Mechanical oscillations; Transporting with vibrations; Piezoelectric/magnetostrictive effects; Actuators in Mechatronics; Definition and history of piezoelectric (ultrasonic) actuators and motors; Sources of information.

Rigid and flexible piezoactive materials; Piezoelectric/magnetostrictive transducers; generating two (elliptical) and three component oscillations; Travelling wave transducers; Amplification of the amplitudes; Waveguides.

Classification; Introducing the non-linearity in contact zone; Systems with oblique impacts, Contact asymmetry, travelling waves, one-component asymmetrical cycles of oscillation; Actuators with direct impacts; The case of free rotor.

The concept of active kinematic pair; Two levels of DOF; Systems with 2, 3, 4 and 5 DOF; The case of 6 DOF; Flexible kinematic pairs; Mutual influence of co-ordinates.

Friction control in active kinematic pairs; Schematics with 1...5 DOF; "Trunk" manipulators with 6 DOF exciters; Matrix actuators; Adaptive balancing and the reduction of the noise influence.

Characteristics in continuous and step motion; Measuring the amplitudes of multi-component oscillations.

Theoretical modelling (PiezoCad); Generator and control systems; Two modes of operation - quasi-static displacements and transformation of oscillations; Design problems - increased wear, uniformity of the contact zone, fixing the transducer (node selection), sub- and superharmonics, low energy transformation, motion synchronisation, sensorization; Multi-functionality.

Demonstration of 20 case studies, 12 physical models and 6 practical works

Positioning systems and devices; Scanning devices; Robots and robots' components (eyes, grips, skin, etc.); Generating low frequency oscillations; Piezoelectric pumps; Active bearings, supports and slides; Motion transmission into vacuum; Centring devices, SmartRod, Matrix drives.

"Piezomechanics" as a sub-system of "Mechatronics"; Adaptive Mechanics; Composite transducers; "Piezodope"; Optically controlled actuators; Piezoactivity of non-traditional materials; Piezoactive fibers and cables.

A week long course has been presented to post-graduate students of Aalborg University, Denmark in October, 1997.