Thin-Layer Distributed Piezoelectric Neurons And Muscles: Electromechanics and Applications

Abstract

Artificial distributed sensors and actuators integrated with an elastic continuum (a distributed parameter system) provide life-like sensation and action/reaction capabilities for the elastic continuum. In this paper, artificial thin-layer distributed piezoelectric neurons and muscles are integrated with an elastic thin shell and new distributed neural sensation and actuation theories are derived. Distributed neural signals are formulated based on induced elastic membrane, shear, and bending strains of the shell continuum. System dynamic equations of the shell with integrated piezoelectric muscles are derived and their control applications discussed. The derived theories can be directly simplified to a number of distributed systems, e.g., spherical shells, cylindrical shells, conical shells, zero-curvature shells, non-shell type continua, etc. Simplification procedures are demonstrated in two case studies: 1) a hemispheric shell (Case 1) and 2) a cylinder with distributed shell neurons and muscles (Case 2). Distributed convolving ring sensors are designed and their performance studied (Case 3). Segmented distributed piezoelectric sensors/actuators on a plate are investigated and their observability/controllability evaluated (Case 4).