SBIR Phase I: Microelectromechanical Sensor for Touch Surfaces

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目寻求为触摸应用开发一种力敏感解决方案，该解决方案将克服当前现有技术的技术缺陷。该设计利用了微电子机械系统(MEMS)的灵敏度、尺寸和成本优势，采用了一种新的配置，以防止传感器在大作用力时过载。该解决方案将实现真正的力敏感触摸，成本低，灵敏度高。它可以操作任何物体，包括指甲、手套和触针，同时不受阻碍当前电容式技术的环境因素的影响，如污垢和潮湿。该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力与广泛的应用相关，包括用于消费电子产品的力敏感按钮、汽车控制以及用于固定和移动设备的力敏感显示器。二十年前，触摸技术主要出现在自动取款机和销售点系统中。最近，这项技术转移到了其他电子行业垂直市场，包括最大的、当然也是增长最快的垂直市场之一？智能手机和平板电脑。消费者需求正在推动各个垂直领域的应用程序爆炸式增长。对低成本、低功耗、功能更丰富的触摸解决方案的需求不断增加。此外，人们还在不断追求新的用户体验优势，如力量敏感性，但目前市场上还没有可行的解决方案。这种技术将有望从所有这些相关垂直市场的现有技术中夺取相当大的市场份额。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to develop a force sensitive solution for touch applications that will overcome the technical shortcomings of currently available technologies. The design utilizes the sensitivity, size, and cost advantages of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) in a novel configuration to prevent overloading of the sensor for large applied forces. The solution will enable truly force sensitive touch that is low cost and highly sensitive. It will be operable with any object, including fingernails, gloves, and styluses, while not being susceptible to environmental factors that hinder current capacitive technologies, such as dirt and moisture.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is pertinent to a wide array of applications, including force sensitive buttons for consumer electronics, automotive controls, and force sensitive displays for fixed and mobile devices. Two decades ago, touch technology was primarily found within ATMs and point-of-sale systems. More recently, the technology migrated to other electronic industry verticals, including one of the largest and certainly the fastest growing ? smartphones and tablet PCs. Consumer demand is driving an explosion of applications in every vertical. There is increasing demand for low cost, low power, more feature rich touch solutions. In addition, new user experience benefits such as force sensitivity are constantly being pursued, yet there is no viable solution yet on the market. Such a technology would be poised to capture significant market share from existing technologies in all of these relevant verticals.