🚨Correction! A paper about this exact mechanism has been shared with me: transducer-research-foundation.org/technical_digests/HiltonHead_2010/hh2010_0061.pdf The X/Y gyros had two plausible explanations, and I picked the wrong one 🤦♀ The general principles hold, but the drive and sense directions are flipped in the X/Y gyros. I.e. the drive direction is up/down, and sense is left/right in-plane. 🚨Correction! At 6:00 I misattributed some of forces involved. @StadtlerHM sent me this correction in private, but I thought it warranted being pinned so more folks could read it! > "So when you drop your device and there is a downwards acceleration, the frame of the mems device will move down, and because the [proof mass] is decoupled from the rest of [the frame], it will attempt to stay where it is by moving upwards." This is true for how the phone detects acceleration to the phone by any force that acts on the frame, but not the proof mass. Gravity however acts just as much on the frame as it does on the proof mass, and as such there will be no difference in acceleration from gravity between the frame and proof mass. An accelerometer therefore can not detect acceleration from gravity when accelerating when in freefall. Instead, when the phone is stationary, the proof mass will hang low, being pulled down by gravity, with the flexion joint pulling it upwards to keep it stationary. When the phone is dropped, the spring force remains, but the gravitational force now acts equally on the frame and proof mass, causing the accelerometer to detect no apparent acceleration from gravity. Because the spring force is pulling the proof mass upwards, it will be pushed upwards relative to the frame, causing it to appear to stay stationary, and "lag" behind the frame in the fall. In short, the reason the proof mass stays stationary is due to the force from the flexion joint, not because of inertia causing it to "move up". Both the phone frame and proof mass have inertia, and both are affected just as much by gravity. The spring force on the proof mass acts as a spring that's bent and released, accelerating it upwards and starting to oscillate. This is why your test shows the proof mass "lagging" behind the frame when first dropped, then subsequently starting to oscillate. Thanks @StadtlerHM!
Thanks for pinning this, it was really bothering me! Plus, you can actually see the z axis gravity in your print! At rest, the proof masses are sagging down, because they are being accelerated by gravity!
@@MordecaiV Yeah, I blame the gyroscopes for this big goof on my part 😅The gyros don't work quite like a "textbook" gyro, so I spent a lot of time and energy figuring out how they operated, and mostly ignored the accelerometers since they were simple and I knew the basics already. Should have spent more time vetting that part of the video since whoops, flubbed the explanation 🙃 Also funny because prior to filming, I had to twist the gyros a bit to get them more level... the plastic had deformed and creeped due to gravity and sitting around. Foreshadowing haha!
This seems like a really complicated way to say that "being stationary relative to Earth's surface is mathematically equivalent (regardless of sensor type) to constantly accelerating _upwards_ at 1G, and if the phone is dropped then the acceleration changes to 0 in all 3 axes since it's now following an inertial geodesic - ie a straight line in curved spacetime" :P
My first thought when you showed the phone being dropped - because that's basically the only time none of linear sensors are detecting any forces at all. It's also an important property, because that's how the phone knows where "down" is, without the inherent drift of gyroscopes.
Wow Zach, this is the next level in explainer videos. Absolutely fantastic! I think that making the models that you can actually take apart and interact with added a lot of educational value!
Thanks Jeroen! Was a lot of fun (and work!) to assemble this one. Definitely glad I went through with tracing and printing the devices, there were a few sections that moved in a manner that I didn't expect just from looking at the 2D image. The gyros in particular were a bit unexpected
Hey huygens optics. I really really love your channel and your way of teaching, your way of seeing at things and approaching problems. Really helped me to step up my learning ability also had a lot to learn from you so thank you from the bottom of my heart
The quality here cannot be understated. I was already impressed just with the diagram, and then to make a *working* 3D print AND test and graph it just blew me away. A truly new standard of explanation.
This is the definition of high quality content. I work on MEMS devices used in satellites and space probes that detect accelerations in microgravity. We have some extra complications when you are working without earth's gravity to exaggerate these movements by 5-6 orders of magnitude. They are known as zero-force accelerometers and we have to read shifts in ionization energy driven by movements in a localized reference frame. Still seeing this demonstrated in the way that he does is eye opening for me. It is pure, simple, effective and elegant. He is dead-on and I applaud his execution. Instant sub from me, I look forward to more.
He does a good job on some things, but very poor on others. Complete blunder of treating an accelerometer that measures acceleration from a non inertial reference frame like one from an inertial reference frame. He made made extremely obvious huge mistakes in other videos, ones that upon viewing made me immediately unsub.
Don't think for a minute that your subscribers aren't fully aware of just how much time and effort and work you're willing to put into a single episode. There aren't many TH-cam content providers that are willing to put the work into a single episode as you are so I just wanted to say thanks, it's impressive and much appreciated. You deserve far more subscribers than you currently have and I believe that if you continue to produce episodes of this quality, your subscriber numbers will grow pretty quickly. Thanks again.
When you drop your device, the sensor will detect that the acceleration upwards has stopped. It doesn’t detect an acceleration downwards. It becomes weightless, not sensing any acceleration. Until it hits the floor of course.
Modeling and printing the MEMS devices was absolutely brilliant and elevated this video to top tier. Well done, it was definitely worth the time spent making it in my opinion.
silicon is extremely flexible when it is thinned. i once had a wafer that was overetched (to the point equipment could no longer handle the sharp edges). I suspect it was 40 microns thick(they start around 800 microns thick), but didn't get a measurement. It was 8" diameter wafer and was able to grab it and fold it in half so it was touching itself like a taco. it just flexed back to flat after. its hard to believe a single crystal could be so flexible but it also does teach a lesson about how stress works.
Chemistry class. Working with glass and Bunsen burners, as often enough you need to change your glass containers for special purposes. For fun I drew out a glas rod as long as I could and ended up with a rather springy, long, thin ‘hair’ of a tail … glass is not flexing? Just make it thin enough!
I am completely blown away by the quality of this episode (my first) and the fantastic models you made to illustrate something that has mystified me for many years. All my web searches over the years never turned up an explanation/demonstration that could help me understand how these devices work. Thanks so much for all the time and thought you obviously put into it. If there is an award for work like this it’s hard to imagine a more deserving creator.
This is totally fascinating! YES, the big models did help in showing how the mechanisms work. And the thing is, while in theory this is not that complicated - making all those 'tiny' sized components to detect all of this - I'm just blown away. Thank you!
MEMS devices are amazing. I don't think people realise how many applications they have - from printers and projectors, to accelerometers and barometers. That's just a few possible applications. Also, Bambu Lab crew!
@@BreakingTaps Speaking of printers and MEMS... piezoelectric inkjet printheads are mems devices that look pretty cool under a microscope if you're ever bored. (Just be smarter than me and realize that if you want look at a think while it's shooting in everywhere maybe covering things up a bit...)
I tried a MEMS with a magnetometer to use as a compass for a observatory dome, but failed as the dome and high altitudes made southern headings not readable. Might revisit sometime later though :D
Outstanding! Many in the comments are pointing out "corrections" The fact that you modeled this so beautifully that understanding it is INTUITIVE for most everyone, and to the point where we can critique your every word with that deep understanding is... amazing. You can see it flexing and moving and it just makes sense. Wow.
Agreeing with the other commenters, this is a truly great video. But there is a mistake in the video at TI 4:59. When you hold it like that, the Z-axis accelerometer feels a constant acceleration of 9.81 m/s2. When you drop it, /then/ the z axis reports 0.0 acceleration while it's falling. This is important because when programming the phone (at Java level), a motionless phone sitting on your desk will always report that it is accelerating at 9.81 m/s2. The signal is always there unless the phone is falling. But if the phone is tilted at a non-orthogonal angle, then the 9.81 m/s2 signal is split out among the three accelerometers, and then -- math. What's really hard, I mean fun, is when you want to detect movement, and you have to remove the gravity signal from the non-gravity signal coming from the accelerometers. Then you have to know the orientation of the phone from a different source (such as the magnetometer or from keeping track of rotation).
You seem to go above and beyond to help us understand things. I only recently came across your channel. I think TH-cam recommended one of your shorts. I watched it and then went flicking through your catalog of videos. It’s some reason good educational content and I love learning. Thanks 😊👍
I'm an elementary STEM Lab teacher and I love your use of larger 3D printed models to explain how the accelerometers and gyroscopes work. Brilliant idea! And your explanation is equally easy to follow. Well done!!!
I just found this channel and WOW! The fact that you made physical models to explain these complex concepts and devices Absolutely amazing You are a true engineer and extremely effective teacher!
I've always wondered how this actually works on the microscopic level. No better person to learn from. Really appreciate your work and the calmly-grounded-yet-awe-inspiring way you present it. It's clear in each of your videos that untold hours of curiosity, experimentation, frustration, eurekas + filming and editing are behind the final product, so thank you for all you do. 👍
Increbile how such a small mechanism can be integrated in a ridiculously small chip giving precise result and with such a low cost! Absolutely brilliant video. Thank you for sharing! 😁
Your generosity in sharing knowledge with complete strangers, for the love of science and learning, is what science in its purest form has always been about. Many thanks.
Really appreciate the effort you put in to create those 3D prints! I've watched a few videos about these sorts of devices, and there's always a bit of handwaving about how they actually work. This was an amazing physical demo, I feel like I have a visceral understanding of how they work now.
4:58 - In fact, the exact opposite of what you are saying here is true. The moment you drop the phone, it is in free fall, which means it stops feeling the gravitational field.
Okay, I have to say, I knew how MEMS devices work and accelerometers and gyroscopes and stuff. I've even seen the pictures of the internal structure. That being said.. Your level of detail and visualization is freakin AWESOME. Amazing job with every bit of this.
Yeah, pretty awesome the 3d printer parts, I tried as well times ago with bad luck becuse the fine details, then he said "one week" printing and I understood.
Your physical models are incredibly helpful to understand what the devices are doing. I had no idea that a tuning fork can be the main part of a gyroscope. That is a huge advantage over the spinning wheels method for making it microscopic.
wowow what a wonderful demonstration. These are such cool and clever devices, and you nailed it. And huge props for taking apart real mems devices and sketching them into 3d prints! Thanks again!
Simply THE BEST explanation ever created!!! Seriously worthy of becoming most recommended / most linked to video on any platform. Thank you 🙏🏼 for ALL your time && effort!!!
Having presented the accelerometer/gyroscope to my students last week, I actually had the idea if I could not make some simplified 3D-model. Now I linked your video in our course material and I will have a look at your 3D files later.
AS a 3D artist my I was Blown away by the Microscopic Art. Years ago they said it's impossible to see what's inside a MEMS device to which I was sad until Now. I was actually about to start modeling it from scratch using the images but Glad that you provided the 3D models. I would love to make a 3D explainer video if you want me to make one. Let me know thanks sir.
Beautiful explanations, and beautiful models you 3d printed of these tiny mechanisms. I always casually thought about how these phones pick up on motion, position, etc. and guessed there had to be some moving parts somewhere, but never imagined how brilliantly ingenious and sophisticated the designs really were.
This was a *phenomenal* video! I can imagine how tedious it must have been to trace all the elements, then convert them into a 3D model that could be printed 😮👍 That added SO much to the understanding, though, making for a really extraordinary explainer video. I found it especially interesting how they can integrate the Z axis into that same planar structure - I’d always wondered how they managed to do 3 axes, and thought there must be a second chip at right angles inside the package. This was also the first time I understood how they manage to translate the coriolis forces into a measurable signal. The shift in resonant frequency was entirely unexpected. A number of years ago I was looking at an application for a gyro where I needed a lot of sensitivity to small movements. Analog Devices (now part of someone larger, I think TI) had a unit that was an order of magnitude more sensitive than the standard parts. An engineer there explained that it operated on a somewhat different principle, but didn’t explain what that was. It’s be interesting to find out what that was :-) BTW, the killer app that made these jellybean parts was car airbags. They needed ultra-reliable inexpensive accelerometers, and the millions of units requirement drove the development of MEMS accelerometers. Gyros came later, once the basic tech had been perfected for the airbag market. Btw, what’s the purpose of the chip bonded on top? Just protection?
This is absolutely beautiful. What a wonderful explanation! THANK YOU for gifting us all with this easy to access knowledge. It was, undoubtedly A LOT of work!
You got my upvote at 3:40, for tracing an entire MEMS chip into CAD so that you could CD print a human-scale model. Very awesome. The oscillation that you picked up isn't just in your 3D printed model. The real device is also going to have oscillatory modes, but these can be corrected for using software. Basically, you've got a fundamental signal, that's convolved with an impulse response curve that characterizes the device's oscillatory modes, yielding your observed measurements, so to go backwards, one can "deconvolve" the system's impulse response curve, producing an estimate of the true signal. The device maker probably knows the typical impulse response curve based on the device's design, but each device is going to vary slightly from the average, so if greater precision is desired, one could "calibrate" the device by more precisely estimating each individual device's impulse response curve. For example, a test harness could apply a specific acceleration pattern, and by comparing with the measured signal, the impulse response could be determined. Or it's also possible that the device can self-calibrate by observing typical motion. Or for such a small device, the oscillatory modes are probably at such a high-frequency that they can be eliminated by a simple low-pass filter. Tiny things tend to vibrate very quickly.
I'm not sure if you've done a video on one of the OG popular MEMS devices (DLP chips or inkjet printer nozzles) but they'd be neat to see and are structurally quite simple to understand. I'd also love to see more insight and models with some of the tiny motors and microfluidics devices they make using MEMS technology, although I know such devices are much more niche and hence harder to get a hold of than something commodity like an accelerometer/gyroscope. I know they also make MEMS microphones these days, so seeing how those are built and comparing them to the previous go-to for compact microphones (electret capsules) would be fascinating. They can also apparently make compasses (do they use an electromagnet? tiny permanent magnet?) and humidity sensors (what part of this is responding to humidity?) in MEMS, and I can't imagine how they're pulling that off so those might be neat to investigate as well.
Compasses use HAL-sensors and how the current bends in a metal sheet when exposed to a field. Not that much to see I guess? not actually a MEMS device. Microphones is likely just the acclerator connected to a membrane instead of a mass (aka not that much new?). Humidity sensors seems to use the conductivity of material vs wetness or a capacitor where the dieletric gets wet(hydroscopic) from the air. Likely not really MEMS, probably just a blob of special material on two metal conductors?
Hi Zack, I really am blown away with your approach, equipment, testing and explanations. And of course the crazy amount of time spent in tracing. I am glad that Gen had you tell me about your channel! Really fantastic! I passed on a link to your channel to a number of people.... Great work!
I made microscope images of a MEMS microphone from what I think was a Motorola Razr. The photos are orange because the lamp is just yellow. imgur pPHXCev
Awesome subject well explained ! It would be nice to see some early MEMS side by side with the best we have today and perhaps a glimpse into how they are made....cheers.
Ooh, that's a good idea! Would love to see if the fabrication processes are noticeably different (either in fidelity or quality, sidewalls, etc) or just complexity.
Your video quality is beyond amazing. Super informative and helpful. As with a lot of technology i simply do not have time to read lots and lots on them, so videos like these provide months of research in 20 minutes or less, which is amazing. I do however need to ask, gravity is not a force, when you drop your phone, the ground is accelerating upwards and the phone will feel no gravity, according to GR. Therefore, does the phone have a range of pre set parameters for earths gravity, so it can detect the lack of acceleration?
Thanks! 🥰 And yeah, I botched the explanation on that... check the pinned comment, a viewer explained how it actually works vs. what I said :) Tl;dr: it's actually the restoring force of the flexure that's detected (acting like a spring), unlike what i said
Wow, I'm so happy to have been suggested this video!!! That is a mind blowing amount of work you put in to scan, take apart, trace and recreate the chip as a model. But it made for a great visual explanation, and I understand these devices so much more than I ever thought I would. They're both much more complex (in the intricate manufacturing) and more simple (basically just swiveling pieces) than I expected
This is an incredible presentation and explanation! Top 10 channels in my sub list and that's pretty big. I wonder if there are any MEMS devices which work in a piezo-electric way, where the flexure of the material produces a voltage and that is then converted to movements, vs this capacitance method.
Oh yeah, definitely! The cantilever on my AFM is a MEMS device, and I think they detect the oscillations via a piezo element embedded in the cantilever base. I think it's less common since it's a much more difficult process for fabs, needing to deposit a piezo material compared to just another metal layer and traces. But adds a huge amount of flexibility since you can put strain sensors right where you want them. Very cool stuff!
@@BreakingTaps I think it would be worthy a video on how you decapped these. I know you briefly went over it, but I'd love to see the actual process. How many did you have to do this to to create your composite?
I stumbled on this video while just looking for something to watch, and it caught my attention. I wasn't searching to learn about any of this but ended up learning far more than I expected to. I'm blown away by the work put into the 3D models and the easy to understand way it was all put. Amazing video!
"Delicate" is an understatement on a scale, where "understatement" is an understatement... These things are, to me at least, incomprehensible small. If I'm not mixing up the scales here, then some parts could be the size of fingernail width next to a tree trunk, where the tree trunk is a human hair... It's just insane. And fascinating how "normal" technology made it that these things are everywhere because they can be made THAT easily these days. Also a "Thank you
Thanks so much for this video. As a mechanical engineer with a focus on materials science who works as a software engineer and whose dad is an electical engineer, MEMS devices are like the ultimate combination of my interests. This is such valuable information presented so clearly and simply
The models you created are incredible. And I wouldn’t have understood the mechanism without them. Thank you for putting in so much work and sharing your understanding.
Fascinating stuff, it takes a brilliant guy to understand the mechanism and made models to explain it. Imagine how smart those guys invented and made those instruments? Those guys are the unknown hero of the progress of civilization and humanity.
One thing that I wonder since this is essentially a glass-like material (silicon) is how do these microscopic not crack or break inside of the chip if there is a strong drop. I mean I've dropped my phone many times, yet the accelerometers and gyroscopes still work, how do they survive strong jolts or flexing many hundreds of thousands of times?
It's hard to find very clear explanations on these devices, with real photos, and real models, and even test to explain very clearly a concept behind a device. Thanks man
One of the best explanations I've ever heard of how a MEMS gyro/accel works. I had heard theoretical explanations of how they work, but nobody else actually made a physical model.
I used to build military UAVs. Never understood how solid state accelerometers worked in our avionics. The best explanation of solid state devices of have ever seen! 3d models over the top! Thanks man! Fantastic!
Not sure if you have ever been a teacher, but the way you explain concepts (along with the amazing visual aids) make the information really digestible. Subbed, love the work you do !
0:30 what‘s with the optical image stabilization? Apple (obviously) had problems that the system(s) die if you ride on a shaking motorcycle too long without a proper holder for the phone…
As hard as it still was to grasp the rought functionality of those devices. We can see it in completion. Makes you appreciate the sheer genius of the people who invented it and made it so unbelievable small.
INSTANTLY pressed like & subscribe once it started playing how you modeled and 3D-printed the MEMs. Been watching a couple of your other videos too and they are absolutely incredible and informative!
I gotta say, this was very enjoyable to watch. Most integrated circuit videos I have watched were quite lacking in actual information. I have worked with integrated circuits since the late 70's and was always amazed at how complex they became over the years. In the 80's we worked with Motorola 68000 CPU chips and had quite a lot of failures shipped to us. We were able to crack the tops off and look inside to see the cip itself. The mark one eyeball is not powerful enough to view the chip on its own and so we used high magnification. Under microscopes, the complexity was astounding. This was way back in the 80s....Its hard to imagine the complexity of today's cpu's with billions of transistors. Well done, and I look forward to more of your videos.
Insanely detailed video and very interesting to watch! Glad it blew up. I know these videos take a lot of time and seem less worth to make compared to the new short video format that's getting popular but take your time, and keep it up!
That's really cool. I greatly appreciate your style of informing/teaching Zach. Thank you for your & everyone behind the scenes hard work bringing us the content. I look forward to the next notification from your channel 👍
Absolutely fantastic! This is an amazing real-world view of bacteria-small comonponentry that we all just take for granted. Until now I had assumed that there were just dizzy pixies in my phone working out which way is up. Now I know! Thank you for making this and for going to the trouble of tracing, mapping and recreating this MEMS device as a 3D model.
🚨Correction!
A paper about this exact mechanism has been shared with me: transducer-research-foundation.org/technical_digests/HiltonHead_2010/hh2010_0061.pdf The X/Y gyros had two plausible explanations, and I picked the wrong one 🤦♀ The general principles hold, but the drive and sense directions are flipped in the X/Y gyros. I.e. the drive direction is up/down, and sense is left/right in-plane.
🚨Correction!
At 6:00 I misattributed some of forces involved. @StadtlerHM sent me this correction in private, but I thought it warranted being pinned so more folks could read it!
> "So when you drop your device and there is a downwards acceleration, the frame of the mems device will move down, and because the [proof mass] is decoupled from the rest of [the frame], it will attempt to stay where it is by moving upwards."
This is true for how the phone detects acceleration to the phone by any force that acts on the frame, but not the proof mass. Gravity however acts just as much on the frame as it does on the proof mass, and as such there will be no difference in acceleration from gravity between the frame and proof mass. An accelerometer therefore can not detect acceleration from gravity when accelerating when in freefall.
Instead, when the phone is stationary, the proof mass will hang low, being pulled down by gravity, with the flexion joint pulling it upwards to keep it stationary. When the phone is dropped, the spring force remains, but the gravitational force now acts equally on the frame and proof mass, causing the accelerometer to detect no apparent acceleration from gravity. Because the spring force is pulling the proof mass upwards, it will be pushed upwards relative to the frame, causing it to appear to stay stationary, and "lag" behind the frame in the fall.
In short, the reason the proof mass stays stationary is due to the force from the flexion joint, not because of inertia causing it to "move up". Both the phone frame and proof mass have inertia, and both are affected just as much by gravity.
The spring force on the proof mass acts as a spring that's bent and released, accelerating it upwards and starting to oscillate. This is why your test shows the proof mass "lagging" behind the frame when first dropped, then subsequently starting to oscillate.
Thanks @StadtlerHM!
Thanks for pinning this, it was really bothering me! Plus, you can actually see the z axis gravity in your print! At rest, the proof masses are sagging down, because they are being accelerated by gravity!
@@MordecaiV Yeah, I blame the gyroscopes for this big goof on my part 😅The gyros don't work quite like a "textbook" gyro, so I spent a lot of time and energy figuring out how they operated, and mostly ignored the accelerometers since they were simple and I knew the basics already. Should have spent more time vetting that part of the video since whoops, flubbed the explanation 🙃
Also funny because prior to filming, I had to twist the gyros a bit to get them more level... the plastic had deformed and creeped due to gravity and sitting around. Foreshadowing haha!
This seems like a really complicated way to say that "being stationary relative to Earth's surface is mathematically equivalent (regardless of sensor type) to constantly accelerating _upwards_ at 1G, and if the phone is dropped then the acceleration changes to 0 in all 3 axes since it's now following an inertial geodesic - ie a straight line in curved spacetime" :P
Thank you both for this correction.
I was really struggling to fit your explanation in this video with my understanding of physics. 👍
My first thought when you showed the phone being dropped - because that's basically the only time none of linear sensors are detecting any forces at all.
It's also an important property, because that's how the phone knows where "down" is, without the inherent drift of gyroscopes.
Wow Zach, this is the next level in explainer videos. Absolutely fantastic! I think that making the models that you can actually take apart and interact with added a lot of educational value!
Thanks Jeroen! Was a lot of fun (and work!) to assemble this one. Definitely glad I went through with tracing and printing the devices, there were a few sections that moved in a manner that I didn't expect just from looking at the 2D image. The gyros in particular were a bit unexpected
Yes, it was absolutely incredible Zach, thank you so much ❤
teachers and professors should use those prints for explanation!
Hey huygens optics. I really really love your channel and your way of teaching, your way of seeing at things and approaching problems. Really helped me to step up my learning ability also had a lot to learn from you so thank you from the bottom of my heart
I agree, this is absolutely brilliant
The quality here cannot be understated. I was already impressed just with the diagram, and then to make a *working* 3D print AND test and graph it just blew me away. A truly new standard of explanation.
Thanks! 🥰
This is the definition of high quality content. I work on MEMS devices used in satellites and space probes that detect accelerations in microgravity. We have some extra complications when you are working without earth's gravity to exaggerate these movements by 5-6 orders of magnitude. They are known as zero-force accelerometers and we have to read shifts in ionization energy driven by movements in a localized reference frame. Still seeing this demonstrated in the way that he does is eye opening for me. It is pure, simple, effective and elegant. He is dead-on and I applaud his execution. Instant sub from me, I look forward to more.
He does a good job on some things, but very poor on others. Complete blunder of treating an accelerometer that measures acceleration from a non inertial reference frame like one from an inertial reference frame. He made made extremely obvious huge mistakes in other videos, ones that upon viewing made me immediately unsub.
This is the best MEMs accel/gyro video I've seen
Don't think for a minute that your subscribers aren't fully aware of just how much time and effort and work you're willing to put into a single episode. There aren't many TH-cam content providers that are willing to put the work into a single episode as you are so I just wanted to say thanks, it's impressive and much appreciated. You deserve far more subscribers than you currently have and I believe that if you continue to produce episodes of this quality, your subscriber numbers will grow pretty quickly. Thanks again.
I really cannot understand why there are a few hundred down votes in this video. What is there to not like about it?
This was the first thing I was aware of. To construct a 3D-printed model of a microlithographic circuit is beyond comprehension.
U was thinking the same
Not subscribers... VIEWS. That's how you get money which helps him more but subscribers are great too
The work is exactly why I just subscribed. ;)
When you drop your device, the sensor will detect that the acceleration upwards has stopped. It doesn’t detect an acceleration downwards. It becomes weightless, not sensing any acceleration. Until it hits the floor of course.
Modeling and printing the MEMS devices was absolutely brilliant and elevated this video to top tier. Well done, it was definitely worth the time spent making it in my opinion.
The amount of work you put into recreating and printing those is really appreciated it looks amazing
silicon is extremely flexible when it is thinned. i once had a wafer that was overetched (to the point equipment could no longer handle the sharp edges). I suspect it was 40 microns thick(they start around 800 microns thick), but didn't get a measurement. It was 8" diameter wafer and was able to grab it and fold it in half so it was touching itself like a taco. it just flexed back to flat after. its hard to believe a single crystal could be so flexible but it also does teach a lesson about how stress works.
Chemistry class. Working with glass and Bunsen burners, as often enough you need to change your glass containers for special purposes.
For fun I drew out a glas rod as long as I could and ended up with a rather springy, long, thin ‘hair’ of a tail … glass is not flexing? Just make it thin enough!
@@advorak8529 I mean, how do you think fiber optic cables works ?
@@The.Heart.Unceasing Total internal reflection? Pretty sure that how it works. Well, not really, there are photonic crystal fibres ...
@@advorak8529 nah I meant the bendyness of the glass fibers inside ^^
🤓
I am completely blown away by the quality of this episode (my first) and the fantastic models you made to illustrate something that has mystified me for many years. All my web searches over the years never turned up an explanation/demonstration that could help me understand how these devices work. Thanks so much for all the time and thought you obviously put into it. If there is an award for work like this it’s hard to imagine a more deserving creator.
This is totally fascinating! YES, the big models did help in showing how the mechanisms work. And the thing is, while in theory this is not that complicated - making all those 'tiny' sized components to detect all of this - I'm just blown away. Thank you!
MEMS devices are amazing. I don't think people realise how many applications they have - from printers and projectors, to accelerometers and barometers. That's just a few possible applications.
Also, Bambu Lab crew!
That printer is like a cheat code! Works so well, can't imagine printing these things up without it!
The important application are actually cars, in particular the Airbag Control Unit. That was the initial driver for MEMS development.
there is a microspectrometr made out of mems, thats hilarious
@@BreakingTaps Speaking of printers and MEMS... piezoelectric inkjet printheads are mems devices that look pretty cool under a microscope if you're ever bored. (Just be smarter than me and realize that if you want look at a think while it's shooting in everywhere maybe covering things up a bit...)
I tried a MEMS with a magnetometer to use as a compass for a observatory dome, but failed as the dome and high altitudes made southern headings not readable. Might revisit sometime later though :D
Outstanding!
Many in the comments are pointing out "corrections"
The fact that you modeled this so beautifully that understanding it is INTUITIVE for most everyone, and to the point where we can critique your every word with that deep understanding is... amazing. You can see it flexing and moving and it just makes sense. Wow.
Agreeing with the other commenters, this is a truly great video. But there is a mistake in the video at TI 4:59. When you hold it like that, the Z-axis accelerometer feels a constant acceleration of 9.81 m/s2. When you drop it, /then/ the z axis reports 0.0 acceleration while it's falling. This is important because when programming the phone (at Java level), a motionless phone sitting on your desk will always report that it is accelerating at 9.81 m/s2. The signal is always there unless the phone is falling. But if the phone is tilted at a non-orthogonal angle, then the 9.81 m/s2 signal is split out among the three accelerometers, and then -- math.
What's really hard, I mean fun, is when you want to detect movement, and you have to remove the gravity signal from the non-gravity signal coming from the accelerometers. Then you have to know the orientation of the phone from a different source (such as the magnetometer or from keeping track of rotation).
Making a blow-up of the MEMS is a boss move! Thanks for putting so much effort in this awesome video
serious props for manually tracing out those mems, really helps seeing how they function with a model that can move instead of just still images
You seem to go above and beyond to help us understand things. I only recently came across your channel. I think TH-cam recommended one of your shorts. I watched it and then went flicking through your catalog of videos. It’s some reason good educational content and I love learning. Thanks 😊👍
Thanks for watching! ♥
I'm an elementary STEM Lab teacher and I love your use of larger 3D printed models to explain how the accelerometers and gyroscopes work. Brilliant idea! And your explanation is equally easy to follow. Well done!!!
around 4:35, not just that they can do it, but how good they r at it, im still consistently blown away at how accurate n repeatable parts r
I just found this channel and WOW! The fact that you made physical models to explain these complex concepts and devices
Absolutely amazing
You are a true engineer and extremely effective teacher!
It's absolutely crazy to think we have sensors that are able to detect such small forces.
I've always wondered how this actually works on the microscopic level. No better person to learn from.
Really appreciate your work and the calmly-grounded-yet-awe-inspiring way you present it.
It's clear in each of your videos that untold hours of curiosity, experimentation, frustration, eurekas + filming and editing are behind the final product, so thank you for all you do. 👍
Increbile how such a small mechanism can be integrated in a ridiculously small chip giving precise result and with such a low cost! Absolutely brilliant video. Thank you for sharing! 😁
Your generosity in sharing knowledge with complete strangers, for the love of science and learning, is what science in its purest form has always been about. Many thanks.
Really appreciate the effort you put in to create those 3D prints! I've watched a few videos about these sorts of devices, and there's always a bit of handwaving about how they actually work. This was an amazing physical demo, I feel like I have a visceral understanding of how they work now.
Always excited to see a new Breaking Taps video!
4:58 - In fact, the exact opposite of what you are saying here is true. The moment you drop the phone, it is in free fall, which means it stops feeling the gravitational field.
Okay, I have to say, I knew how MEMS devices work and accelerometers and gyroscopes and stuff. I've even seen the pictures of the internal structure. That being said.. Your level of detail and visualization is freakin AWESOME. Amazing job with every bit of this.
Yeah, pretty awesome the 3d printer parts, I tried as well times ago with bad luck becuse the fine details, then he said "one week" printing and I understood.
Your physical models are incredibly helpful to understand what the devices are doing. I had no idea that a tuning fork can be the main part of a gyroscope. That is a huge advantage over the spinning wheels method for making it microscopic.
wowow what a wonderful demonstration. These are such cool and clever devices, and you nailed it. And huge props for taking apart real mems devices and sketching them into 3d prints! Thanks again!
The quality of this video is incredible. I'm continually amazed by the level of education one can find for free on TH-cam. Thank you sir
Thanks!
Simply THE BEST explanation ever created!!!
Seriously worthy of becoming most recommended / most linked to video on any platform.
Thank you 🙏🏼 for ALL your time && effort!!!
Having presented the accelerometer/gyroscope to my students last week, I actually had the idea if I could not make some simplified 3D-model. Now I linked your video in our course material and I will have a look at your 3D files later.
Men will literally 3D print life sized MEMS devices instead of going to therapy
Life sized? Lmao
What's therapy?
How are these things mutually exclusive?
This hurt.
@@hakkinenfanit's a meme format
Incredible video, huge props! Very interesting
AS a 3D artist my I was Blown away by the Microscopic Art. Years ago they said it's impossible to see what's inside a MEMS device to which I was sad until Now. I was actually about to start modeling it from scratch using the images but Glad that you provided the 3D models. I would love to make a 3D explainer video if you want me to make one. Let me know thanks sir.
Beautiful explanations, and beautiful models you 3d printed of these tiny mechanisms. I always casually thought about how these phones pick up on motion, position, etc. and guessed there had to be some moving parts somewhere, but never imagined how brilliantly ingenious and sophisticated the designs really were.
A+ on the effort alone. Everything else is just gravy
This is an insane physical model! Thank you for taking the time to create it and explain it to us all
As an engineer I very much appreciate the great efforts you have taken to explain MEMs to laymen. Keep it up. Great job.
Just breathe taking awesome demonstrations!
Thank you! 🥰
This was a *phenomenal* video! I can imagine how tedious it must have been to trace all the elements, then convert them into a 3D model that could be printed 😮👍
That added SO much to the understanding, though, making for a really extraordinary explainer video.
I found it especially interesting how they can integrate the Z axis into that same planar structure - I’d always wondered how they managed to do 3 axes, and thought there must be a second chip at right angles inside the package.
This was also the first time I understood how they manage to translate the coriolis forces into a measurable signal. The shift in resonant frequency was entirely unexpected.
A number of years ago I was looking at an application for a gyro where I needed a lot of sensitivity to small movements. Analog Devices (now part of someone larger, I think TI) had a unit that was an order of magnitude more sensitive than the standard parts. An engineer there explained that it operated on a somewhat different principle, but didn’t explain what that was. It’s be interesting to find out what that was :-)
BTW, the killer app that made these jellybean parts was car airbags. They needed ultra-reliable inexpensive accelerometers, and the millions of units requirement drove the development of MEMS accelerometers. Gyros came later, once the basic tech had been perfected for the airbag market.
Btw, what’s the purpose of the chip bonded on top? Just protection?
The chip on top is the ASIC for the sensor, stacked to keep it small. th-cam.com/video/l75IiNVRdfg/w-d-xo.html at 1:15
This is absolutely beautiful. What a wonderful explanation! THANK YOU for gifting us all with this easy to access knowledge. It was, undoubtedly A LOT of work!
Love these videos! Can definitely tell you're passionate about what you do
Keysight, the company that brought DLC and live service concepts to test equipment!
You got my upvote at 3:40, for tracing an entire MEMS chip into CAD so that you could CD print a human-scale model. Very awesome.
The oscillation that you picked up isn't just in your 3D printed model. The real device is also going to have oscillatory modes, but these can be corrected for using software. Basically, you've got a fundamental signal, that's convolved with an impulse response curve that characterizes the device's oscillatory modes, yielding your observed measurements, so to go backwards, one can "deconvolve" the system's impulse response curve, producing an estimate of the true signal.
The device maker probably knows the typical impulse response curve based on the device's design, but each device is going to vary slightly from the average, so if greater precision is desired, one could "calibrate" the device by more precisely estimating each individual device's impulse response curve. For example, a test harness could apply a specific acceleration pattern, and by comparing with the measured signal, the impulse response could be determined. Or it's also possible that the device can self-calibrate by observing typical motion. Or for such a small device, the oscillatory modes are probably at such a high-frequency that they can be eliminated by a simple low-pass filter. Tiny things tend to vibrate very quickly.
Wonderful video. I would love to see a part II of how MEMS are made, in particular the undercuts, using photolithography.
Here's one that explains it well th-cam.com/video/iPGpoUN29zk/w-d-xo.html
It's basically just suspended on material they etch away after construction.
I'm not sure if you've done a video on one of the OG popular MEMS devices (DLP chips or inkjet printer nozzles) but they'd be neat to see and are structurally quite simple to understand.
I'd also love to see more insight and models with some of the tiny motors and microfluidics devices they make using MEMS technology, although I know such devices are much more niche and hence harder to get a hold of than something commodity like an accelerometer/gyroscope.
I know they also make MEMS microphones these days, so seeing how those are built and comparing them to the previous go-to for compact microphones (electret capsules) would be fascinating.
They can also apparently make compasses (do they use an electromagnet? tiny permanent magnet?) and humidity sensors (what part of this is responding to humidity?) in MEMS, and I can't imagine how they're pulling that off so those might be neat to investigate as well.
I second compasses and humidity sensors!
Compasses use HAL-sensors and how the current bends in a metal sheet when exposed to a field. Not that much to see I guess? not actually a MEMS device.
Microphones is likely just the acclerator connected to a membrane instead of a mass (aka not that much new?).
Humidity sensors seems to use the conductivity of material vs wetness or a capacitor where the dieletric gets wet(hydroscopic) from the air.
Likely not really MEMS, probably just a blob of special material on two metal conductors?
would love to see a DLP (projector) MEMS
Hi Zack, I really am blown away with your approach, equipment, testing and explanations. And of course the crazy amount of time spent in tracing. I am glad that Gen had you tell me about your channel! Really fantastic! I passed on a link to your channel to a number of people.... Great work!
Great video! Looking forward to see another MEMS device such as Microphone or Oscillator.
I made microscope images of a MEMS microphone from what I think was a Motorola Razr. The photos are orange because the lamp is just yellow. imgur pPHXCev
Awesome subject well explained ! It would be nice to see some early MEMS side by side with the best we have today and perhaps a glimpse into how they are made....cheers.
Ooh, that's a good idea! Would love to see if the fabrication processes are noticeably different (either in fidelity or quality, sidewalls, etc) or just complexity.
I just cannot believe we can make things like this that work so well and reliably for under a dollar. My jaw was on the floor this entire video
Your video quality is beyond amazing. Super informative and helpful. As with a lot of technology i simply do not have time to read lots and lots on them, so videos like these provide months of research in 20 minutes or less, which is amazing.
I do however need to ask, gravity is not a force, when you drop your phone, the ground is accelerating upwards and the phone will feel no gravity, according to GR.
Therefore, does the phone have a range of pre set parameters for earths gravity, so it can detect the lack of acceleration?
Thanks! 🥰 And yeah, I botched the explanation on that... check the pinned comment, a viewer explained how it actually works vs. what I said :) Tl;dr: it's actually the restoring force of the flexure that's detected (acting like a spring), unlike what i said
Thanks!
Wow, I'm so happy to have been suggested this video!!! That is a mind blowing amount of work you put in to scan, take apart, trace and recreate the chip as a model. But it made for a great visual explanation, and I understand these devices so much more than I ever thought I would. They're both much more complex (in the intricate manufacturing) and more simple (basically just swiveling pieces) than I expected
This is an incredible presentation and explanation! Top 10 channels in my sub list and that's pretty big. I wonder if there are any MEMS devices which work in a piezo-electric way, where the flexure of the material produces a voltage and that is then converted to movements, vs this capacitance method.
Oh yeah, definitely! The cantilever on my AFM is a MEMS device, and I think they detect the oscillations via a piezo element embedded in the cantilever base. I think it's less common since it's a much more difficult process for fabs, needing to deposit a piezo material compared to just another metal layer and traces. But adds a huge amount of flexibility since you can put strain sensors right where you want them. Very cool stuff!
@@BreakingTaps I think it would be worthy a video on how you decapped these. I know you briefly went over it, but I'd love to see the actual process. How many did you have to do this to to create your composite?
come here through recommendation of gareeb scientist
same here
I stumbled on this video while just looking for something to watch, and it caught my attention. I wasn't searching to learn about any of this but ended up learning far more than I expected to. I'm blown away by the work put into the 3D models and the easy to understand way it was all put. Amazing video!
Love this video. Wondering about how these features worked for a loooong time!
"Delicate" is an understatement on a scale, where "understatement" is an understatement...
These things are, to me at least, incomprehensible small. If I'm not mixing up the scales here, then some parts could be the size of fingernail width next to a tree trunk, where the tree trunk is a human hair... It's just insane. And fascinating how "normal" technology made it that these things are everywhere because they can be made THAT easily these days.
Also a "Thank you
Thanks!
Fantastic explanation! It's facinating to see a such microscopic device enlarged printed to demontrate it's funcioning. Well done!
12:35
if teachers like him were to exist everywhere in this world
there could be so much revolution
such a nice detailed explanation 🫡🫡
Thanks so much for this video. As a mechanical engineer with a focus on materials science who works as a software engineer and whose dad is an electical engineer, MEMS devices are like the ultimate combination of my interests. This is such valuable information presented so clearly and simply
Thank you for the video,
Danke!
ありがとうございます！
Once I saw you manually traced it out and 3D printed it.. liked and subbed. Well done!
@3:40 Thank you! You are an absolute boss for taking a week to model these out.
this is one of the best explanation videos I've ever watched in years of lear ning stuff though youtube. keep in up with the great content!
The models you created are incredible. And I wouldn’t have understood the mechanism without them. Thank you for putting in so much work and sharing your understanding.
Obrigado!
@5:09, actually you are wrong. The Z axis feels 1-g all the time. When u drop your phone the phone senses 0-g’s in the z axis when it is dropped.
Fascinating stuff, it takes a brilliant guy to understand the mechanism and made models to explain it. Imagine how smart those guys invented and made those instruments? Those guys are the unknown hero of the progress of civilization and humanity.
One thing that I wonder since this is essentially a glass-like material (silicon) is how do these microscopic not crack or break inside of the chip if there is a strong drop. I mean I've dropped my phone many times, yet the accelerometers and gyroscopes still work, how do they survive strong jolts or flexing many hundreds of thousands of times?
To design something like this at a microscopic level is truly insane 🤯 if there's a creator that creator just imagine what it's capable of
This is my first time in this channel.
I am in awe about the attention to detail, what people can do with just a 3D printer.
You got a admirer today.
It's hard to find very clear explanations on these devices, with real photos, and real models, and even test to explain very clearly a concept behind a device.
Thanks man
Wow, well done, I have ALWAYS wondered about this. Fabulous.
One of the best explanations I've ever heard of how a MEMS gyro/accel works. I had heard theoretical explanations of how they work, but nobody else actually made a physical model.
Excellent explanation of MEMS sensors !!
I used to build military UAVs.
Never understood how solid state accelerometers worked in our avionics.
The best explanation of solid state devices of have ever seen!
3d models over the top!
Thanks man! Fantastic!
My guy, this was one of the best explanations of computer stuff for a non computer person ever. Kudos.
Not sure if you have ever been a teacher, but the way you explain concepts (along with the amazing visual aids) make the information really digestible. Subbed, love the work you do !
0:30 what‘s with the optical image stabilization? Apple (obviously) had problems that the system(s) die if you ride on a shaking motorcycle too long without a proper holder for the phone…
As hard as it still was to grasp the rought functionality of those devices. We can see it in completion.
Makes you appreciate the sheer genius of the people who invented it and made it so unbelievable small.
INSTANTLY pressed like & subscribe once it started playing how you modeled and 3D-printed the MEMs. Been watching a couple of your other videos too and they are absolutely incredible and informative!
Wow, thanks for not only the explanation but all the VERY-HARD-WORK to make the 3D-print models.
Very much appreciate your intellect and effort!
I gotta say, this was very enjoyable to watch. Most integrated circuit videos I have watched were quite lacking in actual information. I have worked with integrated circuits since the late 70's and was always amazed at how complex they became over the years. In the 80's we worked with Motorola 68000 CPU chips and had quite a lot of failures shipped to us. We were able to crack the tops off and look inside to see the cip itself. The mark one eyeball is not powerful enough to view the chip on its own and so we used high magnification. Under microscopes, the complexity was astounding. This was way back in the 80s....Its hard to imagine the complexity of today's cpu's with billions of transistors. Well done, and I look forward to more of your videos.
Thanks so much for 3d printing the model, that really took this video to the next level.
The instant Zac said "it took a week", I liked the video. Very informative, thank you for your work and dedication.
The moment I realized you took the effort to recreate the mechanism in 3d printing I know I found a gem of a TH-cam channel, subscribed!!!
I am speechless! I watch a lot of TH-cam videos, seriously. Never seen this kind of piece. It's unique. So much effort in it. Thanks a lot.
Insanely detailed video and very interesting to watch! Glad it blew up. I know these videos take a lot of time and seem less worth to make compared to the new short video format that's getting popular but take your time, and keep it up!
This is the explanation that I really need, thanks so much
This is best content so far on TH-cam. So much work. Thank you
That's really cool. I greatly appreciate your style of informing/teaching Zach. Thank you for your & everyone behind the scenes hard work bringing us the content. I look forward to the next notification from your channel 👍
Absolutely fantastic! This is an amazing real-world view of bacteria-small comonponentry that we all just take for granted. Until now I had assumed that there were just dizzy pixies in my phone working out which way is up. Now I know! Thank you for making this and for going to the trouble of tracing, mapping and recreating this MEMS device as a 3D model.