One of the very important parts of any digital system is the control unit, coordin- ing interplay of other system blocks. As a rule, control units have irregular str- ture, which makes process of their logic circuits design very sophisticated. In case of complex logic controllers, the problem of system design is reduced practically to the design of control units. Actually, we observe a real technical boom connected with achievements in semiconductor technology. One of these is the development of integrated circuit known as the "systems-on-a-programmable- chip" (SoPC), where the number of elements approaches one billion. Because of the extreme complexity of microchips, it is very important to develop effective design methods oriented on particular properties of logical elements. Solution of this problem permits impr- ing functional capabilities of the target digital system inside single SoPC chip. As majority of researches point out, design methods used in case of industrial packages are, in case of complex digital system design, far from optimal. Similar problems concern the design of control units with standard ?eld-programmable logic devices (FPLD), such as PLA, PAL, GAL, CPLD, and FPGA. Let us point out that modern SoPC are based on CPLD or FPGA technology. Thus, the development of eff- tive design methods oriented on FPLD implementation of logic circuits used in the control units still remains the problem of great importance.

Manipulation using dextrous robot hands has been an exciting yet frustrating research topic for the last several years. While significant progress has occurred in the design, construction, and low level control of robotic hands, researchers are up against fundamental problems in developing algorithms for real-time computations in multi-sensory processing and motor control. The aim of this book is to explore parallels in sensorimotor integration in dextrous robot and human hands, addressing the basic question of how the next generation of dextrous hands should evolve. By bringing together experimental psychologists, kinesiologists, computer scientists, electrical engineers, and mechanical engineers, the book covers topics that range from human hand usage in prehension and exploration, to the design and use of robotic sensors and multi-fingered hands, and to control and computational architectures for dextrous hand usage. While the ultimate goal of capturing human hand versatility remains elusive, this book makes an important contribution to the design and control of future dextrous robot hands through a simple underlying message: a topic as complex as dextrous manipulation would best be addressed by collaborative, interdisciplinary research, combining high level and low level views, drawing parallels between human studies and analytic approaches, and integrating sensory data with motor commands. As seen in this text, success has been made through the establishment of such collaborative efforts. The future will hold up to expectations only as researchers become aware of advances in parallel fields and as a common vocabulary emerges from integrated perceptions about manipulation.

Beginning in the mid 1980's, VLSI technology had begun to advance in two directions. Pushing the limit of integration, ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) represents the frontier of the semiconductor processing technology in the campaign to conquer the submicron realm. The application of ULSI, however, is at present largely confined in the area of memory designs, and as such, its impact on traditional, microprocessor-based system design is modest. If advancement in this direction is merely a natural extrapolation from the previous integration generations, then the rise of ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) is an unequivocal signal that a directional change in the discipline of system design is in effect. In contrast to ULSI, ASIC employs only well proven technology, and hence is usually at least one generation behind the most advanced processing technology. In spite of this apparent disadvantage, ASIC has become the mainstream of VLSI design and the technology base of numerous entrepreneurial opportunities ranging from PC clones to supercomputers. Unlike ULSI whose complexity can be hidden inside a memory chip or a standard component and thus can be accommodated by traditional system design methods, ASIC requires system designers to master a much larger body of knowledge spanning from processing technology and circuit techniques to architecture principles and algorithm characteristics. Integrating knowledge in these various areas has become the precondition for integrating devices and functions into an ASIC chip in a market-oriented environment. But knowledge is of two kinds.

The book presents the select proceedings of the International Conference on Recent Advances in Design, Materials and Manufacturing (ICRADMM 2020). The topics covered include structural mechanics, kinematics and dynamics of machines, mechanical structures and stress analysis, noise and vibration analysis, fault detection and condition monitoring, optimization techniques, mechatronics & robotics, product design and development, tribology. The book also discusses various properties and performance attributes of modern-age design in mechanical engineering including their durability, workability, and carbon footprint. The book will be a valuable reference for researchers and professionals interested in sustainable development in mechanical engineering design and allied fields.

Vibration and noise reduce the perceived quality, productivity, and efficiency of many and limit production speeds electromechanical systems. Vibration can cause defects during manufacturing and produce premature failure of finished products due to fa­ tigue. Potential contact with a vibrating system or hearing darnage from a noisy machine can produce a dangerous, unhealthy, and uncomfortable operating environ­ ment. Recent advances in computer technology have allowed the development of so­ phisticated electromechanical systems for the control of vibration and noise. The demanding specifications of many modern systems require higher performance than possible with the traditional, purely mechanical approaches of increasing system stiff­ ness or damping. Mechatronic systems that integrate computer software and hard­ ware with electromechanical sensors and actuators to control complex mechanical systems have been demonstrated to provide outstanding vibration and noise reduc­ tion. The current trends toward higher speed computation and lower cost, higher performance sensors and actuators indicate the continuing possibilities for this con­ trol approach in future applications.

Light signals in optical waveguides can be used to transmit very large amounts of data quickly and largely without interference. In the industrial and infrastructural sectors, e.g. in the automotive and aerospace industries, the demand to further exploit this potential is therefore increasing. Which technologies can be used to effectively integrate systems that transmit data by means of light into existing components? This is a central question for current research. So far, there have been some technical limitations in this regard. For example, it is difficult to couple the signal of an optical waveguide to other optical waveguides without interruption. There is also a lack of suitable fabrication technologies for three-dimensional waveguides, as well as design and simulation environments for 3D opto-MID. This book addresses these and other challenges.

Industrial machines, automobiles, airplanes, robots, and machines are among the myriad possible hosts of embedded systems. The author researches robotic vehicles and remote operated vehicles (ROVs), especially Underwater Robotic Vehicles (URVs), used for a wide range of applications such as exploring oceans, monitoring environments, and supporting operations in extreme environments. Embedded Mechatronics System Design for Uncertain Environments has been prepared for those who seek to easily develop and design embedded systems for control purposes in robotic vehicles.

This book presents the select proceedings of the International Conference on Recent Advances in Materials, Manufacturing and Thermal Engineering (RAMMTE 2022). It broadly covers the topics of manufacturing and thermal engineering. Various topics covered in this book include alternative fuels, automation, mechatronics and robotics, CAD, CAM, FMS, CIM, CN, CFD, failure and fracture mechanics, friction, wear, tribology, and surface engineering, heat treatment, microstructure and refrigeration and cryogenics, heating ventilation and air conditioning system, heat transfer, internal combustion engines, machinability and formability of materials, mechanisms and machines, rapid manufacturing technologies and prototyping, turbo machinery, thermal engineering, and traditional and non-traditional machining processes. This book is useful for researchers and professionals working in the areas of manufacturing and thermal engineering.

This book presents nearly 90 carefully selected contributions at the 12th International Conference Mechatronics, which took place in Brno, Czech Republic on 6–8 September 2017.

The sense of touch is fundamental during the interaction between humans and their environment; in virtual reality, objects are created by computer simulations and they can be experienced through haptic devices. In this context haptic textures are fundamental for a realistic haptic perception of virtual objects.

This book presents the proceedings of the 2022 3rd International Symposium on Automation, Mechanical and Design Engineering (SAMDE), held in Beijing, China, on December 16–18, 2022, and organized by the Hong Kong Society of Robotics and Automation (HKSRA). It gathers contributions by researchers from several countries on the following topics: digitalized development and use of sustainable products and manufacturing systems, artificial intelligence, automated reasoning, human–robot collaborative interaction, sensors and autonomous sensor systems, cyber-physical control systems, generative design including topology optimization, advanced simulation and modelling, intelligent automation, smart materials, materials processing and factories, and circular economy, etc. The book offers a source of information and inspiration for researchers seeking to improve their work and gather new ideas for future developments.

The subject of the book is uid dynamics and heat transfer in micro-channels. This problem is important for understanding the complex phenomena associated with single- and two-phase ows in heated micro-channels. The challenge posed by high heat uxes in electronic chips makes thermal management a key factor in the development of these systems. Cooling of mic- electronic components by new cooling technologies, as well as improvement of the existing ones, is becoming a necessity as the power dissipation levels of integrated circuits increases and their sizes decrease. Miniature heat sinks with liquid ows in silicon wafers could signi cantly improve the performance and reliability of se- conductor devices. The improvements are made by increasing the effective thermal conductivity, by reducing the temperature gradient across the wafer, by reducing the maximum wafer temperature, and also by reducing the number and intensity of localized hot spots. A possible way to enhance heat transfer in systems with high power density is to change the phase in the micro-channels embedded in the device. This has motivated a number of theoretical and experimental investigations covering various aspects of heat transfer in micro-channel heat sinks with phase change. The ow and heat transfer in heated micro-channels are accompanied by a n- ber of thermohydrodynamic processes, such as liquid heating and vaporization, bo- ing, formation of two-phase mixtures with a very complicated inner structure, etc., which affect signi cantly the hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics of the co- ing systems.