scholarly journals Review of Electrothermal Actuators and Applications

Actuators ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Potekhina ◽  
Wang

This paper presents a review of electrothermal micro-actuators and applications. Electrothermal micro-actuators have been a significant research interest over the last two decades, and many different designs and applications have been investigated. The electrothermal actuation method offers several advantages when compared with the other types of actuation approaches based on electrostatic and piezoelectric principles. The electrothermal method offers flexibility in the choice of materials, low-cost fabrication, and large displacement capabilities. The three main configurations of electrothermal actuators are discussed: hot-and-cold-arm, chevron, and bimorph types as well as a few other unconventional actuation approaches. Within each type, trends are outlined from the basic concept and design modifications to applications which have been investigated in order to enhance the performance or to overcome the limitations of the previous designs. It provides a grasp of the actuation methodology, design, and fabrication, and the related performance and applications in cell manipulation, micro assembly, and mechanical testing of nanomaterials, Radio Frequency (RF) switches, and optical Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS).

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 990
Author(s):  
Zeynep Çağlayan ◽  
Yağmur Demircan Yalçın ◽  
Haluk Külah

BioMEMS, the biological and biomedical applications of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), has attracted considerable attention in recent years and has found widespread applications in disease detection, advanced diagnosis, therapy, drug delivery, implantable devices, and tissue engineering. One of the most essential and leading goals of the BioMEMS and biosensor technologies is to develop point-of-care (POC) testing systems to perform rapid prognostic or diagnostic tests at a patient site with high accuracy. Manipulation of particles in the analyte of interest is a vital task for POC and biosensor platforms. Dielectrophoresis (DEP), the induced movement of particles in a non-uniform electrical field due to polarization effects, is an accurate, fast, low-cost, and marker-free manipulation technique. It has been indicated as a promising method to characterize, isolate, transport, and trap various particles. The aim of this review is to provide fundamental theory and principles of DEP technique, to explain its importance for the BioMEMS and biosensor fields with detailed references to readers, and to identify and exemplify the application areas in biosensors and POC devices. Finally, the challenges faced in DEP-based systems and the future prospects are discussed.


Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 517
Author(s):  
Seong-heum Kim ◽  
Youngbae Hwang

Owing to recent advancements in deep learning methods and relevant databases, it is becoming increasingly easier to recognize 3D objects using only RGB images from single viewpoints. This study investigates the major breakthroughs and current progress in deep learning-based monocular 3D object detection. For relatively low-cost data acquisition systems without depth sensors or cameras at multiple viewpoints, we first consider existing databases with 2D RGB photos and their relevant attributes. Based on this simple sensor modality for practical applications, deep learning-based monocular 3D object detection methods that overcome significant research challenges are categorized and summarized. We present the key concepts and detailed descriptions of representative single-stage and multiple-stage detection solutions. In addition, we discuss the effectiveness of the detection models on their baseline benchmarks. Finally, we explore several directions for future research on monocular 3D object detection.


Sensor Review ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengbo Sang ◽  
Ruiyong Zhai ◽  
Wendong Zhang ◽  
Qirui Sun ◽  
Zhaoying Zhou

Purpose – This study aims to design a new low-cost localization platform for estimating the location and orientation of a pedestrian in a building. The micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensor error compensation and the algorithm were improved to realize the localization and altitude accuracy. Design/methodology/approach – The platform hardware was designed with common low-performance and inexpensive MEMS sensors, and with a barometric altimeter employed to augment altitude measurement. The inertial navigation system (INS) – extended Kalman filter (EKF) – zero-velocity updating (ZUPT) (INS-EKF-ZUPT [IEZ])-extended methods and pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) (IEZ + PDR) algorithm were modified and improved with altitude determined by acceleration integration height and pressure altitude. The “AND” logic with acceleration and angular rate data were presented to update the stance phases. Findings – The new platform was tested in real three-dimensional (3D) in-building scenarios, achieved with position errors below 0.5 m for 50-m-long route in corridor and below 0.1 m on stairs. The algorithm is robust enough for both the walking motion and the fast dynamic motion. Originality/value – The paper presents a new self-developed, integrated platform. The IEZ-extended methods, the modified PDR (IEZ + PDR) algorithm and “AND” logic with acceleration and angular rate data can improve the high localization and altitude accuracy. It is a great support for the increasing 3D location demand in indoor cases for universal application with ordinary sensors.


2014 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 629-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatjana Djakov ◽  
Ivanka Popovic ◽  
Ljubinka Rajakovic

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) are miniturized devices that can sense the environment, process and analyze information, and respond with a variety of mechanical and electrical actuators. MEMS consists of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, electrical and electronics devices on a common silicon substrate. Micro-electro-mechanical systems are becoming a vital technology for modern society. Some of the advantages of MEMS devices are: very small size, very low power consumption, low cost, easy to integrate into systems or modify, small thermal constant, high resistance to vibration, shock and radiation, batch fabricated in large arrays, improved thermal expansion tolerance. MEMS technology is increasingly penetrating into our lives and improving quality of life, similar to what we experienced in the microelectronics revolution. Commercial opportunities for MEMS are rapidly growing in broad application areas, including biomedical, telecommunication, security, entertainment, aerospace, and more in both the consumer and industrial sectors on a global scale. As a breakthrough technology, MEMS is building synergy between previously unrelated fields such as biology and microelectronics. Many new MEMS and nanotechnology applications will emerge, expanding beyond that which is currently identified or known. MEMS are definitely technology for 21st century.


2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parag Narkhede ◽  
Alex Noel Joseph Raj ◽  
Vipan Kumar ◽  
Vinod Karar ◽  
Shashi Poddar

Attitude estimation is one of the core fundamentals for navigation of unmanned vehicles and other robotic systems. With the advent of low cost and low accuracy micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based inertial sensors, these devices are used ubiquitously for all such commercial grade systems that need motion information. However, these sensors suffer from time-varying bias and noise parameters, which need to be compensated during system state estimation. Complementary filtering is one of such techniques that is used here for estimating attitude of a moving vehicle. However, the complementary filter structure is dependent on user fed gain parameters, KP and KI and needs a mechanism by which they can be obtained automatically. In this paper, an attempt has been made towards addressing this issue by applying least square estimation technique on the error obtained between estimated and measured attitude angles. The proposed algorithm simplifies the design of nonlinear complementary filter by computing the filter gains automatically. The experimental investigation has been carried out over several datasets, confirming the advantage of obtaining gain parameters automatically for the complementary filtering structure.


Author(s):  
Kanthamani Sundharajan

Micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology has facilitated the need for innovative approaches in the design and development of miniaturized, effective, low-cost radio frequency (RF) microwave circuits and systems. This technology is expected to have significant role in today's 5G applications for the development of reconfigurable architectures. This chapter presents an overview of the evolution of MEMS-based subsystems and devices, especially switches and phased array antennas. This chapter also discusses the key issues in design and analysis of RF MEMS-based devices, particularly with primary emphasis on RF MEMS switches and antennas.


Author(s):  
Anis Nurashikin Nordin

Today’s high-tech consumer market demand complex, portable personal wireless consumer devices that are low-cost and have small sizes. Creative methods of combining mature integrated circuit (IC) fabrication techniques with innovative radio-frequency micro-electro-mechanical systems (RF-MEMS) devices has given birth to wireless transceiver components, which operate at higher frequencies but are manufactured at the low-cost of standard ICs. Oscillators, RF bandpass filters, and low noise amplifiers are the most critical and important modules of any wireless transceiver. Their individual characteristics determine the overall performance of a transceiver. This chapter illustrates RF-oscillators that utilize MEMS devices such as resonators, varactors, and inductors for frequency generation. Emphasis will be given on state of the art RF-MEMS components such as film bulk acoustic wave, surface acoustic wave, flexural mode resonators, lateral and vertical varactors, and solenoid and planar inductors. The advantages and disadvantages of each device structure are described, with reference to the most recent work published in the field.


1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dae-Eun Kim ◽  
Jae-Joon Yi

In this paper a novel and economical method of generating three-dimensional micro-patterns on single crystal silicon without the need for a mask is presented. The technique is based on the fundamental understanding of frictional interaction at light loads. Micro-patterning is done through a two-step process that comprises mechanical scribing and chemical etching. The basic idea is to induce micro-plastic deformation along a prescribed track through frictional interaction between the tool and the workpiece. Then, by exposing the surface to a chemical under controlled conditions, preferential chemical reaction is induced along the track to form hillocks about 5 μm wide and 1 μm high. This method of micro-machining may be used for making patterns in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) at low cost. Furthermore, this process demonstrates how microtribological processes can be utilized in the fabrication of micro-structures.


2007 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoji Niu ◽  
Sameh Nasser ◽  
Chris Goodall ◽  
Naser El-Sheimy

Recent navigation systems integrating GPS with Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Inertial Measuring Units (IMUs) have shown promising results for several applications based on low-cost devices such as vehicular and personal navigation. However, as a trend in the navigation market, some applications require further reductions in size and cost. To meet such requirements, a MEMS full IMU configuration (three gyros and three accelerometers) may be simplified. In this context, different partial IMU configurations such as one gyro plus three accelerometers or one gyro plus two accelerometers could be investigated. The main challenge in this case is to develop a specific navigation algorithm for each configuration since this is a time-consuming and costly task. In this paper, a universal approach for processing any MEMS sensor configuration for land vehicular navigation is introduced. The proposed method is based on the assumption that the omitted sensors provide relatively less navigation information and hence, their output can be replaced by pseudo constant signals plus noise. Using standard IMU/GPS navigation algorithms, signals from existing sensors and pseudo signals for the omitted sensors are processed as a full IMU. The proposed approach is tested using land-vehicle MEMS/GPS data and implemented with different sensor configurations. Compared to the full IMU case, the results indicate the differences are within the expected levels and that the accuracy obtained meets the requirements of several land-vehicle applications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 894 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Khanh Duong Quang ◽  
Huong Vuong Thi ◽  
Anh Luu Van

Multi-axial mechanical systems commonly encounter the problem of vibration while attempting to drive machining systems at high speed. Many effective methods based on feed-forward and feedback control have been proposed and applied for vibration reduction. In order to design controllers all methods require the exact knowledge of system parameters: vibration frequency and damping ratio. In recent years, low-cost Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometers have been used for many applications in industry. This paper presents the advantage of low cost MEMS accelerometer to identify vibration parameters of mechanical systems in comparison to conventional expensive devices.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document