The maze is controlled through a 24-bit code. Assuming the correct code is input, the rack, holding two additional gears at its head, will move into place and the mirror will be able to rise to its proper position, opening one half of the lock. The procedure is duplicated on a second MEMS device, and system initialization or arming becomes possible. A better battery Microengines could replace batteries in many remote applications, such as space flight. Researchers at MIT and the Univ.
Combustion chambers surround the planar turbine, which rests on air bearings.
Just like its larger brethren in electrical power plants, the exhaust passes through the vanes of the turbine, causing it to spin. This rotation is linked to a miniature generator that produces the electrical power. Alan Epstein, leader of the MIT microengine project, said that power scales with the system's weight. During construction of the 1 X 8 optical switch prototype, gluing the mirror onto the rotor proved to be one of the most difficult steps. Future iterations could switch this from a manual to automated step, reducing the chance for damage to the MEMS structure during mirror mounting.