Patent ID: 8758217

Claim:
A vibration sensor, comprising: a. a substrate having a first surface; b. a first electrical contact spaced apart from a second electrical contact, both disposed on the first surface of the substrate; c. an elongated piezoelectric nano-scale structure having a base directly affixed to the first surface of the substrate and grown therefrom and extending outwardly from the first surface of the substrate, and in electrical contact with, the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, the elongated piezoelectric nano-scale structure oriented so that a voltage potential exists between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact when the elongated piezoelectric nano-scale structure is bent from a first state to a second state; and d. a voltage sensor configured to detect the voltage potential between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact that is generated due to a piezoelectric effect when the elongated piezoelectric nano-scale structure vibrates.