What are MEMS?

While invisible to the general consumer, MEMS are revolutionizing the way people live.

MEMS are devices whose physical features are at the micro scale -which is the region above nano.  Nano devices range from 1 nanometer to 100 nanometers.  MEMS devices range from 100 nanometers to 100 microns.  As the name implies, MEMS are not just devices but integrate related elements in addition to the actual micro elements.  The micro elements inside a MEMS device are frequently used as a sensor or an actuator.  Most MEMS include CMOS circuits that interface to the micro elements and translate signals to and from micro elements to electronic signals.

MEMS have enabled great reductions in the price of various functions while increasing reliability and performance.  There are already billions of MEMS used commercially in automotive, consumer and industrial applications.  Automotive applications include wireless tire pressure sensors mounted on the wheels of newer autos.  These devices monitor the tire pressure in each tire and warn a driver of dangerous conditions.

Consumer applications of MEMS are also numerous.  While consumers may not be aware that a MEMS device is the most critical component in a consumer product, many consumer products contain MEMS.  One example is the Wii game system.  Those Wii handheld motion sensors contain a 6-axis motion sensor.  This device can precisely determine the position of the sensor in 3 dimensions along with its angular position in 3 dimensions.  This function has been around for decades and early users were airliners.  Those airliners such as the early 747s had a 6-axis motion sensor used for navigation.  That device was physically large, used considerable power and carried a price tag of about $250,000.  The new MEMS version used by Wii has similar performance, a very small size and is just a few dollars.

MEMS devices are also used in life science applications.  One class of MEMS elements is called microfluidics.  These life science applications are in their infancy but show promise to provide great improvements in health care while reducing the overall cost of health care.  These devices can be used to process biological samples to test for infections such as flu, strep throat, etc. in a matter of minutes with greater accuracy than existing tests.  Someday these diagnostic MEMS will enable doctors to diagnose patients while the patients are being examined.  Microfluidics can also be used in small adhesive patches or implanted disks to automatically deliver therapeutic agents to patients who sometimes forget to take their medication.