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The goal of this project is to create useful, efficient design synthesis
tools for MEMS devices. Design synthesis helps engineers develop rapid,
optimal configurations for a given set of performance and constraint
guidelines. So far, several design synthesis examples have been solved
using Stoachastic optimization techniques with the SUGAR simulation tool
as a simulation engine. Synthesized designs have been fabricated in order
to characterize their performance and validate the synthesis algorithm.
The research will be framed within a larger research program for
developing tools for the synthesis of MEMS suspensions and
actuators.
In cooperation with the Kyushu Institute of Design in Japan we have
developed an Interactive Evolutionary Computation component to our
synthesis software. Allowing a human designer to select and further evolve
designs generated by our existing stochastic techniques. This allows a
user to include human judgement and design experience in addition to the
simulation software's assessment of designs performance, thus avoiding
currently non-simulatable design issues such as stress concentrations,
dynamic interference, etc. Also since the last IAB we have successfully
fabricated resonator structures in MUMPS created by automated synthesis
with user specified performance goals. These structures are currently
being characterized to validate our tools' effectiveness.
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