MEMS Investor Journal -- The Largest MEMS Publication in the World

Health and medical market strategies for MEMS companies

by Paul Pyzowski
Contributing Editor, MEMS Investor Journal

As an executive and entrepreneur who transitioned from the semiconductor industry to life sciences, I am often asked about "medical MEMS" by other executives, engineers, and investors seeking new markets for an existing MEMS or microfabrication technology.  These questions include how to identify a need, how to think about partnering and commercialization, and even whether to get into medical markets at all.

First, in spite of uncertainties due to healthcare reform efforts in the US, I am optimistic about the increasing use of MEMS in health and medicine.  The life sciences and health markets in mature Western economies are both enormous, comprising 17% of the US economy, as well as incredibly diverse including cancer drugs, hospital equipment, and home healthcare technology.

Samplify Systems developing ultrasound solutions, recruits MEMS expert

Samplify Systems, a provider of  semiconductor technology and sub-systems for the ultrasound equipment market, announced this week that Dr. Chris Daft has joined the company as Senior Scientist, where he will apply his MEMS expertise to develop the company's ultrasound beamforming technology and products.  "Dr. Daft brings a wealth of experience in beamforming, silicon integration and MEMS technology in the ultrasound industry," said Richard Tobias, VP of Engineering at Samplify.  "His experience will prove valuable not just in our next generation of solutions, but in accelerating the time to market for our current OEM customers."

ST, Bluechiip to partner on manufacturing of MEMS RFID tags

STMicroelectronics, a leading supplier of MEMS devices for consumer and portable applications, and Bluechiip, an early-stage company that has developed a MEMS based asset tracking solution, announced this week that the two companies will cooperate in further commercialization of Bluechiip's MEMS based tracking tags, aimed at a range of different markets, but initially in healthcare, such as biobanks.  Through this partnership, ST will be responsonsible for manufacturing of Bluechiip's MEMS based tracking tags into high-volume production.

Rheonix developing microfluidic diagnostic platform

The company is developing the system to provide multiplexed endpoint analysis for diagnostic applications.  Rheonix uses its patented device to manipulate samples as diverse as blood, saliva, mucosal swabs and environmental sources, and sample sizes from 10 microliters to 2-3 milliliters for integrated processing from the raw sample through end-point analysis for clinical, research and environmental purposes on its system.

Micronics receives $2.6 million to develop microfluidics based blood diagnostic tool

Micronics, a development stage company that specializes in microfluidics, announced this week that the U.S. Department of Defense has awarded it an Applied Research and Technology Development Award under the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command’s Polytrauma and Blast Injury Project for the advancement of the company's lab-on-a-chip system for point-of-care molecular diagnosis of infectious pathogens.

Microfluidics for crime scene investigation

by Paul Pyzowski, Guest Contributor

The television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation became one of the most watched shows of the past decade by updating the police procedural genre with cutting edge forensic science.  Although it has tried to keep its forensic science technically accurate, the demands of sixty minute TV often led to displays of scientific analysis and acumen well beyond what even the best crime labs could do.  Practicing forensic scientists refer to the “CSI effect” when juries expect far more from forensic evidence than what is possible or practical.

MEMS applications for treatment of nervous system disorders

by Paul Pyzowski, Guest Contributor

I had recently written an article here on the use of MEMS in neuroscience research applications, and Colin Johnson penned a separate article on how MEMS are enabling systems to restore sight for the blind.  This article focuses on the increasing use of MEMS for treating diseases and injuries of the central nervous system (brain and spine), including paralysis, Parkinson’s disease, and drug-resistant depression.

As background, according to Zack Lynch at the Neurotech Industry Organization, medical devices for treatment of nervous system disorders is a $7 billion market.  Although small compared to the $120 billion market for neuropharmaceuticals, the neuro-device market is growing at 15% per year and is considered a real growth market, albeit one with considerable investment requirements and considerable risk.

MEMS microbots harness insect “know-how”

by R. Colin Johnson
Contributing Editor, MEMS Investor Journal

Microbots based on MEMS have long been sought to collect environmental samples, to search for survivors in collapsed buildings and for other reconnaissance style missions that are ill-suited for people.  Although decades in the making, one major “hang-up” for fully autonomous operation of such microbots remains – a locomotion source.  The tiny mechanisms and electrical circuitry are relatively easy to cast, but currently there are no reliable locomotion sources on such a small scale.

MEMS restoring sight to the blind

by R. Colin Johnson
Contributing Editor, MEMS Investor Journal

Over a decade has passed since hope was raised worldwide that MEMS could make blindness a curable condition.  Now the long wait is finally over, with all the necessary tests and clinical trials clearing the final hurdles.  Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the final clinical trials for the Argus II retina developed by the Department of Energy's (DoE)  Artificial Retina Project, based on the pioneering work of Mark Humayun at the Doheny Eye Institute of the University of Southern California and Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.  Also this month, a second and simpler implant, called the "Implantable Telescope" by its maker, VisionCare Corp., received final FDA approval, making millions of legally blind worldwide eligible for the sight-restoring implant.

MEMS for neuroscience research applications

by Paul Pyzowski, Guest Contributor

Most articles on MEMS related topics tend to cover large markets in automotive and consumer electronics, not the treatment of debilitating illnesses of the nervous system.  But even though the market for neurological applications today is small, MEMS and microfabrication technologies are helping neuroscience researchers in their quest to understand the workings of the brain, advancing knowledge in one of the most exciting fields of scientific endeavor today.  And what is more exciting, MEMS technologies are already being deployed in medical devices to treat injuries and diseases of the nervous system, with several products already in human clinical trials and more expected within the next twelve months.  Some of these products, quite literally, have neurosurgeons surgically implanting “MEMS on the brain”.