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US 9,146,104 B2Granted
Jellyfish-inspired tilt sensor and artificial mesoglea
AssigneeVirgina Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
InventorsColin Smith, Shashank Priya
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Components of an unmanned undersea vehicle are inspired by jellyfish that uses its flexible body and tilt sensing to achieve efficient swimming and turning. A tilt sensor, based on a statocyst, has a metal ball in a chamber lined with resistors. The tilt is sensed in accordance with which resistors the ball contacts. A composition of polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel with ferritin particles dispersed therein mimics the qualities of a jellyfish's mesoglea.
Claims16
A tilt sensor for sensing a tilt angle, the tilt sensor comprising:
- a conductive base plate;
- a plurality of electrical elements disposed along a peripheral edge of the base plate, the base plate and the plurality of electrical elements defining a cavity;
- and
- a conductive object disposed in the cavity so as to move within the cavity in accordance with the tilt angle, make contact with the base plate and a surface of the plurality of electrical elements that is substantially orthogonal to the base plate, and form an electrical connection between the base plate and at least one of the plurality of electrical elements.
1 more element
A method for sensing a tilt angle, the method comprising:
- providing a tilt sensor comprising a conductive base plate, a plurality of electrical elements disposed along a peripheral edge of the base plate, the base plate and the plurality of electrical elements defining a cavity, and a conductive object disposed in the cavity so as to move within the cavity in accordance with the tilt angle, make contact with the base plate and a surface of the plurality of electrical elements that is substantially orthogonal to the base plate, and form an electrical connection between the base plate and at least one of the plurality of electrical elements;
- supplying the tilt sensor with an electrical input;
- and
- receiving an electrical output indicative of the tilt angle from the tilt sensor.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.