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Michael Cohen runs the UC Berkeley office that is responsible for leveraging the University's intellectual property (IP) in order to help catalyze the commercialization of Berkeley innovations, and promote the funding of campus research. In this role, Michael leads initiatives that include working with researchers and attorneys to patent technology, and collaborating with companies, entrepreneurs and investors to license...

Power sources for integrated electronics have been a growing concern with the ever-increasing use of portable devices. Recent advancements in "smart" materials have led scientists to explore the application of these materials for energy harvesting applications. An especially promising material is the Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC). In 1993, Oguro et al. found that a perfluorinated sulfonate membrane sandwiched between platinum electrodes...

Microsystems can offer new and convenient ways to interact with biological systems in vivo and in vitro and our lab. is constructing some building blocks from component technology (such the"flexible CMOS") to MEMS-inside systems (such as a "nanoMRI") to facilitate these interaction. For the former, I'll use the example of a flexible 8" 0.18um Mixed Signal/RF CMOS circuit technology for medical implant applications. CMOS silicon substrate is...

An increasing variety of applications require MEMS actuators with large travel and force, as well as excellent precision and rapid positioning. In this talk, I'll present an electrically actuated dipole surface drive with unparalleled acceleration of 1000g, a resonant frequency of 17 kHz, and a travel over 15 microns at 70V. This device can be positioned with sub-angstrom resolution and, importantly, operates in ambient conditions which allow it to position...