Power converters and power systems for piezoelectric actuators

The next generation of materials will contain many embedded or attached actuators and/or sensors. They will also contain support electronics including power electronics and a computer processor with a communication network along with the `smarts' to respond to their environment. Current research is also directed toward miniaturization of the components, particularly the sensor and actuators with the idea of incorporating large numbers of actuators and sensors into the material. In keeping with this trend, the electronics should also be miniaturized along with the sensors and actuators. In this paper we discuss miniaturized power converters and power systems with potential applications to materials with miniaturized sensors and actuators.