Single Chip, Three Parameter MEMS Sensor Suite

"An innovative silicon-based MEMS multi-parameter sensing device is proposed fordetection of environmental conditions encountered during weapons storage. Thedevice has the capability to monitor up to 500 g shock in each of three axes,temperature -50 to +165 F (-46¿C to +74¿C), and humidity from 10% to 95%.The entire device could be contained in a standard surface mount package, costless than $6.00 in quantity, and consume approximately 10 microWatt of power in typical applications. The entire suite of sensor structures can be fabricated withconventional MEMS processing technology now available at foundries. Devicecharacteristics are entirely dependent on the thickness and geometries of thinfilms. This makes the sensor suite easily tailored to a wide variety ofapplications other than DoD's needs.Wilcoxon Research, as one of the nation's leading accelerometer manufacturers,has the capability to design and test the finished device and commercializeprototypes to provide volume production and thus minimize the cost to thegovernment. Wilcoxon Research intends to explore applications for the sensor suite in a widevariety of uses. We envision such low-cost sensors being used for the protectionof foodstuffs and medical supplies during the handling and transportation(especially, moisture and temperature), the monitoring of moving high-value and/ordelicate shipments, as a way to determine if environmental limits of warrantyhas been exceeded