Nonlinear micro-electro-mechanical sensors and actuators

该研究计划的重点是开发用于能量收集，传感和驱动的微机电系统（MEMS）。MEMS提供了一种成熟且具有成本效益的制造技术，具有创新微型机器的潜力，可以超越其宏观等效物并执行新功能。我们的目标是通过实现三个目标将这种潜力变为现实。 1)实现创新的微型发电机（MPG），以满足移动的电力需求：（a）我们将建立在我们展示的宽带电磁MPGS设计和实现静电版本。(b)我们将展示和优化低频MPG，这些MPG可以在10Hz以下的频率下有效地收集电能。我们将使用由线性导轨而不是弹簧制成的悬挂系统。(c)我们将分析、设计和演示低功耗整流电路。 2)实现二元质量传感器的静态和动态版本：该传感器不寻求量化添加的质量的量，而是检测添加的质量是大于还是小于阈值（安全）量。输出将是二进制0或1检测信号。 3)演示了一个稳定的可部署的静电致动器的电容间隙的90%的范围：我们已经实现了一个版本的致动器，使用振动计作为传感器。我们寻求开发一个单芯片版本的微致动器的运动检测通过板上的压敏电阻和控制通过onbaord闭环电路。 宽带MPG提供了一个更好的匹配，以正常的不可预测的环境，从而收获更多的电能，比商业部署的MPG。低频MPG可以收集电力 低于10Hz。这是在家庭和办公室等环境中可用的唯一形式的振动能量。廉价和小型微质量传感器将使我们能够开发惯性气体和生物传感器，以检测污染气体，如CO，SOx和NOx，以及生物有机体，如大肠杆菌。

This research program is focused on the development of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for energy harvesting, sensing, and actuation. MEMS offer a mature and cost-effective fabrication technology with the potential to innovate micro-machines that can outperform their macro equivalents and perform new functions. Our goal is to turn this potential into reality by meeting a set of three goals. 1) Realizing innovative micro-power generators (MPG) to meet mobile power needs: (a) We will build on our demonstrated wideband electromagnetic MPGS to design and realize an electrostatic version. (b) We will demonstrate and optimize low-frequency MPGs that can harvest electric energy efficiently at frequencies below 10Hz. We will use a suspension systems made from linear guides rather than springs. (c) We will analyze, design, and demonstrate low-power rectification circuits. 2) Realizing static and a dynamic versions of a binary mass sensor: This sensor does not seek to quantify the amount of added mass, rather it detects whether the added mass is larger or smaller than a threshold (safe) amount. The output will be a binary, 0 or 1, detection signal. 3) Demonstrating a stable deployable electrostatic actuator with a range of 90% of the capacitive gap: We have realized a version of the actuator that uses a vibrometer as a sensor. We seek to develop a single-chip version where the motions of the micro-actuator are detected via on board piezo-resistor and controlled via onbaord close loop circuits. Wideband MPGs offer a better match to the normally unpredictable environments, and thereby harvest more electric energy, than commercially deployed MPGs. Low-frequency MPGs can harvest power efficiently below 10Hz. This is the only form vibration energy available in environments such as homes and offices. Cheap and small micro-mass sensors will allow us to develop inertial gas and biological sensors to detect polluting gases, such as CO, SOx, and NOx, and biological organisms, such as the E Coli bacterium.