A Primer On The Kinematics Of Discrete Elastic Rods

This primer discusses a numerical formulation of the theory of an elastic rod, known as a discrete elastic rod, that was recently developed in a series of papers by Miklós Bergou et al. Their novel formulation of discrete elastic rods represents an exciting new method to simulate and analyze the behavior of slender bodies that can be modeled using an elastic rod. The formulation has been extensively employed in computer graphics and is highly cited. In the primer, we provide relevant background from both discrete and classical differential geometry so a reader familiar with classic rod theories can appreciate, comprehend, and use Bergou et al.’s computational efficient formulation of a nonlinear rod theory. The level of coverage is suitable for graduate students in mechanics and engineering sciences.

This Primer is intended to provide the theoretical background for the standard undergraduate, mechanical engineering course in dynamics. The book contains several worked examples and summaries and exercises at the end of each chapter to aid readers in their understanding of the material. Teachers who wish to have a source of more detailed theory for the course, as well as graduate students who need a refresher course on undergraduate dynamics when preparing for certain first year graduate school examinations, and students taking the course will find the work very helpful.

This book includes representative research from the state‐of‐the‐art in the emerging field of soft robotics, with a special focus on bioinspired soft robotics for underwater applications. Topics include novel materials, sensors, actuators, and system design for distributed estimation and control of soft robotic appendages inspired by the octopus and seastar. It summarizes the latest findings in an emerging field of bioinspired soft robotics for the underwater domain, primarily drawing from (but not limited to) an ongoing research program in bioinspired autonomous systems sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. The program has stimulated cross‐disciplinary research in biology, material science, computational mechanics, and systems and control for the purpose of creating novel robotic appendages for maritime applications. The book collects recent results in this area.

This book discusses recent findings and advanced theories presented at two workshops at TU Berlin in 2017 and 2018. It underlines several advantages of generalized continuum models compared to the classical Cauchy continuum, which although widely used in engineering practice, has a number of limitations, such as: • The structural size is very small. • The microstructure is complex. • The effects are localized. As such, the development of generalized continuum models is helpful and results in a better description of the behavior of structures or materials. At the same time, there are more and more experimental studies supporting the new models because the number of material parameters is higher.

This Primer is intended to provide the theoretical background for the standard undergraduate, mechanical engineering course in dynamics. The book contains several worked examples and summaries and exercises at the end of each chapter to aid readers in their understanding of the material. Teachers who wish to have a source of more detailed theory for the course, as well as graduate students who need a refresher course on undergraduate dynamics when preparing for certain first year graduate school examinations, and students taking the course will find the work very helpful.

This book presents the foundational issues of linear elasticity in a compact, unabridged manner; it is directed to mathematicians and physical scientists who care for approaching this classical subject with rigor and depth. There are four chapters: the first two illustrate, respectively, the concepts of deformation and strain and of force and stress; the third is devoted to a study of constitutive relations; the last discusses the posing of equilibrium problems. The emphasis is in the description of elasticity as a model whose construction calls for a delicate interplay between physics and mathematics. The conceptual links with general continuum mechanics are carefully indicated. It would not be easy to find in one other book a treatment of such issues as exact and linearized equilibria, the constitutive problems of classification and representation, internal constraints and material symmetries, elastic equilibrium with the Cauchy relations, and elastic equilibrium in the presence of internal constraints. The book can be be used to teach one-semester advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in elasticity theory to students in applied mathematics and engineering; for this purpose, it contains one hundred exercises of variable difficulty.

We experience elasticity everywhere in everyday life. This book covers several modern aspects of the established field of elasticity theory, applying general methods of classical analysis including advanced nonlinear aspects to derive detailed solutions to specific problems. It can serve as an introduction to nonlinear methods in science.

The area of simulated human figures is an active research area in computer graphics, and Norman Badler's group at the University of Pennsylvania is one of the leaders in the field. This book summarizes the state of the art in simulating human figures, discusses many of the interesting application areas, and makes some assumptions and predictions about where the field is going.