Sensors have become a large part of many products and industries, from low-power sensors in connected IoT devices to motion and magnetic sensors in consumer electronics and automotive applications to medical and industrial applications. Many of these sensors are microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, made from typical semiconductor materials and processes to build movable, miniature, three dimensional structures with electrical circuits to measure physical or chemical properties of the surrounding environment. TechPats can leverage our extensive knowledge and expertise related to traditional silicon technology fabrication and analysis techniques to evaluate and analyze intellectual property related to this growing industry.
MEMS market size is upwards of $12-15B, major industries driving MEMS growth include:
- Consumer electronics
- Automotive
- Displays
- Medicine
The types of sensors that are used across these industries are:
- Inertial
- Pressure
- Biological
- Chemical
- Communication
Smartphones typically contain a number of different types of sensors, MEMS and otherwise, and include inertial sensors like gyroscopes and accelerometers as well as pressure sensors, BAW filters and microphones. The automotive industry is another large driving force for MEMS market growth with more and more sensors being needed not only for well-established safety features such as tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) and airbag deployment but now also with the advancement of self-driving cars more advanced telematics and sensors are required. MEMS are also used for powertrain monitoring to efficiency and performance with regards to airflow and various pressures and temperatures. Key manufactures in these segments include Bosch, Infineon, STMicroelectronics and NXP.