14:40 – 15:00
Commercialization of MEMS-based ultrasonics
Over the last 10 years, my group has developed and commercialized PMUT-based systems for consumer electronics applications, starting with air-coupled PMUTs used for time-of-flight (ToF) range-finding and human presence sensing. These ToF sensors were commercialized by my startup, Chirp Microsystems (now part of TDK), and are used in many products such as smart-locks, robot vacuum cleaners, and laptops. We subsequently developed an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor based on the monolithic integration of PMUTs with CMOS that is used for biometric authentication.
David Horsley, Ph.D.
Northeastern University
David Horsley is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Northeastern University, where he is co-director of the Institute for NanoSystems Innovation (NanoSI). Dr. Horsley co-founded several deep-tech companies, most recently Chirp Microsystems (now part of TDK InvenSense), a manufacturer of MEMS-based ultrasonic sensors. Dr. Horsley is an IEEE Fellow, a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, is a recipient of the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award, the UC Davis Outstanding Junior Faculty Award, the 2016 NSF I/UCRC Association’s Schwarzkopf Award for Technological Innovation, the 2018 East Bay Innovation Award, and Northeastern University’s 2024 Global Network Accelerator Award.
Northeastern University
Company Profile
Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university with a distinctive, experience-driven approach to education and discovery. The university is a leader in experiential learning, powered by the world’s most far-reaching cooperative education program. We integrate classroom study with opportunities for professional work, research, service, and global learning in more than 100 countries. The same spirit of collaboration guides a use-inspired research enterprise focused on solving global challenges in health, security, and sustainability. Northeastern offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools, and select graduate programs at campuses in Boston, Charlotte, N.C., San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Toronto. Campuses in Burlington, MA, and Nahant, MA, are home to research institutes for homeland security and coastal sustainability, respectively.
