BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Piezo components can be used to detect and/or apply a physical disturbance (e.g., strain, force, pressure, vibration, etc.). There are two types of piezo components, piezoelectric and piezoresistive. With piezoelectric components, when a physical disturbance is applied on the component, the piezoelectric component produces a voltage/charge in proportion to the magnitude of the applied physical disturbance. This effect is reversible. Applying a voltage/charge on the piezoelectric component produces a mechanical response proportional to the applied voltage/charge. Piezoelectric components are often made of crystal or ceramic materials such as PZT (i.e., lead zirconate titanate). With piezoresistive components, when a physical disturbance is applied on the component, the piezoresistive component produces a change in resistance in proportion to the magnitude of the applied physical disturbance.

