Design of reconfigurable composite microsystems based on hardware/software codesign principles

Composite microsystems that integrate mechanical and fluidic components with electronics are emerging as the next generation of system-on-a-chip. Custom microsystems are expensive, inflexible, and unsuitable for high-volume production. The authors address this problem by leveraging hardware/software codesign principles to design reconfigurable composite microsystems. They partition the system design parameters into nonreconfigurable and reconfigurable categories. In this way, operational flexibility is enhanced and the microsystems are designed for a wider range of application. In addition, the Taguchi robust design method is used to make the system robust, and response surface methodologies are used to explore the widest performance range for the system. A case study is presented for a microvalve, which serves as a representative microelectrofluidic device.