There are many aspects of Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems, or MEMS, that the Internet of Things (IoT) can leverage moving forward. MEMS devices can effectively meet the multiple requirements required by many IoT devices and applications. For instance, MEMS can reduce IoT end point power usage without sacrificing functionality since they can incorporate different forces in electromagnetism or fluid dynamics. In those IoT devices that have limited room for more hardware, the small form factor of MEMS can prove to be very advantageous. Most important to the booming IoT device space, MEMS are made through a process called photolithography. This process makes it simple, as well as cost effective to produce MEMS in mass quantities.
Have you ever wondered how many individual components make up your iPhone? There are accelerometers and gyroscopes to detect the movement of the phone. There are light sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and humidity sensors to measure the phone’s environment. Then there are RFID, Bluetooth, and WiFi sensors for connectivity, as well as microphones and speakers for sound. Most of these components are Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). MEMS devices are machines between 1 micrometer and 1 millimeter in size.
