MEMS Applications in Some Other Industries

MEMS devices find uses in a variety of other industries, where space is at a premium, or fine control, redundancy and low power consumption are important requirements.

Ongoing MEMS research areas at various Universities and Industry consortia include development, design, fabrication, and characterization of: Microsensors and Microactuators; Photolithography-Based LIGA (high aspect ratio microstructures); Magnetic Microactuators; Electrostatic Microactuators; Flow Sensors; Humidity Sensors; Pressure Sensors; Accelerometers; Bio/Chemical Sensors; Biochips; Micropumps and Valves; Microfluidic Systems; MEMS-Based Fuel Injectors; Micro Heat Pipes; MEMS-based MCM's; On-Chip Heat and Cooling Systems; Porous Silicon for MEMS Thermo-Siphon; Micro Channels and Microchromatographic Separation Columns; Optical I/O Couplers; Opto-Electronic Multichip Modules (OE-MCM) and Packaging; Integrated Power DC/DC Converters; Non-Destructive Detections; ASIC Circuits and Advanced Micromachining Techniques

The following are some industries where MEMS devices are currently deployed, or are under active consideration:

Manufacturing/Assembly

Some researchers are designing "microrobot sweatshops" that will assemble electronic components, such as the insides of VCRs. Such work is currently done by hand.

Environmental Monitoring

Minute MEMS environmental sensors can provide very high resolution data at a very low cost. Since the sensors have essentially no moving parts, their reliability is much higher. Redundancy of the sensors ensures that complete failure will not take place.

Military/Security Sensing

With a network of 100,000 MEMS sensors dispersed in a war zone or around an installation, nothing could move very far without being detected. Other possibilities include nuclear weapons security (with active research at Sandia national Labs)

Data Storage Applications

Industrial Applications

Consumer Applications