Karen’s blog from MEMS Executive Congress: Part 1

There were many things that impressed me from hosting the second MEMS Executive Congress Europe – and it wasn’t the cold and snow (though it was chilly!). What struck me the most was how lively, engaged and intelligent the conversations were, not amongst the panelists but between the audience and the panelists. Often, Europeans can be conservative and reserved in conferences, but not this year In fact my favorite quote from one of the panelists was: "when I agreed to this join this panel I didn’t know I would be joining a religious war."

The morning definitely didn’t start off with an aggressive tone as the elegant Ralf Schnupp, Vice President Segment Occupant Safety & Inertial Sensors, Continental served as our keynote. He focused his discussion on future trends in automotive with an overview of the megatrends affecting: safe mobility, clean power, intelligent driving, global mobility and most importantly, safety, with a goal of zero fatalities and accidents (WOW). He spoke of the challenges of complex sensor systems as well as the requirements of such systems. What stuck with me was his statement that "we don’t need more sensors, we need more robust, secure and safe MEMS/sensors." For sensors I think he’s onto something (because it’s about the smart sensor integration and the software); although when I tried out that theory later that week at our sister-conference, Smart Systems Integration, I was completely shot down (ha!).

After Schnupp’s keynote came the consumer panel moderated very capably by Dave Thomas, Marketing Director, Etch Products, SPTS Technologies. Panelists included: Paul Buijs, General Manager, Bruco Integrated Circuits bv; Robin Heydon, Global Standards – Research and Innovation Group, CSR; and Joel Huloux, Director – Standardization and Industry Alliances, STMicroelectronics. You can probably tell from two of the four titles that the panel talked A LOT about standardization. And, yes, that was by design, as it’s an important topic that the MEMS industry has been working on and partnering with groups like MIPI Alliance (which Joel chairs).


Joel brought a good perspective to the panel because he’s not a MEMS guy; he’s really an OEM/end-user that having spent over a decade with handset company Erikson (I want to say 20 years but don’t quote me) and is now with ST, because of the ST/Erickson joint venture. He said that MIPI aims to create specifications for mobile interfaces and recently became interested in MEMS (and joined an important partnership with MEMS Industry Group) because mobile devices add at least two new MEMS each year. True, but the question remains, what are you going to standardize? And with that question, thus opened a little bit of the holy war amongst the panel and the audience. Clearly it’s an important hot button issue.

When asked about the future of consumer electronics, the panelists all felt that its market strength would continue. Robin felt the most important impact on the world would be the Internet of things as well antenna switching (he does work for CSR after all). He also felt that the next move would be towards peripherals such as the smart watch – while Paul envisioned a future where we’d all have a “doctor in a watch” as the next killer app, enabled by MEMS.

Next up was the automotive panel moderated ably by Marc Osajda, Director, Pressure Sensor Business Unit, Freescale Semiconductor – Germany. With panelists: Frédéric Breussin, Business Unit Manager, MEMS & Sensors, Yole Développement; Pietro Perlo, Vice President Torino E-District, Interactive Fully Electrical Vehicles; and Jan Peter Stadler, Senior Vice President of Engineering Sensors, Automotive Electronics Division, Robert Bosch GmbH. What surprised me about this panel is how quickly the panelists started talking about electric bicycles (e-bikes). I actually had to check with Ralph Schnupp, who was sitting next to me, to confirm that was indeed what Pietro had started the panelists discussing.

Marc quickly moved them back to automotive and it was actually quite comical to watch – Pietro and Jan Peter were sort of like the odd couple – both representing opposite sides of the spectrum of automotive. While Pietro focused on totally electric vehicles (including bikes!), Jan Peter averred that the automobile would evolve, but even by 2020 the majority of cars will still be run by combustible engines. Frédéric was well placed as a market analyst to give perspective on current uses of MEMS and sensors in applications such as night vision, heads up displays as well as efforts to reduce emissions, increase comfort and increase safety. What was also clear from all the panelists was that the consumer world is driving more and more of the automotive world; which is good for technology, but bad for pricing.

The best part of the panel was when Marc asked each panelist to describe what his car would look like in 2025. Frédéric said he’d finally give in and buy a hybrid, Jan-Peter said he wasn’t sure what kind of engine but he’d definitely want a car big enough to hold the wine he’d drive back from Romania and carry his e-bike to all the places he likes to use them (in the mountains). Lastly, Pietro stole the show when he said he’d be using a flying an electro-mobility flying car: this is a possibility because we are MEMS!"

I’ll leave you hanging there, wanting to hear more of the excitement and challenging conversations at MEMS Executive Congress Europe 2013. A teaser: The next panel was MEMS in Energy, which discussed energy harvesting MEMS in depth, and as you can imagine, the opinions varied widely, to put it mildly. Soon, I’ll also describe to you the MEMS in Medical, focused on Aging panel which challenged us all to think more about quality of life issues and what more we can do with MEMS to enable a better world. So stay tuned, I’ll post my next blog soon.

MEMS Executive Congress Europe 2013 - Amsterdam is THE place to be for the MEMS industry on 12 March!

By Karen Lightman, Managing Director, MEMS Industry Group
The keynote address at last year’s MEMS Executive Congress Europe stated: "MEMS is only limited by the imagination." MEMS Industry Group (MIG) took that sentiment to heart, and organized a 2013 EU Congress chock full of interesting keynotes, panels, dialogue, and camaraderie. We invited some of the top European companies using and commercializing MEMS to share their insight and imagination on the future of MEMS applications in consumer products, automotive, medical, and energy. If you haven’t already, I strongly encourage you to register now.

On the morning of March 12, our keynote speaker, Ralf Schnupp, VP Segment Occupant Safety & Inertial Sensors of Continental Automotive GmbH, will present Future Trends in Automotive — Smart Systems and Sensors. I am extremely honored to have Dr. Schnupp as our keynote; he is extremely well respected in the industry and I know that he will open the Congress in a big and impressive way. In his keynote, he plans to present a vision of the future of automotive that is very macro/global in its perspective with a balance of "enhanced safety, environmental protection, increased connectivity, and affordable vehicles."

After Dr. Schnupp’s keynote, we will have a series of panels focused on MEMS in Consumer, Energy, Automotive and Medical. I could write an entire blog just on the panels but I’d rather not – as I’m focusing mainly on the keynotes today...but let’s just say that if you’ve ever been to a Congress before, you know we have a "recipe" for success. This year is no different. We have put together a healthy mix of moderators and panelists sprinkled with a little bit of controversy to make things interesting. Each panelist will bring his own unique perspective on the critical issues affecting the business of MEMS.

It’s been said that Europe provides a better environment for spawning MEMS innovation. So, I look forward to hearing from our panelists who are a great mix of end-users, academics, analysts and industry leaders who will share their visions on the success and remaining challenges to MEMS commercialization success. Some of the inventive topics our panels and keynotes will address are:

• Standardization has played an important role in propelling growth in the consumer electronics industry – but what about MEMS? What progress has been made and what challenges remain?

• What role will MEMS play in the car of the future and how might sensor fusion drive new applications?

• How do MEMS advance quality of life now and in the future, from chronic disease management to sports rehab?

• How are MEMS helping alternative energy adoption in Europe and when will MEMS be commercialized in energy harvesting for smaller consumer applications?

Our afternoon keynote will be Renzo Dal Molin, Advanced Research Director SORIN CRM within Cardiac Rhythm Management business unit, SORIN Group. Dr. Dal Molin is again an extremely well-known and respected leader in the field of cardiac medical research and technology. Dr. Dal Molin’s keynote is entitled Vision for Implanted Medical Devices Healthcare Solutions and Technical Challenges and will review how the market for microelectronic implants is growing phenomenally. He will share his vision for this industry and the main drivers of growth, as well as the challenges that lay ahead. I am sure our heads will be buzzing after his keynote and the conversation will take us all the way to our dinner at a place that I’ve always wanted to visit: the Heineken Brewery. Oh yes, we are having a strolling dinner at the world-famous Heineken Experience, where, as I have found myself saying "they serve food to accompany the beer." We will have fun. That is for sure.

I am obviously giving you just a sneak peak – so for complete details, you need to check out our full agenda that begins on March 11 with a dessert reception. Yes, it might have been the MIG staff’s idea to have plenty of desserts on hand (perhaps you’ve heard we like chocolate?); but we realized after last year’s inaugural EU Congress that most of our attendees were hanging out in the conference hotel bar anyhow, so we might as well make it an official party.

But back to what makes the Congress so unique – and why we’ve successfully held the US version for so many years (it will be nine years, this November 7-8 in Napa!) and why we are returning to Europe for a second year. MEMS Executive Congress by definition is not a technical conference. It is not a tradeshow. This is a business-based, senior-level, executive conference where commercialization, revenue, and success stories dominate the discussion. As Rich Duncome of HP stated a few years back after delivering his keynote, the Congress is like "networking on steroids."

In my very humble (and oh so slightly biased) opinion, there is only one place in Europe where global industry luminaries will be talking about where MEMS technology is growing, based on real experiences and real time data. And there is only one place where you can meet them. This compelling one-day event is a MUST for entire the MEMS supply-chain. And oh, have you registered yet for The MEMS Executive Congress Europe? You don’t want to miss it.

MEMS is happening in Vegas baby, and it’s coming home with you, too

By Karen Lightman, managing director, MEMS Industry Group

Everyone knows the famous refrain, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." But for MEMS, you'll want what happens in Vegas to come home with you. Why? Because MEMS at CES has gone waaaaay beyond sensing your touch and letting you play Angry Birds.

MEMS Industry Group (MIG) is going back for a second year to International CES -- because MEMS is happening in Vegas. And baby, it's so cool and innovative and its applications are so new and exciting that it's coming home with you, too. At 2013 International CES MEMS will be ever-present; and MIG is helping it stand out even more this year with our half-day MEMS conference track on January 8.

We will kick off our conference track with a very special keynote from Mr. Klaus Meder, president of Bosch Automotive Electronics, entitled "The MEMS Generation: Why Miniature 'Machines' are changing the User Experience with Everything." Mr. Meder will discuss the connectivity of the automobile with the consumer, all enabled by the power of MEMS. I spoke with Mr. Meder earlier this fall regarding this keynote and was thrilled to hear his passion for MEMS and the role he sees it playing in what he calls this "interconnected lifestyle." In Meder's keynote, I expect that he will be taking the theory of the Internet of things one step further by demonstrating how a combination of MEMS and sensors are enabling our lives to be untethered by wires or roads. I was given a sneak peek of his presentation and got goose bumps when I saw the car of the future -- and I think you will, too.

Even though I expect our mouths will be agape after Mr. Meder finishes his keynote, we'll have to compose ourselves and move on with the show. Next up will be our panel "How to Never Get Lost in a Mall or a Museum: Indoor Navigation and the Smartphone." I am thrilled to see that this technology will soon be available in my smartphone with the aid of a combo of MEMS accelerometers, gyros, magnetometers and pressure sensors, creating a super-intelligent 10-axis mobile device. I am notorious for getting lost inside office buildings and any place where you can't see direct sunlight. I know my children (especially) are looking forward to the day when I have such a smart phone that will allow us to get step-by-step directions of how to find the Abercrombie & Fitch in a shopping mall -- with an ability to see what level it is on. I am going to have fun moderating these panelists and promise not to go too hard on them by asking them when I can pre-order my phone:

• Dan Brown, CEO, Sensor Platforms


• Seyed Paransun, vice president and general manager, Sensor and Actuator Solutions Division, Freescale Semiconductor


• Benedetto Vigna, corporate vice president and general manager, Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group, Industrial and Multisegment Sector, STMicroelectronics

Next I'll moderate the panel A Whole New Look for Digital Displays. Right now, MEMS-based technologies are the 'secret ingredient' in natural-looking color displays for impressive electronic applications such as the Kindle Fire. Based on the technology such as TI's DLP, developed for rear-projection televisions and home theater systems, MEMS is now leading a renaissance in projection systems through the smallest projector imaginable: the pico projector. I expect that soon we'll have high quality pico projectors in our mobile devices and MEMS-enabled Heads Up Displays assisting with navigation in our automobiles (it's already in use in Japan). This panel will cover the full range of what's hot in MEMS digital displays and you won't want to miss it. Panelists include:

• Evgeni Gousev, Senior Director of Engineering, Qualcomm Research


• Elan Roth, marketing and business development director, Analog MEMS and Sensors Group mobile projection business, STMicroelectronics


• Dale Zimmerman, vice president of R&D, MicroVision

I expect our last panel MEMS, Signal Quality, Smart Sound and the Mobile Handset is going to possibly be most inspiring of the three panels (feel free to prove me wrong). That's because we're talking about an issue that many of us hold so dear: the quality of our calls on our mobile handsets. Think about it, how many times a day do you drop a call or you can't hear the person on the other end? Isn't that annoying/frustrating? MEMS TO THE RESCUE! It's like the blog I recently wrote for EETimes, "A day without MEMS" -- well in a way, we are living it, because most of us don't yet have MEMS RF switches or MEMS microphones in our smartphones. C'mon mobile handset manufacturers, get with the program and get us our MEMS! New RF MEMS "tunable antennas," MEMS oscillators and microphones are helping manufacturers to create more physically robust phones while boosting signal integrity and sound quality. I am really looking forward to this discussion because I think they will mainly all agree with each other on how MEMS should be pervasive in every single mobile handset to cure all dropped calls and end all poor quality calls:

• Kieran Harney, product line director, Analog Devices


• Jeff Hilbert, president and founder, WiSpry


• Davin Yuknis, vice president of sales and marketing, Akustica

So mark your calendars and buy your conference passes now! The MEMS conference session takes place January 8, 2013, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., in the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) North Hall, Room N264. If you are a MIG member, you automatically get a discount on your conference pass.

Don't forget that MIG is also hosting the MEMS TechZone, featuring members and partners with live demos of MEMS in consumer applications. The MEMS TechZone is located at the LVCC South Hall 2, Booth 25321. And remember, this time you'll want to take what happens in Vegas home with you.

Preview of the MEMS Technology Showcase at MEMS Executive Congress US 2012

If I must tell the truth, the genesis of MEMS Technology Showcase began (as many great ideas do) at a bar over beers, the closing night of MEMS Executive Congress 2010. I was talking with Bryan Hoadley of Movea, who had just spoken on the MEMS in Consumer panel. He and I talked about what the MEMS industry needs -- a way to show how cool the MEMS inside is -- to showcase the "MEMS in the machine" (a marketing theme that we at MEMS Industry Group had just launched earlier that year). And viola! The concept for MEMS Technology Showcase was born.

My vision was to create a carnival-type atmosphere where OEM/end-user companies would compete to come up on stage while the moderator would be the ringmaster, virtual whip in hand, taming the masses who want a glimpse at the wonder of those magnificent MEMS-enabled products. My ultimate goal was to have companies not wait to release their products at CES in January, but instead, at MEMS Technology Showcase in November. I fantasized that someday even Apple would want to release their latest iPhone at the Congress! -- (Well you must admit there are a lot of MEMS in there!)

Last year the MEMS Technology Showcase was a huge success -- so big that others even tried to replicate it at their events (I guess it's that expression: "imitation is the best form of flattery," right?) We crowned Recon Instruments' MOD-Live heads-up display for goggles as our winner, and they've gone on to great commercial success and recognition.

This year we have six finalists, and I am confident that our winner will receive accolades and customer orders galore, and it'll be due in part to those fabulous little MEMS chips inside, enabling all that functionality in a smaller, faster and lower-power form factor with heaps of intelligence to boot.

I am equally confident in this year's moderator, Shawn G. DuBravac, chief economist and senior director of research, Consumer Electronics Association. (BTW nothing will come close to CES, I was just kidding, Shawn. No hard feelings, right?) Shawn has mastered similar types of competitions for CEA and has already shared his advice on how to mange the "flow" of the competition/panel; his biggest suggestion was to get a HUGE DIGITAL CLOCK like the ones they have at finish lines for marathons. I thought we'd get the whip from my original ringmaster idea...

Here's a peek at who will be competing in our second annual MEMS Technology Showcase:

VUE Patch


BodyMedia's VUE Patch -- is a seven-day, disposable body-monitoring patch that measures calorie burn, activity levels and sleep patterns, creating a snapshot of lifestyle habits to guide recommendations for weight loss, diabetes management, sports/fitness, corporate wellness, and more.



12-axis Xtrinsic Sensor Platform for Windows 8


Freescale Semiconductor's 12-axis Xtrinsic sensor platform for Windows 8 extends sensor fusion in tablets, slates, laptops and other portable devices. This complete hardware and software reference platform fuses accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope data using a Freescale ColdFire+ MCU. It also features a 'smart' pressure sensor that provides pressure and altitude data. Certified for Windows 8.



Intel Atom Z2760 for Windows 8 tablets and convertibles



The Intel Atom processor Z2760 ("Clover Trail") was architected specifically for Windows 8. It is based on Intel's 32nm process technology, powers lightweight tablets and convertibles that meet the demands of consumers and business users, and includes outstanding battery life, always-on technology, connected standby and the sleekest designs available. This touch-enabled tablet features a sensor hub microcontroller with an array of physical and logical motion sensors (including accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, fusion sensors (compass, device orientation, and inclinometer), proximity, additional location systems (ALS) and GPS. Certified for Windows 8.



Light Bohrd



Light Bohrd, LLC, is looking to make revolutionary contributions in skateboarding and snowboarding style and safety by adding the world's first motion-activated LED lights to each sport's respective boards. The Light Bohrd LED design uses patent-pending technology to store energy and activate LED lights to illuminate the board's graphics. With technology completely embedded, Light Bohrd's boards are charged wirelessly through magnetic induction and are brought to life by the wave of a magnet. The lights are then activated with motion. A fully charged Light Bohrd will stay lit for up to six hours.



LUMOback


LUMOback is a wearable sensor and smartphone app that provides feedback on posture and movement. The sensor band is worn around the waist and gently vibrates when the wearer slouches to remind him/her to sit or stand up straight. The smartphone app displays an avatar that mimics the wearer's movements and posture in real time, capturing that information when he/she sits, stands, walks, runs and sleeps. It is compatible with the iPhone 5, 4S, new iPod touch (5th gen) or new iPad (3rd gen).



Sphero



Orbotix's Sphero is the first robotic-ball gaming device controlled with a tilt, touch or swing from a smartphone or tablet. It immerses users in a new type of gameplay called "mixed-reality," in which real and virtual elements are seamlessly merged. Sphero interacts with mobile apps, giving people new ways to test their skills, play games with friends, and more. Users can even employ Sphero as a controller for on-screen gameplay. With free apps being developed continuously, including a mixed-reality version of golf, Sphero provides plenty of gaming thrills.

Please join us Thursday, November 8, 2012, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. for the MEMS Technology Showcase at the MEMS Executive Congress. This panel is sponsored by Movea.

Preview of our fabulous keynotes at MEMS Executive Congress US 2012

by Karen Lightman, managing director, MEMS Industry Group

Recently I was talking with a MIG member about what was unique about this year's Congress. I actually surprised myself when I instantly blurted out, "the keynotes!" Normally, I would talk about how cool the MEMS Technology Showcase is (and it is -- really, it is!) And you'll soon hear about it in an upcoming story/blog). But honestly, when I answer from my gut, I gotta go with my initial answer: this year's fabulous keynotes.

Our opening keynote speaker is Ajith Amerasekera, TI Fellow, IEEE Fellow, Kilby Labs, Texas Instruments. Ajith was the director of Kilby Labs at TI, which he has described as a "do tank" rather than a "think tank." I am grateful for the time that Ajith has taken from his super-busy schedule solving important challenges at TI to answer a few questions for me, give us a peek inside his brain and preview what he'll be discussing in his keynote, "Ultra Low-Power Electronics in the Next Decade," on the morning of November 8.

Ajith, with your vast experience at TI in the VLSI Design Labs, director of ASIC Technology Strategy, as well as the director of Kilby Labs, you've gained a great perspective of high tech and how it's evolved since the 1980's. So given your experience, how do you define the shift in electronic technology from centralized and high-touch to ubiquitous and low-touch, and what are the driving forces?

A. The shift is defined by a need for more localized intelligent electronic devices to control and manage our environment -- from home automation to the smart grid. Electronics are enabling us to be more efficient and productive. The ability to build more powerful devices at very low power and cost levels enables us to distribute and embed intelligence widely. TI is a major player in ultra-low power, high-performance, analog chips and embedded processors that are the heart of these new systems.

Thank you, Ajith. Can you expand on why low-power electronic devices are so important to distributing intelligence across applications in our personal lives, health, transportation, and safety and security?

A. Power is critical to the operation of electronic devices. The more devices used, the more power we need, and the more we need them to be power-efficient. There are also other factors in play such as power distribution and availability, battery management, etc.

Can you give me some examples, or are we primarily talking about evolutionary advancements in smartphones and tablets?

A. We are talking about advancements in everything. One example is in the infotainment system of an automobile, where the center auto console is controlled by gesture-sensing that can tell if the person interacting is the driver or passenger, thereby limiting distracting behavior (like checking Facebook) for the driver, but allowing it for the passenger. Another example is a project on which we are actively working: the realization of smart buildings, smart cities and smart transportation. These projects require us to sense the environment and then optimize usage against resource availability. Interactive sensing is also useful in wellness management, health management, fitness and sports. Smartphones and tablets are just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of low-power applications that are changing our relationship with electronic devices.

That is fascinating and I can't wait to hear more in your keynote, because I totally agree with you. But now I've gotta ask more about my favorite acronym, MEMS. What are your thoughts on how MEMS technology enables digital environments that adapt to and anticipate our needs? And where are the biggest potential impacts (positive and negative)?

A. We need to be able to sense our environment. And the key technology that helps us to do that is MEMS. MEMS technology will enable us to recreate the five senses -- touch, smell, hearing, sight, taste -- and will give us the capability to anticipate and adapt our needs. As for impacts, the positive impacts are already visible in the way we interact with our phones and tablets, how our homes manage power usage -- kitchen appliances for baking potatoes to energy efficient dishwashers, for example. Negative impacts include security and safety, which arise when we rely so heavily on electronic technology. However, I am confident that these challenges will be solved.

---

And then to top it off, we have an equally amazing keynote in the afternoon. As our closing keynote, I have invited Robert Brunner who is the founder, creative director and partner of Ammunition, where he communicates strategic innovation through product design, brand and surrounding experience.

What most impresses me about Robert is that when he's working with the likes of Dr. Dre on his Beats' brand of high-performance headphones and loudspeakers and the Barnes & Noble folks on their Nook, he is always thinking of the human hands that are going to use the end product. He truly understands that it's not the gee-whiz of a technology that will determine the success of a product, but it's the design and how it fits and works with the human -- and the human hands that will make or break the next killer app.

I am equally grateful to Robert for sharing his brilliance with me and answering a few questions to preview his upcoming keynote. I asked him to tailor his keynote to my MEMS supply chain audience and push them to really think about where their products are ending up: in human hands.

Robert, what if we in the MEMS industry "build it and no one comes?" In other words, why is the user experience more important than component technology in creating the amazing product breakthroughs that change our world? What are a few examples?

A. While underlying technology is essential to providing a capability to the user, what people really care about is what it does, how it does it, how it feels and how it fits their lives. So it might be a great breakthrough, but if it is not designed for the user in a way that is compelling and desirable, they won't care and it will fail. The iPhone is a perfect example of this. There is tremendous development and technology behind what makes it function the way it does, but what people care about is how it delivers that total user experience. It is why it's such a successful a product.

Thank you, Robert. Following on that same line of thinking, how can technologists understand and value the user experience as much as they do the underlying technology within? Based on your experience working at Apple, what is the best piece of advice that you can impart to technologists working to create a breakthrough product that will be loved by the masses for its industrial design?

A. First of all, everybody is a designer. That is, anywhere you are on the chain in delivering something into a user's hands, you have a role in enabling an experience and should embrace this responsibility. It is always important to work back from the ideal experience into the device, not the other way around. If you let the technology drive the experience per se, you may end up with something that works, but is difficult, and does not connect with people. As the product is being developed, work with user-experience (UE) or design teams early to define and understand the ideal user scenario, then activate that as a tool to shape the functionality and capabilities of the technology and device. It is truly about an insurance policy for success.

Again -- fantastic and practical all at the same time. So how can I take this "to the street" as it were? How can MEMS device manufacturers increase the perceived value of their products to customers? How about to end-users? (Will there ever be a campaign for the 'gyro inside,' for example?)

A. Well, this is tricky, as it has to be real. You cannot simply brand something around an ideal unless you have the technology and capability to support it. "Intel Inside" was quite successful as they managed to communicate it as a sort of quality ideal (and forced manufacturers to put the tag on their products!) But today, I think people are suspicious of this unless it goes with an actual capability that is valuable to them. If you successfully embody a user-centric approach to realizing a capability and can define its value to people, then finding a way to succinctly and emotionally communicate this to people can be huge!

We put this into practice with Beats Audio. We built a brand around an emotional connection to music with our Beats' products, then licensed the underlying algorithm and DSP to other companies, and allowed them to carry the Beats Audio brand on their products. The Beats' symbol carries an emotional meaning with regard to reproducing modern music, so it has value for people that they are willing to buy. If we had not created that value in how people connect to the products' functionality, it would be meaningless.

Well I hope you are as enthralled with these two guys as I am and will join me for our eighth annual MEMS Executive Congress keynotes:

• Thursday, November 8, 2012, 8:45-9:30 a.m. for "Ultra Low-Power Electronics in the Next Decade," with an introduction by Dave Kirsch, vice president and general manager, North America, EV Group.

• Thursday, November 8, 2012, 4:15-5:00 p.m. for "Ideas, Not Objects," with an introduction by Mike Rosa, MEMS global product manager, Applied Materials.

Preview of MEMS in consumer products panel at MEMS Executive Congress US 2012

By Karen Lightman, managing director, MEMS Industry Group

I remember the first time we had a panel on consumer MEMS products at the MEMS Executive Congress. It was November 2006: Marlene Bourne was our moderator and our panelists were: Frank Melzer (CEO of the newly formed Bosch Sensortec); Benedetto Vigna (back then his title was MEMS business unit director, STMicroelectronics); Mark Martin's predecessor, Bill Giudice, vice president and general manager, Micromachined Products Division, Analog Devices; and Rick Thompson, manager, Advanced RF Technologies, BAE SYSTEMS.

Well, things sure have changed since then, haven't they? In those days, we were all abuzz about the imminent release of the Nintendo Wii and the amazing impact of the Apple iPod. (The iPhone wouldn't be announced for another two months.) Makes me smile when I think back at how simple and innocent the times were back then...
We've learned a lot over the past six years. While most of the companies from the 2006 consumer panel are still active in MEMS (but only two of the panelists!), the Congress is now focused on hearing from end-users who are driving the market for MEMS. I am honored and truly delighted to have as this year's moderator for "MEMS in Consumer Products," my colleague Evgeni Gousev, senior director, Technology Development, Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.

I had the rare delight of discussing the panel topic over dinner with Evgeni when I was in the Bay Area a few weeks ago (for the MEMS workshop MIG did with BSAC). I scribbled my notes in between bites of a delicious, fresh California green salad to get a glimpse of what Evgeni will be discussing with panelists on the topic of MEMS in consumer products.

Q: Evgeni, I am impressed by the combined breadth of experience of your panelists. Can you give me a little background?

A: Sanjay Gupta recently left Motorola Mobility where he was vice president of product development. Sanjay has a successful track record of conceptualization, development, and commercialization of complex software and consumer electronics products; was a founding Board member of the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) and served on the Java Community Process (JCP), ME Executive Committee (EC); and led the standardization of GSM, GPRS and UMTS standards.

Dragan Mladenovic is director of business management for Maxim Integrated's Sensor Division. Dragan has an extensive background in the semiconductor industry and has worked on the following projects: automotive airbag satellite sensors; automotive 77GHz radar (based on the SiGe technology); and eCompass (based on the TMR technology). Most recently Dragan has been involved in the 4 degrees of freedom (DoF) MEMS products for automotive safety applications (rollover, dynamic stability control) and 3DoF of 6DoF MEMS products for smartphones, tablets and wearable devices.

Will Turnage is vice president of technology and invention at the advertising agency, R/GA. Will is accountable for global technical product innovation and digital experimentation at R/GA; recent projects include Nike+ FuelBand. With a well-earned reputation as an industry thought leader, he has presented his unique perspective at events like SXSW, the Behance Network's 99% Conference, and JSConf.

Q: Fantastic lineup of panelists who will give us very diverse perspectives on future markets for MEMS in consumer products! Now let's talk about potential questions you'd like to ask these guys. For instance, what drives innovative applications, software and hardware in MEMS? How can companies add value to the MEMS supply chain?

A. Historically it's always been the MEMS technology itself (the "tech push") that has driven the innovation. But this has changed as the demand for consumer products has grown, and cost pressures have risen. Now we are seeing more "market pull", or consumer demand for features enabled by MEMS, with increased opportunities for software integrators and designers to utilize MEMS as an enabling technology.

Because the consumer products' market is mostly customer-driven, MEMS suppliers are typically delivering technology that is just "good enough." But customers are demanding more, and OEMs are forced to respond in kind. MEMS suppliers are stepping up with sensor-fusion software that supports the MEMS within, to make it easier for OEMs to get what they want, and the application development community also has a role to play. The most successful companies have mobilized and connected to the user community to help develop some of the most creative and practical uses of their products. Their approach proves that you must have all the pieces together -- cooperation between technology and the application folks from the very beginning.

For mobile devices, the main requirements are "good-enough technology" but also low cost and low power consumption. The industry is doing pretty well on two of the three, but one could argue that there still is room for improvement in other areas in the consumer products market -- especially with respect to power consumption. There are still many untapped opportunities and markets for solutions like energy harvesting and other lower-power options for consumer products. MEMS can and will play a key role here.

Q. What are the macro societal trends that will drive demand for more consumer products with MEMS inside? What are the challenges?

A. Consumers are expecting -- really -- demanding MEMS-based solutions in their consumer products. That raises the bar even higher -- to the degree that MEMS is expected in every next-generation consumer product. We need to think about what's next and big and really revolutionary in the use and application of MEMS.

In the mobile space content that is context and location relevant due to advanced sensors are rich MEMS-based opportunities. Monetization of digital content is only in its very formative stages and will grow exponentially when the content is more relevant to the time, environment and context to the content consumer.

It's also a generational thing. Younger generations use and communicate via consumer products differently. This has and will continue to raise the expectations for MEMS in consumer products. For example, augmented reality (AR) gets a lot of attention. Today we see AR applications gaming, media/advertising, and education. Futurists predict we will likely see AR in visual speech, navigation and discovery, and social networking. With MEMS sensor data, adding connectivity and the cloud, the MEMS infrastructure is strong and will only grow as these macroeconomic trends evolve.

Thank you, Evgeni. I am really looking forward to hearing more about MEMS in Consumer Products at MEMS Executive Congress US 2012 in Scottsdale, AZ in November!

MEMS in medical, quality-of-life panel at MEMS Executive Congress US 2012

For those of you who have heard me talk about MEMS and medical/quality-of-life (QoL) applications -- I don’t shy away from calling it “God’s work.” I still get misty-eyed when I think about my friend’s 10-year-old daughter, Anna, who has Type 1 Diabetes. Last year I told Anna about technology from MicroCHIPS that (thanks to the wonders of MEMS) will someday enable her to seamlessly and automatically monitor and dose her insulin without having to prick her finger and then calculate and administer a dose before every meal or snack. She’ll get her dignity back and she’ll improve her quality of life.

The Holy Grail in medicine is not diagnosing Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or even obesity -- it’s figuring out what’s next and how to deal with it. MEMS technology can and will help to navigate that path.
With MEMS technology fundamental to new medical/QoL devices and applications, understanding opportunities in this rapid-growth market is more important than ever. At the MEMS Executive Congress US 2012, we’ve lined up a panel of industry experts to discuss how MEMS continues to play a critical role in the development of new technologies that assist with patient monitoring, diagnostics, therapy and portable health care.

To preview our panel, I’ve invited my moderator, Jeannette F. Wilson, product line manager, sensor and actuator solution division (SASD) / AISG, Freescale Semiconductor, to introduce our panelists and share her thoughts on what they will discuss.

Q:  Jeannette – who is on this fabulous MEMS in Medical/QoL panel?

A:  First up is Robert Farra, president & COO of MicroCHIPS (the company you mentioned in your opening). Robert’s product experience covers drug delivery combination products, implantable glucose sensors, life support systems, ventricle assist devices, artificial hearts, intra-aortic balloons and pumps, minimally invasive laparoscopic, and endoscopic and surgical devices, as well as capital equipment and their corresponding single-use devices.

Next up is Paul Gerrish, senior director, technology and design, implantable microsystems technology, Medtronic. What impressed me is that his bio includes a statement that Medtronic’s Implantable organization is “energized by the belief that there is still tremendous opportunity for hardware solutions to contribute toward making a difference in improving the lives of people worldwide.” I love it.

And last but definitely not least is someone from your hometown of Pittsburgh: Ivo Stivoric, CTO & VP of new products, BodyMedia. As one of the original founders, he took his vision for the life-changing BodyMedia technology from conception to launch, first in the medical space and then to consumers. Today Ivo is spearheading the rapid expansion of the product line across a wide-range of healthcare applications such as disease management.

Q: Wow, that is an impressive panel! You will have your hands full moderating the discussion but I am confident that you are up to the task. Let’s talk about some of the issues that you’re going to discuss with the panelists. For example, how is MEMS enabling better health/QoL with regard to prevention, monitoring, management, rehab, and replacement?

A:  MEMS continues to play a critical role in the development of new technologies that assist with patient monitoring, diagnostics, therapy and portable health care. Chronic diseases are an epidemic. It is possible to delay or prevent many chronic diseases associated with obesity and aging by remaining physically active. An activity monitor, for example, is a small device that records information about user’s physical activity patterns throughout the day. MEMS inertial sensors form the basis of many activity monitors that are designed to detect changes in force resulting from motion, tilt, positioning, shock and vibration.

Another possible side effect of aging and obesity is hypertension. MEMS pressure sensors enable the use of blood pressure monitoring conducted at home for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Inertial sensors are also used to improve QoL for rehab and replacement. Inertial measurements provide motion tracking, posture and gait analysis to help daily movement and flexibility and to enhance athletic performance.

Q: What are your thoughts on where we will be in the next 5-10 years, in terms of MEMS advancing applications in medical/QoL?

A:  Research is currently underway using MEMS technology for many innovative applications such as artificial pancreas, human-like motion for prosthetics, sensor arrays for rapid monitoring and diagnosis at home, and micropumps for drug delivery. MEMS pressure sensors will be used more frequently in invasive medical applications such as catheter tip sensors. While not all of these solutions will be in widespread use due to the rigorous testing required for medical devices, the trend toward using MEMS in health and medical applications will continue to enhance QoL.

Q:  We are seeing a lot about how people are utilizing existing consumer devices (such as smartphones) to monitor their health. What are some examples of how they being adapted for QoL applications?

A:  Existing medical applications such as telehealth gateways are becoming more connected. Telehealth gateways are data aggregators that tie various MEMS sensor solutions with back-end personal health records (PHR) via the cloud. Consumer devices containing MEMS sensors such as smartphones, pedometers, and other activity monitors can monitor activity and then transmit data to the cloud for use by physicians and patients.

As MEMS devices become integrated into healthcare applications, contextual awareness applications become more feasible. Augmented reality applications such as a ‘virtual nurse,’ will allow intuitive and rich interactivity between a patient and their environment and a patient and their medical support team -- all in support of improving QoL.

Thank you Jeannette. I am really looking forward to hearing more about MEMS enabling health and QoL at the MEMS Executive Congress US 2012 in Scottsdale (your neighborhood) in November!