Modular 100 kW Wave Powered Electric Generator

Tactical guidance and navigation grade inertial measurement units (IMU) are typically bulky and costly. Numerous MEMS-based efforts to develop low cost IMU's have not yet produced performance specs suitable for tactical grade classification in almost 10years of research on the topic. However, recently developed deep reactive-ion-etching (RIE) based, single-crystalline-silicon micromachining methods appear to provide the possibility of meeting the difficult tactical grade classification. Among variousdeep RIE based methods, we propose to use the Surface/Bulk Micromachining (SBM) technology to develop IMU's capable of tactical grade classification. The SBM technology can fabricate single-crystalline-silicon gyroscopes and accelerometers on a singlewafer. The SBM technology also allows a unique in-situ process step for correcting micromachining errors to match the actual IMU performance closely to the design specifications. A laboratory working micro gyroscope sample has already been fabricated usingthe SBM technology, and preliminary measurements are very near the target goal. Our proposed work will focus on developing optimized designs for tactical grade classification, including the harsh vibration, shock and temperature requirements.The marketsize for guidance and navigational grade IMUs is cost sensitive as with all markets. The IMU to be developed would lower systems cost by more than an order of magnitude and thus open up commercialization opportunities that to date have been only dreams. AnIMU in this price category manufactured in volume would support a coupled GPS-IMU system of extreme accuracy for personal and business use in addition to military.