Welcome to the Precision Mechatronics Lab at the University of Newcastle
Conferences
Paszkal’s Visit to Newcastle
September 13th, 2024|0 Comments
It has been a fun 3 months working and learning from Paszkal on CFD modelling using OpenFoam. We had also done some interesting experiments together in the lab and will [...]
IEEE International Conference On Mechatronics – Loughborough, UK, March 15-17, 2023
September 30th, 2022|Comments Off on IEEE International Conference On Mechatronics – Loughborough, UK, March 15-17, 2023
IEEE International Conference On Mechatronics - Loughborough, UK, March 15-17, 2023. IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics 2023 (IEEE ICM 2023) continues a series of biennial conferences dedicated to recent and [...]
News
IEEE International Conference On Mechatronics – Loughborough, UK, March 15-17, 2023
September 30th, 2022|Comments Off on IEEE International Conference On Mechatronics – Loughborough, UK, March 15-17, 2023
IEEE International Conference On Mechatronics - Loughborough, UK, March 15-17, 2023. IEEE International Conference on [...]
Soft Robotic Manta Rays
December 6th, 2021|0 Comments
PhD student Matheus Xavier introduces his research on soft robotic manta rays for low-impact exploration [...]
Dr Michael Ruppert elected as Fresh Scientist for 2021
August 10th, 2021|0 Comments
Doctor Michael Ruppert has been announced as one of the 2021 Fresh Scientists. This program is [...]
Matheus Xavier Wins School Heat of the 3 Minute Thesis
July 13th, 2021|0 Comments
Matheus from the Precision Mechatronics Lab wins the school heat at the University of Newcastle [...]
Seminars
IEEE International Conference On Mechatronics – Loughborough, UK, March 15-17, 2023
September 30th, 2022|Comments Off on IEEE International Conference On Mechatronics – Loughborough, UK, March 15-17, 2023
IEEE International Conference On Mechatronics - Loughborough, UK, March 15-17, 2023. IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics 2023 (IEEE ICM 2023) [...]
Soft Robotic Manta Rays
December 6th, 2021|0 Comments
PhD student Matheus Xavier introduces his research on soft robotic manta rays for low-impact exploration in sensitive underwater environments. Watch [...]
Dr Michael Ruppert elected as Fresh Scientist for 2021
August 10th, 2021|0 Comments
Doctor Michael Ruppert has been announced as one of the 2021 Fresh Scientists. This program is run by Science in Public [...]
Matheus Xavier Wins School Heat of the 3 Minute Thesis
July 13th, 2021|0 Comments
Matheus from the Precision Mechatronics Lab wins the school heat at the University of Newcastle of the 2021 3 Minute [...]

The Precision Mechatronics Lab develops new devices and processes for imaging and fabrication. This includes new sensors, actuators and control systems for applications in microscopy, mask-less lithography, and biomedical imaging.

The Precision Mechatronics Lab is supported by the Australian Research Council, Industrial Partners, The Center for Complex Dynamics Systems and Control (CDSC), and the University of Newcastle.

The University of Newcastle is ranked in the top 3% of world universities and #26 for a university under 50 years old. We are a research intensive university with a world-wide reputation for research in Engineering, the Sciences, and Medicine.
Recent Publications
Yong, Y. K.; Routley, B. S.; Fleming, A. J.
Electromagnetic Objective Lens Scanner: Design, Modeling and Characterization Proceedings
2025.
@proceedings{C25a,
title = {Electromagnetic Objective Lens Scanner: Design, Modeling and Characterization},
author = {Y. K. Yong and B. S. Routley and A. J. Fleming},
url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Objective-Scanner-conf-version.pdf},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-08-01},
abstract = {This article describes an electromagnetic objective lens positioner for applications that require millimeter scale vertical travel and wide bandwidth, such as Michelson interferometry, laser micromachining, and confocal microscopy. The proposed device is a cylindrical Lorentz actuator with a stationary permanent magnet and moving coil. The motion of the objective is guided by two planar flexures that determine the travel range, stiffness and resonance frequency. The travel range can be easily varied, e.g. from 100 μm to 1 mm, by altering the flexure dimensions. Analytical solutions for the stiffness, travel range and resonance frequency are derived and validated by finite-element analysis and experimental results. Compared to existing piezoelectric objective scanners, the proposed electromagnetic scanner exhibits higher linearity in open-loop, lower temperature dependence, can operate in humid environments, and has a reconfigurable travel range. The disadvantages compared to a piezoelectric scanner include heat dissipation for static displacement, the possibility of stray magnetic fields, lower lateral stiffness, and larger physical size. However, although the volume is larger than an equivalent piezoelectric scanner, the cylindrical shape is suited to many microscope turrets.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}

Y. K. Yong N. L. Mai, T. A. Hoang
Fabrication of Microneedles by Pulsating In Situ Dried Electrostretching for Transdermal Drug Delivery Journal Article
In: Small Methods, 2025.
@article{Mai2025,
title = {Fabrication of Microneedles by Pulsating In Situ Dried Electrostretching for Transdermal Drug Delivery},
author = {N. L. Mai, Y. K. Yong, T. A. Hoang, T. H. Vu, H Vu, V. C. Doan, D. Cai, T. X. Dinh, D. V. Dao, V. T. Dau},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/smtd.202500183},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-06-11},
urldate = {2025-05-07},
journal = {Small Methods},
abstract = {This paper introduces a novel pulsating in situ dried electrostretching (PIDES) technique for the fabrication of microneedles (MNs) for transdermal drug delivery. This method utilizes pulsed voltage to induce electrohydrodynamic forces that stretch and freeze a polymer droplet into a conical shape with a micrometer-scale tip. With the effects of solvent evaporation, the polymeric droplet is in situ stretched into a conical shape and solidified, transforming into a sharp MN, suitable for transdermal drug administration. Penetration and mechanical tests confirm that the MNs possess sufficient sharpness and strength for effective skin penetration applications. Additionally, curcumin loading and in vitro release tests with different concentrations demonstrate the MNs' ability to carry drugs and exhibit effective controlled release profiles. These findings highlight PIDES as a promising, low-cost, and simple approach for the development of painless and efficient transdermal drug delivery systems.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

T. H. Vu N. L. Mai, H. Vu
Evaporation in electrohydrodynamic atomisation: A numerical and experimental investigation Journal Article
In: International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 165, Part B, pp. 109079, 2025.
@article{Mai2025b,
title = {Evaporation in electrohydrodynamic atomisation: A numerical and experimental investigation},
author = {N. L. Mai, T. H. Vu, H. Vu, C. Doan, Y. K. Yong, T. X. Dinh, D. V. Dao, V. T. Dau},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2025.109079},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-06-01},
urldate = {2025-06-01},
journal = {International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer},
volume = {165, Part B},
pages = {109079},
abstract = {In this paper, the influence of evaporation in electrohydrodynamic atomization (electrospray) is numerically and experimentally investigated. The simulation was performed utilizing the Taylor-Melcher's leaky-dielectric model and the d2 Law to simulate thermophysical processes in electrospray. Experiments were conducted to validate the numerical approach and to investigate the influence of evaporation on particle morphology. Results by simulations are consistent with experiments, showing agreement in both Taylor-cone captured by high-speed camera and vapour field visualized by Schlieren imaging. Experiments on different solvents suggest major impacts of interelectrode distance on the residual solvent on the collected particles. However, these impacts were less significant on particle size and morphology particularly when using solvents with medium to low volatility. Particle size is found to increase with temperature and solvent volatility, confirming the correlation reported in literature. Moreover, evaporation was determined to have limited effect on the overall shape of the Taylor-cone and spray jet, due to inherently high vapour concentration around the nozzle vicinity. These contributions will improve the understanding of evaporation process in electrospray and offer useful guidelines for optimizing the technique, particularly in situations where evaporation is a key factor controlling particle size and minimizing harmful residue.
Keywords: Numerical methods; Evaporation; Electrospray; Electrohydrodynamic atomization; Experiments; Particle morphology
},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Keywords: Numerical methods; Evaporation; Electrospray; Electrohydrodynamic atomization; Experiments; Particle morphology

Ruppert, M. G.; Routley, B. S.; McCourt, L. R.; Yong, Y. K.; Fleming, A. J.
Modulated-Illumination Intermittent-Contact Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Journal Article
In: ACS Nano Letters, vol. 25, iss. 14, pp. 5656-5662, 2025, ISSN: 1530-6984.
@article{Ruppert2025,
title = {Modulated-Illumination Intermittent-Contact Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy},
author = {M. G. Ruppert and B. S. Routley and L. R. McCourt and Y. K. Yong and A. J. Fleming},
url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Article.pdf},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c06397},
issn = {1530-6984},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-03-13},
urldate = {2025-03-13},
journal = {ACS Nano Letters},
volume = {25},
issue = {14},
pages = {5656-5662},
abstract = {This article presents a proof-of-concept for a new imaging method that combines tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with intermittent-contact atomic force microscopy to provide simultaneous nanometer-scale mechanical imaging with chemical contrast. The foremost difference from a standard tip-enhanced Raman microscope is the Raman illumination, which is modulated by the cantilever drive signal so that illumination is only active when the tip is close to the surface. This approach significantly reduces contact forces and thermal damage due to constant illumination while simultaneously reducing background Raman signals. Near-field optical and dynamic cantilever simulations highlight the effect of the imaging parameters on the tip–sample force and the evanescent field enhancement. The experimental images obtained with this new imaging method demonstrate a lateral resolution sufficient to identify single-walled carbon nanotube bundles with a full width at half-maximum of 20 nm.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

Litman, M.; Azarpeykan, S.; Hood, R. J.; Martin, K.; Pepperall, D.; Omileke, D.; Uzun, O.; Bhatta, D.; Yong, Y. K.; Chan, A.; Hough, N.; Johnson, S.; Bermejo, P. G.; Miteff, F.; Esperon, C. G.; Couch, Y.; Buchan, A. M.; Spratt, N. J.; Korin, N.; Ingber, D. E.; Beard, D. J.
Shear Stress Targeted Delivery of Nitroglycerin to Brain Collaterals Improves Ischaemic Stroke Outcome Working paper
2025.
@workingpaper{nokey,
title = {Shear Stress Targeted Delivery of Nitroglycerin to Brain Collaterals Improves Ischaemic Stroke Outcome},
author = {M. Litman and S. Azarpeykan and R. J. Hood and K. Martin and D. Pepperall and D. Omileke and O. Uzun and D. Bhatta and Y. K. Yong and A. Chan and N. Hough and S. Johnson and P. G. Bermejo and F. Miteff and C. G. Esperon and Y. Couch and A. M. Buchan and N. J. Spratt and N. Korin and D. E. Ingber and D. J. Beard},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.25.644833v1.full},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-03-01},
urldate = {2025-04-16},
abstract = {In patients with ischaemic stroke, retrograde perfusion of the penumbra by the leptomeningeal collateral vessels (LMCs) is a strong predictor of clinical outcome, thus raising the possibility that enhancing LMC flow could offer a novel therapeutic approach. Here, using computational modelling we show that LMCs experience elevated fluid shear stress that is significantly higher than that in other blood vessels during ischaemic stroke in animals and humans. We take advantage of this to selectively enhance flow in LMCs using shear-activated nanoparticle aggregates carrying the vasodilator nitroglycerin (NG-NPAs) that specifically release drug in regions of vessels with high shear stress (≥100 dyne/cm2). The NG-NPAs significantly increased LMC-mediated penumbral perfusion, decreased infarct volume, and reduced neurological deficit without altering systemic blood pressure in a rat ischaemic stroke model. The NG-NPAs also did not cause known common side effects of systemic nitrate administration, such as systemic hypotension, cerebral vascular steal, cortical vein dilation, or intracranial pressure elevation. Systemic administration of free NG at the maximal tolerated dose, which was ten times higher than the dose of NG used in the NG-NPAs, did not enhance LMC perfusion and dropped blood pressure. Thus, packaging NG within shear-activated NPAs can potentially enable this widely available vasodilator to become a highly effective therapeutic for ischaemic stroke.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {workingpaper}
}

Carlon, C. J.; Yong, Y. K.; Fleming, A. J.
Feasibility of Nano-Acoustic Subsurface Imaging for Atomic Force Microscopy Proceedings Article
In: IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics (ICM), 2025.
@inproceedings{Carlon2025,
title = {Feasibility of Nano-Acoustic Subsurface Imaging for Atomic Force Microscopy},
author = {C. J. Carlon and Y. K. Yong and A. J. Fleming},
url = {https://ieeexplore-ieee-org.ezproxy.newcastle.edu.au/abstract/document/10934819},
doi = {10.1109/ICM62621.2025.10934819},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-02-28},
booktitle = {IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics (ICM)},
abstract = {The feasibility of a new imaging regime for sub-surface Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is investigated using synthetic aperture focusing technique. This technique uses two Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) probes to emit acoustic pulses and sense echoes. Unlike other existing subsurface AFM methods, Nano-Acoustic Subsurface AFM (NASAFM) provides cross-sectional images of a sample below the surface with depth information in the nanometre scale. In order to determine the best resolution, two ideal wideband AFM probes are considered in simulation. The results show that a 20 ps pulse with a bandwidth of 330 GHz was able to resolve two 50 nm discs, 500 nm below the surface, separated by 340 nm. Future work is needed to understand the relation between resolution and bandwidth, the optimal imaging parameters, and the sensing technique.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
