University Project Successes

Many engineering students graduate without really learning what a servo drive is (including, admittedly, the writer of this article). In an increasingly automated world, it’s important that the engineers of tomorrow are familiar with the technology that makes motion control work. Fortunately, more universities are starting to introduce drives into their engineering curriculum. Among these … Penn State Altoona – Electric Drives Lab

This writer has a confession: I can probably count the number of successful basketball shots I’ve made throughout my lifetime on my fingers and toes. Those few times I have however, I always think, “if only I could do it again just like that.” The servo controlled basketball throwing arm. At Penn State Altoona, a … Penn State Altoona – Robotic Basketball Arm

The Triaxial Helmholtz Coil project by Samuel Osterhout from the Colorado School of Mines demonstrates and explores the physics that build the foundation of motion control technology. Our servo drives are key elements in very complex motion control systems. In the most isolated context, our products regulate current and voltage through wires based on command … Colorado School of Mines – Triaxial Helmholtz Coils

Model of the ExodUS unit mounted on a wheel chair. Some of the greatest heroes are those who step up in times of tragedy. In August of 2015, Didier Prince from the Université de Sherbrooke was surfing when the waves sent him tumbling violently through the water to the seabed, fracturing his fifth and sixth … Université de Sherbrooke – Project ExodUS

The final constructed assembly of Project MACULA. As a species, we’ve made enormous strides in the last 61 years to explore the cosmic space we live in. Our space probes have obtained wonderful photos of many of the celestial bodies in our solar system. The list of bodies on which we’ve actually landed spacecrafts, however, … University of Colorado, Boulder – Project MACULA

Kouttron makes adjustments to the Nimbus. One man’s trash is another man’s future self-balancing skateboard. After stumbling upon a collection of aluminum scrap around the MIT shops and visualizing a skateboard that he could actually ride, Dane Kouttron began developing the Flying Nimbus. Named after a rideable cloud from the Japanese anime series Dragon Ball … Massachusetts Institute of Technology – The Flying Nimbus

Chad Rose demonstrates the haptic paddle operation to undergraduate students. When done with the right tools, hands-on learning can be the best way to help students understand the given curriculum, especially in engineering fields. Since its development in 2006, the haptic paddle has become a staple element of Rice University’s Modeling Dynamic Systems course, taught … Rice University – Haptic Paddle

X-RHex robot RHex is a biologically inspired hexapedal robot invented and first characterized at the dawn of the century as part of a large DARPA funded consortium. A variety of RHex platforms have been developed since that time, and our lab has been particularly active in developing new versions for studying biologically inspired locomotion, gait … University of Pennsylvania – RHex

ALTACRO This multidisciplinary research project aims at the development and clinical testing of a step rehabilitation robot powered by compliant actuators. The ALTACRO project is a contribution to the synergy between robotics and rehabilitation. The primary goals are to improve the quality of step rehabilitation therapy both for patients and therapists and increasing the availability … Vrije Universiteit Brussel – ALTACRO

Positioning Leg for the RANGER robotic system Upgrade for the Positioning Leg of the RANGER robotic system. This robotic manipulator needs significantly higher currents, and uses DZCANTE-060L080 servo drives. Nicholas Limparis – Aerospace Engineering