A micro-electro-mechanical transducer (such as a cMUT) is disclosed. The transducer has a substrate, a top plate, and a middle spring layer therebetween. The substrate and the middle spring layer define cavities therebetween sidewalled by standing features. The middle spring layer is anchored by the standing features to create cantilevers over the cavities to enable a vertical displacement of connectors placed on the middle spring layer. The connectors define a transducing space between the middle spring layer and the top plate. The top plate is transported by the vertical displacement of the connectors in a piston-like motion to change the transducing space and to effectuate energy transformation. Various configurations of cantilevers, including single cantilevers, back-to-back double cantilevers and head-to-head double cantilevers (bridges) are possible.