The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 16, 2016
Filed:
Jan. 09, 2015
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Vladimir Bulovic, Lexington, MA (US);
Jeffrey H. Lang, Sudbury, MA (US);
Sarah Paydavosi, Tehran, IR;
Annie I-Jen Wang, Cambridge, MA (US);
Trisha L. Andrew, Cambridge, MA (US);
Apoorva Murarka, Jaipur, IN;
Farnaz Niroui, Ontario, CA;
Frank Yaul, Bellevue, WA (US);
Jeffrey C. Grossman, Brookline, MA (US);
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for making analog and digital electronics which includes a composite including a squishable material doped with conductive particles. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device has a channel made from the composite, where the channel forms a primary conduction path for the device. Upon applied voltage, capacitive actuators squeeze the composite, causing it to become conductive. The squishable device includes a control electrode, and a composite electrically and mechanically connected to two terminal electrodes. By applying a voltage to the control electrode relative to a first terminal electrode, an electric field is developed between the control electrode and the first terminal electrode. This electric field results in an attractive force between the control electrode and the first terminal electrode, which compresses the composite and enables electric control of the electron conduction from the first terminal electrode through the channel to the second terminal electrode.