Abstract: A method and apparatus in which a pulse jet (such as a thermoelectric or piezoelectric pulse jet) deposit drops and the pulse jet is struck at least once. A housing of the pulse jet may particularly be struck in a same direction in which drops are ejected from the pulse jet and, for example, a rate of 0.2 to 10 strikes/second with each strike delivering between 10 mJ to 150 mJ. The method and apparatus may particularly be applied application to the fabrication of biopolymer (such as DNA) arrays, and in the striking may for example particularly be applied after loading of the pulse jet through a drop dispensing orifice.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a biopolymer array, and an apparatus which can execute the method. droplets of fluid carrying the biopolymer or a biomonomer are deposited onto a front side of a transparent substrate. Light is directed through the substrate from the front side, back through a substrate back side and a first set of deposited droplets on the first side to an image sensor. The substrate may be mounted by means of a chuck with parallel channels, and a scanning operation of a droplet dispensing head, light source, and sensor conducted in unison in the direction of the channels.

Abstract: A CAD system and method for designing sheet metal parts. A proposed design is automatically tested against a set of design rules. Available tools are selected according to criteria computed with reference to the part to the fabricated and then are tested to determine whether they can be used to make desired bends. A fabrication sequence is computed.

Abstract: A dynamic profiling system for measuring a profile of an outer surface of a moving motor component such as a commutator includes a movable probe assembly having a profile detecting probe and a probe cooling system for circulating a cooling liquid about the probe. The probe cooling system maintains the cooling liquid at a fixed temperature during circulation of the liquid. The detecting probe obtains profile measurement data from the outer surface of the rotating motor component when the motor component is at ambient and hot temperatures. Additionally data is collected while the commutator is rotating up to 4000 revolutions per minute. The system further includes a controller, an analog to digital converter for receiving and converting the data, and a monitor for displaying information processed by the controller.

Abstract: A hybrid position and force control system for a robotic manipulator. A displacement error signal of an end effector such as a robotic hand is multiplied by a pseudo-inverse of a matrix product of a selection matrix and a Jacobian matrix to provide a joint displacement error signal in the coordinates of the various joints of the manipulator. The system may be tuned for obstacle avoidance and the like by means of a joint tuning signal having displacement and force components each produced by multiplying a user-provided tuning signal by a matrix difference between an identity matrix and a matrix product of a pseudo-inverse of the Jacobian mattrix and the Jacobian matrix.

Abstract: A kinematic method to operate a multi-jointed robot to achieve coordinated, speed-invariant motion when the robot's end effector is moved along a predefined path. To accomplish such operation, a total execution time function is defined which is a function of acceleration time, slew time, and deceleration time for the joints. Values for the acceleration time, slew time, and deceleration time are calculated which minimize the total time function subject to constraints on the displacement, the limiting velocity, the limiting acceleration, and the limiting deceleration for the joints. Then, the end effector of the robot is operated such that all joints start moving at the same instant, all joints accelerate for the same period, all joints slew for the same period, and all joints decelerate for the same period.