Abstract: Methods for microwave melting of fiber mixtures to form composite materials include placing the fiber mixture in a receptacle located in a microwave oven. The methods further include microwave heating the mixture, causing a heat activated compression mechanism to automatically increase compressive force on the mixture, thereby eliminating air and void volumes. The heat activated compression mechanism can include a shape memory alloy wire connecting first and second compression brackets, or one or more ceramic blocks configured to increase in volume and thereby increase compression on the mixture.

Abstract: Methods for microwave melting of fiber mixtures to form composite materials include placing the fiber mixture in a receptacle located in a microwave oven. The methods further include microwave heating the mixture, causing a heat activated compression mechanism to automatically increase compressive force on the mixture, thereby eliminating air and void volumes. The heat activated compression mechanism can include a shape memory alloy wire connecting first and second compression brackets, or one or more ceramic blocks configured to increase in volume and thereby increase compression on the mixture.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to a drone having selectively actuated arms. In one embodiment, a drone includes arms connected to a body. Individual ones of the arms have a first end and a second end with the first end forming a connection with the body. The drone further includes rotor units individually including a propeller attached to a motor and mounted to the second end of the individual ones of the arms. Additionally, actuator units are integrated with the arms. Individual ones of the actuator units include electromagnetic cells that when activated induce an electromagnetic motive force that flexes the arms.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other implementations described herein relate to a manner of detecting kinking or other bending on a bendable structure. In one implementation, a bendable structure is configured to kink at different locations. First and second sensors surface-mounted antiparallel along the bendable structure have bending responses that increase with increasing amounts of bending, and that are increasingly sensitive along their lengths. The bending responses from first and second sensors are received at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time. The formation of a kink is identified in response to identifying that the bending responses are indicative of unkinked bending at the first time and indicative of kinked bending at the second time. In response to identifying the formation of the kink, the location of the kink is identified based on the bending responses at the first time.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a drone is provided with several inflatable tubes that each connect a propeller component to a body of the drone. In order to increase the handling of the drone, a patch is placed on the top surface of each inflatable tube that includes some number of shape memory alloy wires. The shape memory alloy wires shrink and become rigid when an electric current is applied to them. The optimal locations on each tube to place the patches, and the shape of the patches, is determined using a topology optimization. Later, the wires in the patches can be selectively activated or deactivated by an operating entity to provide an additional means to control the drone. Additionally, the drone is equipped with several landing arms which may include a shape memory alloy torsion coil spring to help the arm deployment during landing.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other implementations described herein relate to a manner of detecting kinking or other bend on a bendable structure. In one implementation, a bendable structure is configured to kink at different locations. First and second sensors surface-mounted antiparallel along the bendable structure have bending responses that increase with increasing amounts of bending, and that are increasingly sensitive along their lengths. The bending responses from first and second sensors are received at a first time and a second time subsequent to the first time. The formation of a kink is identified in response to identifying that the bending responses are indicative of unkinked bending at the first time and indicative of kinked bending at the second time. In response to identifying the formation of the kink, the location of the kink is identified based on the bending responses at the first time.

Abstract: Methods for microwave melting of fiber mixtures to form composite materials include placing the fiber mixture in a receptacle located in a microwave oven. The methods further include microwave heating the mixture, causing a heat activated compression mechanism to automatically increase compressive force on the mixture, thereby eliminating air and void volumes. The heat activated compression mechanism can include a shape memory alloy wire connecting first and second compression brackets, or one or more ceramic blocks configured to increase in volume and thereby increase compression on the mixture.

Abstract: A variable shear control energy absorption system for a vehicle is provided. The system may include a vehicle frame component and a primary deformable impact absorber located adjacent the vehicle frame component. The vehicle frame component may be a bumper reinforcement member. The system may include a plurality of secondary deformable impact chambers located within the primary deformable impact absorber, each secondary deformable impact chamber including a shear thickening fluid that exhibits an increasing or decreasing viscosity responsive to an impact force. At least one elastic relief chamber is provided in fluid communication with the plurality of secondary deformable impact chambers. The elastic relief chamber is configured to temporarily accept the shear thickening fluid from the plurality of secondary deformable impact chambers during low force impacts, and to redirect the shear thickening fluid back to the secondary deformable impact chambers after the low impact force recedes.

Abstract: A variable shear control energy absorption system for a vehicle is provided. The system may include a vehicle frame component and a primary deformable impact absorber located adjacent the vehicle frame component. The vehicle frame component may be a bumper reinforcement member. The system may include a plurality of secondary deformable impact chambers located within the primary deformable impact absorber, each secondary deformable impact chamber including a shear thickening fluid that exhibits an increasing or decreasing viscosity responsive to an impact force. At least one elastic relief chamber is provided in fluid communication with the plurality of secondary deformable impact chambers. The elastic relief chamber is configured to temporarily accept the shear thickening fluid from the plurality of secondary deformable impact chambers during low force impacts, and to redirect the shear thickening fluid back to the secondary deformable impact chambers after the low impact force recedes.