A bolometer infrared radiation sensor comprising: a substrate having an upper surface that defines a sensing region; a patterned conductive layer provided on the upper surface, the patterned conductive layer including an electrode structure located in the sensing region and readout conductors located around the sensing region; an absorber structure suspended over the sensing region and spaced a first distance apart from the electrode structure, the absorber structure including: - suspension structures extending upwardly from the substrate and being electrically connected to the readout conductors, and - a pillar structure extending downwardly from the absorber structure toward the electrode structure, the pillar structure having a contact portion located a second distance apart from the electrode structure, the second distance being less than the first distance; wherein the absorber structure is configured to flex toward the substrate under a test condition, and wherein the second distance is selected such that the contact portion of the pillar structure is positioned in contact with the electrode structure when the absorber structure is flexed in response to the test condition, characterized in that the bolometer infrared radiation sensor further comprises a test circuitry electrically connected to the electrode structure and configured to selectively apply an actuation voltage to the electrode structure; wherein the second distance is selected such that the contact portion of the pillar structure is attracted to the electrode structure by an electrostatic charge induced by the actuation voltage and positioned in contact with the electrode structure so that the absorber structure is thermally shorted to the substrate. a substrate having an upper surface that defines a sensing region; a patterned conductive layer provided on the upper surface, the patterned conductive layer including an electrode structure located in the sensing region and readout conductors located around the sensing region; an absorber structure suspended over the sensing region and spaced a first distance apart from the electrode structure, the absorber structure including: - suspension structures extending upwardly from the substrate and being electrically connected to the readout conductors, and - a pillar structure extending downwardly from the absorber structure toward the electrode structure, the pillar structure having a contact portion located a second distance apart from the electrode structure, the second distance being less than the first distance; - suspension structures extending upwardly from the substrate and being electrically connected to the readout conductors, and - a pillar structure extending downwardly from the absorber structure toward the electrode structure, the pillar structure having a contact portion located a second distance apart from the electrode structure, the second distance being less than the first distance; wherein the absorber structure is configured to flex toward the substrate under a test condition, and wherein the second distance is selected such that the contact portion of the pillar structure is positioned in contact with the electrode structure when the absorber structure is flexed in response to the test condition, characterized in that the bolometer infrared radiation sensor further comprises a test circuitry electrically connected to the electrode structure and configured to selectively apply an actuation voltage to the electrode structure; wherein the second distance is selected such that the contact portion of the pillar structure is attracted to the electrode structure by an electrostatic charge induced by the actuation voltage and positioned in contact with the electrode structure so that the absorber structure is thermally shorted to the substrate.