Most Common MEMS Devices

When you read about Nanotechnology and MEMS, it is popular to highlight all the fantastic applications that people can imagine. Robots in the bllod stream navigating to problem areas in the body and performing micro surgery or tiny flies that can can become "a fly on the wall" and gather information on our enemies. The reality is that al lot of very important MEMS devices are part of our everyday life. The others will come in time, but these are very hard problems.

Accelerometers

Measures acceleration, velocity, position, vibration, shock

Used for Airbag Crash Detection, Machine Condition Monitoring, Tilt Sensing.

Microfluidics

Used for Ink jet printer heads, Lab-on-a-chip, Drug infusion Systems

RF Devices

Build electronic components to replace devices fabricated with IC technology - resistors, capacitors, switches, variable capacitors/inductors, tunable filters, impedance matching circuits, phase shifters, and nonlinear transmission lines

They save space and have greater range in “electronic” power; higher values of ohms and farads

Pressure Sensors

Measurement associated with fluid, liquid or gas

Optical Devices

Optical switches - laser transmission systems

Display systems - computer and video displays using reflecting mirrors