Light powered microactuator, microfluidic dispenser and retinal prosthesis
First Claim
1. A light powered microactuator device, comprising:
- a substrate;
a flexible structure formed by a portion of said substrate;
a solar cell formed integrally within said substrate; and
a thin film electroactive microactuator coupled to said flexible structure including an electroactive thin film and electrodes for establishing a potential across said thin film electroactive microactuator to induce a lateral strain therein and cause actuation of said flexible structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light powered microactuator device of the invention is an integrated device including a solar cell that provides sufficient energy to actuate an electroactive thin film coupled to a thin membrane. The lateral strain response of the electroactive thin film causes the thin membrane to move, providing an actuation force that can be applied in a wide variety of microactuator devices. A preferred embodiment light powered microactuator device of the invention includes a substrate that defines a flexible membrane in a portion thereof. An electroactive thin film is coupled to the flexible membrane such that lateral strain in the electroactive membrane causes flexing of the membrane. An integrated solar cell converts light to voltage that is applied to the electroactive thin film by an integrated electrode. A preferred embodiment device is a retinal prosthesis including one or and array of light powered microactuator devices of the invention configured to dispense a neurotransmitter chemical fluid in response to light received at the human retina.
19 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A light powered microactuator device, comprising:
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a substrate; a flexible structure formed by a portion of said substrate; a solar cell formed integrally within said substrate; and a thin film electroactive microactuator coupled to said flexible structure including an electroactive thin film and electrodes for establishing a potential across said thin film electroactive microactuator to induce a lateral strain therein and cause actuation of said flexible structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A light powered microactuator device, comprising:
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a substrate; a flexible structure formed by a portion of said substrate; and means for actuating said flexible structure in response to illumination, said means for actuating being formed integrally within said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A light powered microactuator device, comprising:
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a substrate; a flexible structure made of a passive material formed in a portion of said substrate; a photovoltaic device formed integrally within said substrate; and an electroactive material layer coupled to said flexible structure with electrodes patterned on either side of the active material layer for applying a electrical potential received from said photovoltaic device across said electroactive material layer to thereby induce a mechanical strain in said flexible structure and cause mechanical actuation thereof.
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Specification