Patent ID: 7204162

Claim:
A strain gauge comprising: a support substrate; a first electrode supported on the substrate and comprising one or more first capacitive plates; a second electrode supported on the substrate and comprising one or more second capacitive plates arranged to provide a capacitive coupling with the first capacitive plates, said one or more second capacitive plates being movable relative to the one or more first capacitive plates in response to strain in the substrate between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first and second electrodes are connected to the substrate and the first and second capacitive plates substantially extend over a cavity, wherein the first electrode comprises a first plurality of capacitive plates and the second electrode comprises a second plurality of capacitive plates; an input electrically coupled to one of the first and second electrodes for receiving an input signal; and an output electrically coupled to the other of the first and second electrodes for providing an output signal which varies as a function of the capacitive coupling and is indicative of the strain.