Datasheet: MEMS Sensors

MEMS Chips Bring Programs and Action Together

- By Curtis Franklin, Editor-In-Chief

For some applications there are clear divides between the digital and physical worlds. For others, an interface between the two worlds that fits easily into the smallest package is the only solution that makes sense. Enter the Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) chip. These powerful chips can enable a host of practical solutions, but the sheer variety of options makes choosing the right chip for the job a critical decision.

Mashups are all the rage. Whether in cuisine, fashion, or music, taking two things that shouldn't work together and slamming them into peaceful coexistence is very, very popular. In the realm of the integrated circuit, MEMS chips are mashups that move edge computing from the purely analytical to the physically meaningful. And the continuing growth of computing in a wide variety of IoT and OT applications means that MEMS chips will only get more important.

MEMS are miniaturized devices that integrate mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common silicon substrate. Because there are so many possibilities for what a MEMS can do, there are many different individual capabilities available on MEMS. In general, though, a MEMS will feature a single capability and be aimed toward a single use case or industry. This is a class of a device that is very broad in concept and very specific in individual implementation.

SENSORS OF EVERY TYPE