Where are the targets of opportunity for "small" machines?
actuation?
- what do you control?
- object position
- fluid flow
sensing?
- velocity, acceleration, temperature, pressure, distance are main "mechanical state variables"
- mechanical part of most MEM sensors produce displacement in response to the environmental stimulus
- how do you sense the mechanical movement?
- electrical: resistance, capacitance, inductance
- optical:
- interference, reflectance, transmittance