Projects
Recent projects where our team is currently participating
Design of a soft contact probe for ultrasonic applications
Thickness measurements using an ultrasonic contact test is a well-known nondestructive evaluation technique. However, its implementation in a robotic system with a closed-loop feedback control for artificial intelligent measurements requires precise information of positioning and force of the ultrasonic probe. In this work, we proposed an ultrasonic probe developed in our lab that uses a semispherical soft membrane made from an elastomer. The aim is to develop a methodology for precise positioning and force control of a dry contact ultrasonic probe based on the ultrasonic signal information processed using sparse matrix optimization and Fourier analysis techniques. The results show that the proposed methodology makes easy to achieve a fine tuning of the probe orientation with high sensitivity to load and misalignment in order to perform accurate thickness measurements.
Participants: Dr. Arturo Baltazar, Dr. Chidentree Treesatayapun, Dr. Mario Castelan, Dr. America Morales; students: Caleb Garcí (M.Sc.), Ludivina Facundo (Ph.D.)
Project sponsored by SEP-PRODEP 2019, Mexico
Portable and wearable soft-material-actuated haptic system
Virtual, augmented, and mixed realities provide limitless interactive experiences for people. Today, user feedback through haptic perception has been primarily based on vibration-based systems that cannot accurately convey contact force and pressure sensations. The area of soft robotics as an actuator opens new opportunities, but current pneumatically actuated systems are not suitable for realizing wearable systems. Thus, the goal is to design and demonstrate a portable, wearable, haptic glove that integrates a novel actuation mechanism for imparting controllable contact force/pressure feedback. A focus is to design soft polymer structures with an embedded liquid source that can be leveraged to change phase. When ultrasonic waves excite the encapsulated liquid, atomization causes the liquid to vaporize while locally expanding the structure. Four main tasks are planned. First, a method for achieving ultrasonic atomization of minute amounts of liquid stored in foam will be tested. Second, soft structures will be designed to achieve bending motion/pressure when actuated by atomization. Third, thin film sensors will be integrated for providing real-time motion sensing capabilities. Finally, a portable control system will be assembled to receive sensing feedback, process data using closed-loop feedback control, and control actuation of the haptic system.
Participants: Dr. ken Loh (U.C. at San Diego), Dr. Arturo Baltazar; students: Han-Joo Lee (U.C. at San Diego) and Esteban Guerra (CINVESTAV).
Project sponsored by UC-MEXUS 2020, USA-MEXICO
Smart leak-detection in water networks through low-cost nonintrusive distributed acoustic sensors
Water loss control requires a wide range of technologies supporting both re-active and pro-active approaches including active leakage control, pressure management, asset management, and optimized repair and replacement scheduling. This proposal focuses on water loss control by creating new computational techniques for leak-before-break detection using measurements collected from low-cost, non-intrusive, acoustic sensors distributed in the water network. Moreover, this study will investigate the feasibility, detection limits, and challenges associated with permanent acoustic sensor networks for field implementations
Participants: Dr. Lina Sela (Co-PI), Dr. Salvatore Salamone (Co-PI)– University of Texas at Austin; Arturo Baltazar (Co-PI)- CINVESTAV
Project sponsored by CONTEXT (Conacyt-Universidad de Texas) 2020-21, USA-MEXICO