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Mass customization: Literature review and research directions

Foot plantar pressure is the pressure field that acts between the foot and the support surface during everyday locomotor activities. Information derived from such pressure measures is important in gait and posture research for diagnosing lower limb problems, footwear design, sport biomechanics, injury prevention and other applications. This paper reviews foot plantar sensors characteristics as reported in the literature in addition to foot plantar pressure measurement systems applied to a variety of research problems. Strengths and limitations of current systems are discussed and a wireless foot plantar pressure system is proposed suitable for measuring high pressure distributions under the foot with high accuracy and reliability. The novel system is based on highly linear pressure sensors with no hysteresis.

Foot plantar pressure measurement system: a review.

INTRODUCTION MEMS and NEMS A Capsule History of MEMS and NEMS Dimensional Analysis and Scaling Exercises A REFRESHER ON CONTINUUM MECHANICS Introduction The Continuum Hypothesis Heat Conduction Elasticity Linear Thermoelasticity Fluid Dynamics Electromagnetism Numerical Methods for Continuum Mechanics SMALL IS DIFFERENT The Backyard Scaling Systems Exercises THERMALLY DRIVEN SYSTEMS Introduction Thermally Driven Devices From PDE to ODE: Lumped Models Joule Heating of a Cylinder Analysis of Thermal Data Storage Exercises MODELING ELASTIC STRUCTURES Introduction Examples of Elastic Structures in MEMS/NEMS The Mass on a Spring Membranes Beams Plates The Capacitive Pressure Sensor Exercises MODELING COUPLED THERMAL-ELASTIC SYSTEMS Introduction Devices and Phenomena in Thermal-Elastic Systems Modeling Thermopneumatic Systems The Thermoelastic Rod Revisited Modeling Thermoelastic V-Beam Actuators Modeling Thermal Bimorph Actuators Modeling Bimetallic Thermal Actuators Exercises MODELING ELECTROSTATIC-ELASTIC SYSTEMS Introduction Devices Using Electrostatic Actuation The Mass-Spring Model Modeling General Electrostatic-Elastic Systems Electrostatic-Elastic Systems - Membrane Theory Electrostatic-Elastic Systems - Beam and Plate Theory Analysis of Capacitive Control Schemes Exercises MODELING MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED SYSTEMS Introduction Magnetically Driven Devices Mass-Spring Models A Simple Membrane Micropump Model A Small-Aspect Ratio Model Exercises MICROFLUIDICS Introduction Microfluidic Devices More Fluidic Scaling Modeling Squeeze Film Damping Exercises BEYOND CONTINUUM THEORY Introduction Limits of Contiuum Mechanics Devices and Systems Beyond Continuum Theory Exercises REFERENCES APPENDICES Mathematical Results Physical Constants INDEX Each chapter also contains Related Reading and Notes sections.

Modeling MEMS and NEMS

The development of a SU-8-based microgripper that can operate in physiological ionic solutions is presented The electrothermally activated polymer gripper consists of two "hot-and-cold-arm" actuators that are fabricated in a two-mask surface micromachining process The high thermal expansion coefficient of SU-8 (52 ppm//spl deg/C) compared to silicon and metals, allows the actuation of the microgripper with small average temperature elevations (10 - 32/spl deg/C) at low voltages (1-2 V) The polymer microgripper can be used for the manipulation of single cells and other biological species in solution with minimal undesired interactions

Electrothermally activated SU-8 microgripper for single cell manipulation in solution

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) reinforced epoxy composite thin films were prepared by a microfabrication process and their elastic modulus was determined using a shaft-loaded blister test and linear and nonlinear elasticity models. Compared to net resin thin films, a 20% increase in elastic modulus was seen when 0.1 wt % MWNTs were added, suggesting MWNT alignment by spin coating. Electron microscopic observations of the fracture surfaces suggested high interfacial shear stress between MWNTs and the epoxy matrix, a result supported by both molecular mechanics simulation and micromechanics calculations.

Mechanical properties and interfacial characteristics of carbon-nanotube-reinforced epoxy thin films

An analytical model that can accurately predict the performance of a polysilicon thermal flexure actuator has been developed. This model is based on an electrothermal analysis of the actuator, incorporating conduction heat transfer. Heat radiation from the hot arm of the actuator to the cold arm is also estimated. Results indicate that heat radiation becomes significant only at high input power, and conduction heat losses to both the substrate and the anchor are mainly responsible for the operating temperature of the actuator under routine operations. Actuator deflection is computed based on elastic analysis of structures. To verify the validity of the model, polysilicon thermal flexure actuators have been fabricated and tested. Experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical predications except at high input power. An actuator with a 240 µm long, 2 µm thick, 3 µm wide hot arm and a 180 µm long, 12 µm wide cold arm deflected up to 12 µm for the actuator tip at an input voltage of 5 V while it could be expected to deflect up to 22 µm when a 210 µm long cold arm is used.

/pdf/analysis-and-design-of-polysilicon-thermal-flexure-actuator-14mweglg1u.pdf

Analysis and design of polysilicon thermal flexure actuator

An electro-thermally and laterally driven microactuator is analytically examined which is based on the asymmetrical thermal expansion of the microstructure with different lengths of two beams. Deflection of the microactuator is modeled by the structural analysis. Analytical results are compared with the finite element model (FEM) results, and show a reasonable agreement. The magnitude of the deflection depends strongly on the geometry of the microactuator. The analytical model allows one to optimize efficiently the laterally driven thermal actuators.

Analytical modeling and optimization for a laterally-driven polysilicon thermal actuator

Efficient sampling for surface measurements

The use of pressure sensors made of conductive polymers is common in biomechanical applications. Unfortunately, hysteresis, nonlinearity, non-repeatability and creep have a significant effect on the pressure readings when such conductive polymers are used. The objective of this paper is to explore the potential of a new flexible encapsulated micro electromechanical system (MEMS) pressure sensor system as an alternative for human interface pressure measurement. A prototype has been designed, fabricated, and characterized. Testing has shown that the proposed packaging approach shows very little degradation in the performance characteristics of the original MEMS pressure sensor. The much-needed characteristics of repeatability, linearity, low hysteresis, temperature independency are preserved. Thus the flexible encapsulated MEMS pressure sensor system is very promising and shows superiority over the commercially available conductive polymer film sensors for pressure measurement in biomechanical applications.

A flexible encapsulated MEMS pressure sensor system for biomechanical applications

Based on the elastic analysis of structures, a simple approach to calculating the driving force for polysilicon laterally driven thermal microactuators is presented by using their deflection. The driving force obtained through the deflection is compared with available results measured by force testers fabricated on the same substrate as the microactuators. Reasonable agreement has been achieved. The approach allows one to predict the driving force for the microactuators as their deflection is designed.

Neville Ka-shek Lee

Papers

Analysis and design of polysilicon thermal flexure actuator

Analytical modeling and optimization for a laterally-driven polysilicon thermal actuator

Efficient sampling for surface measurements

A flexible encapsulated MEMS pressure sensor system for biomechanical applications

A simple approach to characterizing the driving force of polysilicon laterally driven thermal microactuators