ABSTRACT
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) augment a great number of subsystems and components. It was illustrated that MEMS must be controlled. Hierarchical distributed closed-loop systems must be designed for large-scale multinode MEMS in order to perform a number of complex functions and tasks in dynamic and uncertain environments. In micro air vehicles, the deflections and torques are small, and MEMS technology is uniquely suitable to attain active aerodynamic control. Smart flight surfaces can be designed using the array of MEMS nodes controlled by the distributed controller. The local aerodynamic flow can be actively controlled and sensed by the specific microstructure, and MEMS-based actuator–sensor arrays are designed in order to deflect and change the geometry of smart flight surfaces. Hierarchical distributed closed-loop systems can have different organization, and the number of layers is based upon the complexity of multinode MEMS to be controlled. The integration of MEMS is performed through energy, communication, and control busses and input-output devices.
