MEMS MARKET BRIEF

IHS iSuppli
MEMS Market Brief/Volume 4, Issue 9
By Jrmie Bouchaud, Principal Analyst & Richard Dixon, Senior Analyst, MEMS

September 2011

Pressure Sensors will be Top MEMS Device in 2014

Pressure is On to Reach the Top
Thanks to relatively high prices and an expanding use in a host of automotive, medical, and
industrial applications, pressure sensors will emerge as the top MEMS device in revenue in 2014,
growing at 9.7% CAGR from 2010 to reach $1.94 billion in 2015. This result will trump even the
ubiquitous accelerometer and the increasingly popular gyroscope.

SOURCE: IHS iSuppli | September 2011

In terms of shipments, pressure sensors are in fourth place behind accelerometers, microphones,
and BAW filters.

Millions of Dollars

2,000

1,500

1,000

The MEMS Market Brief is a monthly

commented analysis which began in
October 2008. Copies of the first three
issues can be obtained free upon request.
The market brief represents just one part of
the IHS iSuppli annual MEMS service that
comprises three dedicated market trackers
(for overall MEMS, consumer MEMS, and
automotive MEMS markets), as well as
three topical reports, including those based
on MEMS sensors for Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) and MEMS sensors for cell
phones, MEMS microphones, magnetic
sensors, MEMS switches.

Table of Contents
Pressure Sensors will be Top MEMS
Device in 2014 . ........................................1
Commented News . ..................................4

500

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Graph Market for MEMS Pressure Sensors 2010 to 2015

The explanation is of course the average price of MEMS pressure sensors. Depending on the
level of compensation and calibration of the die, and type of packaging, this can range from $1
for a simple disposable medical pressure sensor up to several tens of dollars for sensors in robust
industrial environments, to hundreds of dollars for the most specialized applications such as aircraft
hydraulics or air data measurements; and as the market for consumer devices is small, this keeps the
overall market value relatively high.
Ultimately, price is dictated by the combination of media and environmental conditionsincluding
temperature and pressure. Calibration is a big added value that influences the price of pressure
sensors, while customized second-level steel packages can drive final transducers into the thousands
of dollars.

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MEMS Market Brief/Volume 4, Issue 9

Finding Heavy Use in Assorted Applications

Generally, the automotive sector remains the biggest area for MEMS
pressure sensors, claiming a 72% share in revenue, followed by medical
electronics at 12%, and the industrial segment at 10%. The remaining
6% of the market is split between consumer electronics and military/
aerospace (see table).
Sector
Automotive

2010 sales,
CAGR2010-15
$881M, 9.3%

Comment
By far main application. The U.S.,
European and recent Chinese mandates
for TPMS based on direct pressure
measurement, combined with emission
regulations tightening in various countries,
will stimulate this market into first place
by 2014

Medical

$142M, 5.6%

Contradictory trends result in a low growth.

On one hand, disposable blood pressure
sensors commoditizing, undergo high price
erosion. On other, advanced applications
such as sleep apnea monitoring are
dynamic markets, and new applications
with high potential will emerge like
implantable pressure sensors, e.g. at
CardioMEMS

Industry

$127M, 5.8%

Low volume, highly fragmented market,

high value parts

Consumer

$45M, 7.3%

Main application is altimeter for indoor

navigation, but infrastructure and business
model not in place in next few years

Military & Civil

Aerospace

$26M, 8.9%

Low volume, high priced parts for engines,

FADEC, flight control instruments, cabin
pressure, hydraulic systems
SOURCE: IHS iSuppli | September 2011

Automotive is by far the biggest part of the pressure sensor market

Automotive Dependency
Automotive sensors are significantly more expensive than consumer
sensors due to the often harsh environments in which the devices
operate. Moreover, long qualification times are needed for the sensors,
which also need to be reliable for stretches of time lasting as long as 15
years. Some of the devices, such as brake or tire pressure monitors, are
critical to the safety of vehicles.

In the automotive sector, IHS iSuppli identifies 15 applications for

MEMS sensors. Powertrain makes up 50% of the total value of $881
million in 2010. Outside of a modest market for HVAC (mostly nonMEMS sensors today), the rest is for safety applications including
TPMS, ESC, airbags and fuel vapor measurement.
The biggest five markets in 2010 (> 50% share in sales) were manifold
air pressure, TPMS, ESC, barometric air pressure, and diesel particle,
while the fastest growing areas were TPMS (No. 1 by far in 2015), stop
start systems, ESC oil pressure, and common fuel rail sensors. Most
other applications are established with market growth below <5% in
the next five years.
While North America is the undisputed biggest user of pressure sensors,
a high-growth area is the China market, which will grow from 9%
of the value in 2010 to 15% in 2015, mainly for TPMS sensors and
manifold air pressure sensors.
In the supply chain, 80% of the automotive shipments in 2010 are
accounted to Bosch, Infineon, Denso, Sensata, and GE Sensing.

Managing the Engine

MEMS pressure sensors have been in automotive use since the 1980s.
Engine management is the leading application requiring sensors in
the range of 1 bar for silicon MEMS manifold air pressure sensors in
petrol engines up to 2000 bar to measure pressure in common fuel rail
systems common in injected diesel engines.
Generally, as environmental standards get tougher with regards to
CO2 emissions in Europe, and NOx in the North American market
and this continues to drive innovation on both sides of the ocean.
NotablyChina is eating up manifold air pressure sensors now that
Euro IV and V standards are being aggressively adopted in major cities.
Bosch is the leading supplier of this type sensor to China OEMs.
In the European market, around 50% of new registered cars are diesels,
and diesel particle filters are growing in importance. These operate as
part of the exhaust gas recirculation system, which puts exhaust back
into the air intake to lower the temperature of combustionand thus
emissions of NOxwith the unfortunate side effect of increasing
particulate matter (PM) emissions. A diesel particle filter handles this
PM build-up, while pressure sensors (mostly ceramic, but increasingly
MEMS) are needed to measure filter load to help mitigate system
clogging.
With further improved control of the combustion process in mind,
a number of companies are developing in-cylinder pressure sensors
based on non-MEMS sensors. One company supplies a MEMS based
in-cylinder solution today, using piezoresistive sensors from Sensata.
Today, these sensors are removed from the cylinder due to the extremes
of temperature and are place in the glow plug. Therefore, they actually
measure pressure indirectly.
A number of organizations are researching cylinder pressure sensors
especially those based on SiC MEMS membranesthat could survive
inside the cylinder to better measure the exact stoichiometry (the
proportion of elements in a chemical reaction) for feedback to engine
management systems. In-cylinder sensing is used in relatively few cars
today, but may become more prevalent after the 2015 timeframe,
especially with the advent of HCCI engines.
Gearing Up for New Automotive Applications

A new automotive application of MEMS pressure sensors is in

transmission system pressure sensing, usually implemented in
automatics but now also found for example in new double-clutch
transmission systems. German manufacturer Bosch recently entered
this market with a MEMS solution with a silicon membrane that can
withstand pressures up to 70 bar.
Medical Applications

The technology needed to make pressure sensors for medical

applications requires expertise in making accurate low pressure devices.
In the medical market, pressure sensors are used in the millions as lowcost disposable devices for catheters employed in surgical operations or
as blood pressure monitor cuffs.
But they also can be found in more expensive equipment used for
pressure and differential flow monitoring, e.g., in continuous positive
airway pressure (CPAC) machines for treating sleep apnea. In a CPAC
machine, an airway is forced using flow of pressurized air into the
throat, while the output from the sensor reduces internal fan flow
when patient exhales, which reduces discomfort (i.e., patient is not
fighting the machine). Sleep apnea results from, among others, high
blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and weight gain.

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MEMS MARKET BRIEF

SOURCE: Can Fam Physician

MEMS Market Brief/Volume 4, Issue 9

Major suppliers in 2010 are basically a similar crowd to those serving

the medical sector, and include GE Sensing and Honeywell, Freescale,
MEAS, Danfoss and Panasonic (>50% of total share). This does not
count another 25-50 players and a large number of integrators that
are buying die and producing custom packages (estimated 18% of
this market value). Many of these integrators consist of small garage
workshop sized companies making highly specialized, high-value
devices.

SOURCE: Boeing

Aerospace
The aerospace market is very small at a few $10 million. Aircraft sales
are very modest, but the number of sensors per aircraft is quite high, up
to the hundreds in large aircraft.
Pressure sensors are used in sleep apnea, a condition related to
high blood pressure, weight problems or cardiovascular issues

There is also significant potential for pressure sensors in implantable

applications after 2015. Operating without the need for batteries,
such sensors are already being used in small quantities for cardiac
measurements and to monitor for glaucoma in the eye. MEMSCAP
is a major supplier of implantable sensors, e.g., to CardioMEMS for
its pulmonary artery pressure sensor used in a congestive heart failure
monitor. Currently in FDA trials, the sensor measures a build-up of
pressure as a sign of deterioration in a heart patient.
Other companies in this space include:
ISSYS for cranial pressure.
AcuMEMS, and Sensimed (in cooperation with
STMicroelectronics) for glaucoma.
OrthoMEMS for spinal pressure (in cooperation with
MEMSCAP).
The market pull for these implantable devices is significant. In the
example of the cardiac sensor, patients can be monitored remotely (or
from home) by their physician, and the value to the national health
systems is potentially huge in terms of savings on repeat hospital visits
for tests.
Major suppliers today include GE Sensing and Honeywell, Omron,
Freescale and MEAS (>65% of total share), and another 10-15 smaller
companies and other integrators buying die and producing custom
packages (estimated 20% of market).
Industrial has High Value
Industrial applications are diverse and fragmented ranging from car
racing and crash testing, off-road mobile hydraulics, equipment health
monitoring, hydronic heating, oil drilling, waste water, solar heating
systems to significant applications like HVAC in building management,
industrial process control in the food, beverage and semiconductor
industries and level measurementsonly the latter three applications
each significantly exceed $10 million, while the majority of applications
make up opportunities well below this value.

Transducers are often based on oil-filled steel packages for use in

diverse and harsh environments and media. Piece sizes are usually in
the hundreds to thousands, but the added value from test, calibration,
and packaging is usually very significant, from $10s to $1000s.

Hydraulic systems in airframe, landing gear are a major

application for MEMS pressure sensors

Mostly, transducers are sold (sensor + electronics + 2 LP) costing

$500 to $1000, with silicon sensors costing a significant part of this
value as the performance is, for example, about 10-fold that of a car
sensors (1% per 100C in car vs. 0.01% per 100C). Stability is a very
important value add. An example is the high accuracy silicon resonant
beam MEMS devices from Kulite.
Metal membrane MEMS similar to high pressure car applications are
typical for harsh applications like oil, fuel, and piezoresistive or variable
capacitive MEMS are used at lower pressures.
Some of the main applications in civil aerospace comprise engine
monitoring (i.e., Full Automatic Digital Engine Control) and in the
auxiliary power control unit, expensive air speed, altitude (e.g., from
MEMSCAP, Honeywell), moderately priced sensors for hydraulic
systems in airframe, landing gear (such as from Kulite, GE Druck,
Kavlico) and diverse other applications in O2 masks, doors, cabin
pressure, pressure switches, TPMS, flight test and HUMS structural
monitoring. Military aircraft and UAVs have similar monitoring
requirements to large passenger jets.
The supply chain consists of companies like Honeywell (supplying
sensors and systems), MEMSCAP (especially for air data and cabin
sensors), Kulite in the harsh environments like the engine, GE Druck,
Endevco, etc. The supply chain is small (about 10 companies) and there
are not may unknown players.

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MEMS Market Brief/Volume 4, Issue 9

For Once, Not So Hot in Consumer and Mobile

To date, MEMS pressure sensors arent used as much in the consumer
electronics and mobile space, with MEMS revenue just under $45
million. Making up some of the applications are weather stations, sport
watches, bike computers, diving equipment and pedometers, along
with white goodsfor example water-level sensors for energy efficient
washing machines.

For the mobile segment in particular, no major application has emerged

so far, but high-end smartphones in the future could include pressure
sensors to act as an altimeter for location-based services indoors
though the infrastructure is not yet in place. In tablets, the only use for
pressure sensors thus far is to adjust the device to show local weather
conditions.
As a result, compared to the uptake of accelerometers and gyroscopes in
consumer and mobile devices, the use of pressure sensors here during
the next few years will remain very modest.

Automotive News
VTI Celebrates 20 Years in MEMS

On September 1, VTI Technologies celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Historically, VTIs roots stem from the company Vaisala, where research
was carried out into capacitive sensor measurement technology already
in the 1970s. The sensor business split from Vaisala and founded Vaisala
Technologies Inc. on 1 September 1991, with the goal of becoming a
major automotive supplier. Starting with 16 employees, the head count
is now more than 600.
VTIs production began modestly: a thousand sensor elements per week,
but that has since grown to todays capacity of a thousand wafers and
thousands of sensor elements per wafer each week. VTIs 3-D MEMS
technology is the basis of the companys accelerometers, but recently
focus has also produced angular rate sensors, which can be combined
with accelerometers into combination sensors used in automotive
vehicle dynamics systems, navigation equipment, consumer electronics
and other applications. Major sectors for the company are automotive
but also medical, where it supplies pacemakers. Its future goal is to
become a major supplier to consumer electronics. While product
development and production is concentrated in Finland, the company
will go to Asia for mass production.

Performance before cost does however not work in consumer electronics.

VTIs attempt to step into the consumer market in the last 5 years with
its 3-axis accelerometer and pressure sensor has not been successful. The
company has learned from this, though. VTI is again targeting consumer
and mobile markets with its new 3-axis gyroscopes and oscillators, and has
changed its approach (vertically integrated) by externalizing much of the
production to other partners with facilities in China. The acquisition by
Murata may also offer some new doors for consumer markets (IHS iSuppli
will comment more on the Murata deal in the October issue).
ADI Brings Quad-Beam MEMS Gyroscope to Cars
The ADXRS800 is a Z-axis angular rate sensor intended for automotive
electronic stability control, vehicle rollover detection, and other high
performance applications. The differential quad-sensor design rejects
the influence of linear acceleration, enabling the ADXRS800 to operate
in harsh environments and is augmented by an internal, continuous
self-test architecture. The integrity of the electromechanical system is
checked by applying a high frequency electrostatic force to the sense
structure to generate a rate signal that can be differentiated from the
baseband rate data and internally analyzed. The ADXRS800 senses
angular rates up to 300/s and presents the data with a 16-bit SPI
digital output. The device is available in a cavity plastic SOIC-16 and
SMT-compatible vertical mount package. The operating range is 3.3
V to 5 V, temperature resistance rating -40C to 105C and power
consumption 6 mA.

IHS iSuppli Comment

Analog Devices is using the same quad-beam architecture to minimize the
influence of linear shock and vibration, as it has been doing in industrial
since introducing this technology (see May 2010 issue). This architecture
deploys one of the beams to filter resonant frequency vibration so the other
gyroscope beams can focus on changes that occur during skids or roll-overs.
According to ADI engineers, the vibration resistant design frees up part
placement, including the cabin or in the harsh environment of the engine
compartment, closer to braking system. ADI says the low power consumption
also aids mounting in an airbag ECU; as airbag accelerometers require
energy storage to operate if battery power becomes unavailable during a
crash, a smaller power consumption better facilitates this implementation.
ADI has made considerable strides since winning the yaw rate sensor slot
with Autoliv, now a major supplier of this type of airbag implementation
with ESC and roll sensors in the airbag ECU (see IHS iSuppli Automotive
MEMS H1 2011 Market Tracker).
SOURCE: ADI

IHS iSuppli Comment

Congratulations are due to the largest independent (at least until the
acquisition by Murata is complete) MEMS sensor manufacturer. VTI is one
of the few companies that has always managed to be successful by promoting
higher performance over lower cost, not only in medical applications but
also in its main automotive business. The loyalty of Continental Automotive
Systemsits main customer for low-g automotive sensors and the majority
of VTIs businessis unique, although many suppliers have been banging
on the door of the German Tier 1 in the last 10 years. Last year, VTI began
selling its new automotive gyroscope to Continental as part of an inertial
sensor combo package with its accelerometer. In 2011, IHS iSuppli expects
a record year up about 30%, with an anticipated revenue of $130 million,
up from $100 million in 2010.
ADIs new automotive gyroscope aims to reduce
installation costs

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MEMS Market Brief/Volume 4, Issue 9

SOURCE: Raytheon

High-Value MEMS
Colibrys Precision Tilt Sensor for Aero / Industry Use
Colibrys has released the MS9001.D, a MEMS tilt sensor targeted at
1g tilt industrial and aerospace markets, (e.g., in platform stabilization
applications). The product has already been qualified for satellite
communication and scanning radar antennas, remote surveillance
cameras, industrial table-tops or fire-control servo-systems. The part is
available through Colibrys distribution network in a standard LCC 20
ceramic package of dimensions 8.9 mm x 8.9 mm.

IHS iSuppli Comment

SOURCE: Colibrys

The main difference here is the 1g range compared to the 2g range of

the MS9002. The packages are the same small 20-pin LCC type compared
to earlier larger 48-pin products (MS8000 series). If 1 g suffices for the
targeted application, this has improved performance, e.g. linearity and
dynamic range advantages, over the 2 g product.

Excalibur 155 mm shell includes an inertial IMU for extended

range guidance

Goodrich Bought by UTC

In more news, Goodrich is to be acquired by United Technologies
Corporation for about $16.5 billion. This is the largest deal in UTCs
history, designed to further increase its position in the aerospace
industry. UTC makes helicopters, aircraft engines and building
products such as lifts and air conditioning units. Goodrich is based in
Charlotte, NC and makes landing gear, aircraft interiors, sensors and
other components for the commercial aerospace and defense sectors.
According to news sources, UTC intends to gain synergies in part
by shifting manufacturing to low-cost countries. The transaction is
expected to be complete in Q3 2012.

IHS iSuppli Comment

Goodrich Introduces Smaller INS Device

Goodrich has a new inertial navigation system for a range of cost
conscious applications including guidance of smaller rockets and
missiles, or aircraft standby instruments. The companys MicroNav was
developed by Goodrichs Sensors and Integrated Systems U.K. team,
located in Plymouth. The system integrates Goodrichs MinIM MEMS
IMU with a GPS receiver. The total volume is 2 cubic inches (340
mm3), with a weight of 79g. According to the company this is about
one quarter the weight and one third the volume of current full-sized
integrated navigation devices.

IHS iSuppli Comment

As the size of IMUs shrinks, their use in smaller caliber weapons like a
70-90 mm sized mortara short-range artillery piece with a short barrel
and low muzzle velocitycan provide higher precision compared to just
GPS-guided missiles. In addition, better precision over longer distances has
safety advantages (i.e. being out of range of return fire) for those firing
the weapons, such as ships performing off-shore bombardments, but also
by the need to fire less munitions, reducing collateral damage (loss by
friendly fire) than if more of the unguided munitions are used. While this
means potentially less munitions are fired overall due to their precision and
associated higher cost, the use of IMU integrated with GPS, as here, could
mean good business for suppliers like Goodrich or Colibrys, which provide
gyroscopes and accelerometers for this application, respectively. MEMS,
as a technology, is ultimately suited to this size reduction roadmap, with
performance suited to mid-performance, short-range devices. According to
some sources, the decision is ultimately to GPS or INS (inertial +GPS).

SOURCE: Goodrich

Colibrys extends it range of tilt sensors with 1g product

It must be disturbing if you work at Silicon Sensing Systems in Plymouth,

U.K. What are we called this week? Back in 2007, BAE divested its
interests in the inertial systems businesses and at the same time departed the
joint ventureSilicon Sensing Systemswith Sumitomo of Japan. After
a private equity firm purchased the companies, the businesses operated as
Atlantic Inertial Systems Ltd (AIS Ltd) for military MEMS products and
Atlantic Inertial Systems Inc (AIS Inc) for spinning mass gyroscopes. It
was AIS Ltd that retained the JV with Sumitomo. By November 2009,
Goodrich had announced its intents on AIS, yielding a further name
change. Its unlikely the current takeover will change anything for Silicon
Sensing Systems. It will in all probability remain focused on its successful
defense gyroscope business, augmented by automotive (for ESC, and now
navigation with its PinPoint product), and recent commercial (e.g. toy
helicopters) and industrial sensor business markets.

Goodrich (soon to be part of UTC) is a major supplier of landing

gear, aircraft interiors, MEMS sensors and other components for
the commercial aerospace and defense sectors

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MEMS Market Brief/Volume 4, Issue 9

SOURCE: Goodrich

An estimated 675,000 Americans underwent knee replacement surgery

in 2009 and it is estimated that this will grow to 3.5 million in 2030.
Around 30% of all total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures result in
poor implant alignment, says OrthAlign, whichafter just receiving
FDA approvalplans to launch the system in Q1 2012. ADIs IMU
provides 6DOF analysis via three single-axis accelerometers and three
gyroscopes.

OrthAlign medical device uses three-axis gyroscopes and

accelerometers to guide the surgeons scalpel for knee
replacements

ADI Vibration Monitor Module

In more news, Analog Devices has unveiled its ADIS16228 vibration
monitoran integrated vibration analysis system with embedded
programmable processor that provides directional sensing and spectral
analysis to identify and classify individual sources of vibration. Based
on a 3-axis digital output MEMS accelerometer, the system can be used
to for early detection, identification, and isolation of vibration sources
from equipment and for bearing wear. The noise performance is 248
g/ Hz across a dynamic range of 18g, configurable to settings of 0 g
to 1 g/5 g/10 g/20 g. Applications range from wind turbines to factory
automation and assembly equipment. The ADIS16228 is available in a
15 24 15 mm3 aluminum module with flanges, M2 machine screw
holes, and flexible connector.

digital microprocessor, freeing the application processor bandwidth to

core processing tasks. The secondary I2C port allows for third-party
magnetometers.
IHS iSuppli Comment
At last! The first product of InvenSense to incorporate its 9-axis sensor fusion
is finally in production, and the first handsets and tablets to benefit should
be available in stores by the end of Q1 2012. As mentioned in the previous
issue, InvenSense has been very successful with Android tablets and phones in
2011 (LG, Samsung, HTC) but since the Android OS only works with raw
data from the gyroscope, there are hardly any applications in the Android
market that truly benefit. IHS iSuppli was impressed with the companys
demonstration of 9-axis sensor fusion at the Mobile World Congress in
February 2011. The company posted a more recent demonstration recently
(click here to view).
Movea Unifies TV Motion Platform
Movea has launched MoveTV, a motion sensor solution simplifies the
integration of motion powered entertainment for PayTV consumers
by allowing service providers, game and application developers, remote
control and STB manufacturers, TV OEMs and system integrators
to integrate a motion platform in their products. Key components
include Air MotionIC firmware for handheld devices like remote
controls, GestureBuilder for 2-D and 3-D gesture databases and the
SmartMotion server, which forms the bridge between the remote
control and applications running on the STB orDTV.
Hillcrest Labs Updates Freespace Products
Hillcrest Labs has updated its Freespace products with new software
and sensor modules with various combinations of MEMS motion
sensors (also magnetometers), motion processors, and APIs. The
newest MotionEngine software is for license or purchase. The new
sensor modules include FSM-SENS-1, a 6-axis sensor module with
external Freespace MotionEngine, and FSM-SI-2, which combines the
Freespace MotionEngine on an embedded microprocessor along with
a 3-axis digital gyroscope, 3-axis digital accelerometer and optional
3-axis electronic compass. Finally, the Scoop is a second-generation inair mouse with 6-axis motion control, although Hillcrest will not sell it
under its own brand.
SOURCE: Hillcrest Labs

MEMS Aids Knee Surgery

OrthAlign has selected ADIs MEMS inertial motion sensors for its new
portable surgical navigation system. The KneeAlign 2 system uses an
ADI digital IMU to allow an orthopedic surgeon to quickly determine
the center of rotation of a patients femur and calculate the precise
angles to cut the bone in knee replacement surgery. The new system
provides alignment precision comparable to the larger, significantly
more expensive camera-based navigation systems.

Consumer MEMS
InvenSense Commences Shipment of 6DOF Motion
Processor
InvenSense has begun volume shipments of its MPU-6050 to handset
and tablet OEMs and ODMs. The integrated 6-axis integrates 3-axis
gyroscopes and 3-axis accelerometers on the same die in a 4 x 4 x 0.9
mm QFN package. The device has a resonant drive frequency of 30
KHz, digital microprocessor and is replete with 9-axis MotionFusion
software. The latter off-loads sensor fusion tasks to the embedded

Copyright 2011 iSuppli Corporation, a Company which was acquired by IHS Inc.
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Hillcrest Labs upgrades its motion sensor offering

MEMS MARKET BRIEF

MEMS Market Brief/Volume 4, Issue 9

Works with Microsoft for Windows 8

In more news, ST has been collaborating with Microsoft to enable
adoption of sensing technology with Windows 8-based tablets and
computersspecifically a motion and orientation Human Interface
Device with sensors, processing capabilities and software in a single
module. With the Microsoft sensor driver stack and STs sensorcontroller firmware, equipment manufacturers no longer need to
develop drivers for Windows 8 sensor scenarios including screen
rotation or indoor location.
...and, Packs 6 DOF in 20 mm3
STMicroelectronics iNEMO 6 DOF (degree of freedom) inertial module
is available in a 4 x 5 x 1 mm3 package. Compatible with its latest 3-axis
digital accelerometers (LIS3DH) and gyroscopes (L3GD20), STs new
LSM330DLC module combines an adjustable full-scale acceleration
range of 2 to 16g with angular-rate detection from 250/s to 2500/s
along the pitch, roll and yaw axes. The module includes power-down
and sleep modes, and an embedded FIFO memory block.
SOURCE: STMicroelectronics

SOURCE: Baolab

GPS Chip Deploys Baolabs 3-D Compass

CellGuide has selected Baolabs recently launched 3D NanoCompass IC
for its GPS chip CLIOX-C to make an integrated GPS and compass
device that enables point and identify augmented reality features
in mobile devices, tablets and cameras. The compass function also
enhances the GPS system with dead-reckoning facilitation. Baolabs
3-axis CMOS MEMS technology is the first product using its patented
NanoEMS technology.

Integrated compass and GPS chip based on Baolabs CMOS

MEMS

SOURCE: STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics Refines its Sensor Fusion Software

STMicroelectronics has introduced a new family of filtering and
predictive software that uses algorithms to integrate outputs from
multiple MEMS sensors. The iNEMO Engine Sensor Fusion Suite can
be combined with STs iNEMO inertial modules to create hardware/
software multi-axis MEMS solutions for enhanced motion and
accurate heading recognition, with ability to manage the data from up
to 10 DOF modules. The software automatically corrects measurement
distortions, inaccuracies and interference from the sensors. The
iNEMO eingine includes iNEMO Engine Lite, a free software library
for motion-detection system evaluation, and the iNEMO Engine Pro,
a compiled software library with data-fusion algorithms for multiple
sensor output processing, customizable for different operating systems
and hardware platforms.

STMicroelectronics refines iNEMO sensor fusion software

STMicroelectronics squeezes more in less space with 6DOF IMU

modules

IHS iSuppli Comment

STMicroelectronics was behind InvenSense with regards to sensor fusion.

It has released its solution for 9-axis sensor fusionthe iNEMO engine
only this March. The leading consumer sensor maker has since massively
invested and seems to have caught up its competitor. The fact that Windows
8 uses the iNEMO engine is a great coup for ST, as one can anticipate this
fusion tool will be embedded in the upcoming Windows 8 Mobile as well.
iNEMO is of course tailored to STs sensors and that will encourage OEMs
to choose STs sensor bundle. Note that in the recent report Motion Sensors
in Handsets and Tablets, IHS iSuppli forecasted gyroscope shipments by
OS in handsets, and forecasts that Windows will be No. 2 in terms of
consumption of gyroscopes by 2015.
Regarding the 6 DOF IMU, this is still slightly larger than InvenSense
(4x4 mm only) but there has been major progress by ST on size compared to
its previous IMUs. Note that this IMU does not yet use the TSV technology
announced by ST recently, which may lead to further miniaturized in
the near future. In addition, this is the first 6-axis ST IMU with digital
output (note that former announcements related only to analog gyros). IHS
iSuppli believes that the 6-axis combination accelerometer and gyroscope
will rapidly gain traction in 2012, and will already represent more than
half of the 3-axis gyroscope shipments in 2014 (Source: Consumer and
Mobile MEMS H1 2011 Market Tracker).

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poLight Selects SVTC as Actuator Partner

poLight has partnered with SVTC Technologies to optimize its
production process for large volume manufacturing of its optical
polymer based tunable lens technology. The new process targets lowto high-end camera modules, both barrel and cube, specifically for
the mobile phone industry, in competition with traditional voice coil
motors. According to the company, its high resolution barrel type of
8-12 megapixel camera modules shrinks into a 1/3-inch optical format,
enabling thinner cameras.

IHS iSuppli Comment

Lemoptix and Hamamatsu Hook Up on MOEMS

Lemoptix, a three year old spin-off from EPFL specializing in laser
scanning and projection systems, has signed a long-term collaboration
and licensing agreement with Hamamatsu Photonics aimed at
bringing MOEMS to market. Both companies have MOEMS
experience; Lemoptix, with a micromirror that forms the key element
of its MVIEW micro-projector platform and Hamamatsu with its own
product line and new MEMS and integrated optics manufacturing
facility with wafer-scale assembly capabilities. The strategy is to target
optical devices embedded in smart phones, or laptops and even DSCs.
Lemoptix already has micro-mirror technology deployed in laser
printing and industrial sensing applications, while MVIEW is being
validated for use in automotive head-up displays.

SOURCE: poLight

The beauty of poLights technology is its simplicity and robustness (see

picture) compared to voice coil motors or even other MEMS actuators
from Tessera. The tricky part is the polymer, since it must be transparent,
flexible and resist temperature changes, UV to infrared light and must
not yellow with age. poLight already started sampling in 2010 and is
ramping up with SVTC and another foundry now. It expects to be in
volume production (few million units) in 2012 and to significantly grow
volumes from 2013, benefiting from the booming market of 8 megapixels
and higher resolution camera phones. While poLight mentions in its press
release that it is positioned to target low to high end camera modules, IHS
iSuppli believes that the start-up will concentrate on the mid-range to highend modules in the next 2 years. Voice Coil motors are now very inexpensive
on the low-endtypically $0.50 to $0.60and it would be hard to start
competing here. Note that PoLights technology is suitable for wafer level
cameras, which are typically below 2 megapixels. IHS iSuppli believes that
this is a great opportunity with potentially very large volumes, once MEMS
AF actuators have been successful on the higher end of the market. MEMS
will compete against other emerging technologies on the low end, however,
such as liquid crystal-based AF from LensVectors.

Sanmina-SCI and Kaiam Partner on Optical Components

Sanmina-SCI a manufacturing company for optical, electronic and
mechanical products and Kaiam, a manufacturer of hybrid photonic
integrated circuits (PICs), have inked a deal to produce optical
components using the latters MEMS-based hybrid integration
technology. Initially 40 Gb/s transmitter TOSA and ROSA receiver
optical subassemblies are anticipated for QSFP-LR4 optical
transceivers. The new products are being commercialized with support
from Sanmina-SCIs engineering teams and will be ramped to full
production in Sanmina-SCIs facilities in Shenzhen, China.

SOURCE: Lemoptix

Optical News

Now subject to license agreement with Hammatsu, the MEMS

micromirror from EPFL spin-off Lemoptix

Other News

PoLight has introduced a MEMS actuator that focuses lenses,

initially in high-end phone camera modules

Bosch Reviews Robotics Progress

Bosch Research and Technology Center is helping developing a
personal robot as a partner on Willow Granges Personal Robot 2 beta
program, which is now at the mid-way point after one year. Progress
includes an interface for remote operation over a web connection
and Bosch technology for allowing a human to intervene or share
in a task to reduce time and computation needed to compensate the
robots limitation on autonomy, plus a remote research lab accessed
by Internet. Bosch has supplied MEMS gyroscopes, force and air
pressure sensors from its automotive range, and accelerometers from its
consumer arm, Bosch Sensortec. MEMS sensors have been investigated
as a way to lower costs by replacing more expensive encoders. The robot
has accomplished complex tasks such as carving wooden nameplates,
drawing on a white board and delivering mail autonomously.

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MEMS Market Brief/Volume 4, Issue 9

IHS iSuppli reported on the start of this research collaboration when Willow
Grange chose Bosch as a partner back in the July 2010 issue. After one year,
Bosch states that consumers could enjoy personal robots already within a
timeframe spanning the next 5-10 years, largely due to rapid progress in the
PR2 program in computing power and sensor technology.
ETH Zurich Develops Porous Ceramic Catalysts
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a patent-pending approach
for porous ceramic catalystsfor use in MEMSwhich has not existed
to date. The invention binds the catalyst material in solid structured
foam that can be provided in situ in a final MEMS geometry without
transferring the rigid catalyst to the final geometry after production.
The catalyst particles are mixed with a ceramic binder, a carrier liquid,
a chemical additive for promoting dispersion and/or controlling gelling
and, optionally, inert carrier particles to obtain a slurry having a gel-or
paste-like consistency. Application to catalysis, sensors, fuel cells, MEMS,
etc.

IMEC and Wipro Launch Indian Lab

Wipro Technologies in Bangalore have teamed with IMEC in
Belgium to form an independent R&D institute. Arise Labs intends
to develop low cost NEMS devices for application in remote
healthcare, security systems and retail. An initial product panned for
launch is health necklacea wireless body statistics monitor based
on a cost-efficient scaled down version of a product already launched
by IMEC in Europe. Other products include a mobile phone with
sensor nose for testing air quality or alcohol levels on the breath,
or spectral imaging device for detecting quality composition of food,
or detecting foreign objects in security systems.

SOURCE: Hamamatsu

Hamamatsu CMOS / MEMS Thermopiles

Hamamatsu Photonics has developed three new thermopiles for powersaving and security applications, including gas analysis, temperature
measurement, and human body detection. The palate consists of area
sensors (the T11264 series), linear sensors (T11263 series), and dual sensors
(T11722 series). Each features CMOS circuitry, and was developed with
Hamamatsus MEMS technology. Samples will be available from October
and shipments are scheduled for April 2012.

Sony Acquires Micronics for Microfluidics

Sony has acquired Micronics, Inc. of Redmond, WA to accelerate
near patient point-of-care devices for disease diagnosis, treatment
monitoring and blood testing applications. In operation since 1996,
Micronics has advanced molecular and immunoassay diagnostic
tests, especially infectious diseases, which has been the companys
main focus in recent years. Micronics will work with the relevant
division, including Sonys life sciences R&D team, to jointly develop
technologies and new products.

SOURCE: Wipro

IHS iSuppli Comment

Wipro and IMEC formed an R&D collaboration in Bangalore, India

Hamamatsus MEMS thermopiles are scheduled for production in

April 2012

New Briefs
Sercel Deploys Seismic Sensors in Mexico
Sercel has deployed new satellite-positioned DSUGPS sensors on its
first commercial seismic project. Its customer Comesa used 9,250
accelerometer-based geophones for seismic surveying in southern Mexico.
An additional 750 Sercel DSU3BV units were used in marshy areas. The
DSUGPS is part of Sercels 428XL family, which offers measurement of
sensor position to less than a one meter and determination of the sensors
azimuthal orientation.

Telecardia Raises $1.5 Million

MEMS-based pH sensor technology firm Telecardia of Boston has
raised $1.54 million in an equity and securities offering from two
undisclosed investors.Telecardias pH sensor targets single, periodic
and continuous pH measuring and monitoring in industrial,
manufacturing and medical application, e.g., blood quality, GI
functional testing and fluid analysis in oil and gas exploration.
European Project Fabricates CMOS Photonics Circuits
A team of European researchers and companies has demonstrated a
40 Gb/s optical modulator based on silicon with a record extinction
ratio of 10dB (the power difference between the 1 and 0 data levels).
Members of the HELIOS Project are also building the fabrication
supply chain for other photonic ICs, including a 16x10 Gb/s
transceiver, a photonic QAM-10Gb/s wireless transmission system
and a mixed-analog and digital-transceiver module for multifunction
antennas. Designed and characterized by staff in the Silicon Photonics
Group at the Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey,
U.K., the modulator circuit was fabricated in a CMOS-compatible
process by Leti, which is coordinating the project.

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MEMS Market Brief/Volume 4, Issue 9

Tronics Expands MEMS Manufacturing

Tronics has upgraded its Grenoble HQ and MEMS manufacturing
facilities, investing over Euro 0.5 million as a result of recent order
bookings increases. Until recently the company occupied a 1,400
square meter building but has now moved to a new 1,500 square
meter building nearby. The additional space will be used for additional
MEMS assembly capacity, added process capabilities and automation
and is due for completion by the end of 2011.
Companies Mentioned
Arise Labs

Autoliv

Baolab

Bosch

CellGuide

Denso

Freescale

GE Sensing

Goodrich

Hamamatsu Photonics

Hillcrest Labs

Honeywell

HTC

Infineon

InvenSense

LG

MEAS

Micronics

Microsoft

Movea

Omron

OrthAlign

poLight

Samsung

Sensata

Sercel

Sony

STMicroelectronics

SVTC Technologies

Telecardia

Tronics

United Technologies Corporation

Wipro Technologies

www.ihs.com
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MEMS-MB-M-9-2011

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