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Thrust 2: Compactness

By decreasing size and weight, fluid power systems can migrate from heavy equipment to human scale assistive devices, spawning whole new industries including: underwater exploration, rescue operations, remotely manipulating nuclear materials, bomb disposal, medical and rehabilitation applications and wearable or compact tools for home and industrial use. Improved compactness will enable fluid power to perform tasks that are not presently possible.

Research projects

  • 2A Chemofluidic Hot Gas Vane Motor/Pump
  • 2B.1 Free-Piston Engine Compressor
  • 2B.2 Miniature HCCI Free-Piston Engine Compressor
  • 2B.3 Free Piston Engine Hydraulic Pump
  • 2C.1 Compact Energy Storage - Open Accumulator Approach (GRADUATED)
  • 2C.2 Advanced Strain Energy Accumulator
  • 2D Multi-Functional Fluid Power Components Using Engineered Structures and Materials
  • 2E Model-based Systems Engineering for Efficient Fluid Power
  • 2F MEMS Proportional Pneumatic Valve
  • 2G Fluid Powered Surgery and Rehabilitation via Compact, Integrated Systems