Micro-Machined Silicon Sensors for Low Cost Robots Applications

Smart robots not only require significant computer processing power, but as importantly, they require input from the both internal mechanisms within the robot as well as external inputs from the surrounding environment.  These sensors enable robots to obtain a sense of touch, feel, hearing, vision and yes even a sense of taste and smell.  While such sensors have existed, they were large, expensive and totally inappropriate for robotic applications. Silicon IC manufacturers have joined with mechanical engineers to design electro-mechanical devices using silicon as both the mechanical material as well as the electronics to literally place computers onto wheels, levers and gears. This has lead to a profusion of very low cost, high performance, sensors with the form factor to fit robotic applications.  This talk will review the brief history of this field and give examples of many applications as well as show future work being done using these devices to program and control living insects and use them as robotic devices.

Agenda:

6:00-^:15 PM Greet and Meet

6:15-6:20 Introduction of Dr. Scott by Host

6:20-7:30 Presentation by Dr. Scott

7:30 Pizza Arrival

7:30-8:00 Q&A, Discussions and Adjourn

Location:
Room: 333
Bldg: Robert Frost *Building 17)
North River Road
University of Southern New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
03106