SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES AND MICROSENSOR ISSUES FOR MECHATRONICS SYSTEMS

Intelligence and flexibility are essential in a mechatronic product. T o achieve the primary function of an integrated system, it is essentia l that the functional interaction and spatial integration between mech anical, electronic, control, and information technologies be accomplis hed in a synergistic way, Sensors are as important in the mechatronic system as the senses are to the human being. While the subject of sens ors and the need of sensors are certainly important, it is also both p ervasive and diffuse, This paper cannot in any sense be exhaustive of such a wide range of discussion, and will only attempt to discuss sens ors related to mechatronics, In this paper, the role of sensors in the field of mechatronics has been identified, followed by the characteri zation of different sensing technologies. The discussion of microsenso r technologies, advantage of microsensors, and problems with microsens ors together with multisensor fusion applications is presented, An exa mple of a capacitive micro proximity sensor using micromachining techn ology developed by the Center of Robotics and Intelligent Machines at North Carolina State University is also described.