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March 12, 2012 — Multitest expanded its MEMS portfolio to pick-and-place test applications with the introduction of its test and calibration cart for the MT9510. Multitest MEMS solutions are now available for strip test and singulated package test on Multitest InStrip with optional InCarrier, on gravity test handlers MT93xx and MT9928, or on the MT9510XP tri-temp pick-and-place handler.

This new combination is based on the two well-established platforms: MT MEMS and MT9510. This setup leverages Multitest’s long-term MEMS test expertise as well as thorough understanding of the challenges in DUT handling. Thus, the industry-leading positioning accuracy and tri-temp performance of the MT9510 also is now available for MEMS test.

Multitest has developed this even further by leveraging the contact site dimension of the MT9510 x16. The company is now able to offer a quad-site test solution for MEMS on pick-and-place handlers. Based on the same MEMS cart as for the MT9928 this MT9510 x16 / MEMS set-up uses both, Multitest’s pick-and-place and MEMS expertise.

Multitest is a designer and manufacturer of final test handlers, contactors and load boards used by integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) and final test subcontractors. For more information, visit www.multitest.com/MEMS

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March 9, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Image Sensors 2012, March 20-22 in London, will highlight the emergence of CMOS image sensors against those based on thin film transistors (TFTs), applications possibilities for 3D cameras and non-visual spectrum cameras, and more.

Also read: Insights in Image Sensing from blogger Dr. Phil Garrou

"3D cameras could offer amazing possibilities of improvement in many areas like automotive, security and surveillance, cultural heritage preservation, ambient-assisted living, industrial control," says Dr David Stoppa of Fondazione Bruno Kessler.

SoftKinetic, a leading company in gesture recognition, have the view that this technology “will dramatically improve some established user interfaces, like the television for example. We also see user interactions emerging, where previously there were none: digital signage is a good example of such a market,” notes their CTO, Daniël Van Nieuwenhove.

For non-visible spectrum applications, Dr Renato Turchetta of RAL highlights that "in large area applications, like mammography or chest radiography, TFT technology has been the major player for many years now. CMOS technology is starting to emerge and it could become the major player in the next few years."

Dr. Eric R. Fossum, a primary inventor of the CMOS image sensor (CIS), will talk about his own current project, Quanta Image Sensing (QIS), which has potential to bring a new generation of change. On other disruptive technologies, he says, "I think use of non-silicon materials could be disruptive if any of them work out. Meanwhile, the rate of continuous improvement is so large that emerging technologies have to mature rapidly to have enough compelling advantage that they can grab a toehold in the marketplace once they get there. To that end, even a few years of continuous improvement can look disruptive to the user community."

The Image Sensors 2012 conference will take place March 20-22, 2012, Hotel Russell, London. For more information, visit www.image-sensors.com.

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March 8, 2012 — Inspired by nature’s ability to shape a petal, and building on simple techniques used in photolithography and printing, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a new tool for manufacturing three-dimensional shapes easily and cheaply, to aid advances in biomedicine, robotics and tunable micro-optics.
 
Ryan Hayward, Christian Santangelo and colleagues describe their new method of halftone gel lithography for photo-patterning polymer gel sheets in the current issue of Science. They say the technique, among other applications, may someday help biomedical researchers to direct cells cultured in a laboratory to grow into the correct shape to form a blood vessel or a particular organ.
 
“We wanted to develop a strategy that would allow us to pattern growth with some of the same flexibility that nature does,” Hayward explains. Many plants create curves, tubes and other shapes by varying growth in adjacent areas. While some leaf or petal cells expand, other nearby cells do not, and this contrast causes buckling into a variety of shapes, including cones or curly edges. A lily petal’s curve, for example, arises from patterned areas of elongation that define a specific three-dimensional shape.
 
Building on this concept, Hayward and colleagues developed a method for exposing ultraviolet-sensitive thin polymer sheets to patterns of light. The amount of light absorbed at each position on the sheet programs the amount that this region will expand when placed in contact with water, thus mimicking nature’s ability to direct certain cells to grow while suppressing the growth of others. The technique involves spreading a 10-micrometer-thick layer (about 5 times thinner than a human hair) of polymer onto a substrate before exposure.
 
Areas of the gel exposed to light become crosslinked, restricting their ability to expand, while nearby unexposed areas will swell like a sponge as they absorb water. As in nature, this patterned growth causes the gel to buckle into the desired shape. Unlike in nature, however, these materials can be repeatedly flattened and re-shaped by drying out and rehydrating the sheet.
 
To date, the UMass Amherst researchers have made a variety of simple shapes including spheres, saddles and cones, as well as more complex shapes such as minimal surfaces. Creating the latter represents a fundamental challenge that demonstrates basic principles of the method, Hayward says.
 
He adds, “Analogies to photography and printing are helpful here.” When photographic film is exposed to patterns of light, a chemical pattern is encoded within the film. Later, the film is developed using several solvents that etch the exposed and unexposed regions differently to provide the image we see on the photographic negative.  A very similar process is used by UMass Amherst researchers to pattern growth in gel sheets.
 
Santangelo and Hayward also borrowed an idea from the printing industry that allows them to make complicated patterns in a very simple way. In photolithography, just as in printing, it is expensive to print a picture using different color shades because each shade requires a different ink. Thus, most high-volume printing relies on “halftoning,” in which only a few ink colors are used to print varied-sized dots. Smaller dots take up less space and allow more white light to reflect from the paper, so they appear as a lighter color shade than larger dots.
 
An important discovery by the UMass Amherst team is that this concept applies equally well to patterning the growth of their gel sheets. Rather than trying to make smooth patterns with many different levels of growth, they were able to simply print dots of highly restricted growth and vary the dot size to program a patterned shape.
 
“We’re discovering new ways to plan or pattern growth in a soft polymer gel that’s spread on a substrate to get any shape you want,” Santangelo says. “By directly transferring the image onto the soft gel with half-tones of light, we direct its growth.”
 
He adds, “We aren’t sure yet how many shapes we can make this way, but for now it’s exciting to explore and we’re focused on understanding the process better. A model system like this helps us to watch how it unfolds. For biomedicine or bioengineering, one of the questions has been how to create tissues that could help to grow you a new blood vessel or a new organ. We now know a little more about how to go from a flat sheet of cells to a complex organism.”

Learn more at www.umass.edu.

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March 7, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — MEMSCAP (Paris:MEMS), provider of micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) based products, topped 1 million units shipped of its Thermally Actuated Variable Optical Attenuator chips.

MEMS-based variable optical attenuators are integrated in complex optical modules operating up to 100 GBits. They suit optical networks applications ranging from optical modules protection to power management. The optical networking chips enable faster Internet connections and multiservice solutions.

MEMSCAP has supplied multiple customers from the beginning of its innovative photonic road map up to full product release. The company focuses on high-quality MEMS devices, and in February 2011 confirmed that MEMS VOAs operate within spec after 200 million cycles (from die-level testing).

MEMSCAP supplies thermally actuated VOAs in normally open and normally closed configurations (MATT VOA), including different die sizes, shapes and attenuation specifications to address customer demands. In 2011, MEMSCAP released multiple Variable Optical Attenuator dies using electrostatic actuation (ES VOA), operating under high or low voltage. Its VOA die fit most packaging technologies and in closed-loop mode exhibit strong optical power attenuation stability.

MEMSCAP provides micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based products including components, component designs (IP), manufacturing and related services. More information at www.memscap.com.

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March 6, 2012 — AEPI–The Grenoble-Isere France Economic Development Agency and CEA-Leti will co-host a site visit to CEA-Leti and other facilities on the MINATEC campus, Grenoble, following MEMS Executive Congress Europe on March 23. AEPI and CEA-Leti are sponsors of the Congress, which takes place on March 20 in Zurich, Switzerland.

The Grenoble site visits on the MINATEC campus will include: the CEA-Leti showroom, the 200mm-wafer micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) line, the Clinatec/Nanobio facilities researching implanted micro-nanotechnologies, and an optional evening social event. The MINATEC innovation campus is home to 2,400 researchers, 1,200 students, and 600 technology transfer experts on a state-of-the-art 20-hectare campus offering 10,000 square meters of clean room space.

Grenoble-Isère is a major center for information and communication technologies, biotechnologies and new energy technologies. For more information about the CEA-Leti/Minatec site visit, please visit www.memsindustrygroup.org/grenoble.

On the tour:
CLINATEC is a clinical-preclinical research facility devoted to the validation of new implanted micro-nanotechnologies at the human brain interface, associating biological and imaging facilities to provide the best environment for the first preclinical and human proof of concept. Located at MINATEC, it was formed by CEA-Leti, Grenoble University Hospital and Joseph Fourier University.

Leti is an institute of CEA, a French research-and-technology organization with activities in energy, IT, healthcare, defence and security. Leti specializes in nanotechnologies and their applications, from wireless devices and systems, to biology, healthcare and photonics. NEMS and MEMS are at the core of its activities. CEA-Leti operates 8000m² of state-of-the-art clean room space on 200mm and 300mm wafer platforms. It employs 1,400 scientists and engineers and hosts more than 190 Ph.D. students and 200 assignees from partner companies.

MINATEC is a micro- and nanotechnology innovation campus uniting higher education, fundamental and applied research, industrial innovation, technological R&D infrastructures and investors. Visit: http://www.minatec.com/en

MEMS Executive Congress Europe brings together business leaders from automotive, industrial/energy, biomedical/quality of life, and consumer goods sectors to discuss designing and manufacturing MEMS technology and the use of MEMS in commercial applications. MEMS Executive Congress Europe is co-located with Smart Systems Integration. Visit www.memscongress.com for complete details.

The Grenoble-Isère Economic Development Agency/Agence d’Etudes et de Promotion de l’Isère, is entirely responsible for promoting Grenoble-Isère and capitalizing on its assets to attract new business. Website: http://www.grenoble-isere.com/eng/

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March 5, 2012 — New micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) thermopile players and applications are boosting market growth for infrared (IR) detectors, finds Yole Développement in its new report "Infrared Detector Market, Applications & Technology Trends."

Traditionally, a few players have dominated the business specially for motion detection: Perkin Elmer (which sold its IR detector branch that became Excelitas), Nicera, Murata, and Heimann. Some niche players (Pyreos, Irisys) have also developed innovative pyroelectric technologies (thin film, ceramic hybrid) that enable arrays of sensitive elements, but the volumes sold are still limited to niche markets (counting people, gas detection, spectroscopy).

Large MEMS manufacturers are entering the IR detector business: Texas Instruments, Omron, Panasonic, and Hamamatsu. These companies, boasting substantial revenues and resources, develop thermopile detectors manufactured on large MEMS production lines (6 to 8" wafers). This brings fab costs down, opening up new applications, like the temperature measurement function Texas Instruments (TI) supplies for notebooks, tablets, and other portable consumer electronics.

Figure. IR detector market forecast 2010-2016. SOURCE: Infrared Detector Market, Applications & Technology Trends report, January 2012, Yole Développement.

IR detectors enable motion detectors for applications like lighting controls and alarms. 150 million units were sold in 2010, with low average selling prices (<$1). This mature market will grow at a significant rate (CAGR 2010-2016 in value: +9%), driven by concern for energy savings in buildings, said Yann de Charentenay, senior analyst. IR detector technology will increasingly be used to automatically power on and off lighting, and home appliances such as HVAC and TVs.

IR detectors also are used for non-contact temperature measurement in human ear thermometers, industrial pyrometers, and other applications. They also can detect gas and fire, or analyze materials. Detectors in these applications can cost anywhere from a single dollar to tens of dollars each. These usage sectors are growing, offering robust non-contact measurement with a long lifetime. These applications use small detectors with 1-4 IR-sensitive elements that can be made with pyroelectric sensors or thermopile sensors.

Large detectors (from 16 x 16 to 64 x 64 pixels) are developed to obtain advanced person detection functionalities meaning it is possible to locate the position of a person precisely in a space, to identify immobile persons (not possible with motion sensors) or to monitor large areas. The end markets will be for home automation, healthcare, or security businesses. Pyroelectric, thermopile, and microbolometer technologies all suit this space. Pyroelectric and thermopiles are mature technologies, but for smaller detectors. Microbolometer technology is leading the 10K+ pixel resolution infrared imager business, at prices of several hundred dollars. Microbolometer players (Ulis, FLIR, NEC, DRS) have started to develop or investigate large detector applications, but the low cost target will present a challenge. Expect the dominant technology to emerge next year, forecasts Wenbin Ding, Technology & Market Analyst, MEMS Devices & Technologies.

Also read: Wafer-level packaging emerges for uncooled IR imagers

With the arrival of new MEMS players and the emergence of large detector applications, Yole Développement expects that the overall IR detector business will grow from $152 million in 2010 to $286M in 2016, a 5-year CAGR of 11%.

Companies cited in the report: 3S pocketnet, Agilent, Ametek, BAE , Bosch security, Cerberus, CSST, Delphi, Dias Infrared, DRS, Dostmann, E+e, Excelitas, FLIR, Fluke, Fuji Piezo, G&E, Hager, Hamamatsu, Heimann, Heitronics, Honeywell security, ICX FL IR, Infratec, Intex, Irisys, Korea digital, L3com, Land, Legrand, Leister Axetris, Lumasense ITC, Melexis, Memstech – Ann Arbor, Merten, Mitsubishi Electric, Murata, NEC Avio, Nicera, Omega, Omron, Panasonic, Perkin Elmer, Pyreos, Raytheon, Ritsumeikan University, Samsung, SCD, Schneider Electric, Selex galileo, Sensair, Senseair, Sensource, Shimadzu, Somfy, Sony, Symetrix, Telaire, Texas Instrument, Thermofisher, Tyco security, Tyndall, Ulis, UTC fire & security, Visonic, Winsen, Wuan Cubic, Yongsheng, ZB sensor.

Report authors:
Yann de Charentenay, Senior Analyst covers MEMS, materials and compound semiconductors.

Wenbin Ding is a Technology & Market Analyst at Yole Développement, specializing in MEMS Devices & Technologies.

Yole Développement is a group of companies providing market research, technology analysis, strategy consulting, media in addition to finance services. Access the report at www.yole.fr.

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March 5, 2012 — The Albany, NY-based College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering’s (CNSE) Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center of Excellence (STC), which performs micro electromechanical system (MEMS) and nanotechnology-enabled manufacturing and packaging, successfully completed the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) 9001:2008 registration.

The registration incorporates rigorous criteria in a collection of formal international standards, technical specifications and reports, as well as handbooks and web-based documents on quality management. CNSE’s STC worked with EEP Quality Group of Rochester to review and edit existing documentation, and to develop a number of new standard operating procedures in order to comply with ISO requirements.

With ISO 9001:2008, the MEMS development center expects to have "new opportunities to create high-tech jobs" and be able to "attract additional partners in the industrial and government sectors," including the Department of Defense and various intelligence agencies that require ISO certification, and domestic and foreign commercial companies, Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, CNSE SVP and CEO, said. Numerous enhanced security features are being put into place that will allow CNSE’s STC to heighten its site security clearance as well.

CNSE’s STC expects to hire additional employees as a result of its ISO registration. New hires will range from engineering and technical personnel to cleanroom operators, who will be needed to support both existing projects and new programs that transition from prototyping and pilot production to low- and mid-volume manufacturing.

The UAlbany CNSE is a college dedicated to education, research, development and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience and nanoeconomics. CNSE’s footprint spans upstate New York, including its Albany NanoTech Complex, an 800,000-square-foot megaplex with the only fully-integrated, 300mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line within 85,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms. More than 2,700 scientists, researchers, engineers, students and faculty work here, from companies including IBM, Intel, GlobalFoundries, SEMATECH, Samsung, TSMC, Toshiba, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, ASML and Novellus Systems. An expansion now underway, part of which will house the world’s first Global 450mm Consortium, will add nearly 500,000 square feet of next-generation infrastructure, an additional 50,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms, and more than 1,000 scientists, researchers and engineers from CNSE and global corporations. For information, visit www.cnse.albany.edu.

CNSE’s Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center of Excellence (STC) in Rochester, NY, offers state-of-the-art capabilities for MEMS fabrication and packaging. It assists small and large companies in transitioning new technologies from concept to manufacturing. STC maintains a 140,000-square-foot facility with over 25,000 square feet of cleanrooms for MEMS fabrication and packaging, and works with large and medium-sized companies to help them bring new technologies to market; with small companies ready to transition from prototype and low-volume manufacturing to scalable manufacturing; and with various federal agencies to develop technology solutions to areas of critical national need, including smart prosthetics and improvised explosive device (IED) detection. For more information, visit www.stcmems.com.

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March 2, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — Tessera Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:TSRA), through its wholly owned subsidiary, DigitalOptics Corporation (DOC) will acquire certain assets of Vista Point Technologies, a Tier-One-qualified camera module manufacturing business of Flextronics International Ltd. (NASDAQ:FLEX). DOC anticipates that the business will have a capacity to manufacture approximately 50 million camera module units per year.

DOC will pay approximately $23 million in cash for the assets from Flextronics’s camera module business in Zhuhai, China, along with the equity interests of a wholly owned foreign enterprise that will own those assets, together called the Zhuhai Camera Module Business. It includes existing customer contracts and a lease to an approximately 135,000-sq.ft. facility.

Tessera’s strategy is to transform DOC from an optical and image enhancement software and components business into a Tier-One qualified, vertically integrated supplier of next-generation camera modules, said Young. Tessera estimates the market for mobile cameras at about $9 billion. Tessera is also involved with multiple Tier-One mobile phone OEMs regarding its micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) autofocus product, expecting a design win in H1 2012 and a volume manufacturing ramp in Q4. "Our goal is for DOC to become profitable in 2013," said Young.

Attend the free on-demand webcast: Lens Tilt in Small Auto-Focus Cameras from DigitalOptics

The Zhuhai Camera Module Business will enhance DOC’s existing collaborations with camera module makers by driving rapid market introduction of next-generation technology, said Robert A. Young, president and chief executive officer, Tessera Technologies, Inc., adding that Tier One OEM manufacturers require that camera modules be delivered through dual sourcing from high-volume manufacturing facilities. The Zhuhai Camera Module Business offers a world-class, cost-competitive, high-volume facility and a well-trained team of engineers and manufacturing employees. DOC plans to increase sales of its imaging technologies via the new assets, combining its MEMS autofocus and other proprietary technologies in integrated camera modules for mobile phones, said Bob Roohparvar, president of DigitalOptics Corporation.

DOC has been developing its capacity of oversee high-volume manufacturing operations alongside its technological development in optical imaging. DOC has hired more than a dozen executives and managers with engineering scale-up expertise and volume manufacturing experience.

Under the agreement, DOC will reimburse Flextronics for certain transaction expenses, taxes and inventory, the amounts of which will be determined at closing. The transaction also includes an intellectual property assignment and license agreement, and a transition services agreement. DOC intends to offer employment to a portion of the existing work force of the Flextronics camera module business in Zhuhai, China. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter. It is subject to various closing conditions, including necessary approvals from the appropriate PRC governmental authorities.

Tessera’s financial advisor on the transaction was GCA Savvian Advisors LLC, and its legal advisor was Latham & Watkins LLP.

Tessera Technologies, Inc. is a holding company with operating subsidiaries in two segments: Intellectual Property and DigitalOptics. Our Intellectual Property business generates revenue from patented innovations through license agreements with semiconductor companies and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test companies. Tessera, Inc. pioneered chip-scale packaging solutions for the semiconductor industry. Our DigitalOptics business delivers innovation in imaging and optics with products and capabilities that enable expanded functionality in increasingly smaller devices. Our miniaturized camera module solutions provide cost-effective, high-quality camera features, including micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS)-based autofocus, extended depth of field (EDoF), zoom, image enhancement and optical image stabilization. We also offer customized micro-optic lenses from diffractive and refractive optical elements to integrated micro-optical subassemblies. For information, go to www.tessera.com.

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March 1, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — After reporting Q4 2011 results, micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) supplier MEMSIC Inc. (NasdaqGM: MEMS) discussed its 2 main goals for 2012.

MEMSIC is pursuing more design wins with global customers in the growing mobile phone and consumer market, said chairman, president, and CEO Dr. Yang Zhao.

Secondly, the company is looking to leverage its MEMS sensor and sensor system integration technology to create more value-added products for consumer, industrial and automotive applications, Zhao said, noting MEMSIC’s ability to integrate MCU and software to create smart-sensing systems beyond sensor fusion.

In November 2011, a MEMSIC subsidiary formed a joint venture with Wuxi New District Science and Technology Financial Investment Group Co. Ltd., a state-owned Chinese venture capital fund, to bring MEMSIC’s mesh wireless sensor network technology to the sensor and sensing network solution market.

MEMSIC Inc. provides advanced semiconductor sensors and multi-sensor systems based on MEMS technology IC- and module-level integration technologies. The company’s shares are listed on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange (NASDAQ GM: MEMS). Learn more at www.memsic.com.

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March 1, 2012 — Gyroscopes generated more revenues in 2011 than any other consumer/mobile micro electro mechanical system (MEMS), thanks to enthusiastic adoption of Apple Inc. iPhone and iPad devices late in the year. This was the first time gyroscopes topped accelerometers in consumer/mobile MEMS revenues, reports IHS.

Gyroscopes netted $655.4 million in 2011, up 66% from $394.5 million in 2010. The devices will bring in $1.1 billion by 2015, maintaining a lead over accelerometers ($705 million by 2015).

Figure. Worldwide gyroscope MEMS revenue forecast in consumer/mobile MEMS sector. SOURCE: IHS iSuppli Research, March 2012.

Of all consumer/mobile motion sensors in 2011, 41% were gyroscopes, by revenue, up from 24% in 2010. The total mobile motion sensor market hit $1.6 billion, up from $1.1 billion the prior year.

3-axis gyroscopes, used mostly in tandem with 3-axis accelerometers, are enabling more accurate motion sensing. Gyroscopes improve the motion-based interface, and can provide optical image stabilization and navigation-related functions. "Of the $655 million total revenue generated by the gyroscope space, the 3-axis segment accounted for $462 million, 71%," in 2011, said Jérémie Bouchaud, director and senior principal analyst for MEMS & sensors at IHS. Apple, with its smartphone (iPhone) and tablet (iPad) products, was the main consumer, buying 62% of 3-axis gyroscopes.

STMicroelectronics was the leading producer of both gyroscopes and accelerometers. Apple accounts for half of ST’s MEMS business, and the company is the sole source for gyroscopes and accelerometers for the iPhone and iPad.

Combo packages of 3-axis accelerometers and gyroscopes — 6-axis inertial measurement units (IMU) — will dominate in the sales of 3-axis gyroscopes by 2014. "Surprisingly compact" 6-axis compass modules (compass + accelerometer) are coming to market now, as are 9-axis IMUs with 3-axis electronic compasses added to 6-axis IMUs. Bosch Sensortec and InvenSense have introduced a 6-axis compass module and a 9-axis IMU, respectively.

In general, motion sensors like gyroscopes, accelerometers and electronic compasses will continue to rule consumer and mobile MEMS, the largest segment of an industry that includes other MEMS sectors such as automotive, medical, industrial, and aerospace and defense. Aside from smartphones and tablets, expect to find consumer-app motion sensors in TV remote controls and ultrabook laptops. By 2015, both TV remote control and ultrabook applications will add another $155 million in revenue derived from the use of accelerometers, gyroscopes and electronic compasses, up from $9 million in 2011.

Intel is recommending accelerometers, gyroscopes, electronic compasses and even pressure sensors for its ultrabooks, although some combinations will only be seen in convertible ultrabooks — those with a screen that can be flipped back to form a tablet.

MEMS microphones, also appearing in Apple’s mobile electronics, saw rapid growth in 2011. Apple uses two analog MEMS microphones in the iPhone 4 and 4S (MEMS mics provide voice suppression with Siri), along with one MEMS microphone in the headset that is sold with the phone. In addition, one digital MEMS microphone is present in the iPad 2. Revenue in 2011 for MEMS microphones reached $373 million, up 67% from $223 million in 2010.

Also read: Apple buys most MEMS microphones in 2011

Knowles Electronics still dominates the MEMS microphone sphere, but its share of shipments in the overall market has fallen from 88% in 2010 to 75% last year. There are now 8 suppliers producing more than 10 million MEMS microphone units each.

MEMS oscillators recently saw a surge of interest, with the entry of 3 big players. Murata, an established supplier of ceramic oscillators, acquired VTI Technologies in October last year. IDT, the leading manufacturer of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) timing devices, introduced its first MEMS timing product in November. NXP, a supplier of real-time clocks, brought its MEMS timing debut to the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2012.

Read the IHS report, Consumer MEMS Continue to Thrive on Smartphones, Tablets and Ultrabooks, at http://www.isuppli.com/MEMS-and-Sensors/Pages/Consumer-MEMS-Continue-to-Thrive-on-Smartphones-Tablets-and-Ultrabooks.aspx?PRX

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