True 3D MEMS
Work at MIT Takes MEMS beyond Quasi-3D
Everyone is jumping on the 3D bandwagon. But if I said that MEMS was just taking some steps in that direction, you might understandably question my mental health, since, at first blush, it would seem that MEMS structures are already 3D.
After all, that most primitive MEMS element, the cantilever, to name one example, is specifically intended to move out of the wafer plane – why is that not 3D?
A Passive Magic Wand
The EPIC Sensor Hits the Market
It’s the stuff of kids’ play and science fiction. A stick that has magic properties. Some such sticks execute actions at a distance – perhaps when accompanied by a cryptic incantation – while others may passively detect from a distance. It’s the latter we’re interested in today.
We are surrounded by information encoded into the electromagnetic ether through which we pass. Some of it is natural; some of it we have created ourselves. But here’s the thing that may be surprising: when we measure things electromagnetic, we’re pretty good at the magnetic part. Heck, a 50-cent compass can pick up the earth’s relatively weak magnetic field. We’re not so good at the electric part, however.
Signals and Swats
The Promise and Limitations of Gesture and Motion Technology
You can almost imagine an I Love Lucy caper. Lucy and Ricky are trying to catch someone in the act of something nefarious. They dress up in fake private-eye clothes with a PI hat, turned up collar (pre-bro), and a fake moustache for her. They’re on opposite sides of the room in stealth mode, with only hand gestures to communicate. They’ve worked out an intricate set of signals, including “right hand to the nose means we go in 3…2…1…” and “left hand to the nose means something’s not right; hold off.”
A Tweak of the Ears
WiSpry Tunes Capacitors That Tune Filters and Antennae
You’re sitting in your living room reading a book. Your ears are “on” and working, of course, but you’re not really using them. You’ll perk up if some interesting audible signal comes into range and interrupts your reading process.
And, sure enough, your ears pick up a car approaching along the street with windows open and music playing. And you think you might recognize the song. Without thinking, your head turns a little to the left so that your left ear is positioned more directly towards the street as the car comes abeam of your house.
Touched
We've talked about touch technology here before, both in the context of touch controllers and stylus technology. But those don't even begin to cover the gamut of touch -- in terms of both what's happened already and what's going to happen.
There was a recent conference in Austin called "Touch, Gesture, Motion" (TGM for short) that devoted one day to touch technology and one day to gesture and motion. And, to start with, I have to say it was one of the more informative conferences I've been to -- especially because it was the first edition.
The MEMS Testing Quagmire
Players are Increasingly Looking for Extrication
Testing is an unfortunate but important requirement for being in the chip business. Unfortunate because it’s expensive and, well, annoying. Important because no one would trust electronics that had never been tested. And systems builders would end up throwing a lot of useless stuff away. It’s the “failure costs 10x as much for each later stage at which it’s caught” thing.
Bumping Up Battery Life
QuickLogic Introduces Arcticlink III VX
In the world of mobile devices, power is king. Sure, cost is important as well. Engineering teams will drive themselves silly trying to shave pennies off the BOM of a new mobile phone, but even cost often takes a back seat to power. Reduced power consumption translates, of course, to increased battery life. Increased battery life can translate into a smaller, cheaper battery (thus reducing cost as well) or into increased customer satisfaction - leading to more sales and... well, you get the idea.
Recognizable Gestures
MoveTV Helps You Communicate With Your TV
Anyone who thinks humans primarily communicate verbally hasn’t spent much time misinterpreting emails or text messages. Much of our communication load may be carried over the audio channel, but the accompanying video carries more than a few hints as to how to react to what’s been said.
Part of that is simply stance and expression. But, depending on culture, more or less of what is being said may be expressed by gesture. For highly expressive people, you can see them at a distance and know, if not the detail of what’s being said, at least whether it’s time to prepare for fight or flight.
Lessons from Fukushima
In August a group of experts on risk, safety engineering, and related matters looked at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station disaster to see what broader lessons could be learned. Before we start reviewing some of the broader topics that arose in the workshop, please look at the exam paper below.
Examination: Safety and Systems
Your exam starts now. Please answer all the questions in this paper in a way that will satisfy any party with any interest, legitimate or otherwise, and that, in ten years, twenty years or fifty years, will not leave room for you to be blamed if your answer subsequently proves to be wrong. Remember, people’s lives and property will depend on your answer.
Moving MEMS to the Mainstream
Semicon West Presentations Address Technology and Economics
As MEMS and sensors continue to move into the mainstream, they garner more and more floor and session space at conventions. While this is often the sign of the flavor-of-the-week, the attention at this year’s Semicon West appeared, in part, more intended to turn the exotic flavors into something more resembling vanilla.
While we looked at some MEMS basics a while ago and dove into great detail on some of the sensors presented at ISSCC, one of the Semicon West MEMS sessions provided more of a market overview, along with several views on upcoming developments from both a technical and a manufacturing standpoint.