University of Michigan

Mahdi Sadeghi

Khalil Najafi

Rebecca L Peterson

A micro-hydraulic device includes an enclosure. The enclosure includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface distal to the first surface. The enclosure further includes a chamber defined between the first surface and the second surface. The chamber is defined by a wall substantially from the first surface to the second surface. The enclosure includes a first flexible membrane sealingly connected to the first surface and disposed over the chamber; and a second flexible membrane sealingly connected to the second surface disposed over the chamber distal to the first flexible membrane. The device further includes an internal fluid retained within the enclosure and a rigid electrode fixed within the chamber having an aperture therein. A flexible electrode is disposed on the second flexible membrane opposite the rigid electrode.

Micro-hydraulic device

A fluid flow sensor that utilizes hot-wire anemometry and is a small, light weight, cost effective, easily manufactureable, and low power consuming device. The fluid flow sensor operates by exposing a hot wire loop to a fluid stream such that the amount of heat lost to fluid convection is a function of one or more fluid-related parameters (e.g., fluid speed, fluid type, fluid density, etc.). The heat loss affects the resistance in the wire loop, which can then be used to estimate the fluid speed or other fluid-related parameter. According to an exemplary embodiment, the fluid flow sensor includes one or more wire loops that are made from pre-formed wires and are wire bonded, micro-welded or otherwise non-monolithically attached to a substrate that may or may not include embedded sensor circuitry.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Mahdi Sadeghi