BSAC Technology Seminar: Towards Unprecedented Accuracy and Control, Extraordinary Dexterity, and CAD for the Masses

Seminar | October 16 | 12-1 p.m. | Cory Hall, 540 A/B

Speaker: Prof. Jason Clark, Purdue University, Schools of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering (BSAC PhD 2005)

Sponsor: Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center

Some metrology problems include: no two MEMS behave identically; lack of ASTM measurement standards; calibration can be 40% of manufacturing costs; experiment never matches simulation; and MEMS are precise but inaccurate. Some dextrous problems include: 10 microns or degrees is considered large deflection; packaging limits interaction with environment; complex mechanisms; high power; and low fabrication yield. And some CAD problems include: expensive software; expert knowledge; extensive reading and training; tedious design and exploration; qualitative results; not user-friendly; not inspiring; and not fun.

In this overview talk, Prof. Clark presents efforts he’s leading to find practical solutions to the above problems. He discusses innovations that will enable: MEMS to autonomously self-calibrate, e.g., IMUs that don’t require rate tables, absolute temperature sensors, etc.; MEMS with well-controlled resonance frequencies or other desired behaviors; and enable AFM measurements at one lab agree with the AFMs at another. He discusses advances in dexterity that are leading to: a microrobot that can walk in sand, run, directionally jump, or crawl upside-down; solid state 3DOF large-deflection robotic arms for nano-manipulation, nano-lithography, or murky biological environments; micro-structures that can oscillate or statically deflect a millimeter or rotate 360 degrees; and micro-feature muscle for macro-scale robotics. And Prof. Clark discusses advances in Sugar such as: novice-friendly online design and wafer-level layout using SugarCube; CAD for complex-engineered MEMS using PSugar; compact modeling of CNTs for simulating NEMS in SugarCube; a MEMS Invention Machine (MIMs); bridging the gap between simulation and experiment; and design-optimization in the face of process variation.

Event Contact: reception@bsac.eecs.berkeley.edu