Event
IEEE Sensors Seminar: Gabriel Smith, ARL, "Thin Film PZT Pieso MEMS for Micro Robots"
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
12:00 p.m.
Arlington, VA (see below)
Jurgen Daniel
408-515-0045
jhdaniel@ieee.org
IEEE Washington/NoVa Sensors Council Chapter Seminar
Thin Film PZT Piezo MEMS for Micro-Robotic Angular Rate Sensing and Rotary Actuation
Ballston Conference Center
3811 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 600, R#602
Arlington, VA 22203
Gabriel L. Smith
US Army Research Laboratory
Abstract
This talk will focus on advancements in integrated PZT MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) based angular rate sensors and ultrasonic travelling wave motors for use in mm-scale robotic applications. Ongoing research at the Army Research Laboratory in radio frequency (RF) devices and mm-scale robotics has lead to progress in Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) actuation and sensing performance. High displacement unimorph actuators have demonstrated two axis resonant kinematics of drosophila (fruit fly) wings. Robotics, at this scale, creates a need for integrated PZT-based rate sensors for stable flight. Dipterian insects use two club like vibrating structures (haltere) to measure three-axis angular rate. A unique ARL process and sensor design integrates PZT and high aspect ratio copper structures making a haltere that can drive and sense in two orthogonal directions. This bio-inspired approach has potential to yield three axis sensor elements at 3 orders of magnitude less in volume than the packaged state of the art rate gyros. Piezoelectric travelling wave ultrasonic motors (TWUM) offer the advantages including low profile, high torque/volume ratios, and high efficiency. TWUM have been commercialized at the cm and larger scale, but wafer level batch fabricated mm-scale and smaller motors have been elusive due to tolerance limits affecting travelling waves. ARL has modelled, fabricated, and demonstrated controllable travelling waves and reversible 0-2300 RPM motor operation on a 3 mm rotor with a 2mm stator. The PiezoMEMS TWUM approach will enable integration of arrays of TWUMs at the wafer level to commercial, defense, and medical applications including mm-scale robotic platforms for locomotion, servos for control of larger robots, and sensor orientation.
