The vantage point, published.
The full MEMS Journal archive — 441 articles across two decades of sensors, MEMS, and microtechnology.
Biomedical applications for MEMS and microfabrication
BioMEMS has been talked about as one of the most promising areas of microfabrication technologies. We recently spoke with Dr. Leslie Field and Neha Choksi of SmallTech Consulting about the current and future applications of BioMEMS as well as technologies which are now being commercialized by startups and Fortune…
MEMS packaging: history and current trends
MEMS packaging has traditionally been especially challenging because nearly every process and device require a unique approach. We recently spoke with Dr. Ken Gilleo , President of ET-Trends , a consulting and intellectual property firm focused on emerging technologies and device packaging .
Active OLEDs close in on mobile phone market
by Olivier Nowak, Wicht Technologie Consulting After years spent playing catch up with LCDs , organic light emitting diode ( OLED ) displays seem to be finally closing the distance . The first mobile phone sporting an OLED main display - the BenQSiemens S88 - was introduced earlier this year. It includes a…
Philips launches Liquavista to commercialize MEMS displays
Liquavista, a start up with electrowetting MEMS technology from Philips, announced this past April that it has received its first venture capital round from New Venture Partners (NVP). The company is going after the lucrative mobile device display market. As with Qualcomm's MEMS display technology, Liquavista's…
MEMS and university tech transfer
Kionix was founded in 1993 to commercialize MEMS technology and intellectual property from Cornell University . We recently spoke with Dr. Greg Galvin , founder and CEO of the company, about his experiences with MEMS tech transfer , acquisitions, as well as Kionix' current status and future plans.
Nanochip's MEMS based memory
In April of this year Nanochip reported a new venture capital round of $10 million with Intel as the leading investor. Nanochip is developing a new class of ultra-high-capacity MEMS-based storage chips. These new chips - with bit-densities enabling the storage of tens of gigabytes per chip or the equivalent of many…
Fidelica's MEMS based fingerprint sensors
Fidelica Microsystems is a start up company with MEMS based technology for fingerprint sensor applications . We recently spoke with Dr. S K Ganapathi , the founder and CEO of the company, about Fidelica's latest progress and market outlook for its fingerprint sensors.
MEMS in Europe: A perspective from TRONIC'S Microsystems
TRONIC'S Microsystems was founded in 1997 as a spin-off from LETI. The company has enjoyed impressive growth and is one of the leading MEMS foundries in the world. We recently spoke with TRONIC'S CEO Peter Pfluger about the interesting start ups they are seeing in Europe, the new Minatec MEMS and nanotechnology…
Why so much difference between the MEMS market forecasts?
by Dr. Henning Wicht, Wicht Technologie Consulting This question came up time and again— and several times at Semicon Europa this April. We had presented the figures for MST/MEMS of the NEXUS study which Wicht Technologie Consulting (WTC) coordinated and Yole Development presented its figures for MEMS. Shortly…
Inertial MEMS sensors for consumer applications
by Richard Dixon and Jérémie Bouchaud, Wicht Technologie Consulting The market for MEMS inertial sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) is set to grow from $835 million in 2004 to over $1360 million in 2009 — a CAGR of 10%. Currently, the main applications are in the automotive industry . These markets are well…
Interview with IMT’s CEO John Foster
Based in Santa Barbara, Innovative Micro Technology (IMT) is one of the leading MEMS foundries. We recently spoke with John Foster , the CEO of the company. In the interview, he talks about his company’s recent projects as well as some general trends in the MEMS industry .
MEMS microphones break design mould
by Dr. Richard Dixon, Wicht Technologie Consulting Silicon micromachined microphones have recently begun to emerge as a competitor technology to the electret condenser microphone (ECM), a device first developed by Bell Labs way back in the 1960s. Today, MEMS microphones amount to just tens of millions of units ,…
SUSS probe systems installed in IMEC's research facilities
(Press Release) -- SUSS MicroTec AG , a leading manufacturer of probe systems used to characterize semiconductor devices at wafer level, has installed the latest 300 mm technology in wafer probe systems at the nanoelectronics research center IMEC in Leuven, Belgium. Both PA300PS ProbeShield® semiautomatic probe…
COMSOL expands distribution channel in China
(Press Release) -- COMSOL Inc. has named ZhongFang Information Technology Ltd. (also known as CnTech) as its distributor in the Peoples' Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macao) effective immediately. That firm, based in Shanghai, is responsible for all marketing, sales, local training, and support of the…
Bourne Research launches bioMEMS report series
(Press Release) -- Bourne Research , the leading provider of market analysis on emerging technologies, today launched The Bourne Report – Medical Device Quarterly , a new report series dedicated to covering the use of MEMS and Nanotechnology in medicine. Geared toward physicians, life science researchers, medical…
Study shows strong job growth in the Micro and Nanotechnology sectors
(Press Release) -- The nano job market is heating up, according to Small Times magazine, the leading source of news and analysis about the micro and nanotechnology sectors. Small Times conducted a compensation survey of micro and nano professionals that revealed an overall trend in higher compensation and expanding…
Micralyne builds on success in the Asian market
(Press Release) -- Micralyne Inc. , a world-leading manufacturer of MEMS based industrial components, reports success penetrating the emerging MEMS market in Asia. Building on its position as one of the largest independent MEMS foundries in North America , Micralyne has successfully extended its reach to Asia by…
COMSOL's Multiphysics offers options, flexibility to MEMS designers
COMSOL recently released a MEMS module for its FEMLAB simulation software. We recently spoke with Dr. John Dunec , the manager of the company's Palo Alto branch, about COMSOL current offerings in the MEMS area and its plans for the future. We also asked Dr. Dunec about emerging MEMS applications that he thought had…
SiTime's timing with MEMS
As companies race to commercialize their MEMS resonator technologies , many challenges and questions remain. We recently spoke with Dr. Kurt Petersen , a MEMS industry veteran who previously founded Cepheid and NovaSensor, about his latest start up SiTime and the company's MEMS based timing technology. SiTime has…
Radant MEMS President discusses RF switches
MEMS based switches for RF applications are the basic block for more complex RF MEMS architectures. We recently spoke with Dr. Jean-Claude Sureau , President of Radant MEMS .
How to launch a BioMEMS start up
CardioMEMS is an emerging company which has developed BioMEMS technology for treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) and Heart Failure (HF) disease. The company announced last month that it has completed its series C round of financing, raising $16 million of equity funding. Medtronic, a new investor, led the…
Optimizing MEMS Manufacturing
Tight control of manufacturing flows and yield is one of the essential factors for success with MEMS manufacturers. We recently spoke with Dan Estrada , Vice President of Eyelit, whose company provides software systems to help manufacturers achieve greater fabrication efficiencies and profitability. Eyelit already…
Motorola Comments on RF MEMS
There has been much discussion about RF applications in the MEMS industry circles. While most of the comments and input so far has been from RF MEMS manufacturers, we thought that getting some feedback from a potential RF MEMS customer, Motorola, is important as well. We recently spoke with Tom Walczak , Senior…
MEMS and Cell Phones
We spoke with Greg Heinzinger , senior vice president and general manager of QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies about the business unit’s MEMS-based display technology.