Program and Participant Directory - wires - Georgia Institute of ...

Laura Dykes
Post Doc
Mechanical Engineering
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
USA
Phone: 313-320-1978
Fax: 410-455-1052
Email: ldykes@umbc.edu
Website: www.umbc.edu
Primary Research Area: Nanotechnology/Microtechnology
Keywords: Mentorship, Service Learning, Nanotechnology
Research program In my PhD research performed at Northwestern University, I used in situ x -ray techniques in
conjuncion with complementary rheological tes>ng to probe links between nanocomposite microstructure and
rheology in simple shear and complex flows. I am currently conductng my post -doctoral research in Engineering
Education at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. My research investigates the student advisor
relationship and its impact on the career decisions of doctoral students.
Research facilities available
Research partners needed Exfoliated/Intercalated polymer-clay nanocomposites - Service learning;
Access to international engineering students
Irene Fassi
Institute of Industrial Technologies and Automation
CNR-ITIA, Italy
Phone: -23699884
Fax: -223699886
Email: irene.fassi@cnr.it
Website: www.itia.cnr.it
Primary Research Area: Nanotechnology/Microtechnology
Keywords: micro-manipulation, parallel kinematics mechanisms, robotics
Research program: We investigate the potentialities of parallel kinematic
machines (PKMs) at micro/mesoscale, for robotized handling and positioning. A still open research issue, in the
design and manufacturing of these devices, is the study of the size effects and of the growing influence, in the
downsizing process, of the superficial and adhesive forces with respect to gravity and mass related forces. Our
research aims at designing and manufacturing a new generation of reconfigurable micro/mesoPKMs, to be
fabricated via micro-EDM, micro-milling and micro-injection. The micro/mesodevices, based on parallel
kinematics architectures, will be designed and downsized to reach the limits given by the process technologies,
although it is foreseen that the limits will be given by the sensor/actuation system.
Research facilities available: Prototype of micro-assembly cell with x-y-z positioning stages and vision system;
Basic equipment (power suppliers, amplifiers, optical microscopes); Shared robots (serial and PK prototypes);
SarixSX200 micro-EDM unit (available from July ’09)
Research partners needed: Research groups working in the following areas: Experimental mechanics at the
micro scale, micro actuation, sensing and control, micro-manufacturing technologies
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