MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) are micromachined devices that incorporate tiny resistors, levers, beams, gears, and other structures to form sensors, actuators, valves, and various electronic "micro machines." These devices are typically measured in microns- one millionth of a meter, with some complete devices smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

Nearly every product category stands to benefit from the development of MEMS devices through miniaturization of current macroscale devices, as in the MEMS accelerometer now in wide use today in the air bag deployment systems in automobiles, to the development of totally new technologies, such as micro-mirror arrays used in fiber optic switching networks.

RF-MEMS Technology will soon revolutionize the communications industry, and the Biotechnology Industry is making great advances in drug delivery and pressure sensor devices for surgical applications.

• Micro valves/micro fluidics
• Sensors: chemical and bio , DNA analysis etc
• Acuators
• Micro gears and switches
  

• Miniaturization
• Low-cost batch production
• Increased performance and reliability
• Low power consumption
• Discovery of new uses and products
• Complete "systems on a chip," and integration into current technology

Most MEMS devices are built on silicon wafers using micromachining technology developed for the integrated circuit industry.

Other substrates such as sapphire, quartz, ceramic, pyrex and silicon carbide have been used as a platform for building devices.

Structures are built using a carefully constructed sequence of subtractive and additive processes using deposition, lithography and etching.