Acoustic field coupling with micro-devices
View Patent ↗The invention provides devices and methods for using acoustics to communicate between a macro-scale transceiver and a micro-device or between multiple micro-devices. The micro-devices may passively scatter sound from a transceiver or actively generate sound. Acoustic waves can also provide power to a micro-device.
1. A meta-device comprising a plurality of micro-devices, said micro-devices comprising an acoustic transceiver, wherein the greater size of said meta-device as compared to any one of said plurality of micro-devices decreases said meta-device's optimal broadcast frequency by at least 25% when within an environment comprising air, biological tissue, industrial effluent or water.
2. The meta-device of claim 1 wherein said micro-devices dock via self-assembly or clamps and are in physical contact.
3. The meta-device of claim 1 wherein said environment is biological tissue.
4. The meta-device of claim 3 wherein one or more of said micro-devices are less than 5 um along their smallest axis.
5. A system for creating an aggregate acoustic field comprising a meta-device comprised of a plurality of micro-devices, said micro-devices comprising an acoustic transceiver and at least one actuatable surface, and computational means to calculate how to achieve said aggregate acoustic field, wherein the greater size of said meta-device as compared to any one of said plurality of micro-devices decreases said meta-device's optimal broadcast frequency by at least 25% when within an environment comprising air, biological tissue, industrial effluent, or water.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein said computational means are external to said meta-device.
7. The system of claim 5 wherein said computational means are internal to said meta-device.
8. The system of claim 5 wherein said calculations use micro-device positions, micro-device transmission frequencies, and environmental attenuation distances to determine the amplitudes and phases of a given micro-device's contribution to said aggregate acoustic field.
9. The system of claim 5 wherein said aggregate acoustic field may be adjusted using scattering or reflection.
10. The system of claim 5 wherein one or more sensors within the sound field provide feedback on field intensity at one or more spatial locations.
11. The system of claim 5 wherein one or more of the frequencies used are at least 25% higher than the most efficient broadcast frequency.
12. The system of claim 5 wherein said environment is biological tissue.