You-Liang Lai

A ±6ms-accuracy, 0.68mm 2 and 2.21μW QRS detection ASIC

Healthcare issues arose from population aging. Meanwhile, electrocardiogram (ECG) is a powerful measurement tool. The first step of ECG is to detect QRS complexes. A state-of-the-art QRS detection algorithm was modified and implemented. By the dedicated architecture design, the novel ASIC is proposed with 2.21 μW power consumption and 0.68mm2 core area. It is the smallest QRS detection ASIC so far in the world. In addition, the positive prediction of the ASIC is 99.36% based on the MIT/BIH arrhythmia database certification.

The relationship between music processing and electrocardiogram (ECG) in vegetative state (VS)

Previous literature has suggested that consciousness of patients in vegetative state (VS) may be enhanced via music listening; however, studies empirically documenting the link among music, vegetative state, and electrocardiogram (ECG) are scant. Therefore, the current article attempts to explore how music improves the VS patients condition with the assessment of ECG recordings. The present work involved a follow-up of case report, consisting of forty-two 150-min sessions, whose duration is longer than other VS studies. The quantitative analysis of the data was conducted through C programming language, HRV Analysis, EXCEL and MATLAB package software in order to find a specific pattern of HRV. Results of the study showed a medium level of consistence between the two variables of music and ECG. To conclude, this publication may be of importance in presenting some specific pattern of the ECG diagram while letting VS patients listen to the music.

A computational model of the relationship between musical rhythm and heart rhythm

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of variation in the heart rate. Over the last 25 years, HRV analysis has became utilized more often as a non-invasive research and clinical tool for indirectly investigating both cardiac and autonomic nervous system (ANS) functions in health and disease. In our experiment, 22 healthy subjects and four testing rhythm patterns are studied. How the three musical-rhythmic characteristics of tempo, complexity and drum sample affect the performance of HRV is discussed and a computational model with four factors is proposed. This relationship can help us to improve our life and health by music.

Development of a novel thermal switch through CMOS MEMS fabrication process

This paper focuses on implementing two novel CMOS-MEMS type switches: buckling type and thermal type, by using commercially available TSMC 0.35 μm two-poly four-metal (2P4M) CMOS process. There are two novel designs in these two type switches: first, the soft contact structure with post-processing fabrication; second, using residual stress to achieve large structural deformation in buckling type and thermal type switches. To create the soft contact structure, residual gradient stress effect has been utilized to make bending-down curvatures. According to the experiments, the layer Metal1 has the largest negative residual gradient stress effect that can achieve the largest negative deflection in z-axis. Because the structure will bend down after post-processing release, larger lateral contact area are set up to gain the lower contact miss ability. In the post-processing fabrication, 0.3μm thickness gold will be deposited on the contact tips. Due to the essence of gold, comparing with aluminum, has no oxidation issue, gold also has the advantage of higher conductivity to reduce the electrical power loss. In the buckling type design, the switch uses residual stress to achieve lateral buckling effect to solve long distance problem. In the thermal type design, this paper design a folded-flexure with the electro-thermal excitation to turn the switch on or off. In the prototype, the device size is 500 μm x 400 μm and the gap between two contact pads is 9 μm in off-state. on the experimental results, the switch can work stably at 3 volts, and the displacement of the thermal type switch can achieve 2.7μm, which is sufficient for the mechanism of switching-on or switching-off.

Thermal switch and variable capacitance designed for micro electrostatic converter by using CMOS MEMS process

This paper focuses on implementing a novel thermal switch and variable capacitance design by using commercially available CMOS MEMS process which can approach in a micro electrostatic converter system. In this system, there are two major parts. First is the variable capacitance, and the second is the thermal switch. In the variable capacitance, it implement by UMC 0.18μm one-poly seven-metal (1P7M) CMOS MEMS process. In the post-process, the silicon-oxidation have been released and the gap between two metal layers filled with PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane). Filling with PDMS is to significantly increase Cmax.

A novel thermal switch design by using CMOS MEMS fabrication process

The present study focuses on implementing a novel CMOS-MEMS thermal switch by using commercially available TSMC 0.35 µm two-poly four-metal (2P4M) CMOS process. There are two novel designs in this paper: first, the soft contact structure and post-processing fabrication; second, a new design of thermal actuator. To create the soft contact structure, residual stress effect has been utilized to make different bending curvatures. According to the experiments, the layer Metal1 has the largest residual stress [1] effect that can achieve the largest deflection in z-axis. Because the residual stress of the layer metal-1 is negative, the structure will bend down after release, the largest contact area which has been set up to get the lowest contact miss ability. In the post-processing fabrication, 0.3µm thickness gold will be patterned on the contact tips. Due to gold, rather than Aluminum, has no oxidation issue, it has more reliability on preventing the problem of oxidation than Aluminum. In the new thermal actuator design, we design a novel folded-flexure [2, 3] with the electrothermal excitation to turn the switch on or off. In the prototype, the device size is 500 µm * 400 µm and the gap between two contact pads is 9 µm in off-state. Depending on the simulation results, the switch can work stably at 3 volts, and the working temperature and operating bandwidth are individually 20–200 °C.

A new thermal switch design through CMOS MEMS fabrication process

The present study focuses on implementing a novel CMOS-MEMS thermal switch by using commercially available TSMC 0.35 μm two-poly four-metal (2P4M) CMOS process. There are two novel designs in this paper: first, the soft contact structure and post-processing fabrication; second, a new design of thermal actuator. To create the soft contact structure, residual stress effect has been utilized to make different bending curvatures. According to the experiments, the layer Metal1 has the largest residual stress [1] effect that can achieve the largest deflection in z-axis. Because the residual stress of the layer metal-1 is negative, the structure will bend down after release, the largest contact area which has been set up to get the lowest contact miss ability. In the post-processing fabrication, 0.3μm thickness gold will be patterned on the contact tips. Due to gold, rather than Aluminum, has no oxidation issue, it has more reliability on preventing the problem of oxidation than Aluminum. In the new thermal actuator design, we design a novel folded-flexure [2, 3] with the electrothermal excitation to turn the switch on or off. In the prototype, the device size is 500 μm ∗ 400 μm and the gap between two contact pads is 9 μm in off-state. Depending on the simulation results, the switch can work stably at 3 volts, and the working temperature and operating bandwidth are individually 20–200 °C.