STAR MOTOR-AN INHERENTLY HIGH-TORQUE, LOW-SPEED PIEZOELECTRIC MOTOR FOR MODULAR ROBOTICS

THE ANNUAL COST OF MAINTAINING U.S. NUCLEAR POWERPLANTS IS APPROACHING $10 BILLION. THIS ACTIVITY ALSO RESULTS IN ABOUT 100,000 MAN-REM OF PERSONNEL EXPOSURE. IMPROVING THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF EXISTING NUCLEAR POWERPLANTS IS A LOGICAL METHOD TO HELP MEET THE FORECASTED INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY. THE USE OF ADVANCED ROBOTIC SYSTEMS IN NUCLEAR POWERPLANTS CAN REDUCE BOTH THE OUTAGE DURATION AND RADIATION EXPOSURE OF PERSONNEL. MOREOVER, IMPROVED ROBOTIC SYSTEMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE A HIGHER QUALITY OF WORK WHILE ELIMINATING THE LOW PRODUCTIVITY OF MAINTENANCE WORKERS WHO LABOR UNDER EXTREMELY DEMANDING CONDITIONS. THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES THE FEASIBILITY OF A NEW KIND OF ROBOTIC ACTUATOR THAT CAN HAVE WIDE APPLICATION IN ROBOTICS IN GENERAL, BUT IS ESPECIALLY WELL SUITED TO MODULAR, MISSION-FLEXIBLE ROBOTS. RESEARCHERS HAVE IDENTIFIED "MISSION FLEXIBILITY" AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROBOTIC ATTRIBUTES FOR CRITICAL TASKS IN NUCLEAR POWERPLANTS, AND "ROBOT MODULARITY" IS THE MAJOR FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO MISSION FLEXIBILITY. THIS ROBOTIC ACUATOR IS A PIEZOELECTRIC MOTOR CALLED STAR MOTOR, WHICH PRODUCES HIGH TORQUE AT LOW SPEEDS. STAR MOTOR CAN BE CONFIGURED IN DIFFERENT SIZES, SHAPES, NUMBER OF POLES, AND SIZE AND NUMBER OF PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENTS TO FIT BOTH THE POWER AND SPACE REQUIREMENTS OF ROBOTIC DEVICES. PHASE I INCLUDES THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND EVALUATION OF A PROTOTYPE MOTOR. COMPLETE MOTOR DESIGNS WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN PHASE II.