Compliant Mechanisms - Memory Lane, and Some Novel and Exciting Applications

 

Abstract: A set of chance happenings led to the beginning of formalization of a research area, termed “compliant mechanisms,” around early 1980s. This presentation takes one down that memory lane describing how it all came about. What appeared to be a modest beginning, in time would exceed every expectation and more, and continue to proliferate with applications into multiple disciplines. Some very recent theoretical developments in

compliant mechanisms are discussed, that offer fundamental discovery, with the potential for innovating exciting design applications.

 

Bio: Dr. Ashok Midha received his graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota. He is currently a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Missouri S&T, having served as Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) from August 1997 to December 2010. Earlier, he served as a faculty member at Purdue University (14 years), The Pennsylvania State University (5 years), and Michigan Technological

University (1 year). He led the $30M MAE renovation and expansion project resulting in a 144,000 sq. ft. modern facility, with one-half of the funds raised privately. He directs the Product Innovation and Creativity Center (PICC) at Missouri S&T. He has been responsible for major paradigm changes in the offering of the senior (capstone) design program at S&T. An ASME Fellow, he received the ASME Mechanisms and Robotics

Award from the Design Engineering Division in 1998. Beginning in 2012, the ASME Mechanisms and Robotics Conference has named a track as the Ashok Midha Symposium in Compliant Mechanisms, in recognition of his “pioneering contributions to this growing and fruitful research community.” His research interests are in the areas of mechanical design, rigid-body and compliant mechanism design, highperformance machinery analysis, and machine vibration and stability.