ndeaa.jpl.nasa.govNondestructive Evaluation and Advanced Actuators Technologies

+ View the NASA Portal Search JPL Privacy/Copyright The JPL's Nondestructive Evaluation and Advanced Actuators (NDEAA) Technologies lab is involved with innovative research and development (R&D) for space applications and technology transfer to terrestrial applications. It was established by Dr. Yoseph Bar-Cohen in May 1991 and it is part of his JPL's Electroactive Technologies Group for which he is the Supervisor. Dr. Bar-Cohen and his Group members are internationally leading scientists in the fields of electroactive materials, biomimetics, and related mechanisms. The members of his Group are Dr. Mircea Badescu, Dr. Xiaoqi Bao, Dr. Zensheu Chang, Dr. Shyh-Shiuh Lih, Dr. Hyeong Jae Lee, and Dr. Stewart Sherrit. In addition, thru the JPL Educational Outreach Program professors, visiting scientists and students are participating in various studies at this lab. The current topics of Group's R&D efforts include novel actuators (using mostly using electroactive ceramics and polymers), drilling and sample handling systems, transducers, sensors, biomimetics, operation in extreme environments, robotic mechanisms and NDE methods. The Group conducts analytical modeling, simulation, design and fabrication of novel mechanisms and devices, performance testing and characterization. The analysis involves the multi-physics parameters: mechanical, electrical, magnetic and thermal, as well as their interactions. Between Jan. 1, 2000 and Jul. 2, 2001, this NDEAA webhub had 1,000,007 (crossed the one million) total hits with 87,082 unique hits and by Sept. 3, 2001 it crossed the one hundred thousand (100,006) unique hits . The highest hits per day was recorded on March 9, 2005, where 9063 total hits and 3626 unique hits were recorded. This lab has been the subject of many articles in the news media. The NDEAA lab is involved with a broad range of R&D topics as described in the following clickable icons. The photos of the NDEAA members are clickable to their biography Dr. Y. Bar-Cohen, Supervisor, Electroactive Tech. Group & Senior Research Scientist Dr. Mircea Badescu Dr. Xiaoqi Bao Dr. Zensheu Chang Dr. Hyeong Jae Lee Dr. Shyh-Shiuh Lih Dr. Stewart Sherrit The Electroactive Technologies Group, 355N, Charter: Pioneer breakthroughs in electromechanically actuated mechanisms and NDE techniques, devices (including medical), and systems for future planetary exploration missions and terrestrial applications using electroactive technologies and also providing mission support expertise. New technologies are being conceived and matured on the technology readiness scale towards flight hardware and mission applications. The accomplishments are documented in NTRs, patents, papers, symposia presentations, books and other forms of intellectual properties reporting. The mechanisms that were developed at the NDEAA Lab are driven by elastic waves, mechanical vibrations and/or electroactive materials. Examples of these mechanisms include the ultrasonic/sonic driller/corer (USDC) that uses low preload and is developed for planetary sampling, deep drilling, high-temperature drilling, probing, sensing and in situ analysis making it a Lab-on-a-Drill. Also, they developed ultrasonic and surface acoustic wave motors and piezoelectric pumps that are driven by traveling flexural waves, This lab made major contributions to the field of electroactive polymers for use as actuators (artificial muscles) and, thru various forums, is mentoring the activity worldwide. Other technologies that are being explored include Haptic interfaces, high power ultrasound for medical treatment, ferroelectric source that generates various radiations and charged particles, wireless high power transmission, biomimetic technologies and geophysical probing using elastic waves. In addition to planetary applications, the developed devices and mechanisms have potential terrestrial applications for medical, commercial, construction and others. These efforts involve technical cooperation with scientists and engineers at various universities, research institutes, medical centers and industry in the USA and internationally. Collection of photos that shows various activities of the Group can be seen oat the The Advanced Technologies Group and its NDEAA Lab - collection of photos website. Further, the Nov. 2001 issue of the NASA Tech Briefs covered Dr. Bar-Cohen and NDEAA in a "Who's Who in NASA" article. Research & Development Tasks Biomimetics: Biologically-Inspired Technologies Advanced Actuators: Electroactive Polymers (EAP) [artificial muscles, WW-EAP website , Bendbot, LoMMAs, etc.] MEMICA (Haptic interfaces, telesurgery, Cyberglove, etc.) Ultrasonic Actuators and Motors (USM, Piezo, etc.) Piezopump [miniature piezoelectric pump] Ultrasonic/Sonic Driller and Corer (USDC) -- Winner of the 2000 R&D Magazine Award for one of the 100 most innovative instruments Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) [LLW, Intelligent NDE, etc.] Noninvasive Medical Diagnostics and Treatment [Blood Clots, Cancer, FMPUL, etc.] Noninvasive Geophysical Probing System (NGPS) Robotic devices [MACS crawler, etc.] News clipping covering the JPL's NDEAA activity NDEAA Archive Books and Proceedings edited by Dr. Bar-Cohen Newsletters issued by Dr. Bar-Cohen Applications of piezoelectric materials in space mechanisms (Access is limited to JPL and NASA only) Databases, webhubs and websites that list properties Education Outreach - Collaboration with Universities NASA Working Groups NASA M&P Working Group (NMPWG) Non-Government Standards M&P Organizations NASA Telerobotic Intercenter Working Group (TRIWG) NASA Space Mechanisms Project Technical Societies Activity GlobalNDT Internet Superhub (GNIS) SPIE Smart Structures and Materials/NDE Symposia 6th SPIE Symposium on Smart structures and materials, Newport Beach, CA, March 1-5, 1999 < 1st SPIE Conference - Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices(EAPAD) (3669) Process Control and Sensors for Manufacturing (3589) 7th SPIE Symposium on Smart structures and materials, Newport Beach, CA, March 5-9, 2000 < 2nd SPIE Conference - Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices(EAPAD) (3987) NDE of Aging Aircraft, Airports, and Aerospace Hardware (3994) 8th SPIE Symposium on Smart structures and materials, Newport Beach, CA, March 4-8, 2001 3rd SPIE Conference - Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices(EAPAD) (4329) Advanced NDE and Structural Health Monitoring (4335) 9th SPIE Symposium on Smart structures and materials, San Diego, CA, March 18-21, 2002 4th SPIE Conference - Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices(EAPAD) (4695) Smart NDE and Health Monitoring of Structural and Biological Systems (4702) 10th SPIE Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, San Diego, CA, March 3-6, 2003 5th SPIE Conference - Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices(EAPAD) (5051) Smart NDE and Health Monitoring of Structural and Biological Systems (5047) Nondestructive Detection and Measurement for Homeland Security (5048) 11th SPIE Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, San Diego, CA, March 14-18, 2004 6th SPIE Conference - Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices(EAPAD) (5385) Health Monitoring and Smart NDE of Structural and Biological Systems (5394) Nondestructive Detection and Measurement for Homeland Security (5395) 12th SPIE Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, San Diego, CA, March 6-10, 2005 7th SPIE Conference - Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices(EAPAD) Health Monitoring and Smart NDE of Structural and Biological Systems Nondestructive Detection and Measurement for Homeland Security 13th SPIE Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, San Diego, CA, 26 February-2 March 2006 8th SPIE Conference - Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices(EAPAD) Health Monitoring and Smart Nondestructive Evaluation of Structural and Biological Systems V Non-Intrusive Inspection, Structures Monitoring and Smart Systems For Homeland Security 14th SPIE Symposium on Smart Str...