Conducts MEMS research and manages MEMS research activities and personnel at the Center. Designs MEMS devices, packaging and systems, including support electronics and software. Develops manufacturing processes for MEMS devices and packaging. Designs custom instrumentation (analog, digital, mixed-signal, DSP, PC interfacing, software). Recent projects include: advanced sensor development, MEMS packaging development, MEMS mechanical low-pass filters for vibration isolation, MEMS sensor suite development, micromachining of non-silicon materials, and integration of MEMS devices into complex systems.

Designed electronics and MEMS devices for various DOD and commercial projects. Also managed several DOD projects. Projects included: a Phase I SBIR to fabricate 3D micromachined antennas for submillimeter sensing, process development for a 325 element MEMS mirror for adaptive optics, low-stress packaging for large MEMS devices, multiple-output power supply design for various MEMS actuators, design of electronics for interfacing to MEMS devices, hardware and software interfacing of custom electronics to PC’s, design of a CMOS imaging array test chip, design of a precision programmable dual current source, design of two PCI based DSP boards for video applications, and design of a multi-processor Hartmann wavefront sensor DSP board.

Designed electronics for various DOD and commercial projects. Projects included: a video identification and processing system, a VME baseband radar signal pre-processor for a 2-D optical correlator, high-speed A/D and D/A boards, PLL frequency synthesizer design, DSP boards, a hand-held orientation input device for industrial robots, audio scramblers and descramblers, custom test equipment, a custom keyboard PS2 interface board, battery powered power supplies, and experimental near-field antennas.

Performed hardware-in-the-loop testing and analysis of the radar receiver for the AMRAAM missile program at Eglin AFB. Testing included pre-flight, post-flight and ECM/ECCM.

Performed research in micromachined sensors and associated electronics for the US Space Station project. Designed, simulated, prototyped, and tested a full-custom CMOS integrated circuit for interfacing with capacitive transducers.

R. Dean, J. Weller and M. Bozack, Auburn University; B. Farrell, L. Jauniskis and J. Ting, Foster-Miller, Inc.; D. Edell, InnerSea Technology Inc,; and J. Hetke, Univ. Michigan; " Novel Biomedical Implant Interconnects Utilizing Micromachined LCP;" The International Symposia on Optical Science and Technology; SPIE 49^th Annual Meeting; Proceedings pp. TBA; Denver, CO; Aug. 2-6, 2004.

Brian Farrell and Paul Jaynes, Foster-Miller, Inc; Wayne Johnson and Robert Dean Auburn University; "The Liquid Crystal Polymer Packaging Solution;" IMAPS 2003, The 36^th International Symposium on Microelectronics; Boston; MA; Nov. 16-20, 2003.

Brian Farrell and Paul Jaynes, Foster-Miller, Inc; Wayne Johnson and Robert Dean Auburn University; " The Liquid Crystal Polymer Packaging Solution;" MICRO SYSTEM Technologies 2003; Munich, Germany; Oct. 6-8, 2003.

R. Dean, T. Baginski, M. Bozack, C. Ellis, G. Flowers, R. W. Johnson, N. Schutz, Y. Tzeng, and S. Wentworth, Auburn University, "Microsystems Research at Auburn University," Workshop on Nano and Microsystems Technology and Metrology, Huntsville, AL, Dec 4-5, 2002.

Charles Ellis, Robert Dean, Lia Almeida and Ingrid Anderson, Auburn University, "Quad Electrostatic Inchworm Drive Optical Actuator," Workshop on Nano and Microsystems Technology and Metrology, Huntsville, AL, Dec 4-5, 2002.

Robert Dean, Nicole Schutz and Lori Thomas, Auburn Univ., "Microsystems and Packaging Applications," Liquid Crystal Polymer Material Processing & Applications Symposium, Huntsville, AL, Oct 29, 2002.

Robert Dean, Nicole Schutz, Lori Thomas and Steven Tully, Auburn Univ., "MEMS Devices in Printed Circuit Board Technology," IMAPS Advanced Technology Workshop on Packaging of MEMS & Related Micro Integrated Nano Systems, Denver, CO, Sept 6-8, 2002.

Brian Farrell, Paul Jaynes and Damian Kubiak, Foster-Miller, Inc.; Robert Dean, Auburn Univ., "Microfabrication Techniques for Liquid Crystal Polymer Substrates," IMAPS Advanced Technology Workshop on Packaging of MEMS & Related Micro Integrated Nano Systems, Denver, CO, Sept 6-8, 2002.

Robert Dean, R. Wayne Johnson, Holly Garrison and Nicole Schutz, Auburn University; Mike Kranz, Morgan Research Corp.; Bill Bowers and Bill Payne, IITRI; Ron Legowik, U.S. Army, "Strategies for Successfully Integrating MEMS Die onto Laminate," IMAPS 2002, Denver, CO, Sept. 4-6, 2002, Proceedings 2002 pp. 109-114, Winner of "Best Paper of Session."

Robert Dean (invited speaker), "An Introduction to MEMS," a three-hour short course, Center for Advanced Vehicle Electronics semiannual meeting, Auburn University, AL, April 17, 2002.

Robert Dean, George Flowers, Scotte Hodel, Ken MacAllister, Roland Horvath, Alex Matras and George Robertson, Auburn University; Rob Glover, U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command, "Vibration Isolation of MEMS Sensors for Aerospace Applications," IMAPS International Conference and Exhibition on Advanced Packaging and Systems, Reno, NV, March 10-13, 2002, Proceedings pp. 166-170, Winner of "Best Paper of Session."

Robert Dean, Holly Garrison, Charles Ellis, George Robertson and Nicole Schutz, "Micro Machining of LCP for MEMS Applications," LCP Materials Symposium, sponsored by PMTEC and AMCOM, Huntsville, AL, January 17, 2002.

Michael Kranz, Morgan Research Corp.; Ron Legowik, AMRDEC; William Bowers, IITRI; Robert Dean, Holly Garrison and Nicole Shultz, Auburn Univ., "Micro-Packaging of COTS MEMS for Remote Monitoring Systems," 3rd Advanced Technology Workshop on Packaging of MEMS and Related Micro Integrated Nano Systems, IMAPS, Scotts Valley, CA, Nov. 8-10, 2001.

Robert Dean, Charles Ellis, George Robertson, Lori Thomas, Nicole Schutz, Steven Tully and Holly Garrison, "MEMS Vacuum Tooling for Handling Micro-Optics," 3rd Advanced Technology Workshop on Packaging of MEMS and Related Micro Integrated Nano Systems, IMAPS, Scotts Valley, CA, Nov. 8-10, 2001.

Robert Dean, Alex Matras, Lori Thomas, Holly Garrison, Nicole Schutz, Ken MacAllister and Steven Tully, "A Laminate Based MEMS Accelerometer," 3rd Advanced Technology Workshop on Packaging of MEMS and Related Micro Integrated Nano Systems, IMAPS, Scotts Valley, CA, Nov. 8-10, 2001.

Robert Dean, Charles Ellis and Holly Garrison, "A Novel Method for Handling MEMS Die," Workshop on Microsystems Technology and Applications, Huntsville, AL, July 2001.

D. Strembicke, A Werkheiser, R. Dean, R. W. Johnson, "A Novel Flip-Chip Packaging Method for 3-Axis MEMS Accelerometers," IMAPS Advanced Technology Workshop, Packaging and Integration of MEMS & Related Microsystems, Orlando, FL, Nov. 10-12, 2000.

M. Kranz, Morgan Research Corp.; B. Bowers, IITRI; R. Dean, Auburn Univ.; R. Legowik, AMRDEC, "Advanced Manufacturing Techniques for Integration of COTS MEMS into Missile Health Monitoring Systems," poster presentation, The Knowledge Foundation, Inc. COTS MEMS Conference, Berkeley, CA, August 3 & 4, 2000.

Shannon Pan, Holly Garrison, R. Wayne Johnson, Mike Palmer, Robert Dean, Auburn University Center for Adv. Vehicle Elect.; Rick Thompson, John Evans, Daimler-Chrysler, "Conductive Adhesives for Under-the-Hood Automotive Applications," Fifth International High Temperature Electronics Conference, Albuquerque, NM, June 2000.

Daniel M. Brown, MEMS Optical, LLC; Robert Dean, Center for Advanced Vehicle Electronics at Auburn Univ.; Jeremiah D. Brown, MEMS Optical, LLC, "LED Backlight: Design, Fabrication, and Testing," SPIE Vol. 3938, pp. 180-187, January 2000.

R. Dean, SY Technology, Inc.; P. Nordine, Containerless Research Inc.; C. Christodoulou, Univ. of N. Mexico, "A Novel Method for Fabricating 3-D Helical THz Antennas Directly on Semiconductor Substrates," Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, January 20, 2000.

R. Dean, SY Technology, Inc.; P. Nordine, Containerless Research Inc.; C. Christodoulou, Univ. of N. Mexico, "A Novel Method for Fabricating 3-D Helical THz Antennas Directly on Semiconductor Substrates," SPIE Vol. 3617, January 1999.

R. Durrett, R. Dean, Dynetics, Inc.; D. F. McCartney, E. A. Viveiros, Army Research Laboratory, "Interface and Post-Processing Requirements to Insert an Acousto-Optic Range-Doppler Processor into an Advanced Radar Digital Signal Processor," SPIE Vol. 2489, April 1995.

"Three Dimensional Micromachined Electromagnetic Device and Associated Methods;" Rodney L. Clark and Robert N. Dean, Jr.; patent number: 6,271,802; awarded August 7, 2001.

Member of the Technical Advisory Committee for the "IMAPS 6th Topical Technology Workshop on Packaging of MEMS and Related Micro-Nano-Bio Integrated Systems," Long Beach, CA, November 18 - 20, 2004.

Session chair for "Session III - Special Session: PCB and Polymer for MEMS and Microsystems Packaging," at the IMAPS Advanced Technology Workshop on Packaging of MEMS & Related Micro Integrated Nano Systems, Denver, CO, September 6-8, 2002.