Mems Airfoil With Integrated Inchworm Motor and Force Sensor

Abstract

We demonstrate a MEMS-actuated aerodynamic control surface integrated with a piezoresistive force-sensing platform and fabricated in a simple 3-mask silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process. This 47-mg actuator/sensor system generates 0.25 mN of aerodynamic lift force in 23 m/s airflow while operating at 40V, with a rotational displacement of 11 degrees, and a slew rate of 100 degrees/s. This is the first use of an electrostatic inchworm motor to actuate an aerodynamic control surface and generate lift.