Abstract:
Sensors, systems, and methods for monitoring environmental conditions, such as physical, electromagnetic, thermal, and/or chemical parameters within an environment, over extended periods of time with the use of one or more electromechanical sensing devices (26) and electronic circuitry (16) for processing an output of the sensing devices (26). The sensing devices (26) each include a cantilevered structure (30) and at least one contact (40,42) configured for contact-mode operation with the cantilevered structure (30) in response to the cantilevered structure (30) deflecting toward or away from the contact (40,42) when exposed to the parameter of interest. The cantilevered structure (30) has at least first and second beams (44,46) of dissimilar materials, at least one of which has at least one property that changes as a result of exposure to the parameter.
Abstract:
Modules, systems, and methods for monitoring environmental conditions, such as physical, electromagnetic, thermal, and/or chemical parameters within an environment, over extended periods of time with the use of one or more electromechanical sensing devices (26,28) that include a sensing device (26,28) and electronic circuitry (16) for processing an output of the sensing device (26,28) and generating a output of the module (10). The sensing device (26,28) includes a microstructure (30,32), for example, a cantilevered beam (30,32), and at least one set of contacts (38,40,42) configured for contact-mode operation with the microstructure (30,32) in response to the microstructure (30,32) deflecting toward or away from the contacts (38,40,42) when exposed to the parameter of interest. The microstructure (30,32) has a stack of layers (44,46) of dissimilar materials, at least one of which has at least one property that changes as a result of curing of or absorption by the first material when exposed to the parameter.