Design of a new low-power micro electromechanical capacitive strain sensor that is capable of measuring large values of strain is presented. The design is a departure from conventional comb finger configurations currently used in capacitive strain sensors. It consists of multiple sets of three beams, of which two are bent and located on either side of a horizontal straight beam. Each set of three beams acts as a differential capacitor as the bent beams deflect when the surface to which they are attached undergoes strain.

The benefit of this simple micro-scale device, which is under 1 mm2, is that it does not require custom electronics for the conversion of differential capacitance to voltage. It is temperature resistant, which makes it suitable not only for indoor but for outdoor applications as well, even in extreme climates. The sensor lends itself to integration of onboard wireless data transmission and remote self-generating power supply to make this a stand-alone measurement and communication device. It can be easily manufactured by a two-mask process in a few simple steps. Due to its versatility, scalability, robustness, and ease of fabrication, this sensor shows exceptional promise in a wide range of SHM applications.