Abstract: Apparatus for generating a target physical effect, at least one attribute of which corresponds to at least one characteristic of a digital input signal sampled periodically, the apparatus comprising a multiplicity of electrostatic actuator elements, each comprising a moving element moving between first and second electrodes, the multiplicity of electrostatic actuator elements including Nr first subsets (R-subsets) of actuator elements and Nc second subsets (C-subsets) of actuator elements, wherein a first partitioning of the multiplicity of actuator elements yields the Nr first subsets (R-subsets) and a second partitioning of the multiplicity of actuator elements yields the Nc second subsets (C-subsets); a first plurality of Nr electrical connections (R-wires) interconnecting the moving elements of actuator elements in each R-subset, such that the moving element of any actuator element in each individual R-subset is electrically connected to the moving elements of all other actuator elements in the individual

Abstract: An actuator apparatus is provided that includes at least one actuator device, each actuator device including an array of moving elements, each individual moving element is operative to be constrained to travel alternately back and forth along a respective axis responsive to an individual first electrostatic force operative thereupon, wherein each moving element has an at-rest position and is driven away from its at rest position solely by the first electrostatic force; and at least one electrode operative to apply a controlled temporal sequence of potential differences with at least one individual moving element from among the array of moving elements thereby to selectably generate the first electrostatic force; and a controller operative to receive the digital input signal and to control at least one of the at least one electrode and the individual moving element to apply the sequence of potential differences.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for testing an apparatus which comprises a set of operational subunits each comprising a moving element, wherein the moving elements move between respective first and second extreme positions, the method comprising: transferring to the apparatus stabilization control commands; transferring to the apparatus first latching-commands for latching to the first extreme position a candidate moving element which is a moving element of a candidate operational subunit; when the first latching control commands are in effect, measuring a first output frequency of an oscillator whose output is coupled to the candidate operational subunit in an electrical coupling setup which causes the output frequency of the oscillator to depend on positions of a plurality of moving elements which comprises the candidate moving element; and based on the first output frequency determining a state of the candidate operational subunit.

Abstract: A system which controls an apparatus which comprises a set of actuator elements, each comprising a moving element which moves between first and second extreme positions, wherein each actuator element of the set is comprised in: (a) exactly one first subset out of a plurality of non-empty first subsets (R-subsets) of the set of actuator elements; and (b) exactly one second subset out of a plurality of non-empty second subsets (C-subsets) of the set of actuator elements.

Abstract: A system which controls a group of multiple arrays of actuator elements, each of the actuator elements including a moving element which moves between a first and a second extreme positions; the system including: a controller, configured to generate control commands for at least one array of the multiple arrays in each individual cycle out of a series of sampling cycles, based on obtained information; and (b) an interface configured to transfer the control commands to the at least one array, thereby resulting in releasing from the first extreme position during the intended cycle of at least one moving element that is included in the at least one array; wherein release of all moving elements of at least one restrained array out of the multiple arrays is prevented during the intended cycle.

Abstract: An actuator apparatus is provided that includes at least one actuator device, each actuator device including an array of moving elements, each individual moving element is operative to be constrained to travel alternately back and forth along a respective axis responsive to an individual first electrostatic force operative thereupon, wherein each moving element has an at-rest position and is driven away from its at rest position solely by the first electrostatic force; and at least one electrode operative to apply a controlled temporal sequence of potential differences with at least one individual moving element from among the array of moving elements thereby to selectably generate the first electrostatic force; and a controller operative to receive the digital input signal and to control at least one of the at least one electrode and the individual moving element to apply the sequence of potential differences.