We propose a design for an energy harvester which has the potential to harvest vibrational energy over a broad range of ambient frequencies. The device uses two flexible ceramic piezoelectric elements arranged in a buckled configuration in the absence of vibrations. Experimental data show that this design allows enhanced harvesting of energy relative to a comparable cantilever design, both for periodic and stochastic vibrations. Moreover, the data suggest that this harvester has its peak energy generation when it responds with chaotic vibrations. V

We present an event-based feedback control method for randomizing the asymptotic phase of oscillatory neurons. Phase randomization is achieved by driving the neuron's state to its phaseless set, a point at which its phase is undefined and is extremely sensitive to background noise. We consider the biologically relevant case of a fixed magnitude constraint on the stimulus signal, and show how the control objective can be accomplished in minimum time. The control synthesis problem is addressed using the minimumtime-optimal Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman framework, which is quite general and can be applied to any spiking neuron model in the conductance-based Hodgkin-Huxley formalism. We also use this methodology to compute a feedback control protocol for optimal spike rate increase. This framework provides a straightforward means of visualizing isochrons, without actually calculating them in the traditional way. Finally, we present an extension of the phase randomizing control scheme that is applied at the population level, to a network of globally coupled neurons that are firing in synchrony. The applied control signal desynchronizes the population in a demand-controlled way.

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In this paper, we discuss existence, stability, and symmetry of solutions for networks of parametrically forced oscillators. We consider a nonlinear oscillator model with strong 2:1 resonance via parametric excitation. For uncoupled systems, the 2:1 resonance property results in sets of solutions that we classify using a combinatorial approach. The symmetry properties for solution sets are presented as are the group operators that generate the isotropy subgroups. We then impose weak coupling and prove that solutions from the uncoupled case persist for small coupling by using an appropriate Poincaré map and the Implicit Function Theorem. Solution bifurcations are investigated as a function of coupling strength and forcing frequency using numerical continuation techniques. We find that the characteristics of the single oscillator system are transferred to the network under weak coupling. We explore interesting dynamics that emerge with larger coupling strength, including anti-synchronized chaos and unsynchronized chaos. A classification for the symmetry-breaking that occurs due to weak coupling is presented for a simple example network. P. Danzl ( ) · J. Moehlis