MEMS are a class of enabling technologies that are revolutionizing silicon-based micro-electronics through use of micro-machining technology.

The integration of MEMS into high volume CMOS manufacturing facilities, and the promise of monolithic integration of CMOS + MEMS, allows lower cost production of devices with integrated electronics and moving parts.

 These devices have and will continue to enable novel performance unachievable by other means. Everyday examples include accelerometers for airbag sensors or handheld gaming devices, extremely high performance switches for communications, fluidic devices used in inkjet printer heads, and micromirrors for digital light projection.

These four examples include highly diverse physics for the MEMS sensor, spanning mechanical motion sensing, tuning of high speed radio frequencies, actuation of fluidic valves, and optical reflection and tuning, respectively, for the products mentioned above.