From mobile phones to computing devices, MEMS have now entered inside computing devices capable of sensing them when they are dropped thus protecting the data on the disk. However experts feel that we have still touched the tip of an ice berg. Players like STMicroelectronics are betting big on MEMS. ST has shipped more than 7 Billion MEMS devices, globally. The article looks at some interesting applications of MEMS.
India is one of the largest markets for consumer goods and latest gadgets. Smart Phones, tablets, Cameras, game consoles and laptops are now present in majority of Indian homes. MEMS sensor technology plays an important role by empowering these gadgets with an ability, to sense the external environment and act intelligently. With the increase in the consumption of consumer gadgets, India is poised to become a major market for MEMS growth. India has gained significant importance on development of MEMS technology.
There have been arguments whether MEMS have evolved in terms of utility, the structure of MEMS is seeing a paradigm shift towards multi-sensing capabilities integrated on the same chip, purring together a combination of accelerometer and gyroscope or accelerometer and magnetometer or a combination of all the three together. MEMS have been able to innovate because the availability of the software layer that fuses the data from multiple sensors information that enables developers to write the application without having to understand the physics of the sensor.
There is a chicken-and-egg hypothesis when it comes to MEMS and User Interface. Has user Interfaces augment the growth of MEMS or MEMS has driven user Interface controller by motion. Well, whichever side the argument rests, it is plausible that today MEMS have outdone themselves by going beyond mobile phones and spreading to the human body and the environment at large. From mobile phones to computing devices, MEMS have now entered inside computing devices capable of sensing them when they are dropped thus protecting the data on the disk. However experts feel that we have still touched the tip of an ice berg. According to Mr. Vishal Goyal, Senior, Technical Marketing Manager, STMicroelectronics India “Although we’ve seen tremendous growth in the use of MEMS over the last many years, we are still in the early stages and there is a lot of additional opportunity—even in areas that you might think are “mature.”
MEMS sensors have enabled intuitive motion-activated user interfaces in many different popular consumer devices, including most of the leading smart phones, tablets, personal media players, game consoles, digital still cameras and remotes, making these more accessible and appealing to people.
Let’s look at some interesting applications of MEMS. To start with, MEMS augment in creating artificial horizons for digital-still-cameras and support applications that trigger change of song or music when the portable media player is shaken, MEMS are also being installed in washing machines which measuring the vibrations of the machine thus saving energy. Keeping user interface aside, MEMS today enhances the implementation of other applications. For instance, in case of augmented reality, a cutting-edge technology which adds information on top of what users sees through the camera lens.
In emerging areas of fitness and wellness, MEMS plays an important role in monitoring, thereby enabling collection of data around amount of workout, calories burnt, etc. “Medical electronics is another very promising market for MEMS with high growth potential. The ageing population, increased life-span and various life-style related illnesses are spurring demand for applications, many of which contain—or can contain–MEMS. ST has made announcements for ultra low power and small form factor MEMS which can make wearable fitness and wellness products to enable remote monitoring. There are lots of other opportunities”, adds Vishal Goyal.
Automotive is also increasing the amount of MEMS consumption thereby enabling active and passive safety functions. Automotive infotainment, safety, fuel efficiency and enhanced features are making this application market very promising for MEMS content. In addition, specific to India as the world’s biggest market for two-wheelers, MEMS are useful for roll-over sensing, auto-side indicators cut off, side-stand detection, anti-theft etc. Vishal added “MEMS are among the fastest-growing semiconductor component in automotive and most of these are for accelerometers, gyroscopes and pressure sensors. Automotive infotainment, safety, fuel efficiency and enhanced features are making this application market very promising for MEMS content”. Various motion MEMS devices can monitor car motion, distance travelled, direction and altitude. Precise gyroscope readings can also improve map-matching along with GPS signals. The accurate positioning can pinpoint a user’s position on a digital map or road network. This information can then be used for traffic-flow analysis and driving directions. MEMS accelerometers can also be used to enhance security in cars by detecting theft, intrusion or an attempt to tow—a common way of stealing a car. A black box, similar to the ones installed in aircraft, is now entering the car segment. MEMS sensors can provide critical input for accident detection, location accuracy and aggressive acceleration, braking and sharp turns. A MEMS accelerometer can also detect the intensity of an impact in all three axes, so it can provide valuable clues to accident investigators.
Players like STMicroelectronics are betting big on MEMS. ST has shipped more than 7 Billion MEMS devices, globally. STMicroelectronics also claims to be one-stop MEMS shop, with all of the products, IP, sensor-fusion software, manufacturing expertise and other skills and capabilities that the market needs and wants. A leading technology innovator, ST has over 900 MEMS-related patents to its name, which represent a valuable part of the Company’s intellectual property portfolio. Thanks to the advanced process-control methodology and large-scale manufacturing process at ST’s state-of-the-art 8-inch manufacturing lines, its MEMS components can be fabricated at both excellent quality and very competitive costs.
As part of the larger strategic intent, the company acquired an Israel-based company bTendo, last year and has initiated a joint development program to develop the World’s Smallest Focus-Free Embedded Pico-Projector for Next-Generation Smart Phones. This initiative has panned evaluation samples ideally suited, because of their tiny size and lower power consumption which integrates into next-generation smart phones, digital cameras and laptops. These samples are now in the hands of potential customers and users can display video, pictures and presentations virtually anywhere due to focus-free high resolution output which is at the heart of the Scanning Laser Projection engine.
In the emerging countries like India, as the consumption of consumer electronics grows, it is poised to become a major market for MEMS consumption. According to Vishal, “We are actively promoting MEMS in the Indian market across various segments – tablet, mobile phone, automotive, security and industrial. We are working to bridge the gap and connect the dots of the supply chain by involving design houses, EMS, OEM, service providers into the common platform.”
Relying on its impressive range of MEMS processes, products, application IP (Intellectual Property) blocks and sound business cases, STMicroelectronics plays a leading role in this extremely challenging, competitive and growing market segment. Aided by successful standardization efforts, the Company has been continuing to achieve the economies of scale and increasing customer confidence, critical points in stimulating market demand for forward-thinking applications in the expanding MEMS arena.
