WORKSHOP: Tether-free Technologies and e-Manufacturing; Milwaukee, WI., October 1-2, 2001

University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee WI

Investigators

Abstract

This grant provides funding to conduct a workshop to focus on tether-free technologies in manufacturing. The focus of the workshop is to address underlying issues in emerging tether-free technologies and their applications in manufacturing equipment, processes, and enterprise system, and ultimately provide better direction for researchers and practitioners. It is hoped the results of this workshop can impact both manufacturing research and education activities in academia. The potential areas that would benefit, if embedded within a tether-free environment include, but are not limited to: manufacturing (wire free sensor/actuator systems for closed loop feedback systems, enhance quality control and preventative maintenance of equipment, the remotely controlled factory floor); wireless sensors and/or actuators for environmental sensing and control; smart defense systems in mobile power, command & control on the move); smart materials and structures for closed-loop monitoring and control; new tether-free infrastructure (ultra-wideband techniques, data compression, security of sensitive data/information, etc). The project is to organize a collaborative workshop among industry, academia, and government agencies to discuss the needs and emerging technologies, as well as to make recommendations to the National Science Foundation and the research community on the direction of interdisciplinary research and education in the areas of tether-free technologies and their impacts to e-manufacturing. The results of the workshop will be used to define industry/university collaborative needs as well as to serve as an potential roadmap for researchers and practitioners to advance the state-of-the-art technologies and practices in applying tether-free technologies in next-generation manufacturing equipment, processes, and enterprise systems for U.S. manufacturing industry.