A framework to Calibrate a MEMS Sensor Network

International audienceThe Smart Surface project aims at designing an integrated micro-manipulator based on an array of micromodules connected with a 2D array topology network. Each micromodule comprises a sensor, an actuator and a processing unit. One of the aims of the processing unit is to differentiate the shape of the part that is put on top of the Smart Surface. From a set of shapes this differentiation is done through a distributed algorithm that we call a criterion. The article presents Sensor Network Calibrator (SNC), a calibrator which allows to parametrize the Smart Surface and to determine the necessary number of sensors required by our Smart Surface. The tests will show that SNC is of great importance for choosing the number of sensors, and therefore to determine the size of the sensors grid

Distributed Intelligent MEMS: Progresses and Perspectives

International audienceMEMS research has until recently focused mainly on the engineering process, resulting in interesting products and a growing market. To fully realize the promise of MEMS, the next step is to add embedded intelligence. With embedded intelligence, the scalability of manufacturing will enable distributed MEMS systems consisting of thousands or millions of units which can work together to achieve a common goal. However, before such systems can become a reallity, we must come to grips with the challenge of scalability which will require paradigm-shifts both in hardware and software. Furthermore, the need for coordinated actuation, programming, communication and mobility management raises new challenges in both control and programming. The objective of this article is to report the progresses made by taking the example of two research projects and by giving the remaining challenges and the perspectives of distributed intelligent MEMS

Distributed control architecture for smart surfaces.

International audienceThis paper presents a distributed control architecture to perform part recognition and closed-loop control of a distributed manipulation device. This architecture is based on decentralized cells able to communicate with their four neighbors thanks to peer-to-peer links. Various original algorithms are proposed to reconstruct, recognize and convey the object levitating on a new contactless distributed manipulation device. Experimental results show that each algorithm does a good job for itself and that all the algorithms together succeed in sorting and conveying the objects to their final destination. In the future, this architecture may be used to control MEMS-arrayed manipulation surfaces in order to develop Smart Surfaces, for conveying, fine positioning and sorting of very small parts for micro-systems assembly lines

MEMS Accelerometers

Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices are widely used for inertia, pressure, and ultrasound sensing applications. Research on integrated MEMS technology has undergone extensive development driven by the requirements of a compact footprint, low cost, and increased functionality. Accelerometers are among the most widely used sensors implemented in MEMS technology. MEMS accelerometers are showing a growing presence in almost all industries ranging from automotive to medical. A traditional MEMS accelerometer employs a proof mass suspended to springs, which displaces in response to an external acceleration. A single proof mass can be used for one- or multi-axis sensing. A variety of transduction mechanisms have been used to detect the displacement. They include capacitive, piezoelectric, thermal, tunneling, and optical mechanisms. Capacitive accelerometers are widely used due to their DC measurement interface, thermal stability, reliability, and low cost. However, they are sensitive to electromagnetic field interferences and have poor performance for high-end applications (e.g., precise attitude control for the satellite). Over the past three decades, steady progress has been made in the area of optical accelerometers for high-performance and high-sensitivity applications but several challenges are still to be tackled by researchers and engineers to fully realize opto-mechanical accelerometers, such as chip-scale integration, scaling, low bandwidth, etc

Methods and Sensors for Slip Detection in Robotics: A Survey

The perception of slip is one of the distinctive abilities of human tactile sensing. The sense of touch allows recognizing a wide set of properties of a grasped object, such as shape, weight and dimension. Based on such properties, the applied force can be accordingly regulated avoiding slip of the grasped object. Despite the great importance of tactile sensing for humans, mechatronic hands (robotic manipulators, prosthetic hands etc.) are rarely endowed with tactile feedback. The necessity to grasp objects relying on robust slip prevention algorithms is not yet corresponded in existing artificial manipulators, which are relegated to structured environments then. Numerous approaches regarding the problem of slip detection and correction have been developed especially in the last decade, resorting to a number of sensor typologies. However, no impact on the industrial market has been achieved. This paper reviews the sensors and methods so far proposed for slip prevention in artificial tactile perception, starting from more classical techniques until the latest solutions tested on robotic systems. The strengths and weaknesses of each described technique are discussed, also in relation to the sensing technologies employed. The result is a summary exploring the whole state of art and providing a perspective towards the future research directions in the sector

Aerial Vehicles

This book contains 35 chapters written by experts in developing techniques for making aerial vehicles more intelligent, more reliable, more flexible in use, and safer in operation.It will also serve as an inspiration for further improvement of the design and application of aeral vehicles. The advanced techniques and research described here may also be applicable to other high-tech areas such as robotics, avionics, vetronics, and space

Selected Papers from the 5th International Electronic Conference on Sensors and Applications

This Special Issue comprises selected papers from the proceedings of the 5th International Electronic Conference on Sensors and Applications, held on 15–30 November 2018, on sciforum.net, an online platform for hosting scholarly e-conferences and discussion groups. In this 5th edition of the electronic conference, contributors were invited to provide papers and presentations from the field of sensors and applications at large, resulting in a wide variety of excellent submissions and topic areas. Papers which attracted the most interest on the web or that provided a particularly innovative contribution were selected for publication in this collection. These peer-reviewed papers are published with the aim of rapid and wide dissemination of research results, developments, and applications. We hope this conference series will grow rapidly in the future and become recognized as a new way and venue by which to (electronically) present new developments related to the field of sensors and their applications

Modelado de sensores piezoresistivos y uso de una interfaz basada en guantes de datos para el control de impedancia de manipuladores robóticos

Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Departamento de Arquitectura de Computadores y Automática, leída el 21-02-2014Sección Deptal. de Arquitectura de Computadores y Automática (Físicas)Fac. de Ciencias FísicasTRUEunpu