Facile Packaging for Fiber-Shaped Flexible MEMS Thermal Accelerometer

The microelectro mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometer has been implemented in various applications across industries. To expand its application to textiles, here, we propose a facile fabrication and packaging method for fiber-shaped flexible MEMS thermal accelerometer. The sensing structure was fabricated through a standard microfabrication process on a thin polyimide film substrate. The film was then cut into stick shape and packaged inside a flexible resin tube through a facile insertion process. A sensitivity improvement strategy by mitigating the thermal mass around the sensing structure was also introduced. Gravitational acceleration measurement using the proposed sensors was demonstrated using an inclination stage. Finally, measurement of human hand movement using the proposed sensors was demonstrated.