Sensors and actuators for intelligent mechatronic systems

The key aspect of mechatronic products is to add intelligent components and systems which combine an optimum use of multidisciplinary technologies to shorten the development cycle with reduced cost and increased quality. Advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have a profound impact in the field of sensors and actuators for intelligent mechatronic systems. Miniature sensors and actuators are fabricated using technologies from silicon integrated circuit industry. These micromachined sensors and actuators provide several advantages over the conventional counterparts, such as size reduction, new function, integration with control circuitry, cost reduction, and sensor/actuator arrays. MEMS technology has dramatically increased the number of sensors and actuators implemented in mechatronic systems. Nowadays, microsensors and actuators such as silicon pressure sensors, microfabricated print heads, acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, and micromechanical display devices have been used in a lot of mechatronic products. Some examples of micromachined sensors and micromachined actuators are given