February 2, 2012—MEMS Industry Group® (MIG), the industry organization advancing micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) across global markets, capped off a stellar 2011 with a big splash at the 2012 International CES®. MIG welcomed OEM designers, industry partners and press to the first MEMS TechZone in CES history; hosted and moderated the first MEMS conference session at CES; and gathered with members at a networking breakfast sponsored by STMicroelectronics.

MIG’s notable achievements in 2011 include increasing its membership by more than 25% and setting an attendance record at MEMS Executive Congress. Additionally, Managing Director Karen Lightman was both a featured speaker and conference track chair at numerous events, including Hannover Messe, TechConnect World’s Microtech, Sensors Expo, SEMICON West, Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center’s (BSAC) joint Thrust Session with MIG, and the Livingston Nanotechnology Conference.

“In 2011 MIG celebrated our ten-year anniversary, and it was by all accounts a remarkable year,” said Karen Lightman, managing director of MEMS Industry Group. “With the analysts forecasting strong market growth—reaching nearly US$12 billion by 2015, according to IHS iSuppli, and US$19.5 billion, according to Yole Développement—the MEMS industry is growing steadily, and MIG is growing with it. MEMS suppliers, industry partners and OEM end-users engaged with us through conferences and thrust sessions, webinars, blogs, articles, MEMS Marketplace, and so much more.  We expanded the visibility of MEMS in vertical markets and raised awareness in investment communities. We look forward to a fruitful 2012 in which we will continue to advocate for MEMS among global audiences.”

MIG’s Year in Review

• MIG at 2012 CES (January 10-12, 2012)—MIG hosted the brand-new MEMS TechZone and the only MEMS conference session at the 2012 International CES. MIG co-exhibited with several members including Akustica, Bosch Sensortec, Freescale Semiconductor, VTI Technologies and WiSpry. Nearly every seat was filled at the MEMS conference session, and James Niccolai’s article, MEMS devices swarm over CES, captured the buzz for IDG News Service.

• Livingston Securities – Seventh Annual Livingston Nanotechnology Conference (December 7, 2011)—Karen Lightman introduced MIG and MEMS market opportunities, and participated in an “Actor’s Studio”-style Q&A with Scott Livingston.

• MEMS Executive Congress® 2011 (November 2-3, 2011)—MIG set an attendance record at its seventh annual MEMS Executive Congress in the US and launched the first MEMS Technology Showcase, featuring MEMS-based applications. Attendees voted Recon Instruments’ MOD Live, an interactive display for the world’s first GPS-enabled goggles, as the best product in the Showcase.

• Berkeley Sensor & Actuator (BSAC)-MIG Fall Thrust Session (September 22, 2011)—MIG held a morning workshop on MEMS Commercialization: “Technical Challenges to MEMS Commercialization,” and participated in an afternoon session with BSAC.

• MEMS Testing Standards: A Path to Continued Innovation, Report on MEMS Testing Standards Workshop (Publication date: September 9, 2011) - identified and documented device level qualification and testing needs, to enable the creation of standards for inertial device testing and reduce MEMS manufacturing costs.

• SEMICON West 2011 (July 12-14, 2011)—Karen Lightman moderated the MEMS sessions at show while MIG shared a booth with six member companies:  Amerimade Technology, Akrion Systems, Brewer Science, Innovative Micro Technology (IMT), MEMSCAP and XACTIX. MIG hosted the first MEMS DemoZone at the show, enjoyed a record turnout at its annual members’ happy hour, sponsored by ClassOne Equipment.

• Microtech 2011 (June 14, 2011)—MIG hosted a special symposia, Microtech for Quality of Life and Medical Applications, with Analog Devices, Draper Laboratory, Freescale Semiconductor, GE, NanoMedical Systems, Omron and SynCardia Systems presenting.

• Sensors Expo 2011 (June 6-8, 2011)—MIG partnered with Sensors Expo on a three-day line-up of MEMS-focused conference sessions, starting with a Pre-Conference Symposium on MEMS Commercialization featuring Acuity, ACUTRONIC, AM Fitzgerald and Associates, Analog Devices, Bullen Ultrasonics, Coventor, GE Sensing, EV Group, IHS iSuppli, Knowles Electronics, Maxim Integrated Products, Micralyne, Okmetic, Plan Optik, Silex Microsystems and Yole Développement.

• ESC Chicago (June 7, 2011) and ESC Silicon Valley (May 4, 2011)—MIG hosted and moderated the panel, “Integrating MEMS with DSP/Microprocessors: Thoughts from the MEMS Ecosystem.”

• US MEMS Day at Hannover Messe 2011 (April 4-5, 2011)—MIG hosted the first US MEMS Day at Hannover Messe, and Karen Lightman kicked off a half-day session with “MEMS Market Opportunities and Developments from a US Perspective” with Acuity Incorporated, Silex Microsystems and XACTIX.

• Globalpress Electronics Summit (March 30, 2011)—MIG collaborated with Globalpress Electronics Summit on MEMS Day.

• M2M Forum (March 17, 2011)—At M2M Forum, MIG’s annual members’ meeting, attendees focused on strategies to reduce time and cost of MEMS end-of-line testing. MIG also celebrated its tenth-year anniversary with a birthday cake and inducted four members into the inaugural MIG Hall of Fame.

• MEMS Testing Standards Workshops (January 26 and March 16, 2011)—MIG teamed up with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to identify and document device-level qualification and testing standards.

• MEMS Foundry Engagement Guide (Launched January 2011)—This “How-To” wiki guide for companies looking for MEMS foundry services is a joint effort by MIG members seeking to better connect the MEMS supply chain.

MIG’s Featured Events 2012

• MEMS Executive Congress Europe (March 20, 2012, Zurich, Switzerland)—the European edition of MIG’s highly successful executive event will feature an opening presentation by Karen Lightman, keynotes by Audi AG and STMicroelectronics, and panels on innovative uses of MEMS in both established and emerging markets.

• MIG at Sensors in Design 2012 (March 28, 2012, San Jose, CA)—MIG will be chairing the MEMS track featuring speakers and panels discussing MEMS enabling healthcare; consumer and sporting goods; sensor fusion; and the future of the MEMS market.

• M2M Forum® 2012 (May 8-10, 2012, Pittsburgh, PA)—M2M Forum, the annual MIG members’ meeting, will focus on “MEMS New Product Development,” featuring working groups on MEMS technology development and market pull versus technology push.

• Globalpress Electronics Summit 2012 (April 25, 2012, Santa Cruz, CA)—MIG will host US MEMS Day, and Karen Lightman will present MIG to an international audience of editors from Europe, Asia and the US.

• MIG at Sensors Expo 2012 (June 6-7, 2012, Rosemont, IL)—MIG will host a pre-conference symposium: “MEMS in the Mainstream: Commercialization and Product Realization - Leveraging the MEMS Infrastructure,” which will include key findings from M2M Forum. MIG will host a MEMS Pavilion with MEMS Innovation Area, and chair two days of MEMS conference tracks.

• MIG at SEMICON West 2012 (July 10-12, 2012, San Francisco, CA)—MIG will offer co-exhibition opportunities and host its ever-popular MIG member happy hour event on July 11. 

• MEMS Executive Congress 2012 US (November 7-8, 2012, Scottsdale, AZ)—MIG will kick off its eighth annual executive conference and networking event in the US.

In addition to the above events, MIG will participate in the 2012 Berkeley Sensor & Actuator (BSAC)-MIG Fall Thrust Session and Livingston Securities – Eighth Annual Livingston Nanotechnology Conference. MIG will continue to invest energy in popular programs such as MEMS blog; MEMS Education Series® webinars; collaborative contributed articles; blogging for EE Times and Design News; and more.

ABOUT MEMS INDUSTRY GROUP

MEMS Industry Group (MIG) is the trade association advancing MEMS across global markets. More than 130 companies comprise MIG, including Analog Devices, Applied Materials, Robert Bosch GmbH, Freescale Semiconductor, GE, Honeywell, HP, Intel, InvenSense, Nokia, Qualcomm, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, VTI Technologies and WiSpry. For more information, visit: www.memsindustrygroup.org.

PRESS CONTACTS

Karen Lightman, MEMS Industry Group
Phone: +1 412/390-1644
Email: klightman[at]memsindustrygroup.org

Maria Vetrano
Phone: +617/876.2770
Email: maria[at]Vetrano.com

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