Kristofer S.J. Pister (Advisor)

The Single Chip Micro Mote (SCµM) is a crystal-free single-chip mote that brings us one step closer to the Smart Dust vision, in particular as it can communicate with off-the-shelf IEEE802.15.4 and Bluetooth Low Energy devices. However, before it can be part of such networks, the crystal-free SCµM chip needs to be able to accurately tune its communication frequency to synchronize to the network. This is a challenge since its on-board RC and LC-based resonating circuits have a drift rate that can be 3 orders of magnitude worse than crystal based oscillators typically used in today’s radios...

With recent advances in miniaturized wireless system-on-chips, microactuators, sensors, and power supplies, autonomous microrobotic systems that can independently explore spaces and process information are approaching fruition. These systems, which can be smaller than1 cubic centimeter, require actuation and localization modalities that are compatible with these strict payload and size requirements. The first part of this dissertation focuses on the development of millimeter-scale aerodynamic control surfaces actuated by electrostatic inchworm motors, intended for controlling pencil-size...

Recently, there has been an increasing push to make everything wireless. In contrast to high-performance cellular communication, where the demand for enormous quantities of data is skyrocketing, these small wireless sensor and actuator nodes require low power, low cost, and a high degree of system integration. A typical CMOS system-on-chip requires a number of off-chip components for proper operation, namely, a crystal oscillator to act as an accurate frequency reference, and an antenna. The primary goal of this thesis is to address the hurdles associated with operating without these...