bicycle with a suspension system for a wheel of the bicycle, the suspension system including a smart fluid damper for dampening a movement of the wheel relative to the frame. The smart fluid damper includes a flow control element disposed within a cavity of the damper and configured to apply a field to a smart fluid within a fluid passage extending through the flow control element. The flow control element includes field barriers proximate the fluid passage to locally block and/or divert the field such that the field cannot pass therethrough. The field barriers are arranged to cause the field to criss-cross the fluid passage at multiple axial intervals along the fluid passage, thereby focusing the field within the fluid passage.

Abstract: A smart fluid damper includes a damper body defining a cavity with smart fluid. A piston head is disposed within the cavity and is slidingly displaceable. A flow control element is disposed within the cavity. The flow control element includes a main body having a central core, and an outer housing that surrounds the main body and is spaced apart therefrom to define a fluid passage between the main body and the outer housing. The fluid passage extends axially through the main body to permit fluid flow therethrough. The central core includes an energizable coil operable to apply a field. A plurality of field barriers are provided, each operable to locally block the field generated by the energizable coil such that the field cannot pass directly therethrough. The field barriers are configured to focus the field within the fluid passage.

Abstract: A smart fluid damper includes a damper body defining a cavity with smart fluid. A piston head is disposed within the cavity and is slidingly displaceable. A flow control element is disposed within the cavity. The flow control element includes a main body having a central core, and an outer housing that surrounds the main body and is spaced apart therefrom to define a fluid passage between the main body and the outer housing. The fluid passage extends axially through the main body to permit fluid flow therethrough. The central core includes an energizable coil operable to apply a field. A plurality of field barriers are provided, each operable to locally block the field generated by the energizable coil such that the field cannot pass directly therethrough. The field barriers are configured to focus the field within the fluid passage.

Abstract: A three-phase boost converter is disclosed, as well as a related control technique. In certain embodiments, the provided boost converter enables efficient transfer of energy from an irregular input power source to a battery storage device or a DC link. To achieve maximum power absorption in such cases, the provided embodiments utilize a variable resistive behavior across each phase of the converter using feedback control.

Abstract: A robotic system has been designed that can be used as a minimally invasive surgical device. The system has a master end and a slave end. The master end has five physical movements corresponding to physical movements at the slave end with five degrees of freedom. There is force feedback from the slave end to the master end for each physical movement. The interface can be one or more computers. The master end can be remote from the slave end and the slave end can be a surgical robot or a simulation program on a computer.