The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 29, 2015
Filed:
Dec. 31, 2012
Applicant:
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., Blacksburg, VA (US);
Inventors:
Colin Smith, Reston, VA (US);
Shashank Priya, Blacksburg, VA (US);
Assignee:
Virgina Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., Blacksburg, VA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01C 9/10 (2006.01); G01C 9/06 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01C 9/10 (2013.01); G01C 2009/068 (2013.01); G01C 2009/107 (2013.01);
Abstract
Components of an unmanned undersea vehicle are inspired by jellyfish that uses its flexible body and tilt sensing to achieve efficient swimming and turning. A tilt sensor, based on a statocyst, has a metal ball in a chamber lined with resistors. The tilt is sensed in accordance with which resistors the ball contacts. A composition of polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel with ferritin particles dispersed therein mimics the qualities of a jellyfish's mesoglea.