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Prof. Luc Fréchette

Université de Sherbrooke – Institut Interdisciplinaire d’Innovation Technologique (3IT)

Teaching and research in the areas of microelectromechanical systems and thermofluidics. His research expertise is in microengineering of miniature systems for energy conversion (Power MEMS), such as microfabricated heat engines, fuel cells and vibration energy harvesting, with activities ranging from integrated device development to more fundamental microfluidics, heat and mass transfer studies in such microsystems. Dr. Fréchette also enjoys developing MEMS sensors and actuators for aerospace applications, microeletronics cooling and packaging. He is a member of ASME and IEEE.

Flexible sensors and energy harvesting for Intelligent Tire applications

Vehicles dynamics, safety and noise depend largely on the interaction between the wheels or a car and the road.  Real-time monitoring of the loads seen by the tires could therefore provide key information for active control for stability and noise reduction.  Tires could therefore be made intelligent by embedding load sensors, ideally implemented with wireless communication and an integrated power supply.  This work demonstrates this concept by using printed capacitive sensors on flexible substrates, to match the inevitable deformation of rubber tires. The tire deformations for a simulated load are measured using a quarter car test apparatus and laser vibrometry.  Multiple sensor locations were evaluated and shown to provide useful information for eventual active control applications.  In addition, flexible substrate with embedded piezoelectric fibers have also been demonstrated as load sensors and to harvest energy from the tire deformation, with the goal of providing electrical power to wireless sensors embedded in an intelligent tire.