Since I’m studying Microsystems Engineering, I would like to write my first article about MEMS, which is a hot and developing topic.
First of all we have to give a brief description about what MEMS is. According to the memsnet.org: “Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is the integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common silicon substrate through micro-fabrication technology. Microelectronic integrated circuits can be thought of as the “brains” of a system and MEMS augments this decision-making capability with “eyes” and “arms”, to allow Microsystems to sense and control the environment. Sensors gather information from the environment through measuring mechanical, thermal, biological, chemical, optical, and magnetic phenomena. The electronics then process the information derived from the sensors and through some decision making capability direct the actuators to respond by moving, positioning, regulating, pumping, and filtering, thereby controlling the environment for some desired outcome or purpose.”[1]
Even we are not aware, everyday we are using some kinds of MEMS sensors. By taking a picture with your digital camera (Image stabilizer), or playing games in portable devices (Wii), or in your laptops (protection of hard disk against free fall), or in your car (active safety systems, navigation, Antitheft…). As I said before: Even we are not aware of them, they are there for our safety and comfort. Some more applications can be found here. [2]
Since the topic is very wide and it is impossible examine every MEMS related topic, I decided to choose one of them and I will try to solve a real-world problem with one of this MEMS based sensors.
My aim is to build an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) using MEMS accelerometer. Every week I will explain one small part of the problem.
[1]http://www.memsnet.org/mems/what-is.html 20.09.07 [2]http://www.st.com/stonline/products/technologies/mems/appli_table.htm 20.09.07