Embodiments of the invention include a self-propelled sensor system. In an embodiment, the self-propelled sensor system includes a piezoelectrically actuated motor that is integrated with a substrate. In an embodiment, the self-propelled sensor system may also include a sensor and an integrated circuit electrically coupled to the piezoelectrically actuated motor. Embodiments of the invention may also include self-propelled sensor systems that include plurality of piezoelectrically actuated motors. In an embodiment the piezoelectrically actuated motors may be one or more different types of motors including, but not limited to, stick and slip motors, inchworm stepping motors, standing acoustic wave motors, a plurality of piezoelectrically actuated cantilevers, and a piezoelectrically actuated diaphragm. Additional embodiments of the invention may include a plurality of self-propelled sensor systems that are communicatively coupled to form a sensor mesh.

A piezoelectric drive device including: laminated piezoelectric element including a first end face and a second end face opposed to the first end face; a weight member attached to the first end face; and a shaft attached to the second end face, in which a moving member, engaged to the shaft movable in an axial direction, is moved by activating the laminated piezoelectric element. Inside the laminated piezoelectric element, a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode, respectively having a plane surface approximately perpendicular to the first end face and the second end face, are laminated in Y axial direction, approximately perpendicular to the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode with a piezoelectric layer in-between. The piezoelectric drive device, in which the laminated piezoelectric element is difficult to bend, even when the load is applied to the shaft from a lateral direction, is provided.

The vibration producing device includes a driving shaft being placed under slight rapid vibratory movements in its axial direction, a slight rapid vibratory movements producing member coupled with one end of the driving shaft for causing the driving shaft to be vibrated with the slight rapid vibratory movements, a casing for supporting at least either the driving shaft or the slight rapid vibratory movement producing member in such a manner that the driving shaft can be vibrated with the slight rapid vibratory movements in its axial direction, and a weight member to be coupled with the driving shaft in order to permit the weight member to move in its axial direction under the slight rapid vibratory movements of the driving shaft, wherein the casing is vibrated by allowing the weight member to be moved forwards and backwards alternately along the driving shaft in its axial direction.

A gravity center obtained by combining a gravity center of an X-axis movable object, a gravity center of a Y-axis movable object, and a gravity center of a lens carrier is located in a triangle, as vertexes, having a contact portion in which an X-axis friction engagement portion comes into contact with an X-axis drive shaft, a contact portion in which a first X-axis support portion comes into contact with an X-axis movable object holding portion, and a contact portion in which a second X-axis support portion comes into contact with the X-axis movable object holding portion.

In a connection position of a first suspension wire and an electric wiring line provided in a Y-axis movable object and a connection position of a second suspension wire and an electric wiring line provided in an X-axis movable object, height positions along a direction of an optical axis of a lens from a base member are almost the same.

An X-axis movable object holding portion to hold an X-axis movable object is provided at a position facing an X-axis actuator in a base member. A Y-axis movable object holding portion to hold a Y-axis movable object is provided at a position facing a Y-axis actuator in the X-axis movable object. An X-axis stopper mechanism for restricting a movement range of the X-axis movable object is provided in the base member. A Y-axis stopper mechanism for restricting a movement range of the Y-axis movable object is provided in the X-axis movable object.

A nano-positioning system for fine and coarse nano-positioning including at least one actuator, wherein the at least one actuator includes a high Curie temperature material and wherein the nano-positioning system is configured to apply a voltage to the at least one actuator to generate fine and/or coarse motion by the at least one actuator. The nano-positioning system being a stand-alone system, a scanning probe microscope, or an attachment to an existing microscope configured to perform a method of creepless nano-positioning that includes positioning a probe relative to a first area of a substrate using coarse stepping and interacting with the first area of the substrate using fine motion after less than 60 seconds of the positioning the probe. The movement of the scanning probe microscope is actuated by a high Curie temperature piezoelectric material that limits and/or eliminates creep, hysteresis and aging.

A linear actuator assembly has a linear actuator including a motor shaft extending from a base with a piezoelectric component oscillate the shaft. The shaft has a faceted surface. A movable carriage has a notch with at least one flat surface that receives the shaft of the linear actuator. The carriage is in direct and continuous contact with the motor shaft at the notch such that the motor shaft's facet is in contact with the flat surface of the notch, when the carriage moves linearly along a travel axis. A spring is coupled to the carriage to urge the motor shaft into contact with the notch of the carriage so as to maintain contact between the motor shaft facet and the flat surface of the notch to inhibit rotation of the motor shaft.

There is provided a drive controller including a determination part that compares a target stop position of a movable body, which is driven by a piezoelectric actuator driven by a piezoelectric element expanded and contracted in response to an applied voltage, with a real position of the movable body acquired on the basis of a position sensor, and determines whether or not the target stop position matches with the real position, and a drive control part that turns off energization of the piezoelectric actuator when the target stop position matches with the real position while the movable body is being driven by the piezoelectric actuator.

A piezoelectric element unit comprises an element body having internal electrodes laminated with piezoelectric layers therebetween and a pair of external electrodes electrically connected to the internal electrodes and an electric connection part for connecting a wiring part to the external electrodes. The electric connection part is composed of a conductive resin adhesive part and the conductive resin adhesive part is covered by a resin part.