Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

PROBLEM: Fluid power (Hydraulic and pneumatic) systems are the premier technology for many applications: aviation (flight control actuators), automotive (active suspension), manufacturing (rolling mills), training (motion simulators), off-highway vehicles (excavators), robotics (underwater exploration), renewable energy (wind turbines) and healthcare (rehabilitation devices). Currently, fluid power technology is not advancing fast enough to meet the growing reliability, efficiency and performance demands of modern applications, which has led to numerous challenges. For example, safety-critical aircraft demand that hydraulic flight actuators be equipped with on-line fault monitoring tools and maintain good performance in the presence of faults. Presently, these requirements are mainly fulfilled through hardware redundancy, pilot intervention and frequent maintenance. In the case of wind turbines, hydraulic pitch system failures account for the highest (over 20%) of downtime. In addition, the energy efficiency of most off-road hydraulic equipment is low due to metering losses and poor power management. There is an urgent need for new layouts capable of energy regeneration while maintaining the high performance demanded by machine operators. Furthermore, certain medical applications can make use of clean fluid medium and MRI compatibility of pneumatics. Developing soft pneumatic actuators with proper force/tactile characterization for safe and responsible interactions with humans is needed and requires innovative solutions in software, components, and architecture. These challenges must be addressed to enable tangible solutions for both current and future applications. RESEARCH PROGRAM: The goal of my research is to gain an in-depth understanding of the dynamics and control of fluid power systems and develop solutions for enhanced reliability, efficient use of energy and high performance. Over the next 5-year cycle, I will conduct research to (i) develop embedded condition monitoring tools and controllers to manage the performance of hydraulic systems by isolating and alleviating the effects of various faults until they are resolved, (ii) design new hydraulic layouts and components for increased energy efficiency and effective operation of hydraulic equipment and (iii), develop soft fluidic robots that can interact with humans in dynamic environments. SIGNIFICANCE: My research will lead to significant advances in condition monitoring of fluid power systems and availability by identifying failures at an early stage in a host of industrial sectors, including aviation, automotive, and renewable energy. My research on energy efficient hydraulics will lead to the developments of modernized off-road machinery with smaller engines and reduced emissions. My research on the design of soft fluidic robots will lead to a new generation of dexterous, smart devices to perform complex tasks, as in tele-rehabilitation or medical care in remote communities.