Distributed Microsystems Laboratory: Developing Microsystems that Make Sense

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Distributed Microsystems LaboratoryDeveloping
Microsystems that Make Sense
Denise Wilson, Associate Professor Department of
Electrical Engineering University of
Washington Seattle, Washington 98195-2500 Researc
h Assistants (The People who Do Wonderful
Work) Ranajit Banerjee, Brian Ferguson, Lisa
Hansen, Linda Lee, Susan Soggs,
Vaibhav Vaidya July 2006
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Distributed Microsystems LaboratoryDeveloping
Microsystems that Make Sense

• Goals To perform true systems integration for
  existing or incrementally advanced sensor
  technologies in such a way as to meet
  system-level constraints related to
• power consumption
• robustness in real-world environments
• auto-calibration capability
• small size, portable deployment
• self-diagnostic capability
• multi-stimulus detection
• sensitivity limits
• without sacrificing stimulus recognition
  capability

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Distributed Microsystems LaboratorySensing Modes

• Smell
• Smell/Hear
• Taste
• Hear (like a person)
• Hear (like a bat)
• RFID

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Distributed Microsystems LaboratoryFunded
Research Projects (Recent Past and Present)

• Smell National Science Foundation (ECS)
• Portable instrument development for chemical
  sensor arrays
• Sensor technologies chemiresistor and ChemFET
• Signal Processing extensive preprocessing and
  linear array analysis
• Inspiration successful array processing
  systems olfaction (biology)
• Smell/Hear National Science Foundation (ECS)
• Distributed and Integrated Hear/Smell Sensing
  Nodes
• Three chip sensing nodes that employ
• On-chip sound recognition as early warning and
  wake-up signal and
• On-chip smell functionality for three
  representative applications
• Consumer redundant breath alcohol analysis
• Environmental pipeline leak monitoring
• Military ground vehicle identification

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Distributed Microsystems Laboratory Funded
Research Projects (Recent Past and Present)

• Taste collaboration with Arizona State
  University (Booksh, Chemistry) as part of
  National Science Foundation grant
• Liquid-Phase SPR-based Sensing
• Integrated Optical Computation for dual-probe SPR
  instruments
• Sensor technology coated, tapered fiber-optic
  probes with RI measurement
• Sensor technology custom CMOS imagers
• Signal processing auto-compensation of
  reference media by imager
• Taste pH sensing (under NIH Center subgrant)
• Development and Characterization of pH sensors
  within biological range
• Comparison of materials and configurations for
  CMOS-based sensors
• Materials silicon nitride, silicon oxide,
  aluminum oxide
• Configurations ISFET, ChemFET
• Feasibility of low-cost sensors fabricated in
  standard processes

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Distributed Microsystems Laboratory Funded
Research Projects (Recent Past and Present)

• Hear (like a bat) and See Subcontract to USTLAB
  DARPA contract
• Streamlined acoustic and optical, dual-purpose
  signal preprocessing and processing for
  low-power, small-footprint underwater vehicles
• Sensor Technologies
• MEMS-based acoustic transducers/receivers
• CMOS cameras
• RFID WA Tech Center, Internal Research Fund
  (UW)
• Implement Radio Frequency Identification Systems
  in Precision Forestry
• Expand Radio Frequency Identification to sensing
  of forest product parameters
• Diameter
• Moisture
• Defects
• Density