Sensor chip and apparatus for tactile and/or flow sensing
View Patent ↗A sensor chip, comprising a flexible, polymer-based substrate, and at least one microfabricated sensor disposed on the substrate and including a conductive element. The at least one sensor comprises at least one of a tactile sensor and a flow sensor. Other embodiments of the present invention include sensors and/or multi-modal sensor nodes.
1. A sensor chip comprising:
a flexible, polymer-based substrate;
at least one microfabricated sensor disposed on said substrate and including a conductive element, said at least one sensor comprising at least one of a tactile sensor and a flow sensor;
a processor coupled to said at least one sensor for processing signals from said at least one sensor;
wherein said processor is silicon based, and is embedded on a back surface of said substrate.
2. A sensor chip comprising:
a flexible, polymer-based substrate;
at least one microfabricated sensor disposed on said substrate and including a conductive element, said at least one sensor comprising at least one of a tactile sensor and a flow sensor;
a processor coupled to said at least one sensor for processing signals from said at least one sensor;
wherein said processor comprises a silicon die having a thickness equal to or lower than 50 μm, wherein said silicon die is flexible.
3. The sensor chip of claim 2 wherein said silicon die is embedded on a front side of said substrate.
4. A microfabricated hardness sensor comprising:
a first contact area disposed on a flexible membrane;
a strain gauge for measuring a response of the first contact area to an applied force from a contact object;
a second contact area disposed on a substrate, wherein said second contact area is less flexible than said first contact area on the flexible membrane;
another strain gauge for measuring a response of the second contact area to the applied force from the contact object.
5. The microfabricated hardness sensor of claim 4 wherein the flexible membrane and the substrate on which the second contact area is disposed are polymer-based, and wherein the flexible membrane is formed by removing material from the polymer-based substrate.
6. A microfabricated contact force sensor comprising:
a polymer-based flexible membrane having a plurality of flex channels formed on a back side therein;
a plurality of strain gauges, each of said strain gauges formed on a front side of said membrane and over one of the flex channels, each of said strain gauges comprising a conductive material for measuring a response of the flexible membrane to an applied force from a contact object.
7. A microfabricated artificial haircell comprising:
a cilium raised from a substrate, the cilium being capable of deflection with respect to said substrate;
a strain gauge disposed on said cilium, which stretches or compresses in response to an external force acting on said cilium.
8. The haircell of claim 7 wherein said strain gauge is disposed on a base of said cilium, which is rigidly connected to said substrate via a support.
9. The haircell of claim 7 wherein said substrate is a polymer-based substrate.
10. The haircell of claim 7 wherein said cilium comprises polyimide.
11. The haircell of claim 7 wherein said cilium is coupled to said substrate via a conductive hinge.
12. The haircell of claim 11 wherein said conductive hinge is electroplated.
13. The haircell claim 7 wherein said cilium is plated with permalloy.
14. A microfabricated pressure and shear sress sensor comprising:
a membrane diaphragm;
at least one thin-film conductive lead disposed on said membrane diaphragm, said conductive lead comprising a piezoresistor.