Annual Report Instant Lab 2013

8/10/2019 Annual Report Instant Lab 2013

1/15

Patek Phi l ippe Chai r Micromechanical and Horological Design Laboratory INSTANT-LAB

Annua l Repor t 2013


2/15

Introduction

Human resources

Infrastructure and equipment

Research Ongoing Ph.D. thesesMain ongoing research projectsHigh quality factor oscillators for wrist watchesMultistable meso-scale springs and their use for watch-making applicationsWatch diagnostic iPhone applicationMiniature exure structures for multi-degree of freedom contact force sensingProgrammable-compliance inserts for geometrically tunable prostheses

Education Teaching: EPFLMechanism Design I & II / Conception de mcanismes I & II (2013-2014)Elements of mechanical design I & II / Construction mcanique I & II (2013-2014)Industrial and applied robotics / Robotique industrielle et applique (2013)Microengineering Components / Composants de la microtechnique (2012-2013)Completed master projectsParticipation in Ph.D. committees

Teaching: outside EPFL

Invited talks

Publications Book chaptersBook reprintsConference proceedings

Articles in peer reviewed journals

Scientific dissemination Poster presentationsNewspaper and magazine articles

Television programsBook signing events

Conclusion and perspective

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3

5

7

9

17

19

21

23

25

29

Pages

1

a

b

A2

P

0

B2

A1 ,B 1

C 1, C 2, D 1

D 2

INSTANT-LAB Annual Report 2013


3/15

Following the April 2012 announcement of a partnershipbetween watchmaking manufacture Patek Philippe and theEPFL, the Patek Philippe Chair in Micromechanical and Ho-rological Design was established on November 1, 2012, withthe nomination of Professor Simon Henein. Instant-Lab, thename chosen for the new laboratory, is located in Microcity,the EPFL Microtechnology centre in Neuchatel, Switzerland.Instant-Lab currently consists of a dozen senior scientists,postdoctoral scholars and graduate students.

The laboratorys specialty is the creation of new mecha-

nisms featuring kinematic and technological innovation atthe centimeter scale. The scienti c approach is inspiredfrom mechanical design in elds such as new and classicalhorology, robotics and aerospace. Current projects apply tomechanical watchmaking and biomedical instrumentation,these elds being quite close, both technologically and intheir industrial fabric. Beyond the laboratorys academicmission to pursue excellence in fundamental research andteaching, it is also committed to strengthen ties with theSwiss watchmaking industry and therefore welcomes colla-boration with all its industrial partners.

The present report gives an overview of the activities ofInstant-Lab since its creation on November 1, 2012 untilDecember 31, 2013.

INTRODUCTION 3



4/15

HUMAN RESOURCES

Lab head

Professor Simon Henein Dr. Charles Baur Nicolas Ferrier Johan Kruis

Karine Frossard(administrative assistant)

Dr. Ilan Vardi

Dr. Lennart Rubbert

Dr. Roland Bitterli

Marine Clogenson Olivier Laesser

David Lengacher Sebastian Fifanski

Tristan Derbanne

Senior Scientists

Post-Docs

S ci en ti fi c A ss is ta nt s P h. D. S tu de nt s

5

In addition to Professor Henein, 12 persons were hired to work at Instant-Lab. As of December 2013, the team is constituted as follows:



5/15

Instant-Lab was rst located in the historical building rueBreguet 2, Neuchatel, from November 1, 2012 until October2013. On October 16, 2013, the laboratory was relocated tothe new Microcity building, rue de la Maladire 71b, Neu-chatel, with the following surface allocation:

Offices: 125 m 2Laboratories: 170 m 2Grey room: 51 m 2

No major equipment was acquired during 2013 since thelab was not yet installed in its nal location. The equipmentacquisition phase will start in 2014.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT 7

SPIN-OFF

The spin-off company GraniteApps SARL (www.grani-teapps.ch) was founded in January 2013 by Dr CharlesBaur and Tristan Derbanne. It focuses on the developmentof software applications for smart phones and tablets. Thegoal is to extend daily activity and/or every day life devicesby using smart phone and tablet connectivity as well as datamanagement capabilities.



6/15


7/15

High quality factor oscillators for wrist watche

Current mechanical wrist watches have as time base anoscillator consisting of a balance wheel mounted on jeweledbearings and a hairspring. The use of exure bearings insteadof the traditional journal bearing lead to a high increase inquality factor, i.e., reduced damping and energy loss. As aresult the power reserve can be signi cantly increased andchronometric precision can be improved due to reducedoscillator perturbation. This project aims at exploringfundamental and practical issues in the design of novel

exure-based high quality factor oscillators for watches.This project is run in collaboration with CSEM SA. Butter y exure pivot for balance wheel suspension leading to in-creased quality factor (courtesy of CSEM).

Multistable meso-scale springs and their usefor watch-making applications

Flexure based mechanisms can be designed in order toproduce strongly non-linear spring behavior and judiciousarrangement can yield constant force-springs, zero-forcesprings, bi-stable springs or multi-stable-springs.Combined with the use of advanced materials such as mo-no-crystalline silicon or other alloys or composites with theirrespective fabrication technologies, such springs enablecompletely new functionalities at the centimeter scale, forexample, to harvesting devices, mechanical watches orsurgical instruments. This project aims at exploring thefundamental principles of elastic energy storage mecha-nisms, their production methods and their integration intocomplete functional devices.

This project is being set up with a con dential industrialpartner. Negative stiffness linear guide including position sensor for cha-racterization

RESEARCHMain ongoing research projects

11



8/15

Watch diagnostic iPhone application

A new algorithm for telling time was invented at Instant-lab then implemented as an iPhone application. It allows acomputer to tell time by reading the watch hands only, inde-pendently of the display. The advantage of this algorithm isthat watch hands are more amenable to pattern recognitionalgorithms than watch displays. The latter are extremely va-riable and dif cult to recognise systematically using computerimage processing algorithms. This application can be u sed forseveral purposes: simpli ed observation of daily rate (marchediurne); internal prototype chronometric testing (chronomtrieau porter employs); large scale chronometric testing (chro-nomtrie au porter client); centralized data collection to Manu-facture; remote diagnostics; measure of second/minute handsynchronization (user adjustment); veri cation of minute/hourhand synchronization (manufacture assembly); veri cation ofhand/dial relative positioning; client/watch connection.This project called 5.5 of separation , is being developed withGranite Apps, an Instant-Lab spin-off.

iPhone application screen captures showing hand detection andcalculation of displayed time using the angle between watch handsas input to the algorithm invented and developed by Instant-Lab

Miniature flexure structures for multi-degreeof freedom contact force sensing

The goal of the project is to develop active surgical tools thatt microsurgery requirements (e.g. eye surgery, brain surgery,

etc.) in terms of tool size, force range and required reliabi-lity. It will combine exible structure technology provided byInstant-Lab together with in house optical ber based sen-sing technology of Sensoptic SA that has been successfully

introduced into active tools in heart, ear, nose and throat sur-gery. Focus will be on exible and sensing structure topologyand design, extreme miniaturization, multiple DOF force andtorque measurement as well as industrialization aspects suchas sealing or in situ reliability of the sensing parts. To providesurgical instruments with force measurement capabilities atthe tool tip will allow performing surgical gesture in precisionand reliability that exceed those performed currently by anorder of magnitude. Application of such sensors for manualwatch-making tools is also foreseen.This project is being set up in collaboration with Sensoptic SA. Tri-axial in vivo force sensors for force feedback based on exurestructure and light optical bre interferometers. Outer-diameter:2mm.


13



9/15

Programmable-compliance inserts forgeometrically tunable prostheses

The present project consists in a geometrically adjustableknee prosthesis based on a mechanism that is integratedinto the polyethylene insert placed between the tibial andfemoral metallic components. The geometry of this insertcan be modi ed easily pre- per- and post-operativelywithout any invasive operation on the knee. The adjustmentof the prosthesis will be performed time to time during thewhole life of the implant to compensate its wear and adaptto the changes in condition of the patient. The expectedbene ts include longer lifetime of the implant and reduc-tion of the number of invasive revision surgeries required torealign or replace the implant.This project is being set up in collaboration with other EPFLlabs and CHUV

Scale 2:1 prototype of 3 degrees of freedom programmable-com-pliance insert composed of a exure structure for the bearingfunction, exible bellows lled with incompressible uid for theposition locking function and remote-controlled valves for the com-pliance command function.


15



10/15

Teaching: EPFL

Mechanism Design I & II / Conception de mcanismes I & II (2013-2014)Lecturer: Prof. S. HeneinSection: Microtechnique (90 students)Bachelor semesters 2 and 33 periods per week

Elements of mechanical design I & II / Construction mcanique I & II (2013-2014)Lecturers: Course under the responsibility of Prof. S. Henein & Prof. J. Schiffman and taughtby two external lecturers.Sections: Microtechnique / Gnie mcanique (500 students)Bachelor semesters 1 and 23 periods per week

Industrial and applied robotics / Robotique industrielle et applique (2013)Contributions to the course by Prof. S. Henein and Dr Ch. BaurFlexure mechanismsDesign of mechanisms for vacuum applicationMedical roboticsSection: Microtechnique (60 students)Master semestre 2

Microengineering Components / Composants de la microtechnique (2012-2013)Lecturer: Prof. S. Henein & Prof. Ch. MoserSection: Microtechnique (90 students)Bachelor semesters 2 and 33 periods per week

Completed master projectsDevelopment of a 7-DOF force feedback haptic interface for microsurgery, Billy Nussbaumer,

in collaboration with Stanford University, completed in April 2013, won the Omega Prize andthe Hilty Prize.

Teaching: outside EPFL

FSRM , 1 Day Tutorial, Neuchtel, S. Henein, 13.2.2013, Conception des guidages exiblesESRF , 2 Days Tutorial, Grenoble, S. Henein, 28-29.4.2013, Conception des guidages exiblesFSRM , 1 Day Tutorial, Neuchtel, I. Vardi, 13.12.2013, Astronomie de la montre

EDUCATION 17

The laboratory is strongly involved in teaching design to students at all levels. The focusis on training the creative process starting with the act of design and f ollowing up with theanalytical method necessary to model, simulate and predict machine behavior.

Bachelor students during their Mechanism Design I exam, December 17th 2013



11/15

16me Congrs International de Chronomtrie , Mon-treux, September 25, 2013, S. Henein, Instant-Lab: la nou-velle chaire de lEPFL en conception micromcanique et

horlogre

Assemble Gnrale de lASRH , Neuchtel, S. Henein,March 14, 2013, Instant-Lab: la nouvelle chaire de lEPFLen conception micromcanique et horlogre IMT-DAY , Rolex Learning-Center EPFL, S. Henein, May 8,

2013, Instant-Lab: la nouvelle chaire de lEPFL en concep-tion micromcanique et horlogre Prsentation at Patek-Philippe , Geneva, S. Henein,May 15, 2013, Instant-Lab: la nouvelle chaire de lEPFL enconception micromcanique et horlogre

Fleurier clbre le changement de lheure , A recherchede lheure perdue , I.Vardi, Fleurier March 30, 2013

Soire des rgleurs , Une nouvelle complication horlogre ,I. Vardi, La Chaux-de-Fonds, July 2, 2013

First FSRM public lecture , Lastronomie de la montre , I.Vardi, Neuchat el, October 30, 2013

GDR Robotique (GT1: robotique mdicale) et le GDR STIC-Sant (Thme F: gestes mdico chirurgicaux): Gestes m-dicaux guids par limage et interactions avec des organesdformables, Systmes haptiques et dispositifs mdicaux,lexprience Force Dimension EPFL, C. Baur, INSA Lyon,December 2, 2013

Statismo , toolkit for PCA shape model building, M. Clogen-son, University of Basel, Department of Mathematics and

Computer Science , March 4-8, 2013

Summer Slicer Project week 2013 (NAMIC) , M. Clogen-son, MIT Boston, 17-21 June 20131st Statismo model building days, M. Clogenson, Univer-

sity of Basel, Department of Mathematics and ComputerScience : December 4-6 , 2013

INVITED TALKS 19



12/15


13/15

SCIENTIFIC DISSEMINATION 23

Poster presentations

J. Kruis, Smart systems for a better life, Mesoscale systems for medical and surgical applica-tions , Besanon,12th of September

I. Vardi, Festival della Scienza, Leleganza del Tempo , Matematica e meccanica dellorologe-ria, Genoa, October 24 November 3, 2013 (scienti c supervision).

Newspaper and magazine articles

NZZ Equity-Magazin, Die Uhr weniger oft aufziehen, E. Stamm, May 2013, p. 21.

http://instantlab.ep .ch/ les/content/sites/instantlab/ les/Articles/Bild1.pdfHH Magazine, De lutilit des fonctions dans lhorlogerie, F. Eschmann, October 22, 2013Bulletin SSC n74, De lutilit des fonctions dans lhorlogerie, F. Eschmann, December 2013

Television programs

RTS, I. Vardi, March 30, 2013, http://www.rts.ch/video/info/journal-19h30/4782371- eurier-ne-s-est-autoproclamee-capitale-mondiale-du-changement-d-heure.htmlCanal Alpha, I. Vardi, March 30, 2013, http://www.canalalpha.ch/actu/ eurier-capitale-du-changement-dheure-2/

Book signing events

I. Vardi, Les montres compliques , Payot Neuchtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds, November 9,2013



14/15

CONCLUSION AND PERSPECTIVE 25

Instant-labs key achievement in its rst year of existencewas to set up a complete team having the required exper-tise. Additionally, the research has been launched and the

rst results have been published through three PhD thesesand a number of industrial collaborations. Several patentswere led allowing academic publication of their subjectmatter. The teaching of mechanical design started directlyafter the creation of Instant-Lab. Our newly created courseswere taken by all rst year Bachelor students in Mechani-cal and Microengineering sections and by all second yearBachelor students in Microengineering.

Perspect ive for 2014:

In 2014 we will equip the laboratory with the essentialphysical tools required for research and prototyping; thegrey room will be equipped in a subsequent phase. Furtherdevelopment of the laboratory will be sought via fundingsources such as the FNS (Swiss National Science Founda-tion) for fundamental research, and the CTI (Commission forTechnology and Innovation) as well as industrial partnersfor applied research. We will patent then publish resultsobtained in 2013 and present them at internationalconferences. Our Ph.D. students will also publish theirresults in scienti c journals and conference proceedings.Finally, several 2013 industrial projects will be completed tothe partners speci cations.

Disque

Tige

Cylindre



15/15

Patek Philippe Chair in Micromechanical and Horological DesignEPFL STI IMT INSTANT-LAB, Microcity, Rue de la Maladire 71b, CH-2000 Neuchtel

Annual Report Instant Lab 2013

Documents

Transcript of Annual Report Instant Lab 2013