Program Overview

About University Outreach

"Let me say that the AMC servo amps were probably the most reliable parts of the whole rig! We had plenty of headroom in terms of current and no problems with precision. We are very grateful for the discount that AMC gave us on the servo amps and we couldn't have done it without them!"

-Buddy Michini, MIT

The purpose of the University Outreach program is to get ADVANCED Motion Controls servo drives into the hands of future engineers and further the educational process in motion control. The ADVANCED Motion Controls University Outreach program has been successful in hundreds of projects since 2004. Users gain valuable hands-on experience with high performance motion control equipment on various projects in support of their personal or organizational mission.

From the very beginning, AMC has partnered with many in academia including: professors, researchers, and students by providing products for those requiring motion control equipment. In doing this, AMC receives plenty of satisfaction merely by assisting in the overall education. Our objective is to ease as much as feasible the financial burdens that come with establishing practicality while attempting to prove theory or ideas.

There are a minimal set of criteria to agree upon beforehand to be considered for support under the University Outreach program. First, a complete description of the project with anticipated hardware / support needs must be submitted. Second, confirmation that AMC can be listed as a sponsor in some manner throughout the activities of the project. And finally, an update as to the project's outcome.

Once initiated, we would be pleased to fulfill the request with either greatly cost-reduced or completely donated equipment. This will be up to the discretion of ADVANCED Motion Controls based on the project's contribution and financial need. Upon mutual agreement, it would be a simple matter of placing the equipment order on your respective educational institution's letterhead stating the intention and requesting the materials. No further paperwork will be necessary.

To get started with University Outreach, please complete the Sponsorship Form.

Featured Projects:

	Utah State University Location: North Logan, UT Participants: Electrical and Computer Engineering Contact: Dr. Kevin Moore website:   AMC Model: 10A8DD Description: Able-bodied young people aren't the only recruits sought by the U.S. military. Robots, developed by Utah State researchers at the Army's request, are inspecting suspicious vehicles in parking lots. At less than four inches tall, the self-propelled robot on wheels can scurry underneath parked vehicles and snoop for bombs with its video camera.

	Carnegie Observatories Location: Pasadena, CA Participants:   Contact: Mr. David Harbur website:   AMC Model: 50A8, SRST70, FC15030 Description: The Magellan Project a collaboration between the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (OCIW), University of Arizona, Harvard University, University of Michigan, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to construct two 6.5 Meter optical telescopes in the southern hemisphere. The telescopes are located at Las Campanas Observatory, at an altitude of 8000 feet in the Chilean Andes, and operated by OCIW.

	University of South Carolina Location: Columbia, SC Participants: Department of Mechanical Engineering Contact: Mr. Robert Kennedy website:   AMC Model: B100A8 Description: The USC solar boat team competes in an annual week-long event called Solar Splash, the Solar Boating World Championship. We have been World Champions three times. The international competition consists of three major events: sprint, slalom, and endurance. The Sprint race is a 300 meter sprint and is organized into something similar to a double elimination tournament. The slalom is a high speed maneuverability race that tests the boats' handling abilities. The endurance race is the main event. The endurance consists of two 2 hour races during which teams try to accumulate the highest number of laps.

	University of Connecticut Location: Storrs, CT Participants: Mechanical Engineering Contact: Ms. Jacqueline Veronese website: http://www.engr.uconn.edu/me/pdf/Brochure04.pdf (Team 7) AMC Model: 25A8 Description: This project involved the creation of an electromagnetic active device that attenuates transient oscillations in a helicopter tail rotor driveshaft. The device prevents large torsional overshoot within the shaft and reduces oscillation settling time. The result is increased operational life expectancy due to reduced fatigue.

	University of Colorado Location: Boulder, CO Participants: Aerospace Engineering Contact: Mr. Zac Eichmeyer website:   AMC Model: B25A20 Description: Conceive, design, fabricate, integrate, test, and verify a space elevator climber prototype to ascend and descend a thin ribbon carrying a payload following the 2006 guidelines for the NASA Space Elevator Challenge 2010. The competition will not be attended but the climber will be designed in every aspect for a "phantom" beam power. Theoretical performances of the "phantom" beam power will be calculated in order to regulate the actual power that will be supplied to the climber.

	Ohio State University Location: Columbus, OH Participants: Mechanical Engineering Contact: Dr. Eric R. Westervelt website: http://www.mecheng.ohio-state.edu/locomotion/ AMC Model: ZB12A8, PS16L30 Description: A primary goal of this lab is to develop design principles and control theory approaches for legged machines that are able to realize fast and efficient locomotion. Also being explored is the application of the understanding gained from the study of robotic locomotion to the study of human gait and lower-limb prosthetic design.

	Stanford University Location: Stanford, CA Participants: Mechanical Engineering Design Division Contact: Mr. Paul Csonka website: http://www.stanford.edu/group/locolab AMC Model: BE40A8 Description: Evaluation of autonomous galloping quadraped robot: Ohio State and Stanford Universities are cooperating to better understand quadrupedal galloping through the design of a self-contained quadrupedal robot. The leg for this quadruped was first designed at Ohio State University (OSU). A second-generation leg is being tested at Stanford University. The Stanford leg incorporates important characteristics of a quadruped leg. These characteristics are grouped into three categories: biomimetic design, design for simulation and control, and design for experimentation. Important biomimetic design characteristics include minimal impact loss, elastic energy storage, and low inertia. Important characteristics for simulation and control include freedom from tether forces, high structural rigidity, and uncoupled actuation. To facilitate experimentation, the leg should resist the vibration of constant galloping, and be rapid to fabricate. The Stanford leg design is intended to improve on the OSU leg design with respect to these characteristics.

	Dartmouth College Location: Hanover, NH Participants: Thayer School of Engineering Contact: Dr. Laura Ray website:   AMC Model: BE15A8-H Description: Our research task is the design and fabrication of a lightweight mobile robot that enables deployment of instrument networks in Antarctica. One can envision deploying multiple robots from the South Pole to desired locations on the plateau for long- or short-term observation, and retrieving or repositioning the robot network through Iridium-based communication. Potential missions include deploying arrays of magnetometers, seismometers, radio receivers and meteorological instruments, measuring ionosphere disturbances through synchronization of GPS signals, using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to survey crevasse-free routes for field parties or traverse teams, and conducting glaciological surveys with GPR. Robot arrays could also provide high-bandwidth communications links and mobile power systems for field scientists.

See more Project Successes!