July 16, 2002 — In-Stat/MDR, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based provider of business information, issued a report predicting worldwide MEMS revenues will grow from $3.9 billion in 2001 to $9.6 billion in 2006.

Titled “It’s Raining MEMS: 2002 Industry Overview,” the report costs $3,495 and predicts unit shipments will increase from 1.85 billion in 2001 to 3.61 billion in 2006. It says the communications and consumer segments will see the highest compound annual growth rates for MEMS through 2006, based on revenues, and that the computer market will be the largest revenue-generating segment, based largely on shipments of inkjet printer nozzles.

The report also maintains that the growth of nonsensor MEMS, currently almost a third of revenues, will outpace sensors to account for half of revenues by 2006. As a result, the average MEMS selling price will increase 25 percent due to the higher price of non-sensor devices. Marlene Bourne, a senior analyst with In-Stat/MDR and the author of the report, said that “microfluidics, primarily nozzles and lab-on-a-chip” would drive growth in nonsensor MEMS.

Bourne predicts growth in the communications segment despite the current industry downturn because “it’s for RF MEMS and optical networking. You’re starting from basically zero. Even selling just a few is going to give you a huge growth rate,” as opposed to “medical or automotive, which is a more mature segment.”