Reference number : GC-2017-Q4-01329, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Nabki, Frederic (École de technologie supérieure), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Quebec|Québec, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Plus Grants for universities, program name french : Subvention d'engagement partenarial Plus pour les universités, program purpose english : Strain sensors suited for the structural health monitoring (SHM) of airplanes are often not miniaturised or_x000D_
require significant amounts of power, leading to difficulties in accessing constrained locations, prohibitively_x000D_
heavy cabling, and frequent and expensive battery maintenance. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) can_x000D_
reduce the size and power consumption of these sensors. However, the associated sensing electronics require_x000D_
significant amounts of power to condition the analog signals from the MEMS transducer._x000D_
To resolve this, IPR inc. is proposing a digital-output MEMS transducer design, along with the monitoring_x000D_
low-power electronics, that is tailored for SHM of airplanes in a compact form-factor and low-power signaling_x000D_
scheme. IPR's MEMS transducer is based on a direct contact structure that allows for on/off type of detection_x000D_
of a strain variation that moves a shuttle mass. This unique and effective solution will allow IPR to create an_x000D_
affordable and power efficient strain sensing SHM system. However, the current solution has met_x000D_
micro-fabrication yield issues and questions remain regarding its contact-based sensing scheme. This requires_x000D_
the current strain transducer design to be revisited and its implementation in a stable and robust commercial_x000D_
MEMS fabrication process. IPR wants to continue its collaboration with Prof. Frederic Nabki at ETS through_x000D_
this Engage Plus project to refine the MEMS strain sensor design proposed in the previous Engage project and_x000D_
characterise the initial prototypes fabricated. This transducer will later be integrated within IPR's custom_x000D_
low-power interface electronics to implement a complete strain sensing system for SHM._x000D_
This project is a key building block of IPR's low-power and compact strain sensor, and will be a springboard_x000D_
towards a leadership market position. The innovative MEMS device resulting from this project will ultimately_x000D_
enable the implementation of novel network of sensors well-suited to various traditionally inaccessible_x000D_
environments. This project will provide training for HQP (one research professional, one master's student an, program purpose french : Strain sensors suited for the structural health monitoring (SHM) of airplanes are often not miniaturised or_x000D_
require significant amounts of power, leading to difficulties in accessing constrained locations, prohibitively_x000D_
heavy cabling, and frequent and expensive battery maintenance. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) can_x000D_
reduce the size and power consumption of these sensors. However, the associated sensing electronics require_x000D_
significant amounts of power to condition the analog signals from the MEMS transducer._x000D_
To resolve this, IPR inc. is proposing a digital-output MEMS transducer design, along with the monitoring_x000D_
low-power electronics, that is tailored for SHM of airplanes in a compact form-factor and low-power signaling_x000D_
scheme. IPR's MEMS transducer is based on a direct contact structure that allows for on/off type of detection_x000D_
of a strain variation that moves a shuttle mass. This unique and effective solution will allow IPR to create an_x000D_
affordable and power efficient strain sensing SHM system. However, the current solution has met_x000D_
micro-fabrication yield issues and questions remain regarding its contact-based sensing scheme. This requires_x000D_
the current strain transducer design to be revisited and its implementation in a stable and robust commercial_x000D_
MEMS fabrication process. IPR wants to continue its collaboration with Prof. Frederic Nabki at ETS through_x000D_
this Engage Plus project to refine the MEMS strain sensor design proposed in the previous Engage project and_x000D_
characterise the initial prototypes fabricated. This transducer will later be integrated within IPR's custom_x000D_
low-power interface electronics to implement a complete strain sensing system for SHM._x000D_
This project is a key building block of IPR's low-power and compact strain sensor, and will be a springboard_x000D_
towards a leadership market position. The innovative MEMS device resulting from this project will ultimately_x000D_
enable the implementation of novel network of sensors well-suited to various traditionally inaccessible_x000D_
environments. This project will provide training for HQP (one research professional, one master's student an, agreement title english : Microelectromechanical Low-power Strain Sensor for Structural Health Monitoring Applications, agreement title french : Microelectromechanical Low-power Strain Sensor for Structural Health Monitoring Applications, agreement number : EGP2, agreement value : 12500.0, agreement start date : 2018-03-22, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada