Bernhard Boser (Advisor)

In recent years, MEMS gyroscopes have become nearly omnipresent. From their origins in automotive stability control systems, these sensors have migrated to a diverse range of applications, including image stabilization in cameras and motion tracking in videogames and fitness monitors. A key application for MEMS gyroscopes is pedestrian navigation, which can help provide always-on location in portable devices while minimizing power consumption and infrastructure requirements. While modern smartphones have ...

An ultrasonic rangefinder has a working range of 30 mm to 450 mm and operates at a 375 Hz maximum sampling rate. The random noise increases with distance and equals 1.3 mm at the maximum range. The range measurement principle is based on pulse-echo time-of-flight measurement using a single transducer for transmit and receive. The transducer consists of a piezoelectric AlN membrane with 400 µm diameter, which was fabricated using a low-temperature process compatible with processed CMOS wafers. The performance of the system exceeds the performance of other micromechanical rangefinders.

The timely and accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases is indispensable for directing patient management and informing larger public health decisions. For the individual patient, delays in accurate diagnosis may delay necessary treatment and consequently result in a negative outcome. From the public health standpoint, prompt awareness of disease outbreaks is critical for an effective response. In developed countries, both the medical infrastructure and...