Multi-dofs MEMS displacement sensors based on the Stewart platform theory

This work proposes a new detection strategy suitable for MEMS sensors with up to 6 degrees of freedom. Parallel structures based on the Stewart theory are commonly adopted as actuators in many fields such as high precision manipulators, aircraft and vibration simulators and machine tools; the same configuration was used here to define the kinematics of a displacement sensor in the microscale based on the optical detection. The algorithm for the estimation of absolute positions and orientations of the platform is presented. The described sensing approach considerably simplifies the platform architecture and design and introduces a promising solution for many MEMS sensors and devices.