Collision detector, collision detection system, and method of using same
AssigneeThe Penn State Research Foundation
InventorsSaptarshi Das, Darsith Jayachandran
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compact collision detector can be configured for low power operation to facilitate collision avoidance. In one embodiment, a nanoscale collision detector can be based on a photodetector, stacked on top of a non-volatile and programmable memory architecture that imitates the escape response of LGMD neuron at a frugal energy expenditure of few nanojoules (nJ) and at the same time can offer orders of magnitude benefit in device footprint (e.g. by having a relatively small size). Embodiments of the collision detector can be utilized in smart, low-cost, task-specific, energy efficient and miniaturized collision detection systems configured for collision avoidance.
Claims16
A collision detector comprising:
- a first layer that can be configured as an excitatory layer and a second layer configured as an inhibitory layer, wherein the inhibitory layer consists of a p++Si/TiN/Pt/Al2O3 non-volatile and programmable memory stack.
A collision detector comprising:
- a first layer that can be configured as an excitatory layer and a second layer configured as an inhibitory layer,
- the first layer includes a source connected to a MoS2 layer and a drain connected to the MoS2 layer;
- and
- the second layer includes an Al2O3 layer, a Pt layer between the Al2O3 layer and a TiN layer, the TiN layer being between the Pt and a p++Si layer;
- the p++Si layer being connected to a back gate and/or positioned as a back gate.
A method of forming a collision detector, the method comprising:
- forming a collision detector to have a first layer and a second layer, the first layer including a source and a drain connected to a MoS2 layer;
- the second layer structured as a non-volatile and programmable stack including an Al2O3 layer, a Pt layer between the Al2O3 layer and a TiN layer, the TiN layer being between the Pt and a p++Si layer;
- the p++Si layer being connected to a back gate and/or positioned as a back gate.
A method for detecting an object to avoid a collision with the object, the method comprising:
- forming a collision detector to have a first layer and a second layer, the first layer including a source and a drain connected to a MoS2 layer;
- the second layer structured as a non-volatile and programmable stack including an Al2O3 layer, a Pt layer between the Al2O3 layer and a TiN layer, the TiN layer being between the Pt and a p++Si layer;
- the p++Si layer being connected to a back gate and/or positioned as a back gate;
- receiving a visual stimulus from the object;
- applying voltage pulses to the non-volatile and programmable stack of the collision detector;
- supplying the voltage to a photodetector of the collision detector connected to the non-volatile and programmable stack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.