Great question Others can no doubt answer this in more detail, but here are something to think about: Think of MEMS as an *enabling* technology. The goal isn't necessarily to make large things in a small form per se. What is important is that a 'thing' in a smaller form can enable new functionality either unobtainable or just not imaginable. An analogy (though not a great one) is the evolution of microelectronics. Had you asked your question in 1953, as opposed to 2003, you might have asked "why do you need to shrink electronics?" Given that in its form at that time (vacuum tubes, large discrete caps, resistors, diodes ect) everything seemed to work just fine. However, the shrinking and *reduction in cost* of electronics has allowed for the use electronics everywhere, improving products (better function, reliability, cost ) and industrial productivity. Additionally, shrinking of electronics has enabled creation of cheap general purpose computers, sophisticated software and all the results you see around you now. It's not just the shrinking of the devices that is important, it is the fact that they are smaller, and can be made in large numbers *at low cost*. Will the same thing happen with MEMS. Yes, to some extent. There are many differences between the microelectronics and MEMS which will make the impact of MEMS on other technologies different than the impact of microelectronics. I'll let someone else talk about that. Places to find out more about MEMS http://www.bell-labs.com/org/physicalsciences/projects/mems/mems.html http://mems.colorado.edu/c1.res.ppt/ppt/g.tutorial/ppt.htm http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.01/mems.html http://www.ece.cmu.edu/~mems/ ************************************ Philip D. Floyd, Ph.D. Iridigm Display Corporation 2415 Third Street, Suite 235 San Francisco, CA 94107 ph: (415) 626-8800 x138 fax: (415) 626-9775 email: pfloyd@iridigm.com web: http://www.iridigm.com/ ************************************* ############################################################################ ############################################## This email communication may contain CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION of IRIDIGM DISPLAY CORPORATION and is intended only for the use of the intended recipients identified above. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, you must not use, disclose, distribute, copy or print this email. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify the sender by reply email, delete the communication and destroy all copies. ############################################################################ ############################################## -----Original Message----- From: Atul Ranade [mailto:atulvranade@yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 10:18 AM To: mems-talk@memsnet.org Subject: [mems-talk] Why MEMS? Hi all, I am a new member of this group. My name is Atul and I am a graduate student at University of Texas at El Paso. Could anyone please tell me the necessity of miniaturizing parts which already exist? Re-phrasing my question I am not clear about the reason for existence of MEMS. Thanks for your time and looking forward to someone replying. Atul. "Success never rests. On your worst days, be good. And on your best days, be great. And on every other day, get better" - Carmen Mariano --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software _______________________________________________ MEMS-talk@memsnet.org mailing list: to unsubscribe or change your list options, visit http://mail.mems-exchange.org/mailman/listinfo/mems-talk Hosted by the MEMS Exchange, providers of MEMS processing services. Visit us at http://www.memsnet.org/