This thesis studies the in-hand manipulation problem of repositioning finger contacts on an object by controlled sliding. In this thesis we investigate two versions of the problem. First for a multifingered hand with circle patch contacts, we present a framework for planning the motion of the hand to create an...
Stringent demands in the sheet forming industry related to rapid and customized part realization coupled with rigorous requirements on geometric accuracy and product properties have outpaced the capabilities of traditional forming processes. As an emerging novel technology, Double-Sided Incremental Forming (DSIF) offers much higher flexibility with the complete elimination of...
Demands in the aerospace, automotive and biomedical sectors for low-volume sheet metal parts made from materials with high specific strength are growing due to the needs imposed by rapid product development cycles, and personalized products to mention a few. However, high strength-to-weight ratio materials, such as Ti6Al4V, are usually difficult...
Segregation of granular materials with different particle properties (e.g.,~size and density) is a ubiquitous phenomenon in nature and industry. In this thesis, different segregation mechanisms are studied in steady granular heap flows. Flow kinematics and segregation in transient granular flows are also explored. ', '\t', 'First, this thesis studies segregation...
Research on rat whiskers offers knowledge in neuroscience analogous to humans\' sense of touch and inspiration for efficient sensing robotics. The present work investigates the rat whisker system from a mechanical engineering perspective. First, key quasi-static and dynamic properties were quantified in Chapter 2 for individual whiskers in an array,...
Hybrid polymer-peptide conjugates are receiving increasing attention as a promising class of biomaterials. Polymer conjugated coiled-coil peptides are a new addition to these designer macromolecules. Even though a variety of experiments and computational simulations have shown stabilization of helices upon polymer conjugation, there are still many questions regarding the conformations...
The aim of this dissertation is to make sense of nearly a century and a half's worth of observations concerning skin based electroadhesion phenomena. While this is a noble goal in and of itself, further motivation of this work is drawn from fact that the electroadhesive effect is increasingly being...
Greater interest in self-directed professions, like entrepreneurship, have led to a growth in informal workplace communities and social technologies that support new ways of working. However, we have little understanding of how these socio-technical environments support opportunities for professional skill development. The goal of this dissertation is to understand how...
Mechanisms for sensing fluid flow are well studied in arthropods and in some aquatic mammals, but we know very little about how terrestrial mammals detect and localize airflow (Chapter 1). In this thesis, I will describe a series of studies in rodents that investigate the behavioral, mechanical, and neural basis...