| Among the latest scientific inventions of great | | | | endemic in gaming devices and even iPhones and |
| importance to us in our daily lives are devices known | | | | other smart phones are using them for interfacing |
| as MEMS. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are | | | | purposes. They are being incorporated into laptop |
| the technology of the very small. In Japan MEMS are | | | | computers to sense screen orientation, and to park |
| also called micromachines. Smaller still, are the | | | | hard drive heads in case a drop is detected. They are |
| nano-scale nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) | | | | also used for images stabilization in digital cameras |
| and nanotechnology. | | | | and a host of other applications. They are |
| MEMS are made up of components between 1 to | | | | everywhere you look these days. |
| 100 micrometers in size (i.e. 0.001 to 0.1 mm) and | | | | Another area where MEMS are popping up is in |
| MEMS devices generally range in size from 20 | | | | pressure sensors. MEMS technology combines |
| micrometers (20 millionths of a meter) to a millimeter. | | | | microelectronics with tiny mechanical systems such as |
| MEMS became practical once they could be | | | | valves, gears, and other mechanical components all |
| fabricated using modified semiconductor fabrication | | | | on one semiconductor chip using nanotechnology to |
| technologies, normally used to make electronics. | | | | measure pressure. Pressure sensors can be used for |
| One type of invention impacting our lives is the | | | | directly sensing pressure for such uses as measuring |
| accelerometer. An accelerometer measures the | | | | weather data, aircraft performance parameters, |
| acceleration and gravity it experiences. Modern | | | | automobiles processes, medical devices, and other |
| accelerometers are often small micro | | | | machine applications . |
| electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), and are indeed | | | | These latest scientific inventions can be used for |
| the simplest MEMS devices possible, consisting of little | | | | sensing altitude for use in aircraft, rockets, satellites, |
| more than a cantilever beam with a proof mass. | | | | weather balloons etc. And finally, they can be use for |
| Under the influence of gravity or acceleration the | | | | flow sensing. MEMS technology is responsible for |
| proof mass deflects from its neutral position. This | | | | everything from automatic blood pressure monitoring |
| deflection is measured in an analog or digital manner. | | | | devices to monitoring tire pressure of your car. |
| This method is simple and reliable; it also does not | | | | I've barely touched upon the latest scientific |
| require additional process steps making it inexpensive. | | | | inventions in the MEMS field, just think of the military |
| Micromechanical accelerometers are available in a | | | | and battlefield uses for such a technology, research is |
| wide variety of measuring ranges, reaching up to | | | | underway for such things as smart clothing and |
| thousands of g's. These amazing little devices are | | | | smart armor. |
| what allow us to take for granted the most | | | | We are using these technologies in the exploration of |
| commonplace things in our lives, while benefiting from | | | | the ocean depths by implanting them into whales and |
| them immensely. | | | | fish, and monitoring them with radio technology. All |
| For instance, these latest of scientific devices tell our | | | | fields of science will continue to benefit from the |
| air bags when to deploy. Do you feel that we benefit | | | | amazing new inventions being spawned by these |
| from our airbag technology? They are becoming | | | | amazing and cool new technologies. |