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A piece of paper has many useful characteristics; it is affordable, lightweight, thin, strong, and highly absorbent. These features allow inexpensive and flexible devices to be fabricated easily and rapidly. We have proposed a new field, “paper mechatronics,” which merges printed robotics and paper electronics, and to realize electronic and mechanical systems by printing. Herein, we develop a method to print an actuator and a structure on a sheet of paper. A trilayer electrothermal actuator is printed to activate a printed robot. The paper self-folds along the printed pattern to form the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the robot body. We also investigate important factors necessary to develop a printed robot. Experiments, including finite element analysis (FEA), confirm our bimetal modeling assumption for the printed actuator and improve the locomotive ability. The key factors in self-folding are paper thickness and humidity. Our findings can improve the reliability of printed robot designs. A self-folding A7-sized paper robot demonstrates locomotion at 10 mm per step.

Recently, there has been strong interest in printed robots and paper electronics. Printing is an adequate manufacturing method for the mass production; robots manufactured by printing can be low cost, rapidly creatable and easy to design. Paper is one of smart materials with high water absorbency and strength; it is easily mass-produced at low cost. Many inexpensive and flexible devices were created in paper electronics. Therefore, we propose paper mechatronics that merges printed robots and paper electronics. We used a commercial ink jet printer with water-based ink for self-folding of paper; the paper was folded automatically along the printed line to make the robot body. The paper robot was equipped with a printed electrothermal actuator that consists of epoxy resin covered by conductive ink. The epoxy resin was heated by Joule heat of the conductive ink under a driving voltage of 8 V. The self-folding of experimental paper robot took 15 minutes to construct the body and the robot demonstrated a locomotion at 6.5 mm per step. I. INTRODUCTION

Starting from the 1990s, the mini/micro-satellites around 50–200 kg become one of the research focuses of space industry. Different from the mini-satellites developed at early ages, modern mini/micro-satellites widely incorporate micro-electronics and micro-mechanisms, emphasizing multi-functionality and system integration. As a result, they have relatively high power/volume ratio. Also, to reduce the fuel consumption, the application of micro-electrical propulsion systems on mini/micro-satellites is increasing, which pushes the requirement for electrical power even higher. It is hard for the surface mounted solar cells and stationary solar arrays which were widely used by micro-satellites at early ages to satisfy these elevating power requirements of modern mini/micro-satellites. In response to these requirements, Solar Array Drive Assemblies (SADA) which used to be standard equipments of large spacecrafts have gradually been incorporated in the mini/micro-satellites to rotate the solar arrays for maximum sunlight acquisition, and tremendously reduce the size and mass of the solar arrays. Lately, a new micro-SADA with integrated mechanisms and electronics has been developed by Beijing Institute of Control Engineering. This SADA features: • Mechanisms and electronics integrated in one capsule instead of the separate mechanisms and electronic boxes as in large spacecrafts. • High torque/weight ratio stepper motor & high precision mini-transmission. • Long life high power/weight ratio multi-channel slip ring. • High reliability measures against severe mechanical, electrical and thermal conditions. This SADA has gone through functional test, mechanical tests (vibration, acceleration, and shock, etc.), thermal-vacuum cycling test, and electromagnetic compatibility test, and demonstrated excellent functionality. The design as well as the development and test processes is summarized in this paper.

With the continuous innovation and development of China's science and technology, as a set of information across many disciplines , mechanics , electronics and other technology for the integration of mechanical and electrical integration has been an unprecedented development , this technology has also been widely used in the engineering machinery. It makes reference to the technology of mechanical engineering automation or semi-automated as possible , thereby greatly increasing the accuracy and precision mechanical engineering jobs.This paper describes the key technologies and applications in mechatronics engineering machinery.

This paper presents a literature overview of factors, both internal and external, modelled for improving the shift-quality in automobiles through the development of a robust electronic transmission control unit (TCU). Such robustness, designed with considerations of internal and external factors, are essential for safety and driving comfort. As automobiles are becoming more sophisticated, the application of electronics and embedded systems is increasing for different functional control system designs, including the gear-shifting mechanism. An automotive transmission system equipped with electronic or electrohydraulic actuators, controlled by an electronic control unit, provides clutch-less driving experience to the driver for the shifting operation. TCU is used for automatic speed and torque control in different driving situations, and reduces the human error in gear selection for facilitating safe and comfortable driving. In the development of such a mechatronic controller, it is critical to find a robust control strategy in the context of semi-autonomous vehicles.