Traiettoria

A website with an incomplete selection of my contributions to science and engineering, up to now

Michele Pozzi

Engineer and scientist

Biography

Michele Pozzi is a Scientist and Engineer whose main research interests are in the areas of piezoelectric Energy Harvesting and Mechatronics. He has also made contributions to materials science, chiefly within the field of Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs), and in Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) with the characterisation of 3C-SiC and the design of accelerometers and pressure sensors for harsh environments.

Interests

Mechatronics
Internet of Things (IoT)
Energy Harvesting
Materials Science

Education

PhD in Mechatronics

University of Leeds
Diploma di Specializzazione in Materials Science and Technology

University of Milan (Bicocca)
Diploma di Laurea in Physics

University of Milan

Experience

September 2019

Riccarton Campus, Edinburgh, UK

Assistant Professor

Heriot-Watt University

An academic position with duties in teaching and scholarship. Most teaching in the area of energy (in particular renewable energy technology). Also supporting some mechatronics (Arduino) teaching. Supervision of MSc student projects in the same areas.
Senior Programme Director of Studies for Mechanical Engineering. Chair of the Mitigating Circumstances Committee.

November 2012

Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Lecturer

Newcastle University

An academic position with duties in research, teaching and administration. I have taught mechatronics, instrumentation, vibrations, control, LabVIEW and data acquisition. I have supervised dozens of senior and master projects in the fields of mechanical engineering and mechatronics. I have managed a few research grants involving academics, research assistants and students. I have supervised a PhD project to submission and co-supervised some more.

April 2010

Cranfield, UK

Research Fellow

Cranfield University

Research on Energy Harvesting, chiefly for wearable applications. Teaching to post-grad students, PhD and MSc students supervision. Hired for an EPSRC/dstl sponsored project, I am wholly responsible for concept, design, modelling (FE and analytical), prototype commissioning and assembly, and testing of the Pizzicato knee-joint Energy Harvester. I have managed the H-WiSe-MAS project in its initial phase.

September 2009

Cologno Monzese, Italy

Chief Technology Officer

Yottawatt srl

In charge of YottaWatt technical design and project management, specialized in materials technology.

March 2008

Bangkok, Thailand

Web Designer&Developer

freelance

Sale, design and development of dynamic websites (CMPaper, fusem 2009 Intl. Conference [now frozen]) to meet and exceed customer expectations.

January 2005

Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Senior Research Associate

Newcastle University

Concept, design, modelling (analytical and FE) and testing of SiC MEMS for harsh environments. Characterisation of material (3C SiC) at extreme temperatures (>600°C) with custom made test rig. Course material development for MSc course in MEMS sensors.

March 2004

Salaya, Thailand

Adjoint Faculty Member

Mahidol University International College

Invited to teach introductory courses on general physics and on modern physics.

March 2002

Rangsit, Thailand

Lecturer, then Assistant Professor

Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology - Thammasat University

Undergraduate course design and delivery in materials science, mechatronics, physics, measurement and instrumentation, dynamics, industrial instrumentation and control. Co-developer of a new bachelor program in Mechatronics

Selected Publications

Modulation of surface wettability by vibration assisted milling

Surface textures have significant influence on surface wettability. In this paper, a range of fish scales surface textures are produced by using vibration assisted micro milling. The generation principle of the surface textures and their influence on surface wettability are mathematically studied.

Lu Zheng, Wanqun Chen, Michele Pozzi, Xiangyu Teng, Dehong Huo

Precision Engineering, 2019

DOI Open Access

Synchronicity and pure bending of bimorphs: a new approach to piezoelectric energy Harvesting

The increased efficiency coming from the use of trapezoidal beams has been recognised, but little has been done to produce the same uniform strain within the most commonly available rectangular beams. This work proposes a new approach via a compliant rotational structure which permits to deform a set of bimorphs in pure bending. When applied to a harvester with multiple bimorphs, since their deflections are synchronous, the power signals produced are in phase and power conditioning is simplified and made more efficient.

Michele Pozzi

Smart Mater. Struct., 2018

Preprint PDF DOI

Cellular polypropylene electromechanical properties: exploring the nonlinear region

In this study, a Cell-PP sample was tested under static, quasi-static and low-frequency compressive stress. The main aim is to evaluate its mechanical and piezoelectric properties in the nonlinear region of its response over strain.

Pavlos Sgardelis, Michele Pozzi

J Theor Appl Phys, 2018

PDF DOI Open Access

Mechanical properties of a 3C-SiC film between room temperature and 600°C

In this work, cantilevers and bridges in SiC are designed, fabricated and evaluated between room temperature (RT) and 600 °C. The active material is a cubic poly-SiC film deposited on a poly-Si layer which is separated from the Si substrate by a thermal oxide.

M. Pozzi, M. Hassan, A.J. Harris, J.S. Burdess, L. Jiang, K.K. Lee, R. Cheung, G.J. Phelps, N.G. Wright, C.A. Zorman, M. Mehregany

J Phys D, 2007

Preprint PDF DOI