SBIR Phase I: Development of a Self-Sensing Piezoelectric Actuator

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发一种自感知压电致动器。 压电致动器将同时作为将向致动器提供信息的传感器和其自身的致动器起作用。不需要单独的传感器。 自感知压电致动器使用非传统的阻抗方法进行动态（AC）和静态（DC）力测量。通过使用压电材料，负载传感器将具有比传统应变片传感器更宽的动态范围。与晶体谐振器压力传感器相比，结构和电子电路的简单性使得这种设计成本低廉，并且在传感和控制行业的广泛应用中是可行的。在第一阶段，将开发一个原型前的自感测和致动单元，用于概念验证。 在此阶段将进行各种有针对性的测试，以测试和检查创新的准确性和局限性。商业应用包括机器部件;智能结构，智能自动机器部件，包括轴承和密封件，高精度定位装置，先进的电子消费品，玩具。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a self-sensing piezoelectric actuator. The piezoelectric actuator will act at the same time as the sensor that will provide information to the actuators and as its own actuator. No separate sensor is needed. The self-sensing piezoelectric actuator uses an unconventional impedance approach for both dynamic (AC) and static (DC) force measurements By using piezoelectric materials, the load sensor will have a much wider dynamic range than those of conventional strain gage sensor. The simplicity in structure and electronic circuitry have made this design inexpensive, when compared to crystal resonator pressure sensors, and feasible for a wide range of applications in both sensing and control industries. During Phase I, a pre-prototype self-sensing and actuating unit will be developed for the proof of concept. A variety of targeted tests will be carried out in this phase to test and examine the accuracy and limitations of the innovation. Commercial applications include machine components; intelligent structures, intelligent self-acting machine components including bearings and seals, high-precision positioning devices, advanced electronic consumers goods, toys.