MEMS/Microsystems Technology Developments at Honeywell Automation & Control Solutions

Aravind Pabmanabhan, PhD, Senior Technology Manager, Honeywell
ABSTRACT:
This talk will provide an overview of some the key technology development activities in the area of MEMS and Microsystems in the Sensors Laboratory of Honeywell’s Automation & Control Solutions business. Broad topics will include work being done in the area of ultra miniaturized instrumentation – from bench top to hand held instruments. Two specific case studies will be presented on miniaturized instruments– 1) development of a portable, easy-to-use, maintenance-free CLIA-waived blood analyzer with bench-top performance and rapid throughput for use in a point-of-care setting (battlefield, mobile hospitals, emergency vehicles, doctor’s offices, clinics etc); 2) the development of chip-scale gas analyzers for the detection of chemical species. The talk will also touch upon our work in other areas like active microfluidics, SAW based sensing, polymer MEMS and biomedical sensor technologies including label-free sensing of biological species.

BIO:
Aravind Padmanabhan, Ph.D., Senior Technology Manager, Honeywell Automation & Control Solutions. Dr. Padmanabhan received his Ph.D. in the area of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He currently leads a group that is involved in the development and commercialization of MEMS based sensors/actuators and highly integrated Microsystems. His group is also interested in nano-enabled sensors and nano-enabled micro-instrumentation. The primary focus of Dr. Padmanabhan’s own research in the past has been in the development of MEMS and micro total analysis systems including a micro flow cytometer, MEMS-based optical correlation spectrometer, photonic crystals, ruggedized flow sensors for fluid flow measurements and in the development of sensor systems for Chemical & Biological Warfare agent detection. Dr. Padmanabhan has presented at numerous national and international meetings, and has more than 15 published papers in refereed journals, 8 issued patents & more than 20 patents pending in the areas of MEMS, Microfluidics, and microTAS. He represents Honeywell at several MEMS and Nano industry groups/trade associations. He is a member of the Sigma Xi honor society and is an Associate member of IEEE and ASME.