and Bernard Malamud all received valuable mentoring as students and now try to repay it with younger generations Outstanding Faculty Members of the Year Brenden O'Toole and Mohamed Trabia hold up versions of Hailey's Hand used in 8-year-old Hailey Dawson's quest to throw out the first pitch in all 30 Major League Baseball ballparks Brenden O'Toole and Mohamed Trabia of mechanical engineering and the recently retired Bernard Malamud of the Lee Business School are the 2018 Alumni Association Outstanding Faculty Members of the Year they received invaluable help from their own teachers they committed to paying that help forward Brenden O’Toole is a professor and chair of UNLV’s mechanical engineering department and previously oversaw the university’s Mendenhall Innovation Program O’Toole has served as a research associate for the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and a senior research associate for the National Academies National Research Council He has earned numerous honors for his teaching and mentorship in guiding student innovation at UNLV my parents had the greatest influence on me as they provided the emotional and financial support to complete my engineering education It was in their nature to help anyone around them who was in need including extended family and local community members This unwavering support was critical for me especially during the difficult times in school when stress levels were high and I thought about quitting When I started my career as an assistant professor my department chairs and many other faculty members helped me through the challenging process of attaining tenure Some unexpected and very valuable kindness came from professor Malcolm Nichol who was a senior faculty member in the College of Sciences He supported my research activities early in my career even though my work was not directly related to the primary goals of his research center He simply valued interdisciplinary work and wanted to help newer faculty develop their careers The kindness and mentorship of others who looked beyond their own goals and needs greatly influenced my approach to work and career innovative ideas from students and colleagues and I try to help as many people as possible further their research and discovery regardless of whether it falls directly under my research interests or not Brendan O’Toole received a bachelor's in mechanical and aerospace engineering and master’s and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Delaware He has been an assistant and associate professor at UNLV and now is a professor who serves as chair of the mechanical engineering department O’Toole is one of the three co-directors of the Center for Math and Engineering Education and serves as Director of the Center for Materials and Structures He previously served as Director of the Mendenhall Innovation Program He also took two leaves from UNLV to serve as a research associate for the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and a senior research associate for the National Academies National Research Council Both of these research positions were located at the Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland He has been a principal investigator or co-principal on 75 projects O’Toole and his students have received more than 125 individual and team awards for design A few highlights include: the State of Nevada Professor of the Year honor the World Record (at the time) for fuel efficiency (3470 mpg) at the annual “SAE Supermileage” competition in California and a first place honor in the collegiate class of the World Human Powered Vehicle Competition where his team’s vehicle reached a speed of 62 miles per hour Mohamed Trabia currently serves as the associate dean for research He has been professor of mechanical engineering since 2000 and has been involved with research efforts with a budget totaling $8 million I was lucky to have many great teachers over the years The one who stands out was professor Taher Awad who taught me automatic control during the senior year of my undergraduate studies at Alexandria University in Egypt I inherited many elements of his teaching style including his willingness to pace the material based on his interaction with the students and his emphasis on ensuring that students are comfortable with fundamentals before proceeding to more complex topics He also emphasized the practical aspects of the subject he taught My interaction with Awad continued during my master’s studies he spent many hours teaching me computer programming I still use his tricks to debug computer codes I came to know him better as a person during these years His interest in learning about many topics outside engineering influenced me and encouraged me to try to understand other cultures and civilizations Trabia earned his bachelor’s and master’s in mechanical engineering from Alexandria University in 1980 and 1983 He was awarded a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Arizona State University in 1987 he joined the UNLV faculty as an assistant professor Trabia is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Trabia has received multiple awards recognizing his teaching the Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award (multiple times) and has also earned the distinction of being listed in the Who’s Who in Science and Engineering He has authored close to 200 technical journal and conference papers and has been involved with multiple funded research grants with a total budget of approximately $8 million Bernard Malamud left his job at Nabisco in New York City in 1968 to join what was then Nevada Southern University an 11-year-old institution that eventually became UNLV Malamud completed his doctorate while at UNLV and taught more than 35 classes in subjects ranging from economics to management information systems to management and finance He retired from the Lee Business School department of economics in May and students as the rule over my 50 years at UNLV Most memorable and appreciated was the help I received on my doctoral dissertation The Economics of Office Location—I was ABD (All But Dissertation) when I arrived at Nevada Southern in 1968 Librarian Alice Brown guided me through interlibrary lending and helped me ferret out data from government documents got me access to detailed New York and Phoenix office rental data through her friendships with Harry Helmsley and Del Webb Raedeen Jacobs of the Computer Center key-punched my programs and data particularly business college dean William T White and mathematics professor Michael Golberg And when the university’s 32-kilobyte computer couldn’t handle a Fortran simulation program I wrote a brilliant math graduate student compiled it on a rusty machine that had just been donated to UNLV by a Test Site contractor; it had previously served for weapons tests in the Pacific These acts are far from the total sum of kindness I received from UNLV faculty and staff but they are memories that always reminded me to extend a helping hand whenever I could to other students driven to achieve their goals Malamud was a charter member of the first management department created in 1970 Some notable alumni of Malamud’s include: Councilman Bob Coffin; insurance executive and long-time UNLV Alumni Association president Bob Anderson; assistant dean of the Hospitality College Pat Moreo; LVCVA president Rossi Rollenkotter; and many others He served as department chair in 1976-80 and 1996-99 Fourth-year medical students reflect on their medical school journey one week before commencement Sky Denson says UNLV's real estate program helped launch his career — before he even graduated a longtime UNLV faculty member and administrator most recently served as the university's officer in charge; appointment runs through April 2028.  Michaël Trabbia was appointed Executive Vice President and CEO of Orange Wholesale on 3 April 2023 Michaël Trabbia started his career at French regulator Arcep in 2001 where he contributed to several ministerial cabinets including European Affairs After being appointed Director of Strategy and Development at TDF in 2007 where he was first the Group’s SVP for Corporate Public Affairs then Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Group’s Executive Committee Michaël Trabbia served as the Group’s Chief Technology & Innovation Officer Michaël Trabbia is a graduate of École Polytechnique and Télécom ParisTech and holds a master’s of advanced studies in industrial economics The College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS) recently recognized its outstanding students with college and departmental awards for the 2022-2023 academic year “We are so proud of our students and their accomplishments while at Clemson,” said Denise Anderson CBSHS Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies “Each one of these award recipients represents the power of committing to excellence while pursuing a dream Congratulations to our CBSHS award winners!” Students who received college awards were: Undergraduate and graduate students were also recognized within their departments Social and Health Sciences is a 21st-century land-grant college joining together a unique combination of schools and departments: Communication These areas have distinctive characteristics and missions – all joined together by a common thread of service to people and communities Or email us at news@clemson.edu Clemson News is the go-to source for stories and news about the innovations research and accomplishments of the Clemson Family Biomedical engineering research at UNLV has experienced sustained growth over the last decade The college’s cutting-edge experimental and computational facilities open doors for dynamic collaborations with partners across Southern Nevada and UNLV is at its center with a rapidly growing medical school The College of Engineering leverages partnerships with the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine and other campus units to drive innovative biomedical engineering research Collaborations with organizations like the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health amplify this synergy advancing scientific knowledge while boosting Southern Nevada's economy Unraveling the mechanisms underlying the aging process from a mechanical point of view is the ultimate aim of one UNLV lab where researchers are paving the way for significantly improving treatment outcomes for age-related diseases Researchers are targeting aging mechanobiology and tissue engineering with a particular interest in understanding how aging tissue environments influence cellular behaviors The lab leverages state-of-the-art technologies such as 4D holotomography and 3D bioprinting For more information, email Seungman Park at seungman.park@unlv.edu UNLV engineers are developing novel mechanical circulatory devices including ventricular assist devices for adult and pediatric use and total artificial hearts Research is exploring ways to improve the outcome of heart valve replacement technologies The goal: to improve the hemocompatibility of the medical devices improve patient's health and better treat and eventually cure heart diseases For more information, email Huang Chen at huang.chen@unlv.edu The Robotics and Healthcare Systems (RoboHS) Laboratory focuses on developing novel medical robots for minimally invasive brain surgery robotic transcatheter and endovascular interventions The research team’s goal is to advance research closer to clinical feasibility by leveraging cutting-edge innovation and collaborating with clinicians For more information, email Ronghuai Qi at ronghuai.qi@unlv.edu To request this information in a PDF format, contact Mohamed Trabia at mohamed.trabia@unlv.edu Amputation is a serious threat to people with diabetes and economic development experts is working to bring a better way to prevent the problem to market soon Insoles developed by a team of UNLV researchers offer a much better way for diagnosing potential foot ulcerations in diabetic patients The problem starts so small -- a little sore on the bottom of the foot perhaps from wearing shoes that are just a bit too tight -- but in a person with diabetes it can snowball into life-changing complications Mohamed Trabia witnessed that first-hand in his father-in-law who struggled after complications led to his foot being amputated That horrific result was particularly disturbing to Trabia because the method for diagnosing the problem seemed so bizarrely archaic He likens it to feeling someone's forehead and expecting an accurate temperature reading "It is very much 18th century thinking," Trabia said And very much at odds with Trabia's mechanical engineering mind He couldn't let go the thought that there must be a more precise way to detect foot problems early In 2013, he dropped in on a tour of the Clinical Simulation Center of Las Vegas a training facility shared by nursing students at UNLV and other state institutions Trabia has to put in appearances at such events and he always keeps an eye out for ways his college can collaborate with researchers in other areas There he struck up a conversation with Dufek a kinesiology and nutrition sciences professor The conversation quickly reshaped their research for the next couple years their collaboration could greatly improve the lives of millions of people with diabetes by preventing the world's leading cause of lower-extremity amputations It may also bring new dollars to UNLV while planting a seed for the region's nascent biotechnology industry Amputations in people with diabetes generally stem from poor circulation which leads to a loss of sensation and tissue stiffening Diagnosis involves running a light filament wire along the bottom of the foot wire to gauge a person's level of foot sensation is too reliant on how hard the doctor is pushing the filament the doctor's awareness of the situation at that particular moment and the patient's willingness to share information an expert on the mechanics of walking and running was very familiar with performance-enhancing insoles on the market today that use sensors to analyze and correct an athlete's gait Why not create insoles that offer people with diabetes and their doctors feedback about potential problem areas Monitoring individuals over time would help determine if their tissue stiffness has increased to an unhealthy level where foot ulcerations may occur Their idea is to use the pressure-sensing insoles to monitor the changes of the plantar tissue stiffness and collect the information through a smart phone app or other device "We want to be able to predict where (an ulcer) is going to happen so the physician and patient can work together to prevent it from occurring," Dufek said a mechanical engineering graduate assistant the researchers focused on making sure the data collected by the insoles is accurate and consistent the team has tested the insoles on 30 healthy people Next they plan to gather data from pre-diabetics and diabetics with and without ulcers the team can develop a "stiffness model" with algorithms that help a physician accurately assess if a patient's tissue stiffness is reaching a dangerous level and finding what normal tissue stiffness is for any given person can be a huge challenge and the same person can walk differently from one time to another The way a person walks directly relates to the amount of pressure being applied to sections of the plantar tissue and the changes in pressure as a result of different gait patterns can impact the professors' insights into how normal tissue stiffness should behave Mechanical engineers like Trabia are usually concerned with the properties of manmade materials he's analyzing the characteristics of the plantar tissue "Then (we're) creating a mathematical model to describe the tissue behavior," Trabia said The work comes with plenty of trial and error It requires both Trabia's deep engineering knowledge and Dufek's insights into the human anatomy "Every step is error-producing and error-correcting," Dufek added with a laugh "We're a complementary team in that we both have unique strengths We really can't do this without each other." Nor can they take their idea to market without reaching out beyond their labs "So how do we balance academic research objectives of furthering knowledge and publication on one side with making some connections with business if we want the idea to grow?" UNLV has been ramping up efforts to foster the commercial development of the ideas that faculty and students develop Among its successes have been the Lee Business School's new entrepreneurship programs which immerse students in the process of launching new businesses In fall 2014students researched about 50 presentations to assess the commercial viability of the projects these students create the plans necessary to attract investor funding and launch businesses around the ideas generated on campus The insole idea struck a chord with John Landrith an undergraduate taking the class and computer network engineer who has owned his own businesses "My mother died from diabetes complications and the potential to make a difference in people's lives really drew me to this," he said Landrith teamed with graduate students Peter Puglisi and graduate certificate student Christine Nolan to create Mov?oMedics the business entity charged with the challenge of commercializing a technology still very much in its infancy The next big step is identifying funding sources for the new venture "We know that it's very early stage but we're ready for the challenge associated with technology hasn't been proven yet." Mov?oMedics has won the Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition the state's Governor's Cup business plan contest and is competing in the Tri-State business plan competition on May 27 "Competitions are a quick way to get funds at this point," Landrith added and understanding of the product are all insanely detailed and that's why we're winning these competitions." The team envisions selling or leasing the insole package to doctors It would include six sets of insoles in the most common American foot sizes Mov?oMedics would then provide a precise measurement of the patient's tissue stiffness to the doctors Not only would patient outcomes be much improved the new equipment will ultimately save money The doctors would recoup the costs of the equipment through insurance reimbursements while the cost of the new test for insurance companies would be comparable to the existing exam Insurance companies would see a huge savings by avoiding amputations which can run between $75,000 and $150,000 per person per amputation executive director of UNLV's technology development and transfer office said the Mov?oMedics effort is an example of increased focus throughout the university in supporting state economic development efforts bringing to market the intellectual property discovered on campus "We look at these things and try to see if there's a market then we'll engage external counsel to file a patent," Miles said "(Mov?oMedics) was a great opportunity to get students to see if they can build out a business case behind the idea -- and they sure did." The technology transfer office team has increased patent filings from five in fiscal year 2012 to 28 patents in fiscal year 2014 about half the patents the office has helped file are gaming-related while the other half has come from science and engineering research efforts The launch of UNLV's School of Medicine will exponentially increase patent output Miles' team also connects the campus to the dozens of regional business leaders and entrepreneurs on its Technology Advisor Committee (TAC) His team also is building its programs to tie into efforts in the Governor's Office of Economic Development and the Las Vegas Greater Economic Alliance Making a big splash at business plan competitions is a great first step but there's still plenty of steps ahead for Dufek and Trabia They must amass massive amounts of data to develop the insole the pair is trying to balance their research with their desire to teach and mentor students but we are trying to support a small cadre of young promising academicians who can learn from the process," Dufek said As Landrith's team is pursing private funding options Dufek and Trabia are applying for federal research grants to support the work Grant-funded research is a major part of UNLV's drive to become a top-tier university while increasing its economic impact in the community And the medical school opening will only enhance UNLV's current biomedical research and bring further opportunities for collaboration across disciplines working to bring outside sources of money to UNLV to allow us to free time and focus on this," Dufek said The Mov?oMedics business plan estimates about $700,000 is needed to get from the current data collecting point to a prototype Another $5 million would be needed to get it through FDA approvals and advanced testing followed by a marketing ramp up into sales distribution Landrith estimates that process will take about two and half years once funding has been found Translating solid research into a new company is seldom a simple process "But there are so many groups you have to engage --business leaders it takes an entire team to translate the technology from an answer to a question to a viable product." But that's not stopping the Mov?oMedics team The group has been reaching out to different CEOs and venture capital entities that have taken products through the FDA process They used prize winnings and connections gained through networking to find an FDA consulting firm And they've started tapping into the all distributors They also reached out to the University of Utah spin-off which has developed an insole that can help correct walking problems for mentorship and to explore business partnership opportunities As the project moves from idea to prototype the process will involve people from a variety of disciplines from both the business development and data collection standpoints "If we don't have interaction with medical professionals it can be a very clever idea that will not go anywhere," he added UNLV-led study in Nature Neuroscience expands our understanding of the disease linked with autism opening possible new diagnostic and preventative approaches UNLV physical therapy research teams explore novel ways to smooth the path to rehabilitation and recovery after amputation discusses why mental health care is a crucial service offered by Veterans Affairs This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Metrics details Development of biomimetic actuators has been an essential motivation in the study of smart materials few materials are capable of controlling complex twisting and bending deformations simultaneously or separately using a dynamic control system we report an ionic polymer-metal composite actuator having multiple-shape memory effect and is able to perform complex motion by two external inputs Prior to the development of this type of actuator this capability only could be realized with existing actuator technologies by using multiple actuators or another robotic system This paper introduces a soft multiple-shape-memory polymer-metal composite (MSMPMC) actuator having multiple degrees-of-freedom that demonstrates high maneuverability when controlled by two external inputs These multiple inputs allow for complex motions that are routine in nature but that would be otherwise difficult to obtain with a single actuator this MSMPMC actuator is the first solitary actuator capable of multiple-input control and the resulting deformability and maneuverability Most actuators contain mechanisms that have large size and complex structures their application is limited with regard to small-sized robots undesired motor noise could be produced when operating the system (a) An IPMC sample in the evaporating pan (b) A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of a cross-section of IPMC The IPMC consists of the electrode on both sides and the polymer membrane between them (c) An illustration of the IPMC operating principle Deformation will occur if an electric field is applied across the IPMC which causes the ions to redistribute along with the water molecule The size of the IPMC is 50.78 mm in length (d) Continuous deformation of IPMC in one cycle under the voltage of 2.6 V amplitude and 1 Hz frequency and displacement of IPMC versus time under the above voltage input 99.87 mm in length and 0.95 mm in diameter were programmed with loops having different shapes wrapping around a metal rod in the water was wrapped and programmed at 85 °C and fixed at 75 °C to achieve the first programmed shape respectively by wrapping around the rod with different cycles which are electro-mechanical and thermo-mechanical actuation effect the MSMPMC can perform deformation with multiple degrees of freedom Several shapes can be programmed into MSMPMC material memory at various temperatures which enables thermo-mechanical actuation effect This type of actuator demonstrates high maneuverability by controlling two external inputs – electrical input and thermal input - allowing the complex twisting and oscillating motions that are frequently observed in nature-made systems Through the electro-mechanical actuation effect the actuator is able to perform high-frequency bending motions under external electrical input With the thermo-mechanical actuation effect complex motion under external thermal inputs Compared with the electro-mechanical actuation effect the thermos-mechanical actuation effect occurs over a much longer timescale The ability to control MSMPMC actuators by two external inputs enables these devices to be used to perform highly complex motions bending and oscillating simultaneously or separately The twisting and bending motions are induced thermally and the oscillating motion is induced electrically The bending motion and oscillating motion take place with the same rotation axis; previously this could be realized only with existing actuator technologies by using multiple actuators or another complicated robotic system the MSMPMC actuator presented in this paper is the first solitary actuator capable of multiple-input control and the resulting deformability and maneuverability The tip of the MSMPMC was painted white to facilitate image analysis A side line was painted on the MSMPMC to distinguish the deformation (b) The first shape of the MSMPMC was programmed by heating at 85 °C and cooling at 70 °C The MSMPMC was wrapped around a rod during the programming (c) The second shape of the MSMPMC was programmed by heating at 60 °C and cooling at 22 °C The sample was under a sinusoid AC voltage of 3.7 V initial amplitude and 1 Hz frequency The water was heated from 22 °C (room temperature) to 90 °C oscillation of the actuator was noticed under the applied voltage The MSMPMC gradually bent from the left side to the right side To measure the 3D deformation of the actuator Three points were tracked at two corners and the middle of the actuator tip (a) 3D position track of MSMPMC actuator The applied sinusoid AC voltage has 3.7 V initial amplitude and 1 Hz frequency The measured temperature increased from 34.9 °C to 84.3 °C (a) Bending displacement and temperature of MSMPMC versus time under an external electrical input of 3.7 V initial amplitude and 1 Hz frequency and thermal input from 34.9 °C to 84.3 °C (b) Twisting angle and temperature of MSMPMC versus time under external electrical and thermal input Along with the bending motion, a twisting motion was performed by the MSMPMC. Figure 6b shows the twisting deformation of MSMPMC The twisting angle was obtained by calculating the angle difference between the two end lines of the MSMPMC As the temperature increased from 34.9 °C to 84.3 °C the MSMPMC twisted by 36.6° due to the thermo-mechanical actuation the electro-mechanical actuation effect resulted in an oscillation (a) Measured voltage response of MSMPMC versus time The initial amplitude of sinusoid voltage input was 3.7 V and the frequency was 1 Hz (b) Measured current response of MSMPMC versus time (c) Electrical impedance of MSMPMC versus temperature experiments were conducted to obtain the fixity and recovery rates of the MSMPMC The MSMPMC was bended by wrapping around a cylinder The programming process is the same as previous The first programmed shape S1 was programmed by heating to 85 °C and cooling to 70 °C The second programmed shape S2 was programmed by heating to 60 °C and cooling to 22 °C The MSMPMC recovered from S2 to S1 upon reheating above 70 °C The deformation of the MSMPMC was measured through image analysis and the strain was derived based on the deformation By comparing the strains of fixed shape and programmed shape the fixity of S1 and S2 are obtained as 96.86% and 80.19% respectively Through comparing the strains of programmed shape and recovered shape the recovery rate of S1 is obtained as 89.83% Based on Fig. 7 it was found that temperature had an influence on the electro-mechanical actuation effect of the MSMPMC The resistance of the MSMPMC decreased as the temperature increased This property could be applied on the thermal feedback of the MSMPMC By measuring the input voltage and output current of the MSMPMC the temperature of the MSMPMC actuator could be obtained Within the range of the broad glass transition temperature the Nafion™ could be programmed with multiple unique shapes and recovered under different temperatures complex shape change of the actuator could be achieved with thermal control and the thermo-mechanical actuation could be used for overall structural deformation the MSMPMC could perform an oscillation motion by applying voltage on the surface electrodes The actuation amplitude and frequency of the oscillation could be adjusted by changing the amplitude and frequency of input voltage the electro-mechanical actuation of the MSMPMC could be utilized for locomotion a MSMPMC actuator with complex deformation capabilities was developed The MSMPMC could be controlled separately by means of thermal and electrical inputs It had the advantages of resilience and inherent softness; moreover the electrical characteristics of the MSMPMC changed as the temperature changed it could be applied to medical devices and biomimetic robotics bending of the tube-shaped IPMC was limited due to the stiffness of the tube new catheters can be fabricated with large deformations of multiple degrees of freedom a capability that can be utilized in complex vessel networks A flexible heating wire will be inserted inside the catheter for thermal controlling A layer of thermal insulation film will be covered on the surface of the catheter to insulate the heat conduction between the body and the catheter The experimental setup used for measuring thermal and electromechanical responses of the MSMPMC actuator where L is the length and δ is the tip deformation of the MSMPMC By relating the radius of the curvature ρr to strain ε The fixity can be obtained by comparing the strains of fixed shape εf and programmed shape εp The recovery rate can be obtained by comparing the strains of programmed shape εp and recovered shape εr the videos from the two cameras were analyzed to measure the twisting angle and the bending deformation of the MSMPMC the image analysis program was calibrated to a set coordinate frame This was done by creating a coordinate frame specifically for the volume of space that the tank of water occupied The videos were analyzed in the program along with the calibration coefficients file Three points at the free end tip were tracked in the videos to determine the deformation and twist of the MSMPMC To calculate the bending deformation of the MSMPMC Yu of the MSMPMC fixed end were measured as and which was in the same horizontal platform of Xu Assuming the projective point of Zu on line XuYu is Au can be obtained by solving the following equations: Line XuYu and line ZuAu were orthogonal to each other and line ZuAu was in the thickness direction of the MSMPMC in a neutral position By calculating the projective point of the MSMPMC tip point on line ZuAu the bending displacement of the MSMPMC could be obtained Assuming the coordinate of tip point Zd was the coordinate projective point Ad on line ZuAu could be obtained by using the following equations: The twisting angle θ could be obtained by calculating the angle difference between vector XuYu and vector XdYd: A multiple-shape memory polymer-metal composite actuator capable of programmable control Neurobiology: Hydrodynamic stimuli and the fish lateral line Biomechanics: Hydrodynamic function of the shark’s tail A tissue-engineered jellyfish with biomimetic propulsion Inspiration and application in the evolution of biomaterials Expansion-contraction of photoresponsive artificial muscle regulated by host-guest interactions Biomimetism and bioinspiration as tools for the design of innovative materials and systems Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) as biomimetic sensors actuators and artificial muscles - a review The role of mechanics in biological and bio-inspired systems An earthworm-like micro robot using shape memory alloy actuator McKibben artificial muscle using shape-memory polymer A biomimetic underwater vehicle actuated by waves with ionic polymer–metal composite soft sensors Autonomous Soft Robotic Fish Capable of Escape Maneuvers Using Fluidic Elastomer Actuators Efficient exploratory learning of inverse kinematics on a bionic elephant trunk Self-calibration of a biologically inspired 7 DOF cable-driven robotic arm Master-slave control of a teleoperated anthropomorphic robotic arm with gripping force sensing A review on static and dynamic shape control of structures by piezoelectric actuation Ionic polymer-metal composite mechanoelectrical transduction: Review and perspectives Torsional Carbon Nanotube Artificial Muscles Review of state of art of smart structures and integrated systems Recent advances in ionic polymer-metal composite actuators and their modeling and applications Fast low-voltage electroactive actuators using nanostructured polymer electrolytes Direct observation of ion distributions near electrodes in ionic polymer actuators containing ionic liquids Electrode of ionic polymer-metal composite sensors: Modeling and experimental investigation Origami-inspired active structures: a synthesis and review Ferrous polycrystalline shape-memory alloy showing huge superelasticity A review of stimuli-responsive shape memory polymer composites A method for building self-folding machines Shape memory properties of ionic polymer – metal composites Flow measurement and thrust estimation of a vibrating ionic polymer metal composite Biomimetic robotic Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula Ellis) made with ionic polymer metal composites Distributed flow estimation and closed-loop control of an underwater vehicle with a multi-modal artificial lateral line Nanothorn electrodes for ionic polymer-metal composite artificial muscles Ionic electroactive polymer artificial muscles in space applications Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet electrode-based high-performance ionic actuator Double-section curvature tunable functional actuator with micromachined buckle and grid wire for electricity delivery An IPMC-enabled bio-inspired bending/twisting fin for underwater applications Shape memory polymers with high and low temperature resistant properties A review of shape memory polymer composites and blends New directions in the chemistry of shape memory polymers Fish biorobotics : kinematics and hydrodynamics of self-propulsion Monolithic fabrication of ionic polymer-metal composite actuators capable of complex deformation Dynamics of Omnidirectional IPMC Sensor: Experimental Characterization and Physical Modeling A comprehensive physics-based model encompassing variable surface resistance and underlying physics of ionic polymer-metal composite actuators Software techniques for two- and three-dimensional kinematic measurements of biological and biomimetic systems Download references KJK thanks the partially financial support from the U.S Office of Naval Research (ONR) (N00014-131-0274) for fabrication of MSMPMC actuators and the US National Science Foundation (#1545875) for collaboration with KAIST and TB acknowledge the partial financial support from NASA (NNX13AN15A) for image analysis work IO’s work was partially supported by Creative Research Initiative Program (2015R1A3A2028975) funded by National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Julie Longo for editing the manuscript and SEM work by Dr Active Materials and Smart Living Laboratory The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Creative Research Initiative Center for Functionally Antagonistic Nano-Engineering Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) conceived the idea and designed the project All authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript The authors declare no competing financial interests Download citation Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science he was Domenico Rancadore or “the professor,” a Mafia boss on the lam as a dangerous fugitive for almost two decades a onetime enforcer for the Sicilian Cosa Nostra To those who lived near him on a leafy street in a bland West London suburb a former teacher and a good neighbor who spent hours buffing the paint jobs on his fancy cars two days after his arrest on an international warrant seeking his extradition to Italy to serve a seven-year sentence for extortion and other crimes Right until the brief court hearing Friday there had been speculation that he would be freed because of technical flaws in the warrant Judge Quentin Purdy of Westminster Magistrates’ Court said “There are concerns about the validity of the warrant that has come before the court.” meaning that Rancadore will remain in custody while he awaits extradition proceedings “It seems to be very clear on the information before me that you have actively evaded apprehension for a significant period of time,” Purdy told him blew him a kiss as he was led back to his cell according to reporters who were in the courtroom Rancadore was sentenced in 1999 to seven years in prison after being tried in absentia and convicted of extortion membership in the Mafia and other serious crimes The Italian authorities placed him on a list of “dangerous fugitives,” the Italian Interior Ministry said because he had been a “man of honor” in Cosa Nostra Rancadore went by the sobriquet U Profissuri Rancadore was one of the leading Mafia representatives said a high-ranking Italian police official who spoke on the condition of anonymity Italian investigators believe that Rancadore fled Italy in the early 1990s because of an internal conflict when the “boss of all bosses,” Salvatore Riina ordered the killing of two top anti-Mafia prosecutors The Italian police issued an international-arrest warrant in 1998 said Rancadore was a head of the Cosa Nostra “made up of thousands of members spreading terror in Sicily by imposing its rules and controlling the area and systematically murdering anybody who did not comply” with its will he lived in England under the assumed name of Marc Skinner and leading an innocuous life in London’s outer fringes said in court Thursday that his client had been in Britain since 1993 “He has led a blameless life in this country for the past 20 years,” Macmillan said “He was as surprised as one would be when the police arrived at his property.” told The Independent that Rancadore was “one of the best neighbors you could ever have.” He was also a neighbor who prized discretion: The Rancadore home is distinguished by unusually tall hedges and closed-circuit television cameras Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser Consumer Information Guide: A Guide to Death Care in Ontario The migration route from North Africa to Europe remains one of the deadliest and most dangerous routes for children detention and separation from family are serious risks that migrant children face.  UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell stresses that this high number of innocent children losing their lives in the hope of a better future together with their families demands an immediate effort from all This is why it is important for governments to fulfill their international obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child which include: protecting the rights and best interests of children; providing safe and legal migration routes; strengthening the coordination of search and rescue operations and national child protection systems to avoid exploitation and violence; improving life prospects in the country of origin and ensuring that children have access to information to make informed choices.  UNICEF underlines that the European Union must also ensure the above through the European Pact on Migration and Asylum currently under negotiation For more information, read the press release by UNICEF.  A Sicilian mafioso fighting extradition to Italy after living quietly in Britain for two decades under an assumed name was denied bail yesterday in a London court who was known to his neighbours in the London suburb of Uxbridge as Marc Skinner was described in court as “one of the heads of an armed criminal organisation known as Cosa Nostra” was first arrested on an Italian warrant on Thursday After concerns were raised about the warrant, Italy issued a new one yesterday and he was re-arrested on court premises Nicknamed “u Profissuri” (the Professor) in Sicilian dialect former boss of a Mafia clan in Trabia near Palermo Prosecutor Benjamin Siefert said Domenico Rancadore had been tried in his absence in Italy and convicted to seven years in prison over Mafia  activities from 1987 to 1995 “Mr Rancadore was considered a ‘man of honour’,” Siefert told the court Quoting from the warrant issued by a prosecutor in Palermo Siefert said Cosa Nostra was “made up of thousands of members spreading terror in Sicily.. and systematically murdering anybody who did not comply with the will of the members of the organisation” He said that Rancadore had been in charge of a territory around Trabia and had ensured strict compliance with Cosa Nostra rules in the area grey-haired Rancadore sat with his arms crossed in the dock shaking his head as the prosecutor spoke and making frequent eye contact with his wife and daughter said Rancadore had arrived in Britain with his wife Anne The family had been settled in their semi-detached suburban home in Uxbridge for the past 13 years Macmillan said the property was worth £300,000 (€349,000) and Uxbridge was “not a luxurious address” The lawyer said the family had chosen to use the wife’s family name and that Rancadore “did not go out much” Judge Quentin Purdy denied him bail telling him that he had “actively evaded apprehension for a significant period” and that “police have had some difficulty in tracing you” Rancadore was remanded in custody until the next hearing please register for free or log in to your account Stories A town in Italy is selling old, abandoned properties for only $1.60 (about one Euro), but there is a catch! Obviously, these homes are not in great shape and would likely cost a lot to renovate. If you buy one of these homes, you must agree to renovate it within a year you lose your security deposit which could be around $8,000 you have to give an $8,000 security deposit when purchasing one of these super cheap homes Reportedly there are also administrative fees which can cost you around $4,000 to $6,450 Another town in Italy tried this with great success offered this deal to hopefully get rid of abandoned homes and add new residents These small towns are becoming abandoned because many Italians are moving to bigger cities Currently, there are around 100 abandoned homes for sale but that number could go up to 500! If you love to renovate homes and have always wanted to live in Italy, this might just be a good deal for you. This honestly sounds like a great HGTV show! When looking at the website for more details it looks like it will become a television show “Ever fancied your very own place in the sun but never quite within your reach This Sicilian town of Mussomeli is giving you the chance to buy a historic home for just ONE EURO.” “If you think you have what it takes to bring one of these houses back to life a NEW PRIMETIME TV SERIES wants to hear from you…Whether you’re a seasoned developer looking for a new investment or a restoration novice in the market for a holiday home we want to follow your story as you FOLLOW YOUR DREAM.” Sambuca’s deal was similar but had different fine print you had to agree to invest $17,000 over a three-year period to fix up the home you have more time but you also have to agree to invest way more cash This is just a reminder that if something sounds too good to be true (for example, a home for sale under $2), it probably has a lot of fine print. However it could be a great opportunity for some people please SHARE With your friends and family who would love to learn more about this home opportunity in small Italian towns