Axiomatic design of biomimetic MEMS gyroscope

Abstract

Existing MEMS gyroscopes have limitations in sensitivity and dynamic range because the angular velocity is measured only by using the amplitude information of a sensing mode, resulting in the linear sensitivity. However, the angular velocity, measured by a semicircular canal, is characterized by compressive nonlinear sensitivity, which is obtained by two amplifying mechanisms of vestibular hair cell, negative stiffness mechanism and adaptation mechanism. This paper proposes a biomimetic MEMS gyroscope inspired by a semicircular canal designed by the axiomatic approach. First level functional requirement (FR) is designated as following: measure angular velocity with high sensitivity over broad dynamic range of the semicircular canal. The design parameters (DPs) are determined and classified into the same number of groups as the FRs according to the Independence Axiom. Then the decoupled design matrix is found through top-down decomposition (conceptual design), followed by detailed parameter design for stabilization of the gyroscope system. Afterwards, MEMS fabrication will be progressed by SOI fabrication using the designed parameters.