Abstract: Autonomous underwater vehicles and systems are provided with fast stabilization and fine attitude control with a constant and high rotational speed flying wheel to rotate the vehicle's body with respect to its core and optionally a combination of reaction masses used in three perpendicular axes. The gimbal and the reaction mass inertial systems are used for fast response to any angular or linear disturbance coming from the ocean current or waves. When equipped for optical communications, the vehicle has an optical receiver and transmitter and controller that provides three levels of attitude stabilization: gimbal and the reaction mass inertial systems; isolated movable platform and fine optical beam steering for targeting the laser beam from the transmitter. The ability to maintain precise positioning allows multiple vehicles to be optically linked.

Abstract: Autonomous underwater vehicles and systems are provided with fast stabilization and fine attitude control with a constant and high rotational speed flying wheel to rotate the vehicle's body with respect to its core and optionally a combination of reaction masses used in three perpendicular axes. The gimbal and the reaction mass inertial systems are used for fast response to any angular or linear disturbance coming from the ocean current or waves. When equipped for optical communications, the vehicle has an optical receiver and transmitter and controller that provides three levels of attitude stabilization: gimbal and the reaction mass inertial systems; isolated movable platform and fine optical beam steering for targeting the laser beam from the transmitter. The ability to maintain precise positioning allows multiple vehicles to be optically linked.

Abstract: A micro pumping mechanism is proposed to generate flow in micro channels of micro fluidic devices and three dimensional microprocessors cooled by the flow of coolant fluids. The proposed micro pump comprises a rotating disk inside a chamber, which overlaps with the fluidic micro channel. The rotating disk induces a shear flow across the micro channel, transporting fluid elements in the direction of the rotation of the disk. The disk can be rotated by external magnetic or electric fields as in direct drive, induction, or electrostatic motors.

Abstract: This invention disclosure addresses the fabrication of deformable microstructured and textured sheets of transparent materials such as glass. The flexible structures have islands of arbitrary geometrical shapes interconnected by springs. Structuring is performed using ultrafast laser pulses and specially designed post-processing. The fabrication process does not create any cracks perpendicular to the cut lines, and therefore, resulting deformable structures are capable of sustaining static and cyclic in-plane tensile and compressive forces, bending moments and twisting torques. Flexible structures of this invention, fabricated using thin sheets of glass, can deform to complex surfaces through stretching, compression and folding in all directions.

Abstract: A single, or a cascade of magnetically actuated blades are used to simultaneously pump and mix fluids in continuous-flow microfluidic devices. The external magnetic field, which traps the blade and controls its motion, is generated by a carpet of micron-scale coils. The frequencies and amplitudes of the blade's translational and rotational motions are controlled by voltage and current waves that pass through the carpet of the microcoils. When the frequency ratios of the translational and rotational motions of the blades do not commensurate, the pumped fluid is mixed chaotically. Chaotic mixing is also achieved when a single blade moves on a rosette-like quasi-periodic path. The invented micro pumping and mixing device negates connections to external pumps, and does not need specially-carved channels to mix flowing liquid. The microcoils are printed or installed on glass or polymeric substrates. The blades can also be used as controllable gates in microfluidic circuits.

Abstract: A micro pumping mechanism is proposed to generate flow in micro channels of micro fluidic devices and three dimensional microprocessors cooled by the flow of coolant fluids. The proposed micro pump comprises a rotating disk inside a chamber, which overlaps with the fluidic micro channel. The rotating disk induces a shear flow across the micro channel, transporting fluid elements in the direction of the rotation of the disk. The disk can be rotated by external magnetic or electric fields as in direct drive, induction, or electrostatic motors.