scholarly journals A New Mechanism for Soft Landing in Robotic Space Exploration

Robotics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Seriani

Landing safely is the key to successful exploration of the solar system; the mitigation of the connected effects of collision in mechanical systems relies on the conversion of kinetic energy into heat or potential energy. An effective landing-system design should minimize the acceleration acting on the payload. In this paper, we focus on the application of a special class of nonlinear preloaded mechanisms, which take advantage of a variable radius drum (VRD) to produce a constant reactive force during deceleration. Static and dynamic models of the mechanism are presented. Numerical results show that the system allows for very efficient kinetic energy accumulation during impact, approaching the theoretical limit.

Author(s):  
Ian J. Cohen ◽  
Abigal M. Rymer

Robotic space exploration to the outer solar system is difficult and expensive and the space science community works inventively and collaboratively to maximize the scientific return of missions. A mission to either of our solar system Ice Giants, Uranus and Neptune, will provide numerous opportunities to address high-level science objectives relevant to multiple disciplines and deliberate cross-disciplinary mission planning should ideally be woven in from the start. In this review, we recount past successes as well as (NASA-focused) challenges in performing cross-disciplinary science from robotic space exploration missions and detail the opportunities for broad-reaching science objectives from potential future missions to the Ice Giants. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Future exploration of ice giant systems’.


Author(s):  
Shin-Liang Wang

Abstract A systematic approach to formulate the dynamic model of a robot with a linkage structure is presented. A dynamic model similar to that of a serial link robot can be obtained with respect to active joints only. The kinetic energy can be formulated from the Newton-Euler equation, and passive joint rates can be eliminated using loop closure equations. Inertial terms can be derived from the kinetic energy; gravitational terms from the potential energy and Lagrangian equation; and the Coriolis and centrifugal terms from the inertial terms and the Lagrangian method. This approach is very efficient for simple mechanisms, most likely to be used in linkage robots.


Author(s):  
I.P. POPOV

A mechanical oscillatory system with homogeneous elements, namely, with n massive loads (multi– inert oscillator), is considered. The possibility of the appearance of free harmonic oscillations of loads in such a system is shown. Unlike the classical spring pendulum, the oscillations of which are due to the mutual conversion of the kinetic energy of the load into the potential energy of the spring, in a multi–inert oscillator, the oscillations are due to the mutual conversion of only the kinetic energies of the goods. In this case, the acceleration of some loads occurs due to the braking of others. A feature of the multi–inert oscillator is that its free oscillation frequency is not fixed and is determined mainly by the initial conditions. This feature can be very useful for technical applications, for example, for self–neutralization of mechanical reactive (inertial) power in oscillatory systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 015012
Author(s):  
Unofre B Pili ◽  
Renante R Violanda

Abstract The video of a free-falling object was analysed in Tracker in order to extract the position and time data. On the basis of these data, the velocity, gravitational potential energy, kinetic energy, and the work done by gravity were obtained. These led to a rather simultaneous validation of the conservation law of energy and the work–energy theorem. The superimposed plots of the kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, and the total energy as respective functions of time and position demonstrate energy conservation quite well. The same results were observed from the plots of the potential energy against the kinetic energy. On the other hand, the work–energy theorem has emerged from the plot of the total work-done against the change in kinetic energy. Because of the accessibility of the setup, the current work is seen as suitable for a home-based activity, during these times of the pandemic in particular in which online learning has remained to be the format in some countries. With the guidance of a teacher, online or face-to-face, students in their junior or senior high school—as well as for those who are enrolled in basic physics in college—will be able to benefit from this work.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. S. Travkin ◽  
◽  
T. V. Belonenko ◽  

Purpose. The Lofoten Basin is one of the most energetic zones of the World Ocean characterized by high activity of mesoscale eddies. The study is aimed at analyzing different components of general energy in the basin, namely the mean kinetic and vortex kinetic energy calculated using the integral of the volume of available potential and kinetic energy of the Lofoten Vortex, as well as variability of these characteristics. Methods and Results. GLORYS12V1 reanalysis data for the period 2010–2018 were used. The mean kinetic energy and the eddy kinetic one were analyzed; and as for the Lofoten Vortex, its volume available potential and kinetic energy were studied. The mesoscale activity of eddies in winter is higher than in summer. Evolution of the available potential energy and kinetic energy of the Lofoten Vortex up to the 1000 m horizon was studied. It is shown that the vortex available potential energy exceeds the kinetic one by an order of magnitude, and there is a positive trend with the coefficient 0,23⋅1015 J/year. It was found that in the Lofoten Basin, the intermediate layer from 600 to 900 m made the largest contribution to the potential energy, whereas the 0–400 m layer – to kinetic energy. The conversion rates of the mean kinetic energy into the vortex kinetic one and the mean available potential energy into the vortex available potential one (barotropic and baroclinic instability) were analyzed. It is shown that the first type of transformation dominates in summer, while the second one is characterized by its increase in winter. Conclusions. The vertical profile shows that the kinetic energy of eddies in winter is higher than in summer. The available potential energy of a vortex is by an order of magnitude greater than the kinetic energy. An increase in the available potential energy is confirmed by a significant positive trend and by a decrease in the vortex Burger number. The graphs of the barotropic instability conversion rate demonstrate the multidirectional flows in the vortex zone with the dipole structure observed in a winter period, and the tripole one – in summer. The barotropic instability highest intensity is observed in summer. The baroclinic instability is characterized by intensification of the regime in winter that is associated with weakening of stratification in this period owing to winter convection.


1999 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 383-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Griffin ◽  
Neil A. Tolani ◽  
Rodger Kram

Walking humans conserve mechanical and, presumably, metabolic energy with an inverted pendulum-like exchange of gravitational potential energy and horizontal kinetic energy. Walking in simulated reduced gravity involves a relatively high metabolic cost, suggesting that the inverted-pendulum mechanism is disrupted because of a mismatch of potential and kinetic energy. We tested this hypothesis by measuring the fluctuations and exchange of mechanical energy of the center of mass at different combinations of velocity and simulated reduced gravity. Subjects walked with smaller fluctuations in horizontal velocity in lower gravity, such that the ratio of horizontal kinetic to gravitational potential energy fluctuations remained constant over a fourfold change in gravity. The amount of exchange, or percent recovery, at 1.00 m/s was not significantly different at 1.00, 0.75, and 0.50 G (average 64.4%), although it decreased to 48% at 0.25 G. As a result, the amount of work performed on the center of mass does not explain the relatively high metabolic cost of walking in simulated reduced gravity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-51
Author(s):  
Zayra Christine Sátyro ◽  
José Veiga

Abstract This study focuses on the quantification and evaluation of the effects of ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) warm phases, using a composite of five intense El Niño episodes between 1979 – 2011 on the Energetic Lorenz Cycle for four distinct regions around the globe: 80° S – 5° N (region 1), 50° S – 5° N (region 2), 30° S – 5° N (region 3), and 30° S – 30° N (region 4), using Data from NCEP reanalysis-II. Briefly, the results showed that zonal terms of potential energy and kinetic energy were intensified, except for region 1, where zonal kinetic energy weakened. Through the analysis of the period in which higher energy production is observed, a strong communication between the available zonal potential and the zonal kinetic energy reservoirs can be identified. This communication weakened the modes linked to eddies of potential energy and kinetic energy, as well as in the other two baroclinic conversions terms. Furthermore, the results indicate that for all the regions, the system itself works to regain its stable condition.


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