On modern mechatronic products, incorporating multiple modes is a common and effective way of dealing with changes in task, requirements, and environment. Modes are established to enable the system to switch from one configuration state to another. However, using the traditional methodology in engineering design, products are considered and designed with fixed configurations. A systematic method to involve and enable the design of changeable configurations is lacking. This paper focuses on product functional models and investigates the conceptual design of multi-modal products, which are identified by their reconfigurability during the operation stage. The author connects the phenomenon of multiple modes to product reconfigurability, asserts function and technology multiplications as the basis of multiple modes, and then specifies that usability and robustness are the key drivers of incorporating multiple modes. At the end of the paper, the author reconciles the conceptual design procedures to derive the principle solutions specifically for multi-modal products. This research on the dynamic characteristics of the product functional model introduced by multiple modes complements the current systematic design methodology.

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This paper showed our preliminary work in probing into fish robot with pectoral fin propulsion. The aim of this project is to develop a fish robot mimicking Manta Rays that swim with flexible pectoral fins in oscillation motion. Based on the analysis of motion feature and skeletal structure of pectoral fin of manta rays, a kind of flexible pectoral fin made of silicone rubber was designed. Experiments on the propulsion of fin prototype were carried out in tank. Experiment results showed that flexible pectoral fin in oscillation motion could generate great thrust and the thrust would increase with fin-beat frequency and amplitude increasing. In the end, a robot fish with flexible pectoral fins was built. The speed of robot fish could reach the maximum of 1.4 times BL (Body Length) per second. Experiments proved that it was feasible to develop a robot fish featuring flexible pectoral fins in oscillation motion and the method to mimic manta rays was a great idea to improve performance of underwater vehicles. Index Terms -flexible pectoral fin, oscillation motion, fish robot.978-1-4244-1758-2/08/$25.00

Incorporating multiple modes enables a product to change between different configurations, such as hybrid electric vehicles and washing machines. This paper investigates how multiple modes are constructed in modular product architecture-especially, how multi-modal modules are designed and used to construct overall product modality. The authors argue that product modality becomes viable by undertaking two strategies: temporal clustering, which activates and organizes different groups of modules in different modes, and modality propagation, which relies on modality of the product's subordinate modules. A solution that successfully incorporates modality enables the system to achieve functions with minimal system resources; however, it also introduces extra complexity to the design process. In the final section, the authors propose two techniques that promote multi-modal modules in design processes. This research work provokes the considerations of modality in product architecture. It claims modality is an important factor that leads to innovative design solutions.To emphasize the importance of modality, the authors present a case study of two pasta machines and compare the radical differences in their modular design solutions.