Motion Control

Products: Electronics & Computers

New Products: April 2021 Motion Design

Servo drives, magnetic angle sensors, draw wires, and more.

Briefs: Energy

Materials Capable of Self-Propulsion

Shape and environment can cause materials to move without motors or hands.

Briefs: Robotics, Automation & Control

High-Torque Light-Powered Actuator

These actuators can compete with electrical and pneumatic systems.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

Laser-Light-Based Accelerometer

The tiny device accurately measures acceleration in smaller navigation systems and other devices.

Articles: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Smarter Pneumatic Valves Enhance Automation Systems

Pneumatic technologies such as control valves continue to evolve, incorporating sensors, industrial network interfaces, wireless technology, and more.

Briefs: Materials

Soft Robots Turn Rigid on Demand

A new type of control system may broaden robots’ range of tasks and allow safer interactions with people.

Articles: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

New Smart Control Technology Improves Spring-Set/Electrically Released Brake Controls

Specially designed brake controls are a critical factor of brake performance in any application.

Application Briefs: Motion Control

Precision Position Feedback for Smart Manufacturing

There is a growing demand for direct-drive motors.

INSIDER: Motion Control

Nanosized Foldable Robots

Army-funded researchers created nanosized robots that could enable locomotion, novel metamaterial design, and high-fidelity sensors. Cornell University researchers created micron-sized shape memory actuators...

INSIDER: Software

Automating the Design of Soft Robots

There are some tasks that traditional rigid robots aren’t cut out for. Soft-bodied robots, on the other hand, may be able to interact with people more safely or slip into tight spaces with ease. But...

Blog: Motion Control

With A.I., Robotic Exoskeletons Gain Self-Control

Robotics researchers are developing exoskeleton legs capable of thinking and making control decisions on their own using sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

System Standardization Streamlines Industrial Designs

Equipment designers can simplify design efforts and adjust controller platforms as needed when they standardize on electronic input/output products.

Briefs: Aerospace

Charging Port for Autonomous Drone Swarms

Hundreds of drones can recharge autonomously on unmanned ground vehicles.

Application Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Practical Design Solutions to Improve Contactless Current Sensing in Electric Vehicles

With new vehicles, automotive manufacturers will need to closely monitor the current flowing to the motor.

Briefs: Aerospace

Keeping Drones Flying When a Motor Fails

Onboard cameras can be used to keep damaged quadcopters in the air and flying stably, even without GPS.

Products: Sensors/Data Acquisition

New Products: March 2021 Sensor Technology

Rain detectors, beacons, flow meters, and more.

INSIDER: Motion Control

Perseverance Rover Safely Lands on Mars

Perseverance – the largest, most advanced rover NASA has sent to another world – touched down on Mars last week after a 203-day journey traversing 293 million miles. About the size of a car,...

INSIDER: Robotics, Automation & Control

Ultra-Thin and Highly Sensitive Strain Sensors

A research team from National University of Singapore (NUS) has taken a first step towards improving the safety and precision of industrial robotic arms by developing a new range of...

Briefs: Electronics & Computers

Stretchable Micro-Supercapacitors Self-Power Wearable Devices

A stretchable system can harvest energy from human breathing and motion.

Application Briefs: Materials

Innovation on a Larger Scale: Robotic Fiber Placement and 3D Printing

“The disruption promised by Industry 4.0 has already begun,” says Jason Melcher from the aerospace manufacturing company Ingersoll.

Products: Motion Control

New Products: February 2021 Motion Design

Industrial robots, motor disconnect switches, position sensors, and more.

Articles: Test & Measurement

Modern HMI Software Propels Industry 4.0

Once confined to the role of machine visualization, modern unified HMI software now delivers better user interfaces, containerization, and remote device management.

Briefs: Motion Control

Miniscule Robots of Metal and Plastic

A technique enables manufacturing of minuscule robots by interlocking multiple materials in a complex way.

Application Briefs: Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Online Tools Reduce Time and Expense in Selecting, Configuring, and Ordering Motion Control Components

New online tools — coupled with online libraries of pre-selected and tested component specifications — simplify machine design.