Research Areas @ C o M M E T

Our research focuses on application of electromagnetic field controllable "smart" materials in macro and micro electro-mechanical systems. Controllable electro-mechanical response of materials is advantageous in "smart" clutches, damping and bushing systems for cars, adaptive acoustical and optical systems, various sensor, transducer and actuator applications. This area of research is essentially cross disciplinary and involves understanding underlying physics of "smart" materials, modeling and design mechanical devices utilizing field controllable materials, engineering new materials.

A major focus of this research is application of field controllable materials in micro scale devices. This includes developing micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) relying on electro and magnetoactive materials, utilizing electrostriction and magnetostriction phenomena for pressure, stress and tactile sensors, fully integrated sensor and actuator array systems, solutions for sensorless control technologies.

Polymeric composites of inorganic particles or fibers constitute another significant focus of the research in electromagnetic field controllable materials. This includes formulation of field-aided approaches to manufacturing composite materials with desirable anisotropy in inclusions distribution, developing methods and instrumentation to control such distribution, characterization of composite materials, rheological study of composite materials in an electromagnetic field.