Living organisms use composite materials for various functions, such as mechanical support, protection, motility and the sensing of signals. Although the individual components of these materials may have poor mechanical qualities, they form composites of polymers and minerals with a remarkable variety of functional properties. Researchers are now using these natural systems as models for artificial mechanosensors and actuators, through studying both natural structures and their interactions with the environment. In addition to inspiring the design of new materials, analysis of natural structures on this basis can provide insight into evolutionary constraints on structure-function relationships in living organisms and the variety of structural solutions that emerged from these constraints.

Biomaterial systems for mechanosensing and actuation

Microfabrication has greatly matured and proliferated in use amongst many disciplines. There has been great interest in micromachined flow sensors due to the benefits of miniaturization: low cost, small device footprint, low power consumption, greater sensitivity, integration with on-chip circuitry, etc. This paper reviews the theory of thermal flow sensing and the different configurations and operation modes available. Material properties relevant to micromachined thermal flow sensing and selection criteria are also presented. Finally, recent applications of micromachined thermal flow sensors are presented. Detailed tables of the reviewed devices are included.

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Micromachined Thermal Flow Sensors—A Review

A wide range of microelectromechanical systems (MEMSs) and devices are actuated using electrostatic forces. Multiphysics modeling is required, since coupling among different fields such as solid and fluid mechanics, thermomechanics and electromagnetism is involved. This work presents an overview of models for electrostatically actuated MEMSs. Three-dimensional nonlinear formulations for the coupled electromechanical fluid–structure interaction problem are outlined. Simplified reduced-order models are illustrated along with assumptions that define their range of applicability. Theoretical, numerical and experimental works are classified according to the mechanical model used in the analysis.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0964-1726/16/6/R01/pdf

Review of modeling electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical systems

Underwater flow sensing is important for many robotics and military applications, including underwater robots and vessels. We report the development of micromachined, distributed flow sensors based on a biological inspiration, the fish lateral line sensors. Design and fabrication processes for realizing individual lateral line sensor nodes are discussed in this paper, along with preliminary characterization results.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0960-1317/12/5/322/pdf

Design and fabrication of artificial lateral line flow sensors

We report the development of an artificial hair cell (AHC) sensor with design inspired by biological hair cells. The sensor consists of a silicon cantilever beam with a high-aspect-ratio cilium attached at the distal end. Sensing is based on silicon piezoresistive strain gauge at the base of the cantilever. The cilium is made of photodefinable SU-8 epoxy and can be up to 700-mum tall. In this paper, we focus on flow-sensing applications. We have characterized the performance of the AHC sensor both in water and in air. For underwater applications, we have characterized the sensor under two flow conditions: steady-state laminar flow (dc flow) and oscillatory flow (ac flow). The detection limit of the sensor under ac flow in water is experimentally established to be below 1 mm/s. A best case angular resolution of 2.16deg is also achieved for the sensor's yaw response in air.

Design and Characterization of Artificial Haircell Sensor for Flow Sensing With Ultrahigh Velocity and Angular Sensitivity

This paper presents the modelling, design, fabrication and characterization of flow sensors based on the wind-receptor hairs of crickets. Cricket sensory hairs are highly sensitive to drag-forces exerted on the hair shaft. Artificial sensory hairs have been realized in SU-8 on suspended SixNy membranes. The movement of the membranes is detected capacitively. Capacitance versus voltage, frequency dependence and directional sensitivity measurements have been successfully carried out on fabricated sensor arrays, showing the viability of the concept.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0960-1317/15/7/019/pdf

Artificial sensory hairs based on the flow sensitive receptor hairs of crickets

In this paper thermal sensor-actuator structures are proposed that can be used to measure various fluid parameters such as thermal conductivity, flow velocity, heat capacity, kinematic viscosity and pressure. All structures are designed in such a way that they can be realized in the same fabrication process and therefore they can be easily combined in a single device. All structures are based on the principle of thermal measurements: resistive structures are used for both heating and temperature measurements. For accurate measurements the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) must be well known. Therefore, a special structure, which can be used for auto-calibration, was designed to measure the TCR. A first device containing structures for the combined measurement of flow velocity, thermal conductivity and TCR has been fabricated. Measurements show promising results.

Micromachined structures for thermal measurements of fluid and flow parameters

This paper presents the fabrication of flow-sensors based on the drag-force induced motion of artificial hairs connected to capacitive read-out. Artificial hairs were made either out of moulded silicon-nitride structures or by SU-8. The SU-8 hairs were suspended on membranes containing electrodes to form the variable capacitors. Silicon-rich-nitride hairs were made using a silicon wafer as a dissolvable mould. The longest SU-8 hairs were fabricated using a 470 /spl mu/m thick photoresist layer. Capacitance versus voltage, frequency dependency and directional sensitivity measurements have been carried out on entire arrays and are reported in this paper.

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Arrays of cricket-inspired sensory hairs with capacitive motion detection

We present monolithically integrated high-density arrays of artificial hairs for flow pattern measurements based on drag force. A combined bulk/surface micromachining process has been developed to integrate the artificial hairs with capacitive read-out. First fabrication results show the possibility to fabricate out-of-plane hairs without reverting to micro-assembly technologies. This enables realisation of high-density arrays of symmetrical sensors with two-dimensional sensitivity.

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Fabrication of arrays of artificial hairs for complex flow pattern recognition

In this paper we present a novel `spirit level' sensor derived from a well known thermal flow sensor. The operation principle is based on the temperature difference of two identical heaters, caused by buoyancy of air. Heating as well as temperature sensing of the structures is carried out using temperature-dependent platinum resistors. Due to its simplicity the sensor is easily fabricated in silicon micro-machining technology. The theory describing the sensor is presented. The first experiments, using dc signals only, show adequate sensitivity, although high-accuracy operation is hampered by thermal drift.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0960-1317/10/2/324/pdf

J.J.J. van Baar

Papers

Artificial sensory hairs based on the flow sensitive receptor hairs of crickets

Micromachined structures for thermal measurements of fluid and flow parameters

Arrays of cricket-inspired sensory hairs with capacitive motion detection

Fabrication of arrays of artificial hairs for complex flow pattern recognition

Application of a microflown as a low-cost level sensor