POWRE: Methodology for Design of Compliant Mechanisms with Integrated Smart Materials

智能材料和结构的发展是工程领域中一个迅速兴起的领域。当一个结构与控制器一起能够感知环境的变化并适应这些变化时，它就被认为是“智能的”。然而，智能结构设计的一个主要障碍是当前的致动装置，如应变致动器，其输出位移能力有限。因此，它们通常配备了兼容的冲程放大器。为了消除对这些执行机构的直观和特别设计方法的依赖，需要一种新的系统设计方法。本研究的目标就是开发这样一种方法。这种新方法将采用拓扑优化方法，考虑智能结构的特定问题，如最大放大、最大机械效率、阻抗匹配和最小重量。所得到的最佳柔性机构设计将与智能材料集成，形成执行器。预计这些优化设计的执行器将比当前的智能执行器设计提供更好的冲程性能。POWRE项目提供的资金将允许PI进行基础研究，并在智能结构设计领域建立自己的研究项目和实验室。

Development of smart materials and structures is a rapidly emerging field in engineering. A structure is considered "smart" when, together with a controller, it can sense changes in its environment and adapt to those changes. However, a major barrier in the design of smart structures is that current actuation devices such as strain-induced actuators are limited in their output displacement capability. As a result, they are often equipped with compliant stroke amplifiers. To eliminate the reliance on intuitive and ad-hoc design methods for these actuators, a new systematic design method is needed. The goal of this research is to develop such a method. This new method will employ a topology optimization approach, accounting for issues particular to smart structures such as maximum amplification, maximum mechanical efficiency, impedance matching, and least weight. The resulting optimal compliant mechanism designs will then be integrated with smart materials to form an actuator. It is expected that these optimally designed actuators will offer improved stroke performance over current smart actuator designs. The funding provided by the POWRE program will allow the PI to conduct this fundamental research and establish her own research program and laboratory in the area of smart structures design.