Computer-Aided Invention of Complex Articulated Systems with Operational Constraints

该研究为机械系统的计算机辅助设计提供了理论基础。在基本水平上，机器由固体部件组成，这些部件由形成铰接系统的可移动元件连接。而系统地组装和评估铰接结构性能的设计应用程序为设计创新的机械设备提供了前所未有的新能力。这项研究将开辟广泛的发明、专利和产品的新领域，应用于各个依赖于可控机械运动的领域，如紧凑型长途车辆悬架、中风患者的音调抵消辅助装置以及支撑微陀螺仪的线性悬架。机器系统的设计可以用多项式方程组来表示，其解可以产生以前所没有的新的关节结构。这项研究将极大地扩展铰接式系统的设计空间，并提供从微观到宏观尺度的新型创新机械设备。这种计算方法对发明的一个重大挑战是为设计者提供一个系统的过程来探索什么是迅速成为一个巨大的设计空间。这项研究的目的是指导数百种不同连杆类型的综合，并验证数千种设计的性能。这项研究的成功完成将通过提供设计广泛的新机械设备的能力来开发计算机器设计的新能力。

This research advances the theoretical foundations for the computer-aided design of machine systems. At a basic level machines consist of solid components connected by movable elements that form articulated systems. And design applications that systematically assemble and evaluate the performance of articulated structures provide a new and unprecedented ability to design innovative mechanical devices. This research will open broad new fields of inventions, patents, and products with applications in every area that relies on controlled mechanical movement such as compact long travel vehicle suspensions, tone cancelling assistive devices for stroke patients, and linear suspensions supporting micro gyroscopes.The design of machine systems can be formulated as a system of polynomial equations with solutions that yield new articulated structures not previously available. This research will dramatically expand the design space for articulated systems and provide access to new and innovative mechanical devices at scales ranging form micro to macro dimensions. A significant challenge in this computational approach to invention is providing the designer a systematic process for exploring what rapidly becomes a huge design space. The goal of this research is to guide the synthesis of the hundreds of different linkage types, and verify the performance of thousands of designs. Successful completion of this research will develop new capabilities in computational machine design by providing the ability to design a wide range of new mechanical devices.